We had oven roasted baby red potatoes and a side of asparagus and green beans with tarragon and parsley.
This is what we plated for dinner tonight. Heavenly! Restaurants should consider serving this!
Posted on 04/01/2025 6:11:07 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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Mmmmmm.....so yummy.
How many ways can the Chinese screw up so simple a thing as jumper cables? (The kind used for cars.) More ways than even I would have guessed.
I’ve decided to post this as general information, as it applies to many things electrical, and hopefully it will help someone, or keep them out of trouble in the future.
I recently added a 3rd (car) jumper cable to my box of “bad wires” in the corner of my shop. All had exhibited poor carrying of electricity from one vehicle to another, or worse, at some point. This left me without a cable to stash in our ‘09 Outback. Most undesirable.
So, earlier this evening I undertook an investigation with intent to repair or modify at least one cable, as practical. All cables were examined to make sure they had not been cut into. The jaws’ contact area (”teeth”) was checked to be sure it was not corroded, and the jaws’ springs could provide forceful contact to battery terminals. All passed this external inspection easily (but see #1 below).
Cable #1 clearly had an “interesting” problem: The insulation on one “positive” end of the wires was melted just past where the wires exited the insulation on the handle(s) (grips) of the clips. Pulling the grips back revealed that these wires had never been firmly crimped to the jaws in the first place. (I have run into this sort of problem with Chinese-made cables and electrical gear, from test leads, to AC power plugs, to audio and computer gear. It is so common that “it ain’t funny”.) The connection had started arcing, which exacerbates the contact problem, and enough heat had built up to melt the wire’s insulation. In other circumstances, this could cause a fire. It certainly is not conducive to jump starting a car!
Other connections showed less severe evidence of arcing. :-(
The only thing to do here was to uncrimp / remove the clips, cut off the wires’ damaged ends, strip the new ends (past the scorched areas, the conductors looked fairly good and “bright”), clean the copper at the connection (crimp) areas of the clips, re-crimp, and solder with a good (for electronics) flux. Voila! “There and back” resistance measured about 0.02 ohm, making end-to-end resistance of the positive or negative side of the cable about 0.01 ohm (the lowest I can easily read without going to some trouble or borrowing better gear.) My jumper cable lost about 6” length, but is still useable in most circumstances.
I am a huge believer in, wherever practical, making a firm, secure mechanical connection and then soldering it. Call it a “belt AND suspenders” approach, but poor electrical connections have been a “devil” I’ve fought all my life, particularly in cases where vibration or mechanical stress can loosen a connection.
Cable #2 seemed more firmly crimped, but read “open” on both the “hot” and “ground” sides. The stranded copper conductors of the wire itself, though this was the newest jumper cable and most pampered (had not been kept in a car), showed blackish-green oxidation. This could be due to the mfgr. using old wire, or, more likely, the wire manufacturer used poor quality copper. The solution here was only slightly varied from “1”: Uncrimp / remove the clips, clean the exposed conductors, clean the copper at the connection (crimp) areas of the clips, re-crimp, and solder with a good (for electronics) flux. Measure resistance - yep, down around 0.01 ohms, end to end, again. Two down, no length lost on this one. :-)
Cable 3 is more problematic. First off, the “crimps” were of the style I’ve seen way too much of, where the stripped end of the wire is pulled down alongside the insulated end, then crimped. I suppose this is slightly harder to pull out if you have a poor crimp, but, the problem is that the insulation is, basically, PLASTIC, and a problem with plastics is that under sufficient load (pressure) they will deform until the pressure is relieved. PVC wire insulation is generally really plastic, so, this crimp style means you eventually end up with the wire conductors essentially just laying against the clips’ crimp area. Hey, there’s a way to get a great connection!
Worse, when I pulled the wires out of the crimps, several individual strands fell off each end, and when I tried to brighten the rest (clean the copper) more broke, and the rest didn’t just get shiny, they got “silvery”. Uh-oh... This manufacturer took the cheapskate route of using copper clad aluminum wire. Now, there are a very few instances where “CCAL” wire is useful, but, generally I’ve come to loath it. The process of making it makes the composite conductors more subject to work hardening and breakage, than even Aluminum wire, and, for a given gauge, it’s resistance is higher than copper wire. CCAL is most often a dishonest way to get the gauge rating up, er, I mean down, and performance be damned.
I think my best bet here is to salvage the clips and save the wire for... well, I don’t know. But, I do have aluminum flux. (Wish I had more, but that doesn’t relate to wire.) Something non-critical where it won’t get flexed. Label it well, “Paul”!
And to think I’ve not even gotten “in” to issues with poor insulative materials quality, corrosion of non-copper clips, etc. Yeesh!
Two final points in all this: If you want a QUICK jump start, use the heaviest cable possible. 2 gauge is a good choice, though a pain to haul around. And use caution: Arcing while connecting a jumper cable can kill a car’s computer.
And... While there are some good Chinese manufacturers, there sure are an awful lot of poor ones taking short cuts. Buyer beware!
Yikes!
