Friday, January 19, 2018

Miscellany

Our vegetables (and fruits) in the root cellar are staying in good shape.


We're going to run out of orange carrots (still have way more than enough of the purple ones) so I may skip planting any of the purple ones this coming gardening season and stick with the old tried and true orange ones.  The purple carrots are super-colorful and look great on a raw vegetable platter, but as I've mentioned before, I don't like to cook with them (in soups or stews) because they "bleed" and turn everything else in the near vicinity a purplish-gray.  Ugh.

This is the first year we've left the roots attached to the heads of cabbages and hung the whole works by heavy string from the ceiling of the root cellar.  (But kept the heads low, about 18-24" from the gravel covered ground.  The heads show a little shrinkage (loss of moisture, I'm sure) but have been fine and tasty for eating, even when made into coleslaw.  At any rate, they're keeping better this way than with any other method we've tried.


Chicken Mama regularly prints up return address labels for me to use on envelopes sent via snail mail.  This year for Christmas she made this one with "Mama Pea" instead of my given name over the address lines to the right.  (Cut off for this picture.)  She took a caricature of Grant Wood's "American Gothic," turned it into Papa Pea (added the beard) and me, duplicating the profile pic of me with the pot over my head.



My dear still slightly lame duck husband has been giving a good go at doing poultry chores.  Here he is going out for morning chores.  Thanks to caring friend Karen in Wisconsin (who has dealt with like injuries for too long a time) for sending us all kinds of tricks of the trade that she uses that enable her to do farm work alongside her husband and take care of her flock of sheep while suffering sciatica pain.  Today was the first day he did ALL of the poultry chores by himself.  No help from me whatsoever.  We'll be starting our fifth week of recuperation tomorrow and he's frustrated as all heck that he's not back to 100% yet.  At the same time, I have to give him daily gold stars for being very sensible and not pushing himself too fast, too far.  It's been a fine line he's had to gahlump walk between keeping all the muscles (injured and not) in workable order and yet not stress anything.  It's hard, but slow and steady wins the race.  So they say.  Sigh.

13 comments:

Mark said...

At one time a root cellar was on my to-do list. We'd still like to have one, but it would be a very long slow process to get one built these days. Still, everyone we know who has one loves it, so we're not giving up hope.

Progress for Papa Pea!! That's wonderful!! All things considered he's doing amazingly well. A positive attitude, a little patience, and a lot of determination are going to have him in fine shape before mid-spring! Bravo!

tpals said...

Just being able to do again, no matter how slow, must make a big difference in his day. Yay, Papa Pea!

Chicken Mama is very clever. ;)

Shepherdess55 said...

I'm so happy to see Papa Pea doing flock chores once again.

Rain said...

Hi Mama Pea :)
Slow and steady is the best way to go! I'm sure Papa Pea is happier being active than on the couch! The return address stickers are adorable, what a nice touch with the pot on your head lol! :)

Tami said...

I tried purple Asian long beans a few years ago. Looked great but cooked up gray. Very disturbing to eat. The color affected the taste.

Go Papa Pea Go!!!

Mama Pea said...

Here goes using a "group" reply until my commenting problems go away!

Mark - You, of anyone, know how long it takes to get over any kind of a health problem. Thanks for you support and well wishes.

tpals - The hardest part of his recovery is the two steps forward and one step back. It's not continual better, better, better. Yesterday was rough, today starting out much better. He's keeping a great attitude. Me? I'm struggling a bit. :o\

Shedherdess55 - He's doing so well on that. It poops him out but he insists he has to keep his muscles from atrophying!

Rain - That's me . . . ol' Pot Head!

Tami - I've tried purple podded beans before but the ones I grew just turned green (like any old string bean!) when cooked. Better than gray, though!

Susan said...

That girl of yours is so talented! I just LOVE the design - she's got you two down! I'm so glad that Papa Pea is making progress, for all of your sakes. He is definitely not someone to sit around (come to think of it, NONE of you can sit for more than five minutes), so it must be very frustrating. Glad that some of the burden is being taken off you and hope that the Pea Homestead is soon back to normal. BTW, those are some gorgeous carrots you have there...I am orange with envy.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Just getting outdoors and doing stuff will help the psyche more and more me thinks! In no time there shall be no more gahlumping I am sure of it! :) Nice veg! :) I hear you guys are getting a whack of snow?

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Yep, the kid is talented! Started out in school as a graphic design major . . . but switched to Philosophy. (She could have done a lot more with a degree in graphic design!)

Do not turn orange with envy, I will send carrots. (Wish that I could. This coming season: Must plant more carrots!)

MrsDM - Yes, he does say being outside feels soooo good!

Nope, no snow. Nary a flake. It's all gone south of us. Seems this happens regularly the last few years. Darn.

Nancy In Boise said...

Looks like he's on the right track! I had INCREDIBLE luck with accupuncture for my sciatica. Worked great! Off the pain meds and got comfort within 3 days!!! Very rarely affects me now.

Mama Pea said...

Nancy - He seems to have the sciatica pain under control now, but we'll sure keep your suggestion of the accupuncture in mind. Thank you. Now it seems to be all the bruising, stretched and strained muscles and ligaments that are causing the achiness. But he is getting better. Just not fast enough! :o/

wisps of words said...

I am brand new here, so don't know what your husband's injury was. But I do so wish him well, with continuing to do his recovery, in a smart way.

vaiybora said...
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