Fifth and Sixth Day of My Birthday Week

Friday, I planned to go get chickens. But, I was not in the mood. So, I suppose I will wait until it is so rainy out I will not want to do it again.

When I talked to exbf last on Thursday, he said he would see me tomorrow. I said "okay" and hung up. About five minutes later, I called him and asked him what he meant. Well, he was so confused about whether the appointment was on or off that he was coming Friday morning.

When I called the ortho office Friday to see about my appointment that was cancelled, cancelled, and then cancelled again, the person said, "Oh, yes, you have an appointment at 11:30. You still have time to get here."

Mind you, once was a voice mail, the other was a text message. Both were cancellations from their office. There was no chance for questions. The confirmation was a chance to press 1 for yes or 2 for no.

This was about 9:20. I explained that I needed to wash my hair and bathe and that my friend 62 miles south of me would have to do the same and come pick me up. She seemed disappointed and gave me another appointment.  I told her I did not want to get in trouble with the office if I ever forgot another time. She said she had recorded what happened. Whew!

The cancellation was disappointing because I was all set for a Quiznoes. I love those things.

I consulted nurses at two other physicians' offices. There are lots of things to figure out. Whew!

This may sound stressful, but some problems were settled, making me less stressed.

Friday evening I was given about five pounds of okra. This will be fried for exbf as I cannot stand okra. I took another coupon to DQ for two meals. I threw out one order of fries, put the toast in a Ziploc in the refrigerator, froze most of the chicken. 

From Freeosk at Walmart, I received a tiny bit of candy--Sweet Tart soft and chewy ropes--more like a gummy bear. I would never buy these for myself. They are pure sugar and too tart for me.

Saturday, I tried to shop for chickens, but both places were closed. I just sat and watched turkeys for a bit.

Saturday was a beautiful day. I drove around town, scoping out places for free food. The people with the pear tree in the front yard absolutely hated it. So, I suppose they killed it on purpose. That's two pear trees gone!

The pecan trees are alive, at least. While driving in heavy Saturday traffic, I could not see whether the pecans were plentiful, but there were pecans. Monday, I will call the place that will give me free figs.

I thawed three of the chicken fingers, ate salad, an apple, and had chocolate ice cream.

Also, cruised a car lot where we got exbf's car. Then, I got milk at Publix and talked to a guy for about an hour, a guy whose child was in a class where I subbed.

Both days were busy although low-key.

After a 12-hour long sleep, I was surprised it was Sunday morning.

Market Day and Free Food

Tuesday morning, I went to pick pears again. I could only stand to pick a little over a gallon! I am still aching and exhausted from the last picking adventure! I still hurt. Score!

Today, I left about 1 pm to go to the market that closes at 2 pm. Very few people were there. Thinking they left early, I was sad. However, only a third of the booths were ever manned today.

One guy peeled a slice of pear and handed it to me. Since I hate fresh pears, it was all I could do to swallow it with the texture.....yuck. He had a pile of cores where he had given samples, so I asked him if I could have it for my chicken. He loaded up about ten pounds of bruised apples that he could not sell because of little rotten spots. Ha! I will take care of those tonight and give the chickens the rest. Score!

Last week, I bought new potatoes from him. They are the best potatoes ever. Today a basket was $5. I had a $6 coupon and asked him to give me a dollars' worth of apples. He dumped a whole basket of apples into the potatoes! Score!

A woman had the most beautiful large peaches, so I got a $6 basket of those. I do believe there were only six peaches. Well, there will be no more fresh local peaches after a few weeks. Yes, only six peaches, $1 each.

The only way I can afford all this good produce is the coupons given to people over 60 who are low income. I signed up for exbf, too, but he barely qualified. He gave me his to spend. I felt bad about his giving them to me. But, I do give him things, including produce, to eat. He gives me much more than I give him! This is $30 for each person for the season.  Score!

This is not $30 each month! It is just once each year. If you live in Alabama, you can find out about the program at a senior center.

That is free pears, free bruised apples, free apples, plus the potatoes and peaches I bought.

Lots of the summer crops are done and the farmers are waiting for other crops to come in. I really wanted tomatoes, but will have to get there earlier, I suppose.

Your turn
What have you gotten this week or lately at your market? Any free fruit or vegetables in your life?

Pear Picking in the Torrid Heat

10 am Sunday--I left the house.

In this heat and with my physical limitations, this was a short session. I think I got 3 gallons in a box and smallish paper bag. Later, I will weigh them--probably ten pounds. Later, I will pick more.

A friend said he would come help and get some for himself. Now, I won't tell him where they are since he did not answer the phone! Jerk! He will ask for some of mine. Nope!

This morning, I searched for a pear preserve recipe. Later, I will look for a spiced pear recipe. The spiced pears have less sugar, so most will be spiced pears. I told the young couple I would give them some pear preserves.

