COLD DARK ROOM

[Cathie G]

It's a wonderful 57°f here today and was probably higher. I forgot to check. I heard on the news this morning that the Northern lights are shining again. It was possible to see them last night in my area and even farther south. The good news is that we will have clear skies tonight and they are shining again tonight. It's a possibility that that I'll wake up and remember to look for them.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

One good excuse not to do anything about them is they are good for the soil. I say mulch them if possible with a lawn mower.

But if the leaves are falling on grass, it will smother it....Yes, good for the soil...

 

[Cathie G]

But if the leaves are falling on grass, it will smother it....Yes, good for the soil...

I saw an article on the news today that agrees with me. If they are all piled up in one place just spread them out with a rake and spare your broken back then use a riding mower or a foot operated one. Pulverize it or not and help the bugs. It's free compost by the time spring comes. Sounded good to me

 

[Cathie G]

I saw an article on the news today that agrees with me. If they are all piled up in one place just spread them out with a rake and spare your broken back then use a riding mower or a foot operated one. Pulverize it or not and help the bugs. It's free compost by the time spring comes. Sounded good to me

In other words I ain't raking up all those leaves. Those were her fault.
Mother nature needs to do her fair share. And you know how I feel about her.

 

[MaNaAk]

On the 21.12. the sun will rise at 9.45 and set at 14.45, so that is about 5 hours of sunlight.

It is currently light at 7.30 am here and dark at about 4.00 pm.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear Mr Fre,

In my local paper a police dog received an award but he also tends to 'sing' alongwith the sirens !

MaNaAk

 

[Cathie G]

Dear Mr Fre,

In my local paper a police dog received an award but he also tends to 'sing' alongwith the sirens !

MaNaAk

Mr Fre sings too. He loves the trumpet on Sunday mornings on CBS. Talk about a yapper. He sings right along awoo

 

[jeff kushner]

We take them to the bottom of the hill in back to help keep back the creek....from drowning the bigger trees.

I hate raking. My folks had trees and we had to take. After I left home at 16 and had my sisu moment ..i vowed to never rake again...so I make Kerry do it. LOL

 

[Cathie G]

Poor dog. Sorry dude...shes doting on you!

So exactly 1 week ago I saw this car and took a pic....very nice looking car right?
View attachment 396668
I never told anyone or showed the pic to anyone. Not even Kerry since she was with me! This evening son Linc sent his mom a picture of his new-to-him car....
Same car....Fiat Spider..but Abarth treatment.
What are the chances!

6 degrees folks...everything connects within 6 degrees!

I believe you about the 6 degree connection. I've seen it in action several times here on TFO. My son will come in and start talking about the same thing we've been talking about. I love it and yes Mr Fre is doted on. He gets a new toy every Sunday too. I do my grocery shopping on Sundays. If I try to get cheap and sneak an old toy through his scrutiny of the bags he knows The dogs nose knows I don't have a choice.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

We take them to the bottom of the hill in back to help keep back the creek....from drowning the bigger trees.

I hate raking. My folks had trees and we had to take. After I left home at 16 and had my sisu moment ..i vowed to never rake again...so I make Kerry do it. LOL

As a finnish person, I personally don't see sisu in this meaning. I don't know if I can explain it, but here goes nothing. Basically, the dictionary says, that when sisu is used in a meaning to get fed up/angry, it means to: "feel a sudden surge of courage or determination".

They gave an example sentence:
Hän sisuuntui ("got sisu") vastoinkäymisistä ja päätti yrittää uudelleen.
Meaning something like: He persevered in the face of adversity and decided to try again.

 

[jeff kushner]

As a finnish person, I personally don't see sisu in this meaning. I don't know if I can explain it, but here goes nothing. Basically, the dictionary says, that when sisu is used in a meaning to get fed up/angry, it means to: "feel a sudden surge of courage or determination".

They gave an example sentence:
Hän sisuuntui ("got sisu") vastoinkäymisistä ja päätti yrittää uudelleen.
Meaning something like: He persevered in the face of adversity and decided to try again.

