Joylynn Hardesty

Looks like the following to me....

Lenticel breakdown occurs because of microcracks and abrasions on the epidermis layer of apples preharvest. These microcracks and abrasion can occur due to irregular water supply, as well as high humidity (> 95%), and low wind. Influxes of water in addition to low rates of evapotranspiration causes fluctuations in the amount of water within the apples and equate to this irregular water retention. Lenticel breakdown occurs mainly on the apple skin around the lenticels of the fruit, on the less exposed side of the fruit. They are characterized by precise circular darkened spots concentrated in multiple areas on the skin of the apple. Early symptoms are similar to small dimples, visible in angled light. During storage, as flesh firmness decreases, spots grow in depth and diameter and may combine. Flesh is not generally affected. From here.

I've had what looks like that on my apples. Mine also got very slightly past the skin into the fruit. I just cut those out. A tomato corer worked fine for me. Or the tip of a vegetable peeler has also worked.

If you are shy on knowledge, get a couple books. I have both of these....

The Survival Medicine Handbook And Where There is no Doctor.

If you can only choose one, get the first one. The second one is more for a third world country.... Which we may become if shit continues to hit the fan. Be careful out there everyone!

Oh! And don't forget to get some antibiotics from here for your pet bird, or fishies! See the first book for more details....

Do read them several times and again every six months or so. I'm more than a bit overdue.

If you aren't familiar with hebal medicine, get this book by Dr Sharol Tilgnor. This one teaches all about the body systems, and has lots of featured herb monographs. Hmmm... It doesn't seem to have instructions how to make medicines. BUT! She has that information available free at her site. Do print those instructions out! I have 3 of her books, the other 2 do have detailed info on making medicines. All are very much worth the money! (Says this squeeky cheapskate.)

We have been using mulberry leaves as ice tea year round for several years. We cut down a number of branches leaning them against a surface in the shade. They stay there for several days drying down some. Then we strip the leaves off the branches to finish drying in our greenhouse. If you don't live in a humid climate like us they will probably dry fine still on the branches. Our tree is a wild one planted by the birdies.

We started using this tea to help with blood pressure and blood sugar issues. We don't put sweetener in our tee. It tastes fine, but is better with a bit of mint added to it.

When my indoor outdoor kitties decide it is time to abandon me, they look out the door, see it's raining, and choose the rain. These same idiots don't listen to me when I am setting up the sprinkler in the garden. They just laze about.... Until they here that line of water falling is coming closer. Oh shit! I'm gonna get wet! Cat out of hell speed occurs.

In the early years, Nature Made whole grain. Now and then, the tiny rye bread loaves were a treat. I still love rye bread. It wasn't till I made my own first loaf at home that I discovered that it was the seeds that made it soooo sublime! Cause I didn't have any caraway seed to use!

When my big brother started school, Mom would sometimes make us chopped olive and mayonnaise sandwiches. But this HAD to be on white wonder bread. Wheat bread ruins it. Dad and Bro did not enjoy those. The only other use for Wonder bread is to seal up cracks in the window panes.

Once I started school, Mom went to work, we had a bit more dough to spend. So we'd go to the day old bakery every two weeks to stock our upright freezer full. That is, I don't remember much else being in there. For me the seedier the loaf, the better.

For the holidays Grandma would make dough, roll it into small balls. Then place 3 balls in each cup in a muffin tin. Baked up, you get a roll that has 3 easy to separate ‘slices’. She would make both a white flour and wheat flour version. Yum.

I would plant them where I need ground cover. My strawberries are ALL running for the shade. I'm taking that to heart and will transplant from my paths to a place that gets only 4 hours of sun. I really wanted them to fill in their own beds first. There is plenty of room in full sun! Ah well. After a couple years, I will try these beds again.

We had been hitting 103 actual temp regularly this year. But not on Thomas' first burn day though.

Color me temporarily jealous! As I swelter at 103°F heat index.

May Lotito wrote:This flash drought in the Ozarks is really bad. My SIL is commenting how we are hotter and drier than Arizona. Year to date rainfall total might not be low but check out the soil moisture....

It's nice to know it's not my imagination. We had a late start to spring thunder storms this year, and much later beginning of the seasonal drought. But it is soooooo dry. I should have watered the garden. We lost a bunch of stuff.

Put it in the freezer. Make a big pot of chili. Day two, ladel some of the chile over some reheated rice.

Grab whatever greens are in your garden. Saute onions garlic and bell peppers, plus your choice of spices. Throw in the greens until wilted. Top a plate of rice with the greens. Add whatever leftover meat you've got. Yum!