Ducks4you 2021 Ragtag Thread

[baymule]

I have never tried leeks, now y'all have me intrigued.

I want a fire pit! Maybe I can get one on mark down in the spring. They are a big fall item here, everyone likes to circle around the fire in the fall/winter. Maybe a Black Friday deal will come along.

 

[ducks4you]

Here is mine:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/the-project-store/landscaping-projects/no-cut-block-projects/aurora-fire-pit-project-material-list/1983913/p-10318787590307768.htm

It uses "belgian pavers", which are cement blocks that are tumbled to look aged.
They are not technically fireproof, but the metal liner protects them.
I bought and put down 16" x 16" square pavers to surround it, like this:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/pavers-patio-blocks/16-x-16-cobblestone-patio-block/1791210/p-1444441430577-c-5786.htm?tid=-2173443071542365014&ipos=33

Also:

I NEEDED the pavers bc the whole idea was to NOT sit with my boots in the mud. IMPORTANT!!!
In order to make them evenly surround the fire pit I had to use a line of bricks in between the corners. Sometime soon I will take a picture for you.
There is an additional piece that fits onto the metal liner to use to cook on top of it.
WhatEVER you do, do NOT, NOT, NOT use rubber pavers around a fire pit!!!

 

[ducks4you]

Found some Christmas lights that produce heat, so I can string them next March on my peach and pear trees!

 

[heirloomgal]

Found some Christmas lights that produce heat, so I can string them next March on my peach and pear trees!
View attachment 45361

Such creative problem solving! It's amazing what a couple bulbs throwing warmth can do to protect from frost.

 

[ducks4you]

So...with a high of 64 degrees today I WANTED to plant my 2 blueberry bushes, but time got away from me. I still have a few days to get that done.
I REALLY wanted to use my bricks and construct a cold frame this Fall, BUT, that will have to be a 2022 project. I Think what I Will do is dig a trench about a foot deep, dump some fresh horse manure into it and cover it, and construct a frame with a window this winter. I already have a pretty good seed starting setup inside. I think I might try to move some lettuce into it in February, since I have quite a few seeds and can afford to kill a few!
I have really studied up on this, and you have to match an existing window to the cold frame construction. I am NOT a builder, but I will give it the old college try--I think that was in reference to football?!?
If successful, I plan to use the same area, east side of my south of the garage bed, so construction with the bricks can be in bits and pieces. Moving all of my bricks to the area north of my back door, which is north, since there is an extension to the house to the west, where there are 2 doors leading outside, makes it easy for me to find them.
I had to put something away in my garden shed today and I was thanking my (last week) past self for laying down bricks there so that the doors open easily.

 

[ducks4you]

I was window shopping online at a horse site, saw that a new 60 ft heated hose was on sale, 75%.

https://www.horse.com/item/k-and-h-thermo-hose-rubber-60ft/G23040%20060/

DH said, birthday present (my b'day is in December), so I just ordered it.
Something actual went DOWN in price. Go figure...

 

[ducks4you]

BTW, these hoses WORK until it gets down to zero, then I have to fill/carry buckets from the basement. BUT, it's a lot easier to know that you turned the water off, a REAL PROBLEM for horse owners.

 

[ducks4you]

Still NO BLUEBERRIES PLANTED!!!
But, I did pull up 2/5 of the old and rusty metal fence posts holding up the grapes. I have asked for yeast and the other stuff so I can Finally make some wine. I ONLY have about 50 quarts of grapes that I canned over the last 2 decades.
I burn a LOT of candles in the bathroom. You end up with 1/2 and inch of wax that doesn't burn. I saved about 9 of these, put them on a plug in candle warmer to melt them and I made "firestarters" with cardboard egg cartons, pine shavings and melted wax, like this one:

I have made 6 of them, and they look like the candles from which the wax came from. Smell nice, too. If you haven't used one of these, you break off 1/12 and light a match to it. It makes it easy to start a fire, and cheaper than buying them. If there is ONE thing that is cheap/free these days, it's cardboard.

 

[ducks4you]

DD's did Thanksgiving and it was really good. EVERYBODY enjoyed themselves, all 9 of us. My (now passed on) MIL must have known this when she bought the 9 matching dinner plates in iced orange!
DD's also paid for the wine tasting in another close city:
Hello Reds of Christmas participants!! I apologize for this communication coming late…we decided to make a few changes to alleviate your potential frustration with parking and that caused a communication delay.
You may pick up your glasses and maps on Friday starting at 4 PM – 7:00 PM. I’ve attached a map for you to see how to get to the pick-up location, which will be drive-thru this year (the change I mentioned). It is important that you enter from Livingston St while headed East as shown on the map. When you pull up, we ask that each participant be masked, know the Order # (as shown on your receipt)or the last name of the person for whom the ticket was purchased, and have ids ready (so we can check them). We will need to check each participant ID, one person cannot pick-up all the glasses for your group. You will receive your glasses, bracelets (so the businesses know you are a part of our event and of age to drink), and maps showing the participating businesses. Each business will serve each participant a 2 oz sample.
For $20 I Swear I drank an entire bottle, one inch of wine at a time!
IT WAS PACKED!!! First we were driving north to park---NO close spaces--then ran into the line to get your glass, (you did this in your car,) had to turn Left so it didn't look like we were trying to cut in line. We ended up parkiing at the post office...nobody else had thought to park there.
ALL of the participating businesses were on the square around the courthouse, easy to find. THIS picture was in the Polish ceramic (plates, etc.) store:

Eldest DD was our "designated Debbie," so she quit drinking early.
The glasses are etched with the event and year.
Youngest DD and me didn't. We took our new car bc it has heated seats AND a heated steering wheel and their cars don't...AAAAAAND it was cold.
Nice to NOT have to drive somewhere
Another great family memory, but our family motto is: "We can have fun at the bottom of a treacle well."

 

[baymule]

What a fun time! So happy for you, great memories with your daughters.