Feeling Domestic

Hello,

Yesterday I made grape jelly. Something I had not done for years. I would have liked to call my sister and ask some questions, but I forged ahead on my own. It tastes good, but it has not yet set. The one partially full jar that I put in the frig has gelled nicely so there may be hope for the other three. I try not to look, tip to the side, and sigh very often. I suspect I did not really get to that full rolling boil. I just got tired and talked myself into the sight of bubbles coming up.

Today I canned some tomatoes. I used pre-used salsa jars because I do not have so many canning jars left. This is the first batch of tomatoes I have done, but I have hope that there will be more before the season is over.

This morning I picked soybeans, tomatoes, much broccoli, and a few sprigs of cilantro. I might try to make my own salsa. If Miriam can do it so can I. The green bean plants were wet from dew so I went back this afternoon and picked them. I talked Leroy, who had come home from work just in time, into helping me. We got a nice amount, but not so very many. This is about it unless it rains in the very near future.

We both agree that we have not gotten as much from the garden but it is still a steady supply of vegetables on the table. We are well blessed indeed.

I have canned 66 jars of one thing or another. More fruits this year than vegetables, but that is okay. We like most of it.

Paula

Helping People

Hello,

I had not been home for long and Leroy just walked in the door when the phone rang. It was a young friend of ours who said he was in the neighborhood trying to get his tablet to work for video chats. The problem was that he could be seen but not heard. He could see and hear the person he had connected with. The computer doctor could not help him, but suggested he reload the program. Leroy and I both thought that his microphone must be turned off somehow. I logged on our computer and we tried to have a conversation with the same result as previously. Then Leroy remembered that he had a microphone/headset. He tried that and it worked. Leroy just gave him the unit since he had not used it in years. He must have been keeping it just for Ted. I do not remember it being used at all. I shudder to think how many times we might have moved it. And I have tried to convince you that we travel light in this house. It seems there is always one more thing that needs to be eliminated. Hopefully just the right person will come along and need it, helping us to remember that we even have it.

We were all pleased to have helped, especially when it was not expected that we would do that. Leroy did urge Ted to keep looking for some solutions because he is sure that his tablet has a microphone and it must just be turned off. I told Leroy, “When you really retire you can become the computer doctor.”  He just laughed.

One thing about computers is that there is so much magic just around the corner if one could just find that corner to look around.

Is that true of all of life?

Paula

Fruits to Share

Hello,

Today a small girl was pleading or closer to whining at her mom to get some candy that we sell in the library. Her mom kept saying no. When they were about done checking out I asked, “Would it be ok if she picked and ate some tomatoes?”

That was fine, so we went out to the pots that have tomatoes in them in front of the library. I showed her the small deep purple variety, picked one, rubbed off the dust, and popped it in my mouth with a sigh of pleasure as the flavor burst when I bit into it. With a little prodding this little girl did the same. I also showed them a plant that has small bright red tomatoes on it. She ate several of each before they came back into the library. From then on she was demanding, “Tomato!  Tomato!”

I loved having that candy forgotten and replaced with much more nutrition for her growing self.

After work I once again went to pick grapes. I use a pruner for this. Somehow I cut a v in one of my fingers. It hurt quite a bit, but did not bleed at first. After a bit, more and more blood appeared. I was able to wash it off at an outdoor water spigot. This car did not have a first aid kit that I could find, but a search in my purse revealed a small packet that contained two band aids and a safety pin. Seems I must be ready for all emergencies. When I tore open the band aid I found that it was in the shape of a yellow crayon. How old do you think this thing is?  I was pleased that it stuck to my finger so I could drive without smearing blood here and there.

I have many grapes and there are still some left to pick. I am thinking of making jam even though I do not want to make something with so much sugar in it, however I do still buy jam, but the low sugar type. I will have to see what recipes I can scout out.

Paula

Soy Beans and Cars

Hello,

These two subjects are wearing me down or out. A friend sent a note that we should check into the value of soy as a food. There are certainly some negatives. The positives are that we are not using GMO soy. It has not been farmed, but in our garden with just us and the sun, rain, and dirt. On the other hand, we do eat tofu, texturized vegetable protein, soy milk, and soy flour which are all commercial products. Who knows what the background of that soy is? Hopefully we do not eat so much of it that it is causing us much trouble.

We are shopping for a different car. We have only spent two days out looking at vehicles, test driven four, and talked with three sales people. The rest of the time we are reading consumer reports, searching the Internet, and groaning.

It would help if we were brand loyal then we could eliminate many possibilities. Now we do not know if we want to go for Leroy’s comfort. He has some issues with his hip after sitting in our cars for two hours or more. How do we know what would be good the next time around unless we were to rent or borrow such type?

