The Good Day All Thread

Today was "Spring Cleaning -Sunroom Edition". The sunroom is a plant conservatory / seed-starting greenhouse during chilly times. During sunny times, solar uptake is too high for plant survival or even human safety, in daytime. Night and early morning is good for exercise cycle. Laundry dries faster than in the dryer, so that's what is in summer. No dust or smoke or bird "bombs", and the plant racks become folding or hanging racks.

With a good thorough cleaning, it's ready for drying laundry. It's interesting the clothes have a stiffer texture that way but are cooler and don't shrink, and less wear and tear.

I made another black bean chocolate cake. It is the new favorite and doesn't cause blood sugar peaks.

Next I want to try something in the cookie department - maybe add rum flavoring to black bean chocolate cookies or peanut butter walnut cookies made with almond flour... lots of ideas.

Meanwhile the new roof is about 50% installed, lots of noise and barking. In the sun, it's blindingly white! But the house is on a hill and it's difficult to see the roof from the road or yard or anywhere else.

 

You’re making a lot of progress in many different arena’s. Good times will roll when it’s all complete… yet the biggest question is we are always a work in progress…until next time. It’s a great achievement to complete our goals.

 

How true, Pac. How true.

 

Today I made a blueberry pie. I had a frozen filling from Summer 2022.

I've been frustrated because my frozen pie fillings seem to start soupy, and the top gets soggy. So this time I pre-cooked the filling to thicken the starch, then let it cool, before assembling the pie. It did not sink and it was not soupy. It came out great! Why didn't I think of that before? Not a diabetic pie - this one's for me. I'll make almond flour, monk-fruit sweetened peanut butter cookies tomorrow.

I installed a new glass protector and silicone back on my I-Pad. It feels completely new now.

Here's the new roof so far.



A couple days behind schedule. Rufus is going nuts and barking like crazy, with all of the pounding and power tools and loud Tejano music (loud rock or rap or polka would get to me just as much). i can HOPE they finish tomorrow! The open roof peaks are for the ridge venting system, which will be done last (I think ).

Tonight will be an episode of Bodkin on Netflix. It's an Irish murder mystery series that sort if reminds me of the old Twin Peaks in a way.

 

Pie sounds yummy. And always like your cooking tips.
I need to get a new iPad cover . It’s tapped together . They really don’t hold up long.

Alrighty … the roof is getting there. Very nice look. Like it a whole bunch.
Gives the entire outside a fresh look.

Now for sure the inside fireplace could be whitewashed to tie in the roof with the inside.
It’s so exciting to get some of the updating accomplished. A new roof , bath, trees taken out, pulse all the spring cleaning…gardening, you have been super busy.

And nice pics taken by drone? Wonder if they could give your garden a fly by…?

 

Good Saturday morning all. Currently 18°C and sunny. Its the first morning of my long weekend, and I am chomping at the bit to get started on my long 'to do' list. I've already been for my dog walk and chased all the bunnies away. Seems like every bunny in the township is in my yard and gardens this year! There are at least 4 generations here as there are 4 distinct sizes and the are able to get into my veggie garden enclosure and I'm afraid to plant the rest of my crops. So far they have eaten all my kale, my liatris, most of my locust tree seedling, phlox, tulips and all the tops of my alliums. The allium one seems weird to me, stupid rabbits. They don't move on soon I'm going to turn them into dog food.
Ground is extremely wet with dew this morning, so once that dries I'll start cutting the grass. I also have lots of weed eating that needs done, and there are still 2 gardens that haven't had their spring cleaning yet. Also have 3 strips to rototill in the garden, and 5 poles to pound in - I'll get my son to do that as my shoulder still hurts. Oh and there is compost to turn and hopefully some use in the gardens, as well as brush to burn. Its going to be another busy day!
Have a great day all

 

Daniel— thanks so much for the update. It looks expansive and quite smart. I really hope that it will make a difference with the heat.
BTW— about those frozen blueberries: do you make jam from them. If so, what is their quality after being frozen for two years?

 

I had to cut back on making jam. It's tasty but we don't eat that much. I made a pie, and it was delicious!

Today was mostly a break, went to the new Planet of The Apes movie. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

 

Good Monday morning all. Currently 16°C and sunny.
It has been amazing weather all weekend, and today will be no different. Today I hope to get more work done in the veggie garden and the back last back garden edged and weeded. Next weekend I will plant the annuals, and hopefully by then the rabbits will have moved on. I only saw one yesterday. I have spent a good part of the weekend trimming all their favourite hiding places so hopefully that has chased them in to the clover field next door where they will be much happier.
I did a trade with a friend - I'm giving her tomato plants in exchange for strawberry plants! I'll get them this week and hopefully get them planted as their spot is already prepared.
Have a great day all

 

Hoi Daniel— what are those frozen blueberries like after being frozen for so long—soft and mushy or hard little shrivelled things? My Bride wants to know.

Netty— That sounds like a good trade. What kind of strawbs are they?

 

Good afternoon . Been out watching the Air Show this weekend. Those jets are noisy as they pass over our area . Sounds like a freight train in our livrm. My DH was a pilot .amazing flight maneuvers , as I get a play by play instruction from my home pilot.

 

Sjoerd, those were frozen as a pie filling, so I had them mixed with sugar and some starch. They were sealed in a plastic bag. I think the sugar helped protect them. When cooked, were just like freshly harvested. No shriveling or mushiness. You would never know the pie was made from frozen berries. I think, cooking them to thicken the sauce, before assembling the pie, was also helpful.

@Pac that air show sounds like fun, and maybe lots off memories!

@Netty, clover sounds nice for the bunnies! They should like it.

The new roof is closer but still not done. Frustrating but I know that happens. I think, in the end, the improvement and enhanced safety will be meaningful. The ridge vent covers are in place and the kitchen vent is re-installed.

We had a meeting and walk-through with the realtor at the in-law house. It has some flaws that need repair. Im leaning towards selling it with full disclosures about the flaws, to someone who will buy it fix those and flip it. We'll get significantly less of course, but much faster and much less work. There will be much to do, anyway.

Now to watch a murder mystery.

 

Daniel I think you made a good decision regarding the in-law home. It’s just a lot besides finding dependable construction people is harder than anything in my experience. You have a lot on your plate just taking care and upgrading your own home.
Hope the roof is complete soon . I would imagine the rainy weather hasn’t helped .

 

Thanks a mil for that info, Daniel. I will pass that along.

 

No gardening today. Oh well. Like the song from Annie, there's tomorrow!



Roof is done. I think this was the best contractor I've ever hired. Even with some delay.

Here's the "after" drone photo. The photo looks grey. It's actually white.



Here's the front view as of now.



The view on 2012. I think it's not bad, just that things evolve with time. Back then no-one was thinking about wildfire mitigation and people weren't thinking as much about "cool roof" benefits.



For wildfire mitigation, the Japanese Maple in front needs either a drastic, probably unattractive pruning, or cut down entirely. Maybe a pollard look is do-able. It wasn't so large two years ago. In fact, it's the fuzzy looking thing between the two big evergreens that are gone now.

Today's crossword wasn't too bad. Also the wordle.

We also did some furniture exchange between the in-law house, to sell in a moving sale and some wanted items from there to here, to keep.