That is not entirely accurate. She is working remotely but that is not enough to keep her entertained.
Yesterday's and part of today's punch-list was to assemble and install shelves.
Thanks to Southern Belle, I now have an additional 64 linear feet of shelf. The shelves are nominally 16" from front-to-back and 14" from top of one shelf to top of the next.
The shelving will go a long way toward decluttering the barn.
But wait, that is not all...
She noticed one of my lawn ornaments. "Does that work?" she asked.
"It did once." I replied, truthfully.
"What will it take to get it going again?" she asked.
Southern Belle is now at the grain elevator getting the front tires inner-tubed.
I have a new battery, belts, ignition solenoid lined up to be installed.
But wait, that is not all...
"I think you need another push mower" she observed.
"Whatever for? I can only push one mower at a time" I replied.
"It is so we can both mow at the same time, dummy" she said.
So now I have a new push mower.
The girl is expensive but, dang, she gets a lot of stuff done.
But wait, that is not all...
 |
| Three-beer pickles |
The brining shrinks them as it pulls water out of the pickle cells by osmosis. Not only does the bring shrink them but the pickles are also the slightest bit flexible after brining and I can pack about 40% more in the jars.
I can see why industrial canners don't use this process. It involves more handling.
I have no idea why this method is called "Three-beer pickles" because no beer is used in the recipe.
By-the-by, flavoring pickles seems like a good use for garlic scapes. The cukes are coming in and nobody local has ripe dill.
Use your imagination and find a use for the three beers. I recommend your initial stab at the recipe should be to try 3 beers per jar of pickles.
ReplyDeleteTake your motivation wherever you can find it.
ReplyDeleteJust don't send her my way, I'm already worked down to a nubbin.
The three beers is what you consume while you are cutting up and brining the cukes.
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to have a cookbook with a lot of very good dinner recipes in it. Each recipe started with this instruction : "Pour one ounce of alcohol into the cook".
Around here, beers are used as a timepiece. "Three beers" is representative of HOW LONG it should take to make the brine and get the little cukes into it.
ReplyDeleteSlow down, and enjoy the process.
Silly me.
DeleteI need to get my mind out of the gutter. I assumed it had something to do with the reduced rigidity of the pickles.
It might also be a reference to when taverns served 'free lunches'. The food was usually stuff that would make people thirstier so they would drink more beer. When your pickles are done, try one and see if it makes you need to drink three beers.
Delete