My understanding of the word or implications of the meaning was that when I had left home as a kid....was living outdoors, stealing to eat and hadn't eaten in 2 weeks, not a thing going in my direction.....i had my sisu moment, my "come to Jesus" moment....when everyone and everything had failed me and part of me wanted to give up so badly but there was another part inside that said no way that was going to happen. Fast forward 50 some years....to today.....guess i was right. I didn't give up or in. LOL

Bottom line was that I was much younger than you are today....living on my own with hardly any skills. I personally know of no one else that did that.

So sorry if i butchered one of your words FT. Sometimes when there is so much stuff in the brain, it's like the Wizard looking in his bag for the Tinmans heart....sometimes the stuff doesn't come out quite right.

 

[jeff kushner]

i woke up in a "not going to the funeral" mood. We'll see how it shakes out later when Kerry wakes up. Her dad and brother are driving down from NY then they are to caravan over to Virginia later this morning. It's always a production with her family which is where i get off. We'll see. Kerry's very understanding about this stuff.
I have a brother i have seen twice in 40 years but only because I took the effort to see him...same with 3 sisters. "Family" doesn't hold the same meaning for me that it does for most of you. To me, it was just a series of temporary failed relationships. Not something special at all.... It was so atypical that when our mom passed in '17 I didn't even recognize the woman described in the eulogy. So yup, there's a whole rats nest of "family" up there so we don't poke the dragons....we just let them sleep. Hey it might not be the best strategy but at least i can manage this way!

 

[COmtnLady]

So guys, why does Kerry's dough not rise? She feeds it, uses fresh flour but it's hit or miss often. Any ideas?

Salt kills off the yeast to some extent, but you need it in the bread to balance things and to taste good, so its best to move it to late in the process if you can. in a good recipe someone else has figured all that out already, though, so do what they say.

Sugar or honey feeds the yeast, so if its not rising well add a little bit more next time.

Keep it warm (not hot enough to kill the yeast though) when its resting or rising like Maggie said.
If its in a draft or otherwise gets chilly it will act like a cold tortoise does...

Kneading is important. Your bread needs to be kneaded. It builds the structure in the flour (the gluten) to hold everything together. If it isn't kneaded enough, or not done the right way, the yeast may be doing its job of producing the CO2 that makes the bubbles/texture you see in the finished product, but there is nothing to stop the gasses from leaving the dough. You are trying to trap the gasses inside to make the bread rise. The gluten makes a framework that traps the gas.
To activate the gluten you need to spread the dough out on a lightly floured board, mushing it down until its about an inch or so thick, fold it in half and "roll"/push it with the heels of your hands. (Kind of like brushing a wrinkle out of a duvet. ) You slide your hands across it, pushing down with your whole upper body, digging in enough to stretch/rub the dough against itself. Then fold it again and push/stretch it against itself some more - repeat until your arms get so tired they feel like they're going to fall off. If your arms aren't achy the next day, you didn't do enough (unless you make bread every day and your upper arms look like a body builder...).

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

My understanding of the word or implications of the meaning was that when I had left home as a kid....was living outdoors, stealing to eat and hadn't eaten in 2 weeks, not a thing going in my direction.....i had my sisu moment, my "come to Jesus" moment....when everyone and everything had failed me and part of me wanted to give up so badly but there was another part inside that said no way that was going to happen. Fast forward 50 some years....to today.....guess i was right. I didn't give up or in. LOL

Bottom line was that I was much younger than you are today....living on my own with hardly any skills. I personally know of no one else that did that.

So sorry if i butchered one of your words FT. Sometimes when there is so much stuff in the brain, it's like the Wizard looking in his bag for the Tinmans heart....sometimes the stuff doesn't come out quite right.

I don't think you have butchered anything, just wanted to point out how the word can have so many meanings depending on the person!

