Small Talk: a.k.a. 'The Meet Market'

[Crimson Belle]

We're harvesting cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper and sqaush from my Mom's garden here in southern Bama already

[Souris]

Wow! I have little green tomatoes, but way too early for ripe ones. My blueberries are starting to ripen, though, a bit earlier than usual.

[Mari]

We've just gotten to the part of the year where freezing is still possible, but mostly unlikely.  We actually had snow about a week and a half ago.  Our summer vegetables are still mostly thoughts right now.

 

I'd be jealous of those of you in warmer climes, but, well if I had to pick between really cold and really hot?  I'd pick the cold.    Our state museum actually had a display with quotes about our weather, and one of the things posted was "We like it cold.  It keeps the riff-raff out."  Not particularly polite, but rather telling about our weather.  :)

Edited May 23, 2015 by Mari

[Souris]

I've been firmly reminded why I seldom make elaborate yeast breads. This chocolate ring is taking FOREVER. I started it about 4:30 and it hasn't even made it into the oven yet -- it's currently rising for the second time, after being shaped.

 

This thing better be damn good.

[Mari]

This thing better be damn good.

Or else!

I shouldn't mock. I completely fail at making anything with yeast that doesn't start in the bread maker.

[Souris]

If anyone cares to see the finished product. 

[daxx]

If anyone cares to see the finished product.

It's beautiful!

[Souris]

Thank you! It turned out well, but I will never make it again, LOL. Way too freaking time-consuming. I could've cleared so much off my DVR instead….

[Shanna Marie]

That looks wonderful! I love making bread. I'm about to start work on an apple pie, but I really want a nap. The weather radio went off at 2:30 in the morning with a tornado warning. That'll wake you up fast. I turned on the TV to see what was up, and they said it really was just a bit of rotation seen in the radar that had them concerned, and I wasn't in the warning area. I still stayed up until they cancelled the warning. Then I barely got back to sleep when the radio went off again with a flash flood warning. And then an hour or so later there was another flood warning.

 

And now I'm seeing pictures online of tornado damage on my street -- but about five miles away. At my house, we just got a lot of rain.

[Mari]

That looks wonderful! I love making bread. I'm about to start work on an apple pie, but I really want a nap. The weather radio went off at 2:30 in the morning with a tornado warning. That'll wake you up fast. I turned on the TV to see what was up, and they said it really was just a bit of rotation seen in the radar that had them concerned, and I wasn't in the warning area. I still stayed up until they cancelled the warning. Then I barely got back to sleep when the radio went off again with a flash flood warning. And then an hour or so later there was another flood warning.

 

And now I'm seeing pictures online of tornado damage on my street -- but about five miles away. At my house, we just got a lot of rain.

That must've been a nerve-wracking night.  It might be worth going for the nap.

 

I'm starting to wonder if the universe is trying to drown you--haven't you been having water problems for a while, now?

[HoodlumSheep]

This is our first year planting rutabagas, so we'll see how it goes. The main purpose for them is for pasties. We are so behind in our planting this year.

Has anyone seen or is going to see Tomorrowland? I heard it didn't do as well as they had hoped at the box office (40.7 mil domestic/~27 mil foreign), but that doesn't seem too bad. Although it has a $190 mil production budget.

I heard the reviews were mixed, like jt was good, but the plot was shaky. I still want to see it though (jet packs!).

[Shanna Marie]

Well, we went from a near-historic drought to flooding in a couple of months. In maybe a two-month span, the lake near me went from more than 11 feet below normal to more than 12 feet above normal. So this is all very sudden. And it just won't stop. There's rain in the forecast every day for the next week. I'm trying not to complain because I know in July and August we'll be wishing we could go back to this. It's just causing problems with the flooding, and roofs are springing leaks. Or as we said about a few new leaks in the church roof this morning, "indoor water features." Trees are toppling over because the ground's so saturated, it doesn't hold the roots.

 

Although it's reasonably warm (but below normal), gardens aren't doing well because everything in the ground is rotting. My dad planted his tomatoes in big pots so he can keep them on the porch and control how much water they get. I normally plant flowers but haven't done anything this year. Last year it was too dry, this year it's too wet.

[YaddaYadda]

I'd kill for fried clams right now.  I put it in my head that I was going to Coney Island today, that I was having fried clams and something that's not a beer (because eww) and it did not happen, so now I'm watching people bake cakes on the Food Network, but I keep catching myself staring at the wall instead.

 

Yep...

