Took some time off for spring break, and some other stuff around the homestead part two

    Picking up where I left off from the last post. Saturday, I had the boys break out their Hennessy Hammocks to let them air out and also to give them some more time to hone their skills in setting them up. I am really proud of them both wanting to learn stuff and I am very confident on where they are at with their knowledge at 9 and 10 years old, hell it's more that some grown men. Once the cool mornings are over, we may all, including JUGM and yes she has one too, camp out in our woods and make our own tent city. I haven't taught them the tricks to 4 season camping in these hammock tents yet.

NW hooking to the tree

NW testing his set-up

NW and ND all set-up and relaxing

    Earlier that day and we had made our way to town and found some of these. I love these peppers and since I have so much room left, why not buy a four pack. They will go good with the other peppers when I pickle Okra.

     Sunday, we slept in and had a day to ourselves before we go our separate ways on Monday. Later that day, we decided to do some burgers and I wanted to make me a Mushroom and Swiss burger. For some reason the thought popped in my head, "you know, why not cook the mushrooms on the rocket stove". It's been over 2 years since I have used it and I have a enormous supply of fuel for it with all the trees on the property.

My $38.70 Rocket Stove that I made, not bought off Amazon.com

Here is the link to my post building it.

http://seniorsmess.blogspot.com/2014/02/seniors-rocket-stove.html 

Sticks loaded up

Pine Cones ready to light and drop in

getting started

nice fast flame coming out before all the smoke died off

     After dinner we sat around the porch and wait for the Space Station to fly over at 2121 this past Sunday. Prior to the viewing, caught a great shot of the moon and Jupiter to the left.

    Well that's enough for tonight. I plan do do a post on my daily driver, my 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport with 213508 miles on it. It makes a daily trip of 142 miles 5 days a week. More to follow. 

    Senior

Took some time off for spring break, and some other stuff around the homestead part one.......

     Since I have built up some leave at work, I decided to take some time off from work and spend with the family. It started the Friday before their last baseball game as I had a Dermatology appointment to go to, good news, follow up in 1 year. Well Sunday, we proceeded down to the sunshine state for some R&R. It was around 1300 when we got down there so we payed a visit to the grandparents then went to the west side and saw some close friends, pretty much family and had a nice visit with them. Then we went to Seafood Express off Main street by the airport and had ate some awesome food. The wife and I had Fried shrimp and Gator tail, while the kids had a fish sandwich and baby shrimp.

     As we retired to our room for the night, the thought of sugar glazed bliss filled our minds all night. So for all you in Jacksonville, I think you know where we were going for breakfast. Come'on Stephen, Duke, and DFW, chime in and give your reviews. Krispy Kreme, Dunking Donuts, you have nothing on a little donut shop that has been locally owned for over 60 years.

       JUGM, her dad, and sister had an appointment to go to,so the boys and I went and did a few things. Stopped by Stephen's business and he was closed so I guess I will see him another time, didn't want to bother him at home. We payed a visit to Buchanan Sign and Flag and Alternative Pest Control, we proceeded over to pick up their mom and have a final visit with Grand-paw and their Aunt before hitting the road to come back to SC.

     Later that Monday, we got back and tended to things around the house. We still have items to plant in the garden and took to it as a family. I continued to till up the garden to keep things loose as we plant stuff. Can't do this with a garden weasel in "raised garden" beds.

    On Tuesday, my neighbor stopped by and asked me if I wanted some more fill dirt for my range. Of course I said yes. Well NW and I rode over with him and took a look at the pile. I told him I will get a hold of mutual neighbor who did some work for him and have it hauled over in his dump truck.

    Wednesday, after switching attachments out on the tractor, we had some Blue lake bush green beans and some Ford hooks Lima beans to put in the ground. Notice the price of the seeds, .50 cents. Folks, go find a local farm and feed store and quit paying those high prices for the crap you get in Walmart with the Burpee and other brands of seeds. You are just wasting your money. Those 50 cents worth planted a row of green beans 80' long and 6" separation with seeds still left in the bag for the fall garden. The Lima's ended up planted the entire row.

    On Thursday, went to the farm and feed store and looked to see what they got it stock and JUGM got a 8 pack of bush cucumber plants, and some Crooked Squash plants  to put in the garden.
    

    
       Friday, I went back to work for a day and after calling JUGM letting her know I was on the way, she cooked up a favorite that both of us have enjoyed back to the days that we were dating and myself standing watch on the quarter deck. If many Navy people would know, the Navy Exchange would have a mobile canteen in Mayport driving the piers selling food during all hours of the day and night. Well that item that we love are chicken gizzards. Well let's just say she sent me a text after I called her letting me know what was for dinner, I was a happy husband.What? you have a problem with a white guy eating gizzards? Get over it!!!!!

