Shelf Life

We all want to know the shelf life of everything. This site has interesting information. I am not sure I agree with all the information. Do you find at the site anything that seems wrong to you?

Hen Rescue in US and Slugmama's Giveaway

Instead of gassing old layers, the hens were rescued and flown to backyard homes.  While I think not gassing California hens and rescuing them is fine, could they not have found new homes closer than the East coast? Maybe fewer commercial layers will be killed in the future.

Sluggy's Boring Blog Box Giveaway is here again. I won the last giveaway she had.  Go on over.  Try your luck.

Your turn
Would you take old laying hens into your backyard? Why or why not? What do you think of this idea?  Good grief! I do sound like a school teacher, constructing an essay test question!

Cowboy Church and Horse Steaks? I Took a Drive

 

Thursday, I had to make a drive for mystery shopping. I am a cheap date for myself...lol. As I drove along, this sign drew me to the side of the road. I took this picture looking up toward the sun. I didn't have much choice of where to aim. I did not get out of the car for any of the pictures I took Thursday.

 

It was a beautiful day, as you can see. The road I drove is the same one I took a hundred times with my children on the way to my mother's house in Memphis. The last time I drove it was to her funeral. It was a bittersweet drive.

 

I am sitting in the driveway of this church. On the other side of the driveway is a sign for a free rodeo. I have a sneaky feeling the huge metal building was the rodeo and that is when and where they hold their services. I suppose bronc riders do pray lots.

 



 

Just in the driveway but not inside the gate, this cowgirl and her dog are waiting. She and the dog are made of metal. On the other side of the driveway was a cowboy. I know I took his picture.

Further along, this cow, number 192, was very interested in me. There were others closer to me, but all but this one ignored me. No. 192 looked me in the eye. I think we made a connection. I really wanted to stay and talk to her.

 

Mel's Steakhouse has a cow and a horse. Now, that was a surprise. I thought maybe they served horse steak.

Then, I saw the buggy. Whew!

 

This was a very tall structure. It is right near where the giant chicken was located. Oh, the chicken is gone.

 

 

After driving 140 miles, feeding my hens and then putting them to bed (locking the pen), I saw this sunset with ripples in the clouds. The picture does not do the sight justice.

So, that was my Thursday, very pleasant and not at all exciting, just satisfying. I stopped at the Mennonite bakery and got $1.25 worth of candy. Delicious.

Did you ever enjoy a sort of doing nothing day? Tell me about a memorable one or the last doing nothing day that turned out to be full of surprises and pleasant.

Autumn Joy Sedum: Deer/Drought-Proof/Edible: Update

internet source

 

Check out the link under the picture if you are looking for deer- or drought-proof plants that are edible.  Sedum fills the bill for all three.

The rest below are ramblings of mine.

My sedum will look like this and even darker during the late fall and early winter. As I recall from ten years ago, it almost looks like a dark burgundy.



Autumn Joy Sedum

Sedum telephium 'Autumn Joy'

I took a picture of this in the nursery.

 

I bought a Sedum Joy (what they called it in the nursery) about 13 years ago. It stayed in the yard near the bird bath, living for several  years, bringing me a great deal of joy. The year 2003 was not a good year for yard work or getting to the yard since I waited for six months waiting for workman's comp insurance to give me "permission" to have an MRI for my knee that had a torn meniscus. After that, I no longer remember this plant. Maybe it is growing in a thicket right now.

 

I have been told that sedum comes in different colors. One year, in my search for this pink variety, I found yellow. This is deer and drought proof, or so says the internet source under the picture above.  And, you can eat it. I will try it next year when, hopefully, the pesticides will be gone or less.

Sedum Joy turning from green to pink

This is the plant I own.

 

Isn't that a delicate pink? Eventually, the whole plant will turn pink, only pink. Then, during the fall it turns a deep burgundy, crimson you might call it. Every week it is a different and deeper shade of pink to burgundy. I just went out past the Sedum Joy and it is a delicate pink, not so evident in the picture.

 

After the Autumn color fades to burgundy it just remains as dead stalks. I leave it all winter because it is actually structurally pretty. Plus, I know where the sedum is located.  In the spring, the stalks are easily pulled up without disrupting the new growth.

 

I have looked for this every year but either never find it or find it in yellow. One plant is all I can afford, but I really enjoy the one I do have. Since it spreads, it really fills out a space with color for three seasons. However, it seems it is only sold in the Fall. It can grow 2' high and 2' wide. Of course, my plant is about 10" wide and not much taller.

 

Your turn

Some people have never heard of this plant. Others only know it by his name. And, some people act like it is common as grass. Where do you stand? Ever heard of this, planted it?

 

"You Need to Leave Now."

That's what he said. My daughter said she had spent two months solid thinking and figuring out she could afford what her son needed to go to college out of state, shopping and wearing herself out. He received scholarships, grants, help from family in the form of large graduation gifts, and did not work all summer. (He actually landed a job that ended up being fewer hours than they indicated until the last two weeks. I figure that a long-time employee left to go to school but not before he got all the hours and paychecks he could.)

I got all the deals I could for free or almost free school supplies and showed my daughter the best deals online for clothing (underwear and socks) since I have more time to spend online. She even drove to Long Island to get things not available where she is in Brooklyn. (Sandy destroyed places she shopped.) His sister has taken a backseat while everyone focused on getting him to the out-of-state school he only wanted to attend because his girlfriend is going there. His 12-year-old sister was very understanding.