Do we want to go for some hauling room? Course we do not want a large vehicle so that makes quite a lot of difference in what is available. We want the best gas mileage that we can get.

Then we want this and that feature, but we do not want to pay much for anything. I believe the day will come when we will say we have had enough looking and we will just buy what is closest at hand and closest to our expectations. It is hard for us to imagine that some people actually enjoy this process. All it seems to do for me is cause tension, greed, and sadness. I had the brilliant thought that we spend so much money on this thing to have it be idle most of the time. It sleeps as long as we do and often is not used. Too bad we “need” a car anyway. Life could be a lot less stressful. That is my plug for good and frequent public transportation.

Paula

The Stuff of My Life

Hello,

Last night Leroy and I went to the community garden. Warm but not too hot with the sun going down earlier made for a pleasant time there. One other woman who often comes was there ahead of us. We pulled weeds and chatted. In a bit another woman came, one whom we had not met before. She was quite interesting. She works on Monday nights so cannot often come. I talked her into taking some of the soy beans. Hopefully someone else will get interested in this crop. They are so easy and carefree to grow. Dryness does not bother them too much and bugs seem to avoid them.

While weeding I got into an ant hill that I did not know about. They are fierce little bitters. My ankles still hurt when I walked home. It was necessary for me to leave the garden and clean out my sandals as well as inspect my feet and between my toes. Much better than being attacked by a bear, but still quite unpleasant.

Later two younger women stopped to talk. One of them was a Coe College student who lived right next door. Her sister, a former grad lives about 20 miles away. She talked as if she would come up next Monday and help weed as well as gather something to take home. She is a physical therapy student and quite interested in eating local produce. As she said, holding up her bag of bounty, “Tomorrow’s lunch is now much improved.”

This garden seems to come into its own more and more. There are some days when Leroy feels he is doing 90% of the work, but these times make it more worthwhile. My impression is that there is a lot of traffic in the garden that we never see. I know someone eats the kale as well as the collards. Most of the larger eggplant fruits are gone so those too have been taken. The bounty of the earth! I just hope and pray that it goes to those who need it and benefit the most.

Paula

Mysterious Life

Hello,

When I got home from work Thursday I learned I had a voice mail message on my phone which I had turned off. I listened, to learn that someone had lost a baby. The voice was not one I recognized: older female and maybe a smoker with the characteristic rasp. About an hour later I got a call from the same number, but did not get to the phone before they had moved on. I tried to call them to tell them that I was not the party they wanted. For some reason my call did not go through. About two more hours later I again got a call from the same voice. I told them who I was and perhaps they had the wrong number. They agreed and thanked me for letting them know it was not right. On Friday when I was out shopping I got another call starting, “Sis, …”

Now I knew for sure it was a wrong number as my sister will no longer be calling. She also did not call me sis.

“I think you have the wrong number,” I said.

Before I could continue she commented, “I am sorry I have called you once more.”

I stifled the urge to tell her that my sister had died and could not call. “Would you like my phone number so you might figure out what is different?” I asked.

“That would be good,” she said.

Apparently she had switched a couple of the numbers. Glad that mystery is solved.

Paula

Our Homeless Neighbors

Hello,

Tuesday when I drove into the garage I had the thought that our neighbor had found a place. Wednesday evening they came to get some of their things. I did not think the woman seemed so happy, but I could have been misreading her. With her husband and a step son there, I did not want to ask about anything. With some ingenuity we got as much in their car as we could. The somewhat frail 81 year man assured us that he would be back on Thursday to get the rest. They did not come at the same time on Thursday so I was beginning to think it would not happen. Because they do not know my phone number I went out to the front steps so they could see me and make a connection. Just as I was thinking it Packing the car took more thought to get all the things in their car. We had been keeping a table and chairs that King insisted they would not need. We volunteered to follow them to their new place and deliver those last three items. King said they did not need them, but his wife rolled eyes when I asked what they would sit on. He finally agreed to the chairs, but once again said there was no room for a table. We loaded the chairs plus a couple of our webbed light weight lawn chairs because we know they like to sit outside.

Their new apartment is upstairs which is not easy for King to handle. Leroy, Vestina, and I unloaded and moved in all of the things. I do not know how they would have done it otherwise. King did say that one of his friends was to help, but he did not show. Could be we strange people that put him off? Their apartment is indeed very small; one room plus two alcoves for a kitchen and closet. There was not room for such a big table, even though it is not big. This was indeed another reminder of just how rich we are. They did have one small fan and we offered them our tall one that might blow some air out the window. They agreed to come get that. We drove home, made sure it worked, and handed it off.

I will have to say that there was no complaining, but King said more than once, that he needed to rest. It was hot and humid and I gather that affects him quite a lot. For their sake I hope the heat stops when predicted and is done until next summer.

Paula