Other Hobby's- Gardening

mark yundt · #31 07-13-2008, 10:52 AM

and a look at one of the pond plants that opened today as well as a visitor to my cone flowers

chuckt · #32 07-13-2008, 11:18 AM

Mark man - is there anything you CAN'T do and do well? <grrrrrr> You remind me of this friend of my wife's from HS. He was an amazing musician - pianist, singer, composer; artist - there wasn't anything he couldn't draw or sculpt beautifully; AND he was a straight A med student who is now probably a brain surgeon. UGH!!! Next to impossible to not feel hopelessly inadequate next to guys like you. ;-)

Seriously, that's an awesome oasis. Nice job. Must be great to relax out there with a nice glass of wine after a long day making chips. I really admire you CAN do spirit and the fact that you let nothing stop you from doing whatever it is you decide to do.

I am sadly one of those - never met an excuse I didn't like kinds of guys. I umm - spend my time - uh - appreciating the work of real artists like you. Yeah - that's the ticket. I'm a world class appreciator!!!

;-)

ChuckT

Simplyme · #33 07-13-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckt

Mark man - is there anything you CAN'T do and do well? <grrrrrr> You remind me of this friend of my wife's from HS. He was an amazing musician - pianist, singer, composer; artist - there wasn't anything he couldn't draw or sculpt beautifully; AND he was a straight A med student who is now probably a brain surgeon. UGH!!! Next to impossible to not feel hopelessly inadequate next to guys like you. ;-)

Seriously, that's an awesome oasis. Nice job. Must be great to relax out there with a nice glass of wine after a long day making chips. I really admire you CAN do spirit and the fact that you let nothing stop you from doing whatever it is you decide to do.

I am sadly one of those - never met an excuse I didn't like kinds of guys. I umm - spend my time - uh - appreciating the work of real artists like you. Yeah - that's the ticket. I'm a world class appreciator!!!

;-)

ChuckT

Can't send you private message ChuckT your box is full. (sorry for hijacking the post).

Keoma · #34 07-13-2008, 03:57 PM

Mark your Echinace is gorgeeeooous! What a sweet visitor! I too just love your garden! What a way to beautify the city! Congratulations!
Thank you for your thoughts on my garden.

2 years ago it was a nasty hot side of the house. i hated it! It was all I could do to keep it mowed so I could walk to my Gazebo. My dad built it for me for my wedding present.

Then my brothers Girlfriend made me the stone birdbath. It is soooo dig darn heavy! She brought it on a dolly and said where do you want it? I had no idea! So since it was heavy and I felt bad having her move it about, I said how about right there? OK, thats where it stayed. I planted one plant next to it...then another...then another...now you see...siiigh...my favorite part of the yard! I just love it! It is my haven. I have planted it with all herbs and perrennial...it comes back every year and I don't have to pay $6 for Marjoram!

Scott Hagerty · #35 07-21-2008, 09:50 PM

Great gardens folks! Ours is doing well and we finally picked the first tomato this weekend. Got a gallon bucket of beans and have zukes and yellow squash out our ears! The cuke is producing also. Not much out of the jalepeno's yet though, I'm looking forward to making a batch of pepper jelly again this year.

I'll be getting a pressure canner for my birthday and walla, another new hobby. I haven't had much time to carve let alone start another venture.

Scott

Keoma · #36 07-25-2008, 02:37 PM

Once the harvest starts there is no time for anything else untill it stops

Paul_Guraedy · #37 07-25-2008, 06:59 PM

Several folks have mentioned hot pepper jelly. How about some recipes? Here is the one my wife uses and we run through a lot of this stuff:

Hot Pepper Jelly-Diana Guraedy

1 cup finely ground jalapenos
6 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 each * 6oz bottle Certo(NOT SURE JELL)

You can vary the mixture of peppers (using bell or banana) according to how hot you like the jelly. Keep the juice & add to the mixture. Mix with sugar and vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add Certo stirring while adding and pour into sterilized glass jars.

Makes 7 half pints.

DO NOT USE SURE JELL AND DO NOT DOUBLE RECIPE OR THE JELLY WILL NOT JELL.

Although we go the traditional route for the lids and caps, Diana "oven sterlizes the jars' by putting them in an oven heated to 220 degrees. We leave them while we are preparing the jelly and have had no problems. We have used this method with tomatoes, jams, jelly, etc. Diana just ordered me to put in a safety message "Don't tell your husband to sterlize the jars and assume things will be OK!".

Many years ago.we were preparing to make hot pepper jelly. Diana said, "sterlize the jars". I knew she used the oven and zeroed in on the word sterilize (which I later learned is not true for canning anyhow). But, I intended to "do it right" and cranked up the temp to 450 degrees.

Big mistake. Big cleaning job. That boiling 220 degree hot pepper jelly caused the 450 degree jars to explode.

"Must have been a bad jar!" I said. "You should have gotten new ones. Here try another."

Another explosion. Hot jelly. Hotter Jar. Hotter wife.....when she saw the setting on the oven.

Dad burn that stuff is hard to clean off the stove, floor, walls....how the hell did it get on the ceiling?. Thought about mentioning that I could use a little help but that did not seem to be a good idea.

So, what's your hot pepper jelly story......?

Hugh P. · #38 07-28-2008, 07:54 PM

Your flower gardens are absolutely great, very nice landscaping. Wish I had the talent for that. My wife looks after the flowers, my passion is the vegetable garden. I've posted a couple photos of part of my vegetable garden this year. I plant Scarlet Runners and Kentucky wonder beans, on separate, four post tepees, and they will run right up to the bird house on the top. Thought you might enjoy seeing them.

santagibbs · #39 07-29-2008, 12:53 AM

Wow , what a beautiful lhealthy looking garden ! The scarlet runner bean is so beautiful too.. I just looked at the last page of this site .. I must look back and look at all of the pages... My Garden is on this web site under Sweetwater.. Well, it's what it use to be.. Can't keep it up much now..Charlotte