If the pressure gauge isn’t switching off the pump, and the pump has a lot more “lift” capacity than you are using, y’all are lucky the pump didn’t blow apart a pipe somewhere. There “should” be an overpressure relief valve near the pump, but, it would have to release as much water as the pump can provide at ITS max pressure, to not have pressure build up to “pump max” anyway. You’d notice that overpressure relief flow / mini-flood (mine comes out beside the wellhouse), but, that’s kinda the idea.
Our Peonies and Iris are starting to bloom!
I was lucky: When borers got one of my big hickory trees, my Dad helped me take it down. (He was a Forestry Prof. and top notch tree feller.) I’d learned a lot from him - have taken down large trees myself - but this one was in a tight spot, and he had more in the way of ropes and such than I did. A bigger chain saw too!
Dad could “place” those trees’ landings like nobody else. No crane, just ropes, 60 years experience, and an unerring sense of the physics of the job. I NEVER saw him have a tree come down more than a couple degrees off where he’d planned it to end up... The “hard” part for him was if the tree had to be topped 1st, as without a crane that’s either tedious or dangerous, and he didn’t take crazy risks. And if wind could be a problem, he’d wait for a calm day - there was always lots of other consulting work to do.
The one tree Dad DIDN’T take down? The 2nd biggest in the county sycamore in his own yard. The power company wanted it down as it was near a major line, and the tree was old and unhealthy: It had suffered storm damage previously (a big branch taking down part of same line - boy, was that arcing spectacular!), Anthracnose, and a (later) big lightning hit. He let the power company do that one, on their dime. He was “interested” in the challenge, but all us kids had moved out, and who was going to do all that cleanup??!!
Dad really liked planting trees, and LOVED felling them. :-)
That’s very impressive! Your Dad sounds like a great guy. Anyone who can handle trees has my deep admiration and respect.
The tree guy said we could do it all with ropes, but he thought the crane would be the safest, since it’s nearly hollow towards the base. It’s always interesting to watch someone with skill climb up a tree, or take them apart. It’s been dropping limbs a lot lately. Ha, I guess all the older trees drop limbs. We have an acre of mature trees. Most of it is away from the house.
I have mixed feelings about this hickory. The landscape will look a bit different without it, but it’s in such bad shape, it must be taken down. I’m sure there will be something to take its grand place eventually. The one Buckeye tree we planted years ago finally seems to be getting somewhere, and it’s been in the understory of this hickory. Perhaps it will get more sunshine. Anyway, I’m just trying to look at this as an opportunity to plant something else there that I’d like to see. A flowering or fruit tree might be nice over there.
Oh, are those cookies ever PRETTY! Would make a great Housewarming or Christmas Gift!
“You once castigated me for adding too much [composted chicken manure] around my tomato plants, but, you were right.”
I Live To Serve! ;)
(Also, I’m showing this to Beau - I got the be RIGHT about something for a change, LOL!)
Oh, are those Nutella/puff pastry cookies ever PRETTY!
Would make a great Housewarming or Christmas Gift!
A 5-star recipe with very little effort.
Oh, are those Nutella/puff pastry cookies ever PRETTY!
Would make a great Housewarming or Christmas Gift!
A 5-star recipe with very little effort.
April 30, 2025 - the day I have been dreading is finally here. Beau picked up my repaired mower this morning and left it smack-dab in the middle of the (way-too-shaggy) lawn as a BIG HINT, LOL!
We have running water, again! New pressure gauge installed and all seems to be ‘well’ (HA!) for now.
So, after a grocery run, a stop at Kwik Trip, the Post Office, the Thrift Shop and the Walmart Garden Center, I will be mowing, today. Boooo! At least the yard is pretty much picked up of sticks, bones and puppy toys to run over. But no puppies, either. :(
I took a bunch of pictures this morning of what’s blooming around at The Manse to share later today or tomorrow. Get excited, LOL!
Beau is off on another mowing job for a local farm, so I’ll be doing all the dog/barn/mule/steer/chicken chores too, as well as tackling my way-too-long ‘To Do’ list!
Later, FRiends!
The tree guy is right - a very large tree with a partially rotted trunk can be “tricky” with no crane / bucket truck. IIRC there were a very few jobs Dad referred to one of his past students who ran a larger, dedicated tree removal service. They had a big ol’ bucket truck...
Even branches can be unpredictable. (See my next post!)
We had oven roasted baby red potatoes and a side of asparagus and green beans with tarragon and parsley.
This is what we plated for dinner tonight. Heavenly! Restaurants should consider serving this!
Liz, this was nothing short of amazing! It hit every taste bud. Thank you!
We had oven roasted baby red potatoes and a side of asparagus
and green beans with tarragon and parsley. Heavenly!
Your serving looks fab.
It was decadent. Seriously. Thank you for sharing that recipe!
I never had morels before I moved to Indiana. Once I had them, I kept my eye out for them. A few years ago we found about 30 on our property across the creek from us. I check there every year. No luck since that year, and I wander all through our woods looking, every year.
