Haha
Why don't we see headlines like this in American newspapers?
Cheap
So when I have some free time, I like to browse (mostly the forums) on Fatwallet and Slickdeals. Usually for Staples coupon codes for work (everyone likes free gifts) and the 'free stuff' forums.
I really like the free stuff ones. Walmart is always mailing us samples of things, and the toiletry ones are the perfect travel size. And munchies from different places. But the most impressive so far was a 'short survey' I filled out for Barilla. Except it turns out the short survey took about 20 minutes while I was watching tv. Recently, we received the reward - coupons for 12 free boxes of pasta and 12 free jars of sauce!
It's little things like that which make me happy when I get the mail.
I really like the free stuff ones. Walmart is always mailing us samples of things, and the toiletry ones are the perfect travel size. And munchies from different places. But the most impressive so far was a 'short survey' I filled out for Barilla. Except it turns out the short survey took about 20 minutes while I was watching tv. Recently, we received the reward - coupons for 12 free boxes of pasta and 12 free jars of sauce!
It's little things like that which make me happy when I get the mail.
What's the point?
Today I saw an ad on tv for Hormel Natural food products. They were serving pre-sliced ham, and 'there are no preservatives!' Um, isn't the whole POINT of making ham to preserve the pork? What is the salt, if not a preservative?
Now, I'm the sort of guy who likes a big salty country ham. And it worries me somewhat that folks are more concerned about the preservatives in their preserved meat than, I don't know, where the actual meat is coming from and how it was raised annd processed.
Now, I'm the sort of guy who likes a big salty country ham. And it worries me somewhat that folks are more concerned about the preservatives in their preserved meat than, I don't know, where the actual meat is coming from and how it was raised annd processed.
Our manly truck
I don't post much about our farm life, because Cabol is so much better at making things sound interesting and stuff. But I thought I would write about our trip today into Roanoke to pick up a large crate - it was free on Craigslist, and who can resist a 6' x 5' x 2' wooden box on wheels? It was about an inch too long to shut the tailgate...or at least it was until I pushed it really hard. Good thing that bedliner in the truck is flexible plastic.
The side says 'Pageant of Peace Tree Star'. That must have been for one hell of a big christmas tree. We're not sure what to do with it yet. We had thought maybe a sheep shelter of some sort, but I think it's too narrow for them to want to go in. I can always use it for storage up in the workshop - or maybe we can add some shelves and keep plant stuff in it!
The side says 'Pageant of Peace Tree Star'. That must have been for one hell of a big christmas tree. We're not sure what to do with it yet. We had thought maybe a sheep shelter of some sort, but I think it's too narrow for them to want to go in. I can always use it for storage up in the workshop - or maybe we can add some shelves and keep plant stuff in it!
Crate and Truck
Creepy Amazoniness
Item you viewed: Fresh Whole Rabbit (I'm not sure why, I think someone had a link like 'wow you can get anything at Amazon!!' It's kinda creepy looking.)
50% buy this alternative: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
50% buy this alternative: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Fun words
Thanks to the wonders of tv, we have learned new words tonight!
Pajamagram - spoil her with the gift of...pajamas!
Pornado - I guess we never experienced one of these because we have popup blockers. I hear it sucks, though.
Fairyoke - not gay karaoke, unfortunately.
Pajamagram - spoil her with the gift of...pajamas!
Pornado - I guess we never experienced one of these because we have popup blockers. I hear it sucks, though.
Fairyoke - not gay karaoke, unfortunately.
In heaven there is no beer
It's been over a year since I've made beer, and although I'm told by Matt that it doesn't compare to my salsa-making skills, I decided to give it another whirl. Last week I brewed up a batch of amber ale to get back into the swing of things. There was a small mishap earlier in the week when it fermented so violently that it blocked the airlock with foam, causing the pressure to build until the lid of the fermenter went *plonk*. There was some beer splatters on things in the office, and I have been worried that it became contaminated from sitting there with the lid popped open all day while at work. In the oh-so-clean office that contains things like bags of uncleaned sheep wool.
I think my fears are unfounded, however. Today I racked it into a secondary fermenter since it hasn't been making bubbles much for a few days, and the hydrowhatsit meter said it's specific gravity is where it should be when done (isn't that geeky of me?). And it doesn't taste sour or funky. The downside is it also doesn't seem very amber.
