Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[farmgirl19]

Mine, too, and the first thing I always think of is the movie, The Fuller Brush Man.

Yes, along with Whistling in Brooklyn and Whistling in Dixie!

 

[pacerron]

Ron, I probably do have some seeds on my asparagus, but the ferns are so green, they hide anything below.

I envy you your grapes. If I was your neighbor, I'd volunteer to take your fence down for you after picking a few gallons. I might even make a little vino with some juice. What are your plans for the 9 gallons you have canned?

The grapes are Concord so she adds sugar during the canning process. It will all be consumed one way or another by next fall.
She also made a number of grape pie fillings and put them in the freezer. Warm grape pie with vanilla ice cream is a favorite around here. She makes a fantastic pastry pie crust.
Good thing we enjoy eating.

The deer netting may be a little tricky to take off since the grapevines have grown through it in places. Draping the 7' high fabric over the vines was easy. We put a few step in plastic stakes on each side to tie it to but have found that is not required.
We just lift up a side to pick the grapes; then drape it back over.

 

[farmgirl19]

The grapes are Concord so she adds sugar during the canning process. It will all be consumed one way or another by next fall.
She also made a number of grape pie fillings and put them in the freezer. Warm grape pie with vanilla ice cream is a favorite around here. She makes a fantastic pastry pie crust.Good thing we enjoy eating.

The deer netting may be a little tricky to take off since the grapevines have grown through it in places. Draping the 7' high fabric over the vines was easy. We put a few step in plastic stakes on each side to tie it to but have found that is not required.
We just lift up a side to pick the grapes; then drape it back over.

I don't think I've ever had a grape pie. Now I have something else for my "bucket list". Hate to miss out on good stuff, ya know? I'll be hunting for recipes, so that I can make one (or more) next year! I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I do enjoy fresh, (home grown) grapes. We used to eat the sour Mustang grapes, when I was riding horses, near where DFW sits now. (Yes, even at 29, I was around before that area grew up!) Those Mustang grapes made awesome jellies too!

 

[pacerron]

Coastal Flying Service used to be owned and operated by King Sharp. He and I used to hang out and fly a little together. He is the one that I sold my Cessna 140A to, many years ago. If you happen to run into him, tell him I said hello. (If you mention the 140A, he'll know who it is!)

Isn't the Cessna 140A the bird you were trying to trace a while back, and couldn't find?
Perhaps you could call GKS in El Campo and wish him a belated 73rd birthday back in July. A chat about old times
may reveal the missing history of your 140A

 

[jinman]

The deer netting may be a little tricky to take off since the grapevines have grown through it in places. Draping the 7' high fabric over the vines was easy. We put a few step in plastic stakes on each side to tie it to but have found that is not required.
We just lift up a side to pick the grapes; then drape it back over.

The nice thing about that netting is that you can cut some of the squares and not change its effectivity against deer. If you want to restore it, just use a twist tie or two where you cut it. I buy green twist tie in 200' rolls, so I have plenty for all my garden needs.

 

[pacerron]

I don't think I've ever had a grape pie. Now I have something else for my "bucket list". Hate to miss out on good stuff, ya know? I'll be hunting for recipes, so that I can make one (or more) next year! I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I do enjoy fresh, (home grown) grapes. We used to eat the sour Mustang grapes, when I was riding horses, near where DFW sits now. (Yes, even at 29, I was around before that area grew up!) Those Mustang grapes made awesome jellies too!

Do you still ride your horses?
My wife still rides the one she broke and trained from a yearling. More pampering than riding but she loves it. We used to do a lot of trail riding together but when we had to have my favorite white Arab put down, I gave it up.

Anyway here is how she does a Concord grape pie.

GRAPE PIE
As with all good things, requires some extra effort.

4 cups of grapes washed and stemmed.
Squeeze the pulp and seeds into a pan. Save the skins in another bowl.
Cook the pulp and seeds for about 5 minutes.
Strain out the seeds in a sieve.
Add the skins back in.
2 cups of sugar and 1 T of lemon juice.
4 T Tapioca
Put in a double 9" pie crust.
Dot the filling with 1 T butter before putting on the top crust.
Bake 1 hour at 400 deg.

It keeps well in a refrigerator. We warm pieces in the micro and have it for an evening treat with vanilla ice cream.
The sweet and sour combination is great.

