The Garden Thread - February, 2025

February 1, 2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[FamiliarFace]

We got to low 50’s today. I was looking out our family room window this afternoon, and I saw a huge branch, that we’ve been watching as it slowly died, fall to the ground. The birds and squirrels went crazy for about a second! I will go explore that area soon, maybe tomorrow, though maybe not really for a few days.

Dealing with a new health issue. Hubby is scheduled for eye surgery next week. Yesterday we went to his pre-op appointment. That’s the first time we learned he won’t be allowed to read (or do lots of other normal life things), and what it means for us is that he can’t do his job until the doctor says he can. Maybe 2 weeks, maybe 2 months.

So now we’re jumping through short term disability leave, and FMLA stuff. Had no idea yesterday. A little shell shocked, but getting used to it today. Just have to figure a few things out.

In a month, I hope that this level of uncertainty is in the rear view mirror.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

((Hugs for FF))

Prayers up. Hoping everything goes smoothly and that his recovery is swift! :)

[FamiliarFace]

Thank you! I feel a good bit better today. I wouldn’t say I was a basket case, yesterday, it was just a big surprise. He was sure the doctor told him he’d be up and around in two days time. Never said anything about no reading, no normal life activities.

He might have to have his head face down for a couple of weeks. Can only do very light walking around the house, avoid stairs (we have stairs!), no reading (he’s on a computer nearly all day). It just blew us away that they hadn’t mentioned ANY of this. None of it! What do doctors think professional working folks do all day?

Now he suddenly has to help his boss find people to cover for him, and we don’t even know for how long. So sudden we are scrambling to get paperwork done, figure out how to get our cat to not interact with him (that should be fun!), and who knows what else.

Stayed tuned. I’ll try not to bore you all with the details as we move forward, but I do appreciate the prayers.

P.S. I’ve started my Mom’s and Grandma’s favorite novena that Grandma’s best friend shared with her and my mom when my Dad was being sent to war. It’s gotten me through some trying times, before. I know it will help me keep my head on straight at the very least.

[Liz]

Got the beer bread recipe for us?

[Liz]

bm

[MomwithHope]

Prayers up for you and your hubby. Novena - great. Sounds like a detached retina. Sister in law went through that surgery years ago. Hubby will do fine. My hubby had a detaching retina, caught it in time and they did an emergency fix in the tear at the opthamalogist. He’s been going every 6 months for a checkup and on Monday they told him just once a year now. The staying face down is so important.

[FamiliarFace]

It’s similar to a detached retina. His condition is called cystoid macular edema. Most of the time it can be fixed with drops or injections, but neither of those worked. This is his last option, and the longer he waits, the worse it will get. It’s like a wrinkle on that part of his eye.

[Liz]

Pizza Pockets / Marinara Dip / makes about 16 snacks

Ing 1 tbl ol/oil 8 oz Italian turkey sausage 1 cup tightly-packed arugula 4 oz cr/cheese, 1/3 cup Parm, plus exrta 1/4 cup s/p 13.5-oz pkg Pillsbury pizza crust dough flour, for rolling out dough 1 egg, beaten w/ water (for egg wash) 1 1/2 c marinara sauce for dipping

Directions Cook sausage in heated ol/oil on med-high til crumbled and golden, 5 min. Add arugula;
cook to wilt. Turn off heat; cool 10 min. Add cream cheese, 1/3 cup Parm, s/p; stir/ combine. Set aside.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to thin 20x12" rectangle then half lengthwise. Cut each half into 8 equal rectangles. Spoon topping onto 1 side of each, brush edges with egg wash. Fold dough over topping; fork crimp edges. Place on parchmented b/sheet. Brush tops with egg wash. Sprinkle w/ Parm. Bake golden, 400 deg 15-17 min. Serve hot pizza pockets with heated marinara alongside for dipping.

Note: use tube of Pillsbury crescent roll dough to make larger pockets.

[MomwithHope]

Prayer for success!

[FamiliarFace]

❤️

[Pollard]

Anyone know what this heating element is for?

[LilFarmer]

Stock tank?

[MomwithHope]

Not with a wood handle. Google image says electric charcoal starter. ebay has a few for sale exactly like this.

[Pollard]

Charcoal starter makes sense. I don’t use charcoal due to the cost and when I did, I used a chimney. I use wood in the smoker and start that with a chimney as well even though most people start with charcoal and use it to start the wood.

Can’t think of anything I could use this thing for. Maybe warm up water in the ringer washer which is outside where there’s no hot water supply. I usually fill a few one gal plastic jugs to add hot water to the cold.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“He might have to have his head face down for a couple of weeks.”

My BIL had to do that after eye surgery for an injury. He got a piece of metal in his eye in a work-related accident. His sight was saved, thank goodness!

He was set up with kind of a ‘massage table’ and then he had a big mirror positioned beneath to watch TV, or he could read from below with his ‘good’ eye. It wasn’t fun, but it was better than nothing!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Beer Bread:

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a96246/beer-bread/

BIG NOTE: If you don’t have self-rising flour on hand, add 1 & 1/4 Tsp. Baking POWDER for each cup of all-purpose flour, so 3 & 3/4 Tsp. for this recipe. Works just fine.

[Liz]

Thx for the great recipe.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My Dad had one - it’s for starting coals in the grill.

I wouldn’t use it in water!! *ZOT*

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It’s SO good! Don’t skimp on the melted butter; it makes all the difference.

And different beers change the flavor. This last loaf was made with a leftover ‘Spotted Cow.’ I usually like a red beer for this, like, ‘Killian’s Red,’ but anything will do. The lighter the beer, the less tasty, of course.

Any of the ‘lite’ beers make for totally wimpy beer bread. You can add shredded Cheddar cheese or herbs if you like, too. ;)

[Liz]

Good cooking .......thx.