A few more weeks it should be bottled and carbonated and ready to drink. Maybe I can save some until Cabol's parents visit. Today or tomorrow I will work on a steam beer. It will be my first experience using lager yeast, albeit at ale temperatures instead of at cold lager temperatures.
Cabol said I should add some pictures from today's brew session, so here they are:
I think my fears are unfounded, however. Today I racked it into a secondary fermenter since it hasn't been making bubbles much for a few days, and the hydrowhatsit meter said it's specific gravity is where it should be when done (isn't that geeky of me?). And it doesn't taste sour or funky. The downside is it also doesn't seem very amber.
A few more weeks it should be bottled and carbonated and ready to drink. Maybe I can save some until Cabol's parents visit. Today or tomorrow I will work on a steam beer. It will be my first experience using lager yeast, albeit at ale temperatures instead of at cold lager temperatures.
Cabol said I should add some pictures from today's brew session, so here they are:
Grains After Mashing
Hops
Boiling Wort
Wine and cookies
Yesterday we bottled the wine, and ended up with just under two cases (as measured by beer bottles) worth of wine. I also took the wine bottle worth of wine left in the carboy that had a little yeast remnants in it and bottled it in a spare wine bottle and stuck it in the fridge - I figured the yeast will settle out within a few days, and I hate to waste any...
This morning I decided to make Spritz Cookies, since it seemed like a yummy Christmastime thing to do. Except I couldn't find any green food coloring, so my little trees are rather yellow.
We've had a cookie press for, well, a long time. I think it used to be my grandmother's. But we've never used it, and of course there are no instructions. My first attempt involved putting the die on the wrong side, so it was promptly ejected as the dough squeezed through, making a large mess. After comforting myself with raw cookie dough, I searched online for how to use a cookie press. It turns out the die goes on the inside (ok, that wasn't in the instructions, but Cabol figured it out), and that you just sort of push the cookie onto the cookie sheet and when you pull back the wonder of physics will hold it to the sheet and break it apart from the rest of the dough in the press. I'm sure anyone who makes lots of cookies are rolling their eyes at this point, but it was a little bit of magic to me.
Wine Bottles
This morning I decided to make Spritz Cookies, since it seemed like a yummy Christmastime thing to do. Except I couldn't find any green food coloring, so my little trees are rather yellow.
We've had a cookie press for, well, a long time. I think it used to be my grandmother's. But we've never used it, and of course there are no instructions. My first attempt involved putting the die on the wrong side, so it was promptly ejected as the dough squeezed through, making a large mess. After comforting myself with raw cookie dough, I searched online for how to use a cookie press. It turns out the die goes on the inside (ok, that wasn't in the instructions, but Cabol figured it out), and that you just sort of push the cookie onto the cookie sheet and when you pull back the wonder of physics will hold it to the sheet and break it apart from the rest of the dough in the press. I'm sure anyone who makes lots of cookies are rolling their eyes at this point, but it was a little bit of magic to me.
Spritz Cookies
Wine
Today I decided it was time to sample the first batch of wine and rack it into a new container - I'm thinking in a week or two most everything will have settled out of it and it will be ready to bottle.
To my not-very-distinguished palate it tasted like a dry red wine. It seems to have lost some of the ruby red color it had the last time I racked it, and has more of a lighter reddish-purple hue. It will be interesting to see how much of that fades over the next few months.
To my not-very-distinguished palate it tasted like a dry red wine. It seems to have lost some of the ruby red color it had the last time I racked it, and has more of a lighter reddish-purple hue. It will be interesting to see how much of that fades over the next few months.
Wine
Pictures
It hasn't been a very eventful week, although Hop and Wibble were both sick and stopped eating (but now are better). Now Carla has stopped eating, so we're worried about her. But we have leftover critical care stuff to force feed her, so hopefully we will get things moving again. We decided to get rid of some of the bantam chickens, since we really have more than we need now that all those little baby chicks are grown up!
Some pictures from around the house:
Some pictures from around the house:
Buddy
Sana Blowing Her Nose
Bunny Snuggle
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