     Saturday, we all did some more work around the house but around 1400, we called it a day and I strung my Eagles Next Outfitters double nest hammock between a couple of trees. I woke up several times, once with a bird landing on the edge, which was taught from the position I was laying in the hammock. The mocking bird landed and actually shook the hammock and if I had my phone out and could have taken a pic, I would have. I lift my hand and he flew away. I don't make anything up like others do. When you say you go on a camping trip, post a picture of what you did instead of a links to Amazon.com steering people to buy stuff so you can line your pockets. BTW, the other wake-ups were from me snoring.

These are my real legs and shoes. No file photo from Amazon.com. I also didn't go to Wendy's either for dinner during a group camping trip.........

     JUGM did a post this morning about "Jack", our crazy cat. Yes, he is part Siamese and mutt-cat and a complete laughing trip. This cat is literally crazy. She had mentioned that he thought the garden hose was a black snake, well after we laughed so hard with him jumping so high in the air after we moved the hose in the garden, I pulled the phone out to get him to do it again, although what I caught was nowhere near as high as he jumped when we started laughing.

    It seems that Blogger is slow tonight about loading stuff up, so I will do part two in a day or so. I do have to get up in the morning and go to work, I do have to pay for the deadbeat democrats that don't want to work. Until then, keep you sights on target.

Senior



    

Been a long day

    I had plans to do a decent post today, but I started my day in a sunny cold wind as the boys had a game this morning bright and early with getting them there at 0815 this morning.

    The game was over at 1030 and the guys won 10-6 with both reaching base on hits.

After being in the wind all day, I piddled around with some reloads and prepping some of that good ole Lake City 5.56 brass. I think you all know what it feels like to hang out in a 20-30 mph winds in the cold and get wind burn. I hate it. I think I may start a 2 part review tomorrow on the holsters I use. Enjoy your evening folks.

Senior

Corn, Corn, and more corn, Spring garden has been started. I feel like I want to go on a rant.

As the title says. Last spring we planted 15 rows of sweet corn in the garden and had pretty good success with it, even dealing with "Drought like conditions here in SC". We ended up harvesting over 300 ears of corn that we are still eating off of. We took the majority of it and blanched it and stuck it in the freezer. Last year, we planted it farther apart than we did this year. I found a good document from Clemson University to go off of and this year and now we have the same, 15 rows, but the seeds are spaced < 6 inches apart. So figure this, 15 rows of Silver King corn seed planted per row with a row length of 80 feet. Do the math, yes I will be in corn up to my ears, literally.

     Since I am following Clemson's advice, I have about 10 days til I can start planting other goodies in the garden. If you saw on JUGM's blog, last Saturday she went to the Future Farmers of America sale at the local county farmers market and bought a bunch of stuff for around $10.00. Now, I like fresh Jalapeño pepper's when we cook Mexican dishes, so I will try it this year, along with some hot peppers for my pickled Okra I plan to do. The rest of the garden I have been prepping in anticipation of us planting. I have been using the 5 foot PTO tiller on the tractor and have been turning the dirt over with fertilizer and lime to get it ready.

 

Corn in the back, 2 rows of sweet onions in the front.

      As I was tilling up the middle section, I found two interesting things. First is:

So what tracks do we have here?

        While I was tilling, notice the edge of the tractor tire in the picture, I planted the corn on March 25th, and on April 3rd, we have this, less than 10 days and it's coming up. I guess my chicken crap/sand plan worked well.

Corn stalk coming up

      Tonight, I left early from the boy's baseball practice to get home, turn the dirt over some more with the tiller and also turned the sprinklers on the corn.

      This weekend will be a busy weekend with getting seed as we are getting all the seed in hand for us to plant this weekend.

    Now for my Rant.........

    It was brought to my attention from a close friend in Florida that I have struck a nerve with a former group member here in SC with his comments on his 4th or 5th website in as many years, Yes 4th or 5th website in as many years.  It's pretty obvious that if you start and stop this many websites that you have no clue of what you are featuring on these sites, almost like Hillary Clinton re-launching her campaigns.
    Seem's he doesn't like all the "Pop Shots" I have taken at him lately, I don't give a fuck what him or anyone associated with him think. He posted this on one of his postings and I quote:
"While I’m at it I’ve also been told that that I am no “survival expert”. Sure – I would agree with that. I’ve never professed to be one. I know a little about a lot and am very confident in my ability to figure things out even though I have never been show." Unquote....

   Yeah you are right, you are a expert at nothing, and you proved that in the year I wasted around you. Yes, you know "a little about a lot and am very confident in my ability to figure things out even though I have never been show" Geez, let's ask the other person who drives one of your vehicles of how they were riding down the road with only 1 lug nut left on the rear tire after you tired to change the brakes?

Senior