The recipe for pear preserves said they did not have to be put in a water bath canner...hmmm. I think I will wbc them anyway. The old recipe I have used in the past came from a 1941 recipe book. Most of the recipes on the internet had 10 ingredients. The one I will use has three ingredients: pears, sugar, lemon juice. Maybe both of them have water as an ingredient, not sure.

Last winter, I had spiced pears for the first time on the plate with a dinner at a church.  They were not a dessert and barely sweet.  I think a lite simple syrup will work on those. Maybe I will use Red Hots in a  few jars of pears.

The largest pear I found was almost as large as a hard ball and the smallest was golf ball sized. Most were smaller than a tennis ball. Quite a few conked me on the head. The ones I picked before the tornado took out my pear tree on public land were all larger than a soft ball. I dodged those! Last year, this same tree had tennis ball pears. I wonder what happened. ??? Not enough rain?

Just an aside--I hate pears. I like the canned ones in the store. Pears are the only fruit I prefer canned. I know it is strange, but the texture of a fresh pear just gags me. Pear preserves and spiced pears make me happy.

11:00 am
Okay, I quit sweating and can breathe, so I am going to hydrate myself, get pears from the car. Then, I will rest a bit and go get another ten +/-  pounds.

11:45
My hands are trembling. My shoulders hurt from reaching up! I am drenched with sweat. However, I picked half a large grocery bag full. I am sure I have five gallons.

These will have to sit a few days to ripen a bit before cutting and canning, so I have time to prepare jars. I am not giving away a canning jar to the people with the tree in their rent yard. They will get jelly jars. If they can get me another ten gallons, they will get sealed canning jars that I may never see again.

I think I have found the recipe I am going to use, but would welcome any recipe you recommend. I have a few days to decide the one I will use. I just have to get Red Hots. Fruit Fresh and sugar are here.

Your turn
Do you like pears in a can from the store, fresh out of hand, pear preserves, spiced pears, pears in Red Hots? What is your favorite recipe if you can pears?

Free Fruit

Getting free fruit or any free vegetables is just one of my very favorite things to do. Today, I gathered 30 lbs of free pears. Don't ask me what kind they are. When I looked at pictures of pears on the internet, these were labeled "old fashioned hard pears." I guess that kind of says it all. I have repeated this name to older folk who who nod their head as if that is the right name for them.

Last year, I gathered 150 lbs of pears. Not one passed through my lips! I hate pears of any kind except canned. Yes, it is weird. No, I don't can pears!

My four hens love pears. Spending no money for chicken food is my goal, so these pears are right up my alley.

I also share pears with all my friends. I kept about 50 lbs in the refrigerator for six months. No, I don't have a large refrigerator. Pears dominated my life for a few months! They never spoiled. They never ripened. They never shriveled or dried out. They sat there! My friend to whom I had sent ten pounds said she put them in a bowl on the table, and they all waited for them to ripen. Once ripe, the pears were delicious, or so I was told. Altogether, she and her family had been the recipient of about 40 lbs of pears, sent in small amounts over six months.

My pear goal is 200 lbs this year. I will have them sitting all over the house in tubs, bags, and boxes. Since they have the tendency to go bad and ooze juice onto the floor, all will be in containers that will not leak. That sort of leaves out bags and boxes.

Now, I am spreading the word that I will glean. Even rotten fruits or vegetables are fine for the hens. As a matter of fact, the more pungent, the better they seem to like it. They are probably looking on their good luck with rotten fruit as a sort of hard cider experience. I can write a post about "My Drunk Hens."

Two years ago, I purchased a fruit picker. It allows me to reach 17' from the ground. It has a little basket on a pole with prongs above the basket to allow me to pull the fruit into the basket. The pole comes apart into two pieces. When I find the cord to my camera, I will post a picture.

Unfortunately, the first year I had my picker, it was used little. Then, last fall, I used it lots. Eventually, I ended up with a "frozen shoulder." That pain and stiffness had to be worked out over about six months. This time, I hope I will be smarter and take care not to let the shoulder become stiff. Who wants to massage my shoulder?

When I pick pears with my picker, I use canvas bags to hold the pears and to transport them home. I must remember to take more canvas bags and not fill them to overflowing. It hurts my hands and back to carry these to the car and into the house. My little red wagon is used to bring the pears from car to door.  But, I still must carry them up the steps!

"My" pear tree is being hosted by someone else, just like "my" pecan trees. Anyone can get the pears, but since I don't want to give anyone ideas, I try to go when there is little traffic. I do have permission!

Since I am losing weight and going to TOPS, I will make less pear preserves and more pear sauce (like applesauce) from my bounty.

Does anyone have access to free fruit? What kind? Does anyone have one of these fruit pickers like I have?