It took two vehicles, my daughter, her bf D, her ex B, the girl's mother, and the girl's uncle riding a bus with luggage to get all the gear the two college students needed to the college four hours away. My daughter drove and arrived exhausted. She was quickly organizing his stuff in the room while he watched, got in the way, was a brat (she said), and did not help. The guys went to buy whatever they needed to hook up his brand-new tv (bought the day before by his father) by stringing all the wire up and around doors to reach the tv outlet across the room. Oh, he did hang up his shirts.

The grandson eventually said to his mother, "You need to leave now." "It's time for you to go." Finally, his girlfriend came to his room and told my daughter, "You can leave now." My daughter was crushed. She hugged her son with no joy, and left when she finished what she was doing.

Then, she had the grueling four-hour drive home. She had gotten up at 5 am and left by 6:15 pm to get him settled so she could drive home before dark. She cried lots because of his ingratitude, his dismissive attitude. She cried when she arrived home. She was still beyond exhausted when I talked to her Monday night.

She had planned they would all go out to eat lunch, decompress/relax, laugh a bit, say good-bye and depart in a good mood. The kids had other plans. There was some event on campus for incoming freshmen that they wanted to attend! Really, they should have just said so instead of telling her it was time for her to leave, dismissing her.

My advice to her: Drop him off at the curb next year. She agreed.
My advice: Let him take the bus home for visits. She already had told him that would be necessary because of the age of her vehicle. She does not expect him until Thanksgiving.

My daughter said her son called his father at 1 am and asked where his toiletries he himself had packed were located. His father had no idea: "look in your bins." LOL

This is a kid who has never given her a moment's worry, just had an attitude problem occasionally and a smart mouth occasionally. He attended school, did not do drugs, does not smoke or drink, won leading roles in high school musicals, played an instrument, played football one year and maintained very high grades except for his junior year. So, all this attitude was totally unexpected.

Since the mother of the girlfriend rode back with my daughter, they discussed the two they left behind. It seems that the girl acted the same way toward her mother, upsetting her as well. So, it was not just my daughter's son. The little girlfriend is an only child!

One good thing did come out of this. I told her I felt the same way she does when she does not call me back or says she is too busy to talk.  She sounded sorry as she sort of gasped and groaned and apologized. So, for two days, she has been responsive. No, I do not expect to talk to her every day.

And, so it goes...................

I Relish a Relish Deal

Add a can of tuna for a delicious sandwich.

This week at the grocery that doubles coupons, Mt. Olive 16 oz. pickles and relishes were 2/$3.00.  had two coupons. The 16 oz. relishes were regularly $2.45. I had a $.50 coupon.

 

I bought the larger sweet relish using a coupon. They allowed me to get two 8 oz. dill relishes since they were out.

 

 

The 32 ounces above (2/$3) were my purchases using coupons.

2 $.50 coupons were doubled to make 2 x $1=$2.

$3 minus $2= $1 for my purchase above.

 

Original price=$4.90 for 32 oz.

Sale price=$3 for 32 oz.
Savings: $3.90

My final price (for all three jars, 32 oz.)=$1+.tax=$1.09

 





$.94 - $.75 coupon=$.19

 

Toothpaste for $.19 cents is almost as good as free! Usually, toothpaste is free for me.

 

Your turn

Have you been able to use this relish coupon that was in a paper insert? What is your best deal lately? 

Sunday Surprises: grapes, grasshopper, gift

grapes I did not know I had

 

 

Saturday, I was driving home past my retaining wall. A woman walking stopped and started eating something. I stopped and asked her if I could help her. She said, "No, I am just eating grapes. They are delicious." I said, "Yes, I love them."  As she continued, I said, "Those are my grapes. That is my yard." The  poor woman jumped so hard and bent with her hands over her face. I was almost sorry I frightened her so. She apologized profusely. I assured her that a few grapes were fine, but I did not want people picking them all.

 My grapes on the arbor are scuppernong. They are bronze when ripe. So, these puzzled me. Later, I parked by the retaining wall and took the picture and gathered a few grapes. At first, I thought they were volunteer muscadine because of the color.

But, they are what people call "old fashioned grapes." I have a vine in the yard but never see ripe grapes. No one can give me another name. I picked and ate about a dozen. No more are ripe. There won't be enough to make jam. But, they will be a nice snack occasionally. Have you ever heard of grapes called "old fashioned grapes"?

UPDATE: YES, I know that stuff hanging over into the street is fair game. I did not tell her to stop, just frightened her. People walk by and get the honeysuckle, grapes, take cuttings of the wisteria. I never mind, except for the one person who ate the scuppernongs, took some home, and called me to tell me she did it. ???

He was huge! 3 inches!

I am all for cheap thrills, but this was too much. This huge grasshopper was on my car near the door opening of the front driver door of my car. My arms were full; the sun was hot; I was stressed. Now, I am not afraid of a grasshopper, but I was just positive it would hop in the car and then on me when I was driving. I will react badly if one lands on me. Yes, the car needs washing! When are you coming to wash it?

Scunci foam rollers

Janet said she was sending me something. I just could not imagine what! Imagine my surprise and pleasure when I opened a fat, soft envelope. Yes, I was guessing or trying to guess as I brought it into the house. These are so expensive when new. I will prepare them a shampoo bath and rinse. Then, they can hang in a lingerie bag to dry. I will definitely use these. Some look as though they have never been out of the little zipper bag. I hastily counted 46 rollers and suspect there are or were 48. Thanks!

Your turn
Have you found surprises growing in your yard? Edible ones? Would you use rollers from the thrift store that looked clean and new?