Dian Green

I've started roughing out the base of patches on the back panel. I'm trying to leave extra on the top edge for sewing it to the chair.
Also don't want the texture too interesting on the top edge to hopefully decrease the cats interest in clawing it up again

Just wanted to update.
We got several blocks of coconut coir growing medium cheap so I having been trying them. What I've learned is that while it works, there is a big difference between sprouts in it compared to an inoculated potting soil. I know legumes generally need fungal root partners to grow well, but I didn't realize how much it would affect even sprouts.

The sprouts done in myco inoculated soil do SO much better! I was shocked at how much slower and weaker the plain medium sprouts are. (All my prior photos are soil sprouts)

I'm going to try mixing soil and medium and see how that does and I'll update.

For now, I have to strongly recommend soil for peas.

Our local grocery store just has some fresh, salt cured peppercorns on clearance.  
I picked some up to try the flavour. That part is good but I was wondering if anyone knew about their medicinal value compared to the dried.
I have been making a ginger and turmeric paste with peppercorns that is a great anti-inflammatory for my mother and am willing to buy several more packs of these fresh ones for later batches, if they will be a better option.
They are soft, so would blend in better.
Thoughts?

Suki-Lu Yellowknee wrote:


The guy who is selling me jujube doesn't ship. So id recommend the website phoenixperennials that i mentioned last night. Lots of varieties! Hope you are able to get one

Thanks for the links and info. Phoenix looks great. I have a friend who is also looking for them and I'll try to get our orders organized so we can do it in one shipment. ( and then we can trade scions with each other so we'll make sure we're getting different stuff)
This should be my last non-clearance tree buys! (I'm sure I will find something else to hunt down, but these were the biggest wants remaining:)

Just did up a group of firestarters.
I'd collected a bunch of milkweed fluff in the fall and have been keeping the tp roll cores.
Then added in some bark from the logs and some beeswax bits from unrolled candles we got in a box lot.
Lastly, a bit of wax paper to hold it together.

I'm hoping that having a bunch ready to go will make getting the wood stove going faster.

Hi Suki-lu, welcome to permies!

I don't know a supplier in BC but Silvercreek nursery in Ontario sells scions in the spring. I haven't seen jujube from them however. It's a hard on to find even as tree.

You might have some luck trying a jujube tree growers group on Facebook. I'm in one for pawpaws and people will sell and trade scions through it.

Jujube is on my want list so if the one you bought from ships, I'd love to get a link. Thanks!

I've gone through the scrap/small pieces stash and taken stuff that I think will go together and with the chair.

Still have to iron it all since that will make the patching nice and smooth.

(Several years ago, the Stratford Festival donated a ton of fabric scraps and remnants to our local store.  We got a bunch of those bags on clearance so have some really nice scrap bits)

Our cat has done a chunk of damage to this chair. It has antique silk upholstery so I want to save what I can of it.
(As usual, an auction score,  so we're only in a couple of dollars on it but it is pretty and comfortable so its worth the work)

I've picked out a selection of coordinating fabrics from the stash and just made templates of the arm and back pieces. (I'd have a bolt of this fabric so it makes a great base)
I'm planning on doing overlapping patches from the mixed fabrics with stichwork and possible embroidery on to the templates to make the repair patches.
Then I only have to sew down 3 pieces total to the actual chair.

Another thing done. Mince tarts with homemade green tomato mincemeat.
Dad loves them, so I made the mince for him but both my mother and myself were surprised to discover that we like the homemade stuff! Only mincemeat we'll eat!
They will be served with some hard sauce.

Are you making anything fun/tasty/special this season?

We are doing a few special treats. I was very glad to have an experiment work out well.
I made 100 year old rum balls! We had bought an antique bottle of rum (cheap, even for just the bottle) at an auction this spring.  It looked to still be sealed but we couldn't be sure until we opened it. As it turned out, it was in perfect condition, but 90 proof!
To make the balls I used: Marie biscuits,  coconut, cashews and some dulce de leche along with the rum. It had to sit for a few days but once it melded together and I got a coating of dark chocolate on them, we have delicious, rich little rum truffles.  
There aren't many but we'll share some and savor the rest.