Blisters?

 

Not a very professional job of blacktopping, was it?

I had blisters on the bottoms of both feet from my efforts that blacktopped a portion of the driveway.

The ever-lovely-and-plucky Mrs ERJ and I picked up some walnuts. I wanted to save them for seed to plant at the hunting lease. They were collected from a mixed grove of Sparks 147 and Drake which should be a decent cross for both timber and nut production.

I got the blisters walking on the nuts to crack the husks to speed later processing.

The goo you see is the waste from the husking process.

Mrs ERJ "suggested" that I not husk the walnuts in the driveway next time.

Sparks 147 appears to have a great deal of resistance to husk maggot. Husk maggots make the husk turn brown which in turn makes the kernels dark and have a strong taste.

These are Sparks 147 walnuts and they carry a LOT of husk for the size of the nut.

This was yesterday's production. Plenty for seed. Now to work on nuts for eating.

Potting up herbs for the window sill. Sharp-eyed readers will notice I snuck in a couple of tomato cuttings. Spearmint, Oregano, Rosemary and Thyme. I might get sweet-talked into adding Basil and Cilantro at a future date.

R.I.P.

Jerry of Ducky-and-Jerry passed away last night. Mrs ERJ and I visited them in early August.

I don't know if there will be services. I do not know if/who will attend if there are services.

I just want to mention in passing that the secular, Gaia/Wicca belief that we become the-music-of-wind-blowing-through-the-branches-of-willow-trees after we pass is mighty thin gruel on which to weather hard times.