[Shanna Marie]

I just made an apple pie that looks like it came from a bakery. Pie had never been my strong suit, but I seem to have figured it out. It was a new recipe, so I don't yet know how it tastes, but I made a mini one with the pastry scraps and the filling that wouldn't fit in the pie, so I'll get to taste it tonight and see. It's funny, years of never making pies that came out right or looked good, and last fall it was like the heavens opened and the knowledge and skill poured into my head.

 

I'll have to find a place to post a pic so I can show it off.

[OnceUponAJen]

If anyone cares to see the finished product.

Oh my...that is gorgeous! I used to have some excellent starter for a honey sourdough bread. It made such great loaves, I started thinking that yeast breads were easy. Once the starter went bad, I could never seem to get another batch to work.

Planning on making cupcakes tomorrow....strawberry red velvet!

[ABitOFluff]

Funny, I was looking forward to the 4B finale, not because I was dissatisfied with the season, but so I get can on and enjoy start of summer. Since then, I've spent a week in Florida, tried paddle boarding, went to DisneyWorld, came back, cleaned out my fridge and closets, went to the Farmers Market, got a pedicure. Now I'm sitting here wondering what to what instead of watching OUAT on a Sunday night. I don't watch a lot of regular TV, so I've got Forensic Files on. What else am I supposed to watch?

 

That said, I've had a relaxing weekend. After cleaning out the refrigerator, I found I had 6 eggs I haven't touched, so I've been inspired to make chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow, I think I'll make a jelly roll to use up the rest of the eggs.

[Shanna Marie]

Okay, the apple pie worked. I tried a new approach to it. Normally, you work with raw apples, toss with lemon juice, dredge in flour (to thicken the filling), mix in sugar and spices, then put in the crust and dot with butter before adding the top crust. But the apples shrink a bit as they cook, so there's a gap between the filling and the top crust, and it doesn't slice so well. This recipe has you cook the filling separately. You saute the apple slices in butter, then mix in sugar and cinnamon and cook it down until the juices and sugar create a syrup. You let that cool, then put it in the pie crust and bake it to cook the crust. On my mini test version, it slices beautifully because the crust is right on the apples, and because there's no flour needed to thicken the filling, the apple flavor is really intense -- just pure, sweet apple and cinnamon.

 

Let's see if I can make the photo thing work:

[tennisgurl]

I seriously need to cook more. My go-to food to bake is double chocolate brownies, but those pies...

 

I`m also starting a garden as my new summer project. Anyone have any tips? I want mainly flowers, but ideally I want to plant some fruits or veggies as well!

[Souris]

I`m also starting a garden as my new summer project. Anyone have any tips? I want mainly flowers, but ideally I want to plant some fruits or veggies as well!

 

 

Where are you? I would say talk to neighbors or friends nearby who have gardens, because they'll know what works best in your climate. For instance, I desperately want to grow delphiniums, because I adore them, but it's just too hot for them here. Plants native to your area are always the easiest to grow.

 

If you like blueberries, they're great and really easy to grow once you get them established. I haven't done anything to mine in years -- no fertilizer or anything, and they produce great. I gets pints and pints and pints out of two bushes. You'll need to plant two different kinds for the best yield, so they can cross-pollinate. Best to get kinds that ripen at the same time of the summer. You do need to put netting over them once they start to ripen, or the birds will get most of them!

[OnceUponAJen]

Okay, the apple pie worked. I tried a new approach to it. Normally, you work with raw apples, toss with lemon juice, dredge in flour (to thicken the filling), mix in sugar and spices, then put in the crust and dot with butter before adding the top crust. But the apples shrink a bit as they cook, so there's a gap between the filling and the top crust, and it doesn't slice so well. This recipe has you cook the filling separately. You saute the apple slices in butter, then mix in sugar and cinnamon and cook it down until the juices and sugar create a syrup. You let that cool, then put it in the pie crust and bake it to cook the crust. On my mini test version, it slices beautifully because the crust is right on the apples, and because there's no flour needed to thicken the filling, the apple flavor is really intense -- just pure, sweet apple and cinnamon.

Let's see if I can make the photo thing work:

Beautiful! I tried my first apple pie last year. I learned that you also have to pick apples that can hold up well when baking, or you'll just end up with applesauce. Luckily, I chose the right kinds of apples! It was a caramel apple pie....the caramel didn't do as well. I'll have to try it again sometime!

