USMB Coffee Shop IV

[gallantwarrior]

Here, it's 40F and all that snow is melting and turning to ice. High broken overcast with no snow in sight and it's windy. We call them chinook winds, warm and strong. Mixed blessings, weather-wise. The partner is getting a load of hay and I hope he gets back safely. Roads are treacherous when things start melting like this.
Our New Year's dinner is in the "slow cooker". In an off-grid version, I have a cast iron dutch oven on a heat ring on top of the wood-burning stove. Does a great job, as good as any electric cooker, in about the same amount of time. Oh, we'll be having pulled pork sammiches with appropriate side dishes. Nom, nom!!!

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Here, it's 40F and all that snow is melting and turning to ice. High broken overcast with no snow in sight and it's windy. We call them chinook winds, warm and strong. Mixed blessings, weather-wise. The partner is getting a load of hay and I hope he gets back safely. Roads are treacherous when things start melting like this.
Our New Year's dinner is in the "slow cooker". In an off-grid version, I have a cast iron dutch oven on a heat ring on top of the wood-burning stove. Does a great job, as good as any electric cooker, in about the same amount of time. Oh, we'll be having pulled pork sammiches with appropriate side dishes. Nom, nom!!!

I have used a similar off-grid version of a slow cooker, only at the time I didn't have a cast iron Dutch oven & just used a heavy pot on the woodstove. Now that I have a Dutch oven, actually 2-one with legs and one without, it hasn't been cold enough here to keep a fire going long enough to cook anything. Even though we have electric stove for most cooking and a woodstove for heat.....I do like to put a pot on the fire & let it cook. Maybe now that it's our COLD season (Jan/Feb), I'll be able to keep the fire going and I'll cook up some of the bones I've got saved in the freezer for a broth canning session. I like to let it simmer for atleast a couple of days. Since I do that in a huge 10(?) gallon pot, it's easier to put it on the woodstove & save a lot of trouble in my small kitchen for regular meals. Once I'm ready to can it up, I'll save some out for soup or stew to go in the Dutch oven & back on the fire.


btw...…..we all need prayers for our own unique situations, and that goes for you & yours too.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Even though we're super warm right now, 40F outside!!, I keep the wood stove heating and am giving the propane "kicker" a rest. Using propane is expensive, but burning wood requires a sweat equity investment. Tomorrow, we are cutting down one of our beetle killed spruce and converting it to firewood. Beetle-killed spruce is good standing firewood when all the other stuff is buried under several inches, or feet, of snow.

 

[007]

Even though we're super warm right now, 40F outside!!, I keep the wood stove heating and am giving the propane "kicker" a rest. Using propane is expensive, but burning wood requires a sweat equity investment. Tomorrow, we are cutting down one of our beetle killed spruce and converting it to firewood. Beetle-killed spruce is good standing firewood when all the other stuff is buried under several inches, or feet, of snow.

Snowing like crazy here right now, heavy wet stuff. Going to make the roads slick for all the merry makers tonight. I might have to finally break out the John Deere and do a little snow blowing.

I have a nice little glass window wood burning stove. Isn't installed but I keep it. Never know when that might just save the day. I have plenty wood to burn if something ever happened and I needed it. That ole prepper mentality again.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Even though we're super warm right now, 40F outside!!, I keep the wood stove heating and am giving the propane "kicker" a rest. Using propane is expensive, but burning wood requires a sweat equity investment. Tomorrow, we are cutting down one of our beetle killed spruce and converting it to firewood. Beetle-killed spruce is good standing firewood when all the other stuff is buried under several inches, or feet, of snow.

Snowing like crazy here right now, heavy wet stuff. Going to make the roads slick for all the merry makers tonight. I might have to finally break out the John Deere and do a little snow blowing.

I have a nice little glass window wood burning stove. Isn't installed but I keep it. Never know when that might just save the day. I have plenty wood to burn if something ever happened and I needed it. That ole prepper mentality again.