I have resorted to getting dehydrated morels at the grocery store, and keeping them on hand for when I want to be extravagant. Tonight was the night. I rehydrated them in beef broth. So worth it!
Again, many thanks. This is a keeper recipe, and one I will use with a certain few people that I know will appreciate it. Extraordinary! 😍
The chops in brandied morel cream were decadent. Thank you for sharing! I used dehydrated morels, rehydrated in beef broth. So worth it! Again, many thanks. This is a keeper recipe. Extraordinary!
Lilacs and azaleas blooming here! I see irises around the neighborhood going strong, but mine are a different variety, and not quite there. My Bachelor Buttons are going full bore, and the roses are leafing out. I need to sprinkle sevin dust tomorrow. The peonies are getting ready, and I’m thankfully seeing the sprouts from the milkweed transplants that a neighbor gave me a year ago. I’m in a happy place tonight. That’s always a good feeling before you go to sleep.
Meant to tell you yesterday that the Orioles showed up! I have both the Orchard Oriole and the Baltimore Oriole on hand.
Happy, Happy! Bought two extra jars of Grape Jelly, today - but everyone else is buying it up, too! The one ON SALE for $1.99 at the Piggly Wiggly was totally sold out when I got there this morning!
As long as our Beauties are being fed, I’ll pay the extra 50-cents for the store brand jelly. ;)
I keep looking for the Orchard Orioles. I know they’re out there! I live about 3 miles from our local orchard, as the “Oriole” flies. ;)
Do you get Northern Parulas where you are? I’ve been hearing one for over a week, but today one of them came to the feeder station. He’s so cute!
Had to go back to Walmart today for a few things. They had 2 flats of shishito peppers with 10-12 plants in each one yesterday. I only bought 2 yesterday. Today I checked, and purchased 2 more. There’s only one plant left for some lucky gardener. I got there in time!
I think it’s fun that you shop at the Piggly Wiggly. My aunt who lived in Maryland had one, and we occasionally saw them in Florida, but not often. Of course, that was years ago. Growing up we had an IGA (Wolfmeyer’s, though we affectionately called it Wolfie’s) just two blocks away, a Winn-Dixie about a mile or so away, and Publix, a little further but in the opposite direction. 3 grocery stores within a few miles of our house, can you believe it? Unheard of where you and I live now!
Huh - a “whacky” day here, to close out April!
I was walking out toward the garden veggie area this morning - bright sunlight, completely calm wind, no clouds, and... crack! I heard a branch break off and then start crashing down through the tree I was approaching. Just a few steps more and I’d have been right under the branch hitting the ground. ~3” dia. where it had broken off is not big, but definitely enough to put a notch in my noggin.
As it was, I shook my head, dragged the branch off the path, and no sooner completed that when “BAM!” — then the sound of a mid size vehicle (A big pickup truck?) revving and roaring off — but that was out front of our house and not visible from where I was. So I trotted around front and discovered the presumed pickup truck had left tracks and various items and “pieces” behind, not in our front yard / ditch, but the neighbor’s place across from us: At least it had not hit another vehicle.
From the tracks, the truck(?) veered off the road to the truck’s right before it got to our neighbor’s driveway, leaving nice tracks in the ditch. It then hit the driveway where it crosses the ditch, went airborne, came back down and ploughed (initially deeper) ruts in the ditch past the driveway, continuing on for about 120 ft. (I walked it off) before the passenger side mirror clipped a road sign. That broke off the mirror assembly and almost Wile E. Coyote like flipped the assembly sort of back in the direction from whence it came, but with enough sideways energy that the assembly was a few yards into the neighbor’s yard. The mirror itself is not cracked or broken.
The tracks then went back up onto the road.
Also strewn along the path were:
A new looking pair of cheap sunglasses,
A new looking baseball cap,
A new looking “milk crate” (but slightly smaller),
A new looking step stool,
A new looking 5 qt. bottle of synthetic motor oil (but the cap had blown off and most of the oil drained into the ditch.)
2 fairly new looking blocks of wood, approx. 6” x 8” x 12”.
A well used looking heavy duty gas powered weed whacker with line in it. It appears undamaged. Heavy SOB.
The grass in the ditch is a good 12” tall, so, there could be some stuff I didn’t see, too. I did not do a hands and knees search!
All sorts of clumps and globs of mud were thrown up on the road — I kicked the bigger ones into the ditch.
Best guess is that even though this was about 10:30 a.m., the driver was “impaired” and doesn’t want that known, so that’s why he / she “took off”.
The neighbor seems to be gone - does “out of town” apply when someone doesn’t live in a town? They are new and I don’t know them at all...
This is doubly bizzarro, as the previous afternoon, the State of KY’s Prosecuting Attorney (Commonwealth Attorney in KY, “States Attorney” in IL), for FOUR Western KY counties, died in a single car “veer off the road and into a tree” accident. :-(
The truck in THIS incident across the road from me was damn lucky he didn’t flip his truck when he hit that driveway crossing the ditch. But, he did hit it “square”, as at that point he was going right down the middle of the ditch. I wonder if he needs a wheel alignment job now? That “BAM” was darn loud.
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