[tennisgurl]

 

Where are you? I would say talk to neighbors or friends nearby who have gardens, because they'll know what works best in your climate. For instance, I desperately want to grow delphiniums, because I adore them, but it's just too hot for them here. Plants native to your area are always the easiest to grow.

I`m in southern Indiana. It gets pretty warm here in the summer, but the weather changes quickly. Last week, I was wearing a sweater, and today it was in the upper 80s. Its very seasonal.  

 

I love blueberries, and they don't sound too hard to maintain! 

[daxx]

I seriously need to cook more. My go-to food to bake is double chocolate brownies, but those pies...

 

I`m also starting a garden as my new summer project. Anyone have any tips? I want mainly flowers, but ideally I want to plant some fruits or veggies as well!

Flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies are fun.

[HoodlumSheep]

If you like blueberries, they're great and really easy to grow once you get them established. I haven't done anything to mine in years -- no fertilizer or anything, and they produce great. I gets pints and pints and pints out of two bushes. You'll need to plant two different kinds for the best yield, so they can cross-pollinate. Best to get kinds that ripen at the same time of the summer. You do need to put netting over them once they start to ripen, or the birds will get most of them!

you also need to evaluate what kind of soil you have. Blueberries like soil that is more acidic, along with rhubarb.

I find that watermelons do well in sandier soil (you still have to water them a lot).

My dad's garden is a mix of a lot of stuff, but most of the stuff grows well. Which is funny, because his garden has what is considered "crappy soil." Or at least that's what my brother said when he tested it. Our rhubarb thrives in it though. I cackle every time we go to the store and see these tiny stalks of rhubarb (although I understand that smaller size is probably better for selling and cooking). Ours are literally Jurassic sized. I sometimes pretend to use use one like the giant fans you see in the movies that the servants use to fan the royalty with.

Let's see, my dad grows: tomatoes, peppers, carrots, zucchini, winter squash, summer squash, cucumbers, raspberries, blackberries, sweet peas, spinach, sometimes lettuce stuff, blueberries, rhubarb, then he has his herb garden and grapes. They all grow well typically.

We also plant stuff at my grandpa's property (gourds, pumpkins, more veggies, etc.) that's where the rutabaga, etc. are at.

I recommend growing a herb garden. They're pretty straight forward. That's what I grow because I was not gifted with a green thumb like the troll in Central Park.

Today's windy and rainy. Blah. It's not gonna stop us from grilling out hamburgers though.

[OnceUponAJen]

I had great luck with tomatoes when I lived in Georgia, but I think it's past time now to plant. Mine took off like weeds and I had lots in my freezer. Good thing since I love tomato basil soup.

I've also had great luck with basil, lavender and rosemary to a lesser extent. I'm not the type who will pick anything that needs constant tending, either.

[Souris]

I've had two rosemary bushes that got so out-of-hand big, I ended up having to dig them up and start over!

[Shanna Marie]

I grow basil, and I managed to winter over last year's plant indoors, so it's back outside now (and probably being drowned. So. Much. Water.).  I just have a patio with a narrow strip of dirt between it and the fence, and there's jasmine growing there (AKA the evil alien vine bent on world domination), but for the past two summers I've put up a small trellis and planted some kind of flowering vine there. Last year, it was morning glory, and that's an even more evil vine bent on world domination. It kept trying to strangle the basil -- I was always having to unwind tendrils -- and it didn't start blooming until November. Then it went nuts, but it bloomed at four in the afternoon, possibly because that was when it finally got direct sun. The year before, I did moonflower, and it was lovely, big white flowers that opened in the late afternoon and were still nice in the morning to look at while I ate breakfast. Since I was hoping to move sometime this summer, I haven't done that (I'd want to take my trellis with me). I usually do a few pots of flowers. Last year it was zinnias, and I liked those, so I may try again. If it stops raining long enough to get outside and plant anything. We've got another line of severe storms heading our way this afternoon, and it's already raining.

[Souris]

LOL, morning glories! I absolutely love their flowers, but they are indeed just short of kudzu and wisteria for wanting world domination. I planted morning glories one year, and they practically swallowed my entire deck. I'm still pulling up volunteer plants each year, since it reseeds itself.

[tennisgurl]

I`m glad I got some weeding in yesterday, plus my memorial day cook-out. Today is windy and cold and not a very fun day for Frisbee and planting. 

 

Thanks for all the tips! I am going to look into a lot of those, and see what can be planted right now. I don't know much about gardening (sadly), is now a good time to plant? 