Nothing wrong with being prepared. Of course, that's from someone who has chosen to live off grid. I recently found a 6 installment BBC series about monastery farms in the Tudor times. Really interesting stuff. I'll be building a wattle fence, although I'll substitute t-posts for the uprights and alder. If it works on goats, I'll be pleased. I suspect the goats might just eat the fence, though.

 

[Foxfyre]

Even though we're super warm right now, 40F outside!!, I keep the wood stove heating and am giving the propane "kicker" a rest. Using propane is expensive, but burning wood requires a sweat equity investment. Tomorrow, we are cutting down one of our beetle killed spruce and converting it to firewood. Beetle-killed spruce is good standing firewood when all the other stuff is buried under several inches, or feet, of snow.

I wish we had some 40 degree weather to get rid of the ice on the walks and driveway. I can't remember EVER that Albuquerque had a whole week of right at freezing or below freezing days. So unusual for us as average late Dec/January daytime temps are in the mid to upper 40's range. This is more like northern Kansas weather that we moved here to get away from.

 

[007]

Even though we're super warm right now, 40F outside!!, I keep the wood stove heating and am giving the propane "kicker" a rest. Using propane is expensive, but burning wood requires a sweat equity investment. Tomorrow, we are cutting down one of our beetle killed spruce and converting it to firewood. Beetle-killed spruce is good standing firewood when all the other stuff is buried under several inches, or feet, of snow.

I wish we had some 40 degree weather to get rid of the ice on the walks and driveway. I can't remember EVER that Albuquerque had a whole week of right at freezing or below freezing days. So unusual for us as average late Dec/January daytime temps are in the mid to upper 40's range. This is more like northern Kansas weather that we moved here to get away from.

That is odd. We had a really warm November, and December is adding up about the same way. We've had lots of days above normal temps. We keep getting that southern wind. I'm not complaining though, because when it decides to start coming out of Canada it gets cold real fast.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Strange times, Foxy, strange times. Now I'm hoping the partner can get up to this place, the road is nothing but deep slush and almost impassible. He's towing a trailer full of hay, which we desperately need.

 

[Ridgerunner]

For the Coffee Shop Crowd

 

[gallantwarrior]

Mmm, mmm, good! Just got in from working outside, feeding, watering, yanno...stuff. The house is redolent with the smell of that slow cooking pork.
Partner made it up the drive just fine. When things melt like this, the snow packs down, getting firmer.
The goats all got extra rations and my does and kids got fresh apples. I usually buy them greens (kale and spinach) when the local super market marks down their produce stock. No such luck right now, so apples it is.
It's getting too dark to work outside, so I think we're in for the night. Partner got a dominoes game for Christmas, maybe we'll have to alternate with Cribbage?

 

[Marion Morrison]

Our winter weather is a mixed bag....If & when we do get snow, it's usually not until Jan/Feb. and usually lasts only a day or two before melting. Though some years it's snowed as early as November and some years we don't get any snow. We can get just a few sprinkles or up to nearly a foot.

About 5 or so years ago, it had snowed in my area every month from November to May...…..it didn't always last long or barely cover the road or grass, but flakes did show up.

I'm kinda hoping for no snow at all this year.....I've got too much work outside to do

Ours is too. It may freeze a time or 3..or not..

Could be 82 on Christmas..Hopefully cooler.

I ain't mad, I love where I'm from.

Snow? Have not seen since I was 4...in Utah.

Tubing down a mountainside with..like..a lot of cousins in a chain-tube thing.

 

[Big Black Dog]

My latest invention is a complete success! Look for it on store shelves beginning on January 15, 2019. I call it “Magic Water”. It will come in a 1 quart bottle. Inside the bottle is a pint of highly classified magical liquid. You simply add 1 pint of fresh water and place the cap back on the bottle and then give it a couple of good shakes. What you will end up with is a full quart of fresh drinking water. This product could be valuable to areas prone to water shortages due to drought or extreme climate conditions. If you would like to invest in my newest creation simply contact me for details. Product not available in Idaho.

