A Senior Moment

Good Saturday morning!   Did my usual sleep pattern of a few hours in the bed and the rest in my kitchen recliner.  No matter, I got enough sleep.

Today is another hot one and I see they are already raising the heat level for next week.....also the Sunday rain seems to be fading.  I need to quit watching the weathermen altogether.

Cooking

I want to share this bit of a senior moment so you of my age group won't feel alone when you do something similar.

I froze 5 of the oatmeal scones before baking yesterday.  This morning I asked Max if he would like to have them  for breakfast.  He agreed.  When I bake frozen biscuits or, in this case,  scones, I just place them in the oven without preheating.  Turn on to desired temperature and add to the cooking time to allow for thawing.

Did this and sat back in my easy chair, sipping coffee, to wait.  A few minutes later I glanced  in the over and saw the biscuits melting down through the rack!  I had forgotten to place them on a baking sheet....not a good idea.

I quickly pulled them out but they were much to fragile to pick up so I turned the rack carefully over the pan and they fell gently to it.  I put them back in and they finished cooking.  Here is what they looked like:

They were fine; actually we like the crunchy tops.

My other baking trial was using extra gluten on whole wheat and whole grain breads to see if they were lighter enough to bother.  The first recipe I tried was my go to recipe of Annie's Honey and Wheat bread and make additions of rolled oats.  This time I doubled the recipe (12 cups dry ingredients) but just used 3 cups of white whole wheat flour and 3 cups of oatmeal to 6 cups of white bread flour.  I added 1/4 cup of wheat gluten.

The results were fine but I couldn't see too much difference.  That is bread pudding on the left made like Mom did with day-old biscuits.  I like it  much better than using light bread.

Next I want to try the recipe for Oatmeal bread that you dump all in mixer and mix and knead.  It always seems heavy to me but is our daughter and granddaughter's favorite.

Yard

Here   is an update on the Pumpkin landscaping feature (what my daughter calls it), actually the self -seeded Long Island Cheese Squash from previous Halloween decoration.

I know there will be a least two nice-sized squashes and who knows if more are hiding in there.  Makes me think of Lorraine's jungle growth in her garden in Florida.

and  only one more photo,

 Have a super weekend.

A Story Behind a Rose and other Everyday things

We just got a very nice rain and I don't think it is finished.

I knew it was coming so about 6:30 AM I dashed out and planted some zinnias, cosmos and some very old cleome seeds. I had prepped the beds yesterday so I was ready to go.  I even finished in time for my daughter's morning call.  She calls most mornings on the way to work and  I don't feel like my day goes forward as well as days she doesn't call.

I also got two kinds of pole beans planted yesterday and the lettuce bed cleaned out.




The above is a close up of an heirloom lettuce that is a first for me, Grandpa Admire.  I love it and will be planting it again.  The first red is Beaulah Rose and the other just called red romaine.  Love them both.


A Rose Story


We moved to the country way back in 1976.  That first year or so my paternal grandmother gave me a cutting of a rose.  She didn't know the name, just knew it was a good one.  It was.  It grew to about 5 feet tall with a gorgeous double, very fragrant bloom. I kept it for a very long time and researched it and decided  it was the rose Aloha.  I am very confident in that identity.

I took cuttings.....moved a couple to the new farm back in 1992.  It grew well and bloomed  for me for many years....I took cuttings and gave to my Iowa Sis.  Then disaster hit  the rose.  Rose Rosette Disease.    Thankfully my Sis took some cuttings for me and two years ago I planted them in the garden fence border.  This is year it has really taken off.  I will be taking cuttings again just to be on the safe side.  So I have  had this rose in its many lives since 1976.....



Since I took this photo, the cutting on the left (I have two) has shot up about 36 inches.  I am a happy gardener.  I wish you could smell it.

Food

I made bread yesterday and Max made a strange request.  He wanted it all in bun shapes.  I thought what the heck!  So I made it up in various  thickness and sizes.  So far  so good.  We eat one half toasted for breakfast and it is slightly smaller than a regular slice of bread so that is a good thing.



I made a quick and easy lunch using them.  Barbecued wieners on a bun: ( I suspect that is a redneck lunch!)

What else is new?  I know, I bought a long-handled scrubber for the shower and tubs.  It is almost impossible  for me to get down on my knees now and this works well.  No more excuses for not keeping pristine bathing facilities!



Finished on morning of 5/25.  Happy to report 1.75  inches of a nice steady rain,  no storms at all.  Now, please, it can stop!

A Slower Sunday Morning

DH talked me into a much slower, relaxing day today......he can't understand why I can't just sit and do nothing....after all these years (54).

So, I just trimmed  the path by the garden fence where I removed the peach trees and saw the sorry little cucumber vine was still trying to grow and needed watering.....did that and then watered the two roses left in the driveway bed that is no more.

And I know I shouldn't because it is rampant enough, but watered that gigantic squash plant for an hour.  I am pinching tips hoping that several of the squashes will ripen before frost.

Then I trimmed  some on the cellar bed and saw some young saplings  I had missed...red bud and elm (of course).

All total time not over an hour.

Food

I found some overly ripe bananas in the fridge yesterday evening and made cupcakes.  I used the banana cake recipe in my 1960 era Better Homes and Garden cookbook.  It is an excellent recipe.  I had to sub sour cream for the buttermilk but it didn't hurt it at all.  If you can find an old  copy of this book, not the updated version, grab it up.  It is still the 'go to' cookbook for both my Sis and me.

From Food

Banana Cake BH&G Page 80 (old issue )

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mashed ripe banana (usually two)

½ cup buttermilk or sour milk

½ cup shortening

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all dry ingredients and ½ teaspoons salt. Add bananas, buttermilk, shortening, eggs and vanilla

Beat on low until mixed then on medium for three minutes.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake 350°for 30 to 35 minutes. Test with toothpick .Cool for l0 minutes before removing from pan.

Note: I ice with cream cheese icing and freeze some in pan for later.

Flowers in the Yard

The clematis paniculata on the barn lot fence is doing what I wanted it to:  Screening that ugly lot!
I have let a few Grandpa Otts morning glories stay.  I love that color!

From Flowers September blog

The cosmos are finally in full bloom

From Flowers September blog

My old standby self-seeding annual salvia farinacea, mixed colors now!

From Flowers September blog

Fruit

I have  a Kieffer pear tree back by the barn lot.  It has lots of fruit this year but, it is not the ordinary pear tree.  It is hard as a brick and you have to pick it when it is ready (my problem is when is that?) and let it ripen in a cool place for some  time.  It is used mostly for pear honey and  cooking.  It was supposed to be resistant to fireblight.......it isn't!  I am bothered with fireblight in all pear trees every single year.  I can see where the possum has been eating a few on the ground.  Does anyone have any experience with the particular pear tree?  I have pulled a few and have them inside now but I can't see that they are ripening at all.

From Fruit Trees 2015

From Fruit Trees 2015

Have a wonderful Sunday.