Kathy Gray

Linen hankies are the way to go, they last a lifetime. They do a muah  better job than cotton hankies.
I have some that belonged to my  husband’s great grandparents!
I also have found linen hankies at antique shops.
Love them/ my husband thinks I’m gross! Plus they don’t produce dust like paper tissues.

I use a variety of cast iron option’s,
lidded petromax loaf pans,
round lidded antique Dutch oven
and an oval Le creuset cast enameled Dutch oven (I found on eBay).
These naturally create a steamy environment.
And on other types of bread, I don’t use the lid at all.
I always line the pans with parchment paper, it never sticks.
They are all great options!

Is it possible to “soften it by sanding it”?
You could use a foot callus remover with a longish handle.
Or an electric Dremel with a sandpaper tip.

Have you thought about using empty food cans? Small empty tuna or cat food cans? Then you could use a reusable lid, like for pet food. Or fill your separated herbs in a can and put it inside a ziplock bag that you could use over and over.

rose macaskie wrote:      I have a path running form top right to bottom left of the slope and it was very thin, and every so often i have dug a out a bit more of the slope to widen the path and it was not too hard, less hard than digging a hole that means you have to pull up the earth. i usually dig with a mattock which is much easier for some things.
      If i lived there and was doing a bit every day it would not be too hard. The hardest bit might be to get going and mark out the contour. i hate doing things i don't know how to do.  Digging is quite nice it is a bit of exercise and in these age of knowing more about whats good for your health it is great to do a bit of exercise, it makes you feel happier about your health. In madrid I can only think, "lor, i don't do hardly anything for my poor body except fattening it, sadly. agri rose macaskie.

I see that you are not digging, but what do you put on top of your mound of logs?

I am trying it this year. I’m going to use bales of “straw as my towers” hoping that this will keep the potatoes from drying out.
Going to layer a mixture of hay and soil for the planting .🤞

My Bone broth always comes out delicious, I’ve been at it for years now.
And I even pressure can my broth, we always have it on hand. It turns out gelatinous even after canning.
If I have a small amount of chicken bones I use a large crock pot, if I have lots of bones i use my large electric roaster oven.
I use lots of Chicken Feet ,all the other chicken bones, plus i add a small piece of a pigs foot.
I roast all of it in the oven.
Then put it in the pot and add
a large Onion and any onion scraps
2 carrots
4 celery, stalks
1TBSP of sea salt
1 TBSP black peppercorns
A small chunk of ginger
2 tsp turmeric
Some bay leaves
A few garlic cloves
Some sage and rosemary
And a few dried hot peppers
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
Cover all with fresh water from a spring if possible
Cook on low and slow for 2 days then separate the broth from the bones and such.
Delicious

I’m giving up on composting, after my experience. Last fall I was in the process of emptying my bin to transfer to my garden. However, much to my dismay I discovered that I had been feeding a big rat! He ate all the food scraps and all my worms! The only thing that was left was pits of brown paper and cardboard.
I was so mad at myself for feeding a rat!

I have a pile of extra large 100% linen clothing that I got from thrift shops, I’m going to make handkerchiefs out of it.
I inherited some antique linen handkerchiefs and I love them way better than cotton, they do a really good job at cleaning my nostrils out

Not a weed but invasive and edible wild food… I had 2 (Autumn Olive Shrubs)—-Service Berry…
Of which I collected the berries to make to most awesome tart jam.
Much to my dismay, one of my neighbors cut one of them down to the ground!☹️
They came on my property!
I was not happy, but I still have 1 left.
I love edible weeds and I let them live in my vegetable garden.