 

[Marion Morrison]

My latest invention is a complete success! Look for it on store shelves beginning on January 15, 2019. I call it “Magic Water”. It will come in a 1 quart bottle. Inside the bottle is a pint of highly classified magical liquid. You simply add 1 pint of fresh water and place the cap back on the bottle and then give it a couple of good shakes. What you will end up with is a full quart of fresh drinking water. This product could be valuable to areas prone to water shortages due to drought or extreme climate conditions. If you would like to invest in my newest creation simply contact me for details. Product not available in Idaho.

Sounds kinda cwazay. I'd rather drink hosewater.

 

[Ringel05]

My latest invention is a complete success! Look for it on store shelves beginning on January 15, 2019. I call it “Magic Water”. It will come in a 1 quart bottle. Inside the bottle is a pint of highly classified magical liquid. You simply add 1 pint of fresh water and place the cap back on the bottle and then give it a couple of good shakes. What you will end up with is a full quart of fresh drinking water. This product could be valuable to areas prone to water shortages due to drought or extreme climate conditions. If you would like to invest in my newest creation simply contact me for details. Product not available in Idaho.

I already hold the patent for dehydrated water........

 

[blackhawk]

 

[007]

Mmm, mmm, good! Just got in from working outside, feeding, watering, yanno...stuff. The house is redolent with the smell of that slow cooking pork.
Partner made it up the drive just fine. When things melt like this, the snow packs down, getting firmer.
The goats all got extra rations and my does and kids got fresh apples. I usually buy them greens (kale and spinach) when the local super market marks down their produce stock. No such luck right now, so apples it is.
It's getting too dark to work outside, so I think we're in for the night. Partner got a dominoes game for Christmas, maybe we'll have to alternate with Cribbage?

"Redolent"... GOOD WORK, pard. I hadn't heard that one before. Had to look it up.

I love Cribbage. Wish I had someone around here to play that with. Back in the day when I lived in Montana they'd have Cribbage tournaments. Loads of fun. 15-2, 15-4 and there ain't no more...

 

[beautress]

Happy New Year, everyone!

​

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Our winter weather is a mixed bag....If & when we do get snow, it's usually not until Jan/Feb. and usually lasts only a day or two before melting. Though some years it's snowed as early as November and some years we don't get any snow. We can get just a few sprinkles or up to nearly a foot.

About 5 or so years ago, it had snowed in my area every month from November to May...…..it didn't always last long or barely cover the road or grass, but flakes did show up.

I'm kinda hoping for no snow at all this year.....I've got too much work outside to do

Ours is too. It may freeze a time or 3..or not..

Could be 82 on Christmas..Hopefully cooler.

I ain't mad, I love where I'm from.

Snow? Have not seen since I was 4...in Utah.

Tubing down a mountainside with..like..a lot of cousins in a chain-tube thing.

I don't think it's ever been 82 on Christmas here and probably not even 62. We've been in the 30's & 40's with rain until yesterday it cleared off and dropped into the high 20's last night and about that again tonight. Days are sunny but still cold.

No snow here yet this season and that's ok with me cause #2 drives to school and I don't want him to drive in snow.....not yet, he's still not experienced enough for that...….atleast in my mind.

When I was a kid, my Dad and some friends would hook a tube to the back of the car and pull us around. Just one though, no chains. That was a lot of fun, until we rolled the tube going around a corner and I did a face plant in the snow.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

My latest invention is a complete success! Look for it on store shelves beginning on January 15, 2019. I call it “Magic Water”. It will come in a 1 quart bottle. Inside the bottle is a pint of highly classified magical liquid. You simply add 1 pint of fresh water and place the cap back on the bottle and then give it a couple of good shakes. What you will end up with is a full quart of fresh drinking water. This product could be valuable to areas prone to water shortages due to drought or extreme climate conditions. If you would like to invest in my newest creation simply contact me for details. Product not available in Idaho.

That 'magic' liquid isn't yellow......is it???

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Same to you & yours...…...but we still have another 3 1/2 hours before it's official