 

[pacerron]

The nice thing about that netting is that you can cut some of the squares and not change its effectivity against deer. If you want to restore it, just use a twist tie or two where you cut it. I buy green twist tie in 200' rolls, so I have plenty for all my garden needs.

The netting is really tough. We tie it to the T-posts around the garden with used plastic filament baler twine. Last year during the storm that blew our roof off, just a little section of the netting was damaged by tree branches blowing against it. Had it fixed in minutes with a little twine.
As soon as frost is predicted we will be digging the sweet tatters and then taking the netting down.
It is 2 years old now and I don't see any UV damage but I like to open plow the garden before winter so the netting is in the way.
I used to frown and say: Plastic..... since I grew up in the era when cellophane gave plastic a bad name, but must admit there are now plastic materials superior to metal in many cases.

 

[farmgirl19]

pacerron; It is the Cessna 120 that I solo'd in that I was looking for. Edna Gardner White had owned the plane since it was new. It had pink trim and had flown is many "Powder Puff Derbies", before my time. One of the old TIA pilots bought it, when Edna's estate was auctioned off, and then someone in Waco bought it from him. I lost track of it after that. Now the N number (111J) is shown to be an Aircoupe, on the site that I was searching. :confused3: But yes, one of these days, I have got to call GKS, and talk about old times. He was my first introduction to going UNDER power lines. At times, I thought him almost crazy, but one doesn't stay a duster pilot for as many years as he did it, and live to be his age, if they are not GOOD. He was spending time in Waco at the small grass strip where I hangared my 140A, when we met at a hangar party! We sure drank a lot of beer back then! :laughing:

Thanks for the grape pie recipe! Can I use any grapes, even if some are better, (like those Mustang grapes!). I'd even buy grapes in the store this Fall to make that recipe, if those will work. I don't mind the extra work. I put in a 15 hour shift on the job yesterday. Thought today would be a half day, but have 7 hours on it now, and as I rolled into the drive last night, the battery "idiot light" came on the dash. Looks like a trek to see if it is battery or alternator. I hate the darn lights. At least with a gauge, I can see if there is excess charge or drain occuring, BEFORE it leaves me. Might be jumping the F-250 off of the F-150, this morning. Just put in new batteries, less than a year ago, and had the electrical/charging system check. This is the 3rd set of Interstate batteries, in 5 years. The second set was pro-rated, due to not going the distance. When they failed, they considered them as if they were the original batteries, so no further help on expense for this set. If this is the batteries, AGAIN, it might be the last set of Interstate batteries that go on a rig of mine!

Years ago, my dad wouldn't run Interstates, as he had been through them not lasting. I figured, they couldn't still be that bad. I was wrong. And what is funny, there are only 2 battery manufacturers, and all brands come from them. Somehow, I am still having the poor luck with Interstate, that my dad did 45 years ago.

I guess any hope of being out "half a day" today, is dimming quickly.

And yes, I still ride horses. I hadn't, in several years, as I was in a truck wreck in 2002 that made a mess of my back, neck, and me. I was told I'd need back surgery, and might not be walking, if I didn't. It has taken some time, and effort (but NO surgery!), but I began riding again this past March. I even added a new horse to the mix! I've enjoyed my 14.3-15 hand QHs, all of my life, and ended up with a 17.2 hand TB (retired racer)! Nothing like going back into it, by jumping off of the deep end! It sure will be a long way to the ground if I fall! It is a long way to the ground to dismount! :confused2: I expect to take some time next month, and go on some trail rides. Have access to 3000 acres to ride on, with about 20 minutes of hauling time, and when temps moderate here, I think it will do my mind and body and soul a lot of good! I still pamper a couple of QH mares, and an old donkey. I own the last foal I bred and raised, so understand your wife pampering hers.

Gotta go see if the rig fires, or if I have to hook up jumpers! Y'all have a great day!

 

[Lou66]

Cut my hay fields on Wed. with the intent of rolling and baling on Fri.. Knew it wasn't going to be a good day.. The first thing this morning I set my coffee down on my pencil and spilled it on the newspaper,:mur:, not on the front page.. no on the crossword puzzle,:smiley_aafz:, have I mention that when started to rake the hay field it started to rain.:confused3:. Cutting hay fields maybe better than dancing.:cool2:. Lou

 

[jinman]

It's raining at my house. It's not a huge storm or amount of rain, but it is coming down hard and I love it. Woohoo!

EDIT: 2/10". . . NICE!