 

[MaNaAk]

Lemon Cake:

 

[MenagerieGrl]

i woke up in a "not going to the funeral" mood. We'll see how it shakes out later when Kerry wakes up. Her dad and brother are driving down from NY then they are to caravan over to Virginia later this morning. It's always a production with her family which is where i get off. We'll see. Kerry's very understanding about this stuff.
I have a brother i have seen twice in 40 years but only because I took the effort to see him...same with 3 sisters. "Family" doesn't hold the same meaning for me that it does for most of you. To me, it was just a series of temporary failed relationships. Not something special at all.... It was so atypical that when our mom passed in '17 I didn't even recognize the woman described in the eulogy. So yup, there's a whole rats nest of "family" up there so we don't poke the dragons....we just let them sleep. Hey it might not be the best strategy but at least i can manage this way!

Jeff, There are all kinds of family's.,
My older sister has told me and my brother at a thanksgiving dinner years ago, with her husband sitting next to her that WE were NOT her family, she had joined a "suicide Support Group" that was her family. They really twisted her brain, But I pray for her, and my late Nephew every time I'm in church...
Sometimes you have to do it just for your mental health...

 

[Cathie G]

I believe you about the 6 degree connection. I've seen it in action several times here on TFO. My son will come in and start talking about the same thing we've been talking about. I love it and yes Mr Fre is doted on. He gets a new toy every Sunday too. I do my grocery shopping on Sundays. If I try to get cheap and sneak an old toy through his scrutiny of the bags he knows The dogs nose knows I don't have a choice.

Which is another good excuse for buying Scott's I need money for toys. This dog dunns me for toys toys and more toys. and have you seen the price for dog toys??? If he stops trying eat them I won't need a bigger house

 

[Cathie G]

Salt kills off the yeast to some extent, but you need it in the bread to balance things and to taste good, so its best to move it to late in the process if you can. in a good recipe someone else has figured all that out already, though, so do what they say.

Sugar or honey feeds the yeast, so if its not rising well add a little bit more next time.

Keep it warm (not hot enough to kill the yeast though) when its resting or rising like Maggie said.
If its in a draft or otherwise gets chilly it will act like a cold tortoise does...

Kneading is important. Your bread needs to be kneaded. It builds the structure in the flour (the gluten) to hold everything together. If it isn't kneaded enough, or not done the right way, the yeast may be doing its job of producing the CO2 that makes the bubbles/texture you see in the finished product, but there is nothing to stop the gasses from leaving the dough. You are trying to trap the gasses inside to make the bread rise. The gluten makes a framework that traps the gas.
To activate the gluten you need to spread the dough out on a lightly floured board, mushing it down until its about an inch or so thick, fold it in half and "roll"/push it with the heels of your hands. (Kind of like brushing a wrinkle out of a duvet. ) You slide your hands across it, pushing down with your whole upper body, digging in enough to stretch/rub the dough against itself. Then fold it again and push/stretch it against itself some more - repeat until your arms get so tired they feel like they're going to fall off. If your arms aren't achy the next day, you didn't do enough (unless you make bread every day and your upper arms look like a body builder...).

Amen.

 

[Cathie G]

Lemon Cake:View attachment 396689

I'm still looking for curry leaves I'm going to make that durned curried meat the way it's supposed to taste if it's the last thing I do. I have curry powder but Google says THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE for curry leaves!!! I have everything else ready. I love the smell of cardamom. I'm trying to find curry leaves near me. So it looks like tomorrow at Aldi's. Then maybe.

 

[Cathie G]

I'm still looking for curry leaves I'm going to make that durned curried meat the way it's supposed to taste if it's the last thing I do. I have curry powder but Google says THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE for curry leaves!!! I have everything else ready. I love the smell of cardamom. I'm trying to find curry leaves near me. So it looks like tomorrow at Aldi's. Then maybe.

Google lied so tomorrow I'm making curried meat with a substitute I can get close to the taste with. Maybe add extra coriander with the curry powder and lemon balm leaves.