The day after Christmas

The time has been filled with family events. Like nursing eldest grandson back to reasonable health after fever caused by unknown bacteria or virus...cutting a wisdom tooth, soar throat, stiff neck, and extreme exhaustion. Like decorating the house and putting up the tree. Carol baked lots and lots of family specialty cookies, fixed turkey dinner for Christmas evening. The green beans were from the garden this fall.

At about 2:00 this morning I developed sweating, a cough, slightly sore throat and a mild sinus stuffiness. We'll see what develops. I gargled with 50:50 hydrogen peroxide and water. 'sipped hot acidic beverages like orange juice.

Carol is making turkey soup from the leftover carcass. The house is filled with the aroma of stewing turkey. Turkey carcass soup is simple to make. Simply cover the bones with leftover water from cooking vegetables like cabbage, beans, potatoes, etc. After the gelatin and flavors are extracted from the turkey, the bones and grissel are removed and the remaining meat is removed. Thevegetables are added. "Egg drop noodles" are added just before serving dinner portions. The remainder is forzen for later.

It makes as good a remedy for a cold as chicken soup...after all turkeys are related to chickens. They both belong to the order Galliformes.

Switching Gears

2009 May 28

Time to switch gears from winter spring garden to spring summer. Several beds need to be cleaned up and fitted for summer season crops like okra, soybeans, and southern peas. Peppers and tomatoes are already grown and setting fruit.

I plan to "cover crop" several beds with buckwheat or millet; white pearl if I can find it. The southern peas will also serve as a cover crop, vegetable crop, and to build up nitrogen in the soil.

I have 15 beads on 5 foot centers and each is 20 - 25 feet long; about 1500 square feet in all.