[Souris]

It depends on what you're planting. It's late here in N.C. for tomatoes and some other summer vegetable crops, but Indiana probably runs later than we do. Herbs and flowers should be OK, depending on what they are. (Cilantro would be out right now, for example, since it hates the heat.) Check with the people at your local garden center!

[OnceUponAJen]

I`m glad I got some weeding in yesterday, plus my memorial day cook-out. Today is windy and cold and not a very fun day for Frisbee and planting.

Thanks for all the tips! I am going to look into a lot of those, and see what can be planted right now. I don't know much about gardening (sadly), is now a good time to plant?

Find out what zone you're in for growing:

http://www.backyardgardener.com/zone/index.html

Seeds packets and such should list the zones where plants you are interested in will grow best. Also ask at local nurseries.

[KAOS Agent]

You guys are all nuts with your "it's too late to plant" stuff. I've got at least three weeks before I could even think about planting anything (except maybe pea seeds). Last year, even mid-June was too early since we got six inches of snow a week later. 

[Mari]

You guys are all nuts with your "it's too late to plant" stuff. I've got at least three weeks before I could even think about planting anything (except maybe pea seeds). Last year, even mid-June was too early since we got six inches of snow a week later. 

I planted just this week--which is about average for us.

 

You must live in an even colder part of the world than I do!  (And that's a lot of snow for June.  We've gotten snow in June, but I don't think nearly that much.)

[Souris]

Where do you people live, the North Pole??? ;) Snow in June!

[HoodlumSheep]

I don't think I live as far north as some of you, but I remember there being snow much later than usual last year, mainly because our entire state (MI) was engulfed in the Polar Vortex all winter long. We didn't have the worst of it though.

My dad's spinach got hit by a late frost this year I think. Typically we plant stuff in May/June and stuffs ready by August.

[Mari]

I can't speak for KAOS Agent, but I live in North Dakota.  I think there's only one month of the year we haven't had snow--although no one I know can agree if it's July or August.  (I think July, but could be wrong, and don't usually care enough to argue.)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Mari

[KAOS Agent]

I don't live that far north, I just live much higher up. Last year's snow was our Welcome to Summer Blizzard. Good times. 

[kitticup]

I live in sunny so cal. I just did some landscaping. Because of the drought and because I want to help the native birds, I went with native plants, with one exception lavender on one border. You have to know what zone you are in, how much light the area you want to seed will get in order to find the best plants.

I wanted a flower or veggie garden but those require lots of water. I am so jealous of Shanna Marie who went from drought to more than enough water. I hope California gets water

[ParadoxLost]

I had great luck with tomatoes when I lived in Georgia, but I think it's past time now to plant. Mine took off like weeds and I had lots in my freezer.

 

I tried to actively kill the tomato plant one year.  The next year it took over the backside house.  I learned that when I leave it alone, it leaves me alone.  It stopped coming back when I stop trying to kill it.  Lesson if you are ever stuck in a 'Attack of the Killer tomatoes' situation.  I used to have a car that I called Christine too.  Its check engine light was always on, except when I was within a mile of the dealership.  That happens twice and you start to wonder if it knows how close you are to trading it in:)

 

I spent today trying to figure out how a landscape architect thought 19 shrubs  and a tree would fit in a 100 sq ft area.  I've been using the word 'idiot' a lot while doing my own landscaping plan.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Shanna Marie]

I hope California gets water

We could load up some tanker trucks and send some to you. We have plenty. But at least in north Texas we mostly just have swollen rivers. Much of downtown Austin is flooded right now. One of my college friends has been posting videos to Facebook, and there are streets that look like raging rivers. I guess they not only have everything that's fallen on them, but they're downstream from everything we got.

 

And there's more rain in the forecast -- every day this week. I need to walk over and see what the river looks like. I'm not too worried because I live in a flood control district, and the river is normally in a deep channel, I'd guess a good 20-30 feet deep in most places, and then there's a pretty big space that can be filled before it hits the levee around my neighborhood, and then we have a system of canals through the neighborhood that channel the water away. So it would take something catastrophic to flood my neighborhood. The canals have gone out of their banks, but they're in a deep, wide channel before the water would get to street level. In downtown Dallas, the river is about 25 feet below the levees.

