Tuesday, August 31, 2010

TUESDAY TID BITS


This is a photo I took a year or so ago at  Edgefield in Portland. 

Wow has it been busy here.  On top of that, our net service was out when an underground explosion took out some major power lines.  The underground lines are supposed to assure that this does not happen due to ice, snow, etc.  I guess no one can cover all the bases, but then who expects the underground to blow up?  

Busy with what you say?  Well, Mom and Ron called and asked me if I wanted some fresh picked green beans.  Of course I did.  In my head I envisioned a nice bucket of beans.  Well... I got a cooler, a huge bucket and an apple box of beans.  YIKES!

After a full day of blanching and vacuum packing green beans, I gave a big bunch away and stocked my freezer with 17 bags big enough for two meals with the two of us... and 6 family celebration sized bags.
I was a whipped puppy by the time I closed that freezer door.

Then T came over with another big bowl of blackberries... which became a big batch of freezer jam and more berries for winter eating in the freezer as well.  I made them in pie jam and cobbler sizes.

For the first time in over 20 years, I applied for unemployment and it's been even longer since I was signed up long enough to actually collect it.  The hoops you have to go through are a bit crazy, but then what isn't these days?


Bear, Turkey, Squeaky and Max are coming to visit on Thurs!  Now that will be fun stuffs.  I guess I'll be cleaning house tomorrow. Ha.

So much for my life.  What's up in your neck of the woods?

27 comments:

  1. Ms. Productivity over here! You guys are going to be well fed this winter :-)
    Unemployment is a giant pain from what I can tell, but it will be nice to have a bit of money coming in, so yay!
    And enjoy your family time!!!

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  2. Laura b.-- Thanks! I'm not normally this productive, ask my kids. However we at Sanctuary waste not and want not. We also share. I have fallen into a wonderful group of people via Randy.

    Yep. Between the two of us we will be doing pretty well on under employment. I'd feel guilty but I've been paying into it forever and hardly drawn any. Money in is a good thing.

    I cannot wait to see my kids! I am squirming with happiness.

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  3. You'll have to think of a recipe that combines beans and blackberries. [shudder]

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  4. NoRegrets-- Ewww. You know there's a guy who is on the Rachel Ray show that does that... takes weird stuff that people suggest as unusable and makes something fantastic out of it.
    Perhaps I'll suggest that one. Ha.

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  5. man, you're gonna be healthy eating all those green beans. i hope you have lots of cake to counteract all that stuff.

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  6. Green Bean Jam?

    (Good name for a country band.)

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  7. Where is my comment?

    This computer is too sensitive. It sometimes takes me places I hadn't meant to go to.

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  8. Glad you're still around and about. I was beginning to wonder.

    Feel zero guilt about the UB. You paid in, you take out. That's what it's for. It's not like you're faking disability.

    Has the school year started there yet? Hope not. (Ours started yesterday) I'm still praying for you to sneak in on one of those last minute hires...

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  9. I know it was a lot of work, but who wouldn't love fresh green beans and blackberries... I wouldn't mix them in a dish, but still... YUM!

    Isn't it great when a bounty lands on you out of the blue?

    Last month a friend of Mr. Cube gave him a bunch of three different fish, already filleted, and it made for a wonderful dinner for all of us.

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  10. billy pilgrim-- That's where all the berries come into it... jam, cobbler, pie, syrup, muffins, etc. Gotta keep the balance. My personal favorite is blackberry sauce over ice cream. Mmmmmmmmmm

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  11. Suldog-- Ha! I like that as a band name. And hey, who knows. They make jalapeno pepper jelly and its very tasty.

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  12. laughing-- Sometimes I think its blogger and not my computer when that happens to me. I try to leave a comment and it gets ejected. I don't know where it goes.

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  13. Cricket-- Thanks. No, it has not begun yet. Not until after labor day. I'm hoping too but not holding my breath. And whatever happens will be what I need to be doing. ;-)

    BTW thank you so much for the card! It made my day. Then things went boom and I couldn't even thank you.

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  14. Cube-- It is indeed wonderful when stuff like that happens. Randy's people... family and friends are big on sharing. We try to do the same back. His ex-neighbor just gave us fish too... enough fresh tuna steaks to last us weeks on end if we ate it every day and T gave us 5 fresh trout of good size.

    We have had a meal of each, fresh and the rest went into that amazing freezer. When I got here, Randy had most of the freezer filled with big bottles of ice. Looked like it was full of frozen liquor... which of course you cannot do.

    Likewise with our second fridge in the shop. People come over and reach into that fridge for a beer and come out saying "Wow... you got enough vodka in there?" Ha.
    But the water bottles help to keep the temperature lower with less energy expended.

    The bottles are liquor gallon sized. Randy buys most things in bulk to save money and unlike milk jugs, they are sturdier. It took him years to collect them. But it does make for a good laugh when people find them in there. :-)

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  15. I hear ya! Bulk is the way to go. We have a freezer in the garage and keep some water bottles in there to keep lunches cool.

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  16. Cheers!

    Your posts always make me hungry. Blackberry cobbler. Just hearing the name makes me think I've died & gone to heaven.

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  17. Cube-- Great minds and all that. Ha.

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  18. KenV-- Hey, turn abouts fair play! Yesterday I truly desired one of your burritos and salsa.

    If I could guarantee it would not be moldy by the time it got to you, I'd mail you one. :-)

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  19. I don't think I've ever received unemployment, but I've hear it's a pain.

    You are a mad woman making all that food. I bet Randy is really appreciative.

    Have a fun family visit.

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  20. Is there a version of this artwork with Ferengi breaking a bottle of Romulan Ale on the bow of a Galaxy-class starship?

    I did the unemployment thing for a couple of years.

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  21. Churlita-- It is a royal pain. Today I got a notice saying that my benefits are suspended until I get a form from them to fill out and fax back... because I am a public employee. It arrived with another envelope that contained the form. You would think that they would not waste postage on two mailings and used one envelope. On top of that, it's info that they do already have on my application. Its nuts!

    Yeah... he likes it. :-)

    The visit was the best!

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  22. dmarks-- Ha! That would be a good one.

    Yeah, unemployment sucks! Kind of an extended Ground Hog Day frustration.

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  23. But at least Bill Murray had a job.

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  24. Uh huh, now that someone is engaged, someone isn't posting nearly as much. Not mentioning any names. Or initials.

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  25. I really like dmark's Ferengi idea except I would use a more worthy Star Trek species... say Bajorans, or Romulans? Just saying...

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