[ParadoxLost]

I wanted a flower or veggie garden but those require lots of water. I am so jealous of Shanna Marie who went from drought to more than enough water. I hope California gets water

Its amazing how fast these things can turn around.  I remember when it got so bad here that they were counting down the days until we ran out of drinking water.  I think it was 45 - 60 days at the worst.   I was half considering moving out of the area in my Y2K like hysteria.  We were inordinately concerned about whether the Tennessee / Georgia line was accurate because of which side the river landed on.  We were really annoyed with those Florida environmentalists that kept releasing water to save the mussels.

 

Then we had around three 500 year floods in a month.  While trapped in my apartment complex, I took up the spectator sport of watching idiots trying to drive through flood waters while dodging refrigerators like some weird version of 'frogger'.  The drought that lasted fifteen or so years was over in a month.  Although fifteen years of drought is kind of a long time and 500 year floods an extreme solution.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Shanna Marie]

Yeah, a few months ago, we were in drought conditions. The lakes were all well below normal levels, and we were on the highest level of water restrictions, with some cities allowing no sprinklers at all. Wildfires were a real danger. And then we got stuck in the current weather pattern, which has abruptly reversed everything. There are still a few lakes a bit below "normal" levels, but they were something like 30 feet below normal before all this started. But if things go back to normal, by August we could be in drought again.

 

Meanwhile, I'm kind of enjoying that I had to wear a sweater on Memorial Day. Unfortunately, this means it's way too cool to run my AC and my house is currently very humid.

[Souris]

Anyone else watched Prison Break? They're pondering a limited-run series followup, much like the 24 & X-Files followups. Clearly it's something Fox is into!

[FurryFury]

I've only seen the pilot of Prison Break, couldn't get into the show (I guess prisons just bore me in general). But it's ridiculous how many shows Fox is trying to reboot/spin-off. 24 got a limited revival and is probably getting a spin-off, X-Files is getting a revival, now Prison Break... What's next, House?

Edited June 3, 2015 by FurryFury

[Souris]

And now Disney is doing a Tangled series! Dearth of new ideas, indeed.

[HoodlumSheep]

My mom made Rhubarb bread a couple days ago. It was delicious! She used the Taste of Home recipe. It's a very moist bread, and it would have been very easy to eat a million loaves of it in one sitting.

I took one of the leaves and measured it today. It was 27x26 in. Confession time! I punched a whole in the leaf, stuck my face through it, and pretended to be Simba for 30 seconds (like when he does the same thing when he sings 'I just can't wait to be king'). Simba can pull off the look much better than I can though.

The excitement about Tangled seems to be giving me an adreline rush. Gahhh! I love that movie so much; I just watched it 2 days ago!

[pezgirl7]

And now Disney is doing a Tangled series! Dearth of new ideas, indeed.

 

This is kind of strange, since we saw Rumpenzel getting married at the end of the movie. "She boldly puts her crown and impending marriage on hold to seek out epic adventures, much to the dismay of the King who, after missing out on Rapunzel’s youth, must accept that his daughter is now an independent young woman.”

It's cool they got the Mandy and Zach to do the voices.

 

And I loved Prison Break! I'm also really looking forward to the X-Files limited series. That show was probably my first TV love.

[sharky]

What's next, House?

 

While not on Fox, are you sure you don't mean Fuller House, the sequel to Full House? Yea, that's happening. Although I am totally geeked for the X-Files revival.

 

Apparently, Rapunzel didn't get married until the Tangled Ever After sequel -- the movie just ends with her and Flynn together but not married. I'm excited about this one too, but it sounds like it won't be ready until 2017.

[FurryFury]

While not on Fox, are you sure you don't mean Fuller House, the sequel to Full House? Yea, that's happening. Although I am totally geeked for the X-Files revival.

 

I'm not from the US and I've never seen Full House. I don't even know what it's about, TBH. Meanwhile, I basically grew up on X-Files, they started showing it in my country when I was 12.

[RadioGirl27]

Anyone else watched Prison Break? They're pondering a limited-run series followup, much like the 24 & X-Files followups. Clearly it's something Fox is into!

I did!! I loved Season 1. It was amazing. After that, it went downhill really fast. But I'm looking forward to this. And to the X-Files. One of my favourite TV shows ever.

[pezgirl7]

Apparently, Rapunzel didn't get married until the Tangled Ever After sequel -- the movie just ends with her and Flynn together but not married. I'm excited about this one too, but it sounds like it won't be ready until 2017.

 

I've never seen the sequel, so I must have seen some gifs on tumblr of them getting married, and my brain convinced me it happened in the actual full length movie! Now I need to google how the movie actually ended, because I can't remember.