Olga Booker

If someone does not smile at you, be generous and offer your own smile. Nobody needs a smile more than the one that cannot smile to others.

Dalai Lama

So glad to hear it!

There is a variety of pumpkin called Lady Godiva that grows hull less seeds.  According to the legend, Lady Godiva rode naked, I guess that's why they called these hull less seed producing pumpkins by that name!!

https://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/seed-index/fruits-and-vegetables/pumpkins/pumpkin-lady-godiva.html

You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder. It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you - Vandana Shiva

I get upset that so many birds stun themselves and even sometimes kill themselves by flying straight into my windows because they see a reflection of the landscape into them, Wouldn't that make the matter worse?  Wouldn't they fly straight into that mirror house?

It might be OK with small bits of mirror here and there but I think a large piece could be dangerous for many birds.  In the greenhouse, it probably is a different story, hopefully, no bird would enter and injure itself.

Hi Serge,

Welcome to permies.  Where about in France are you?

Sorry to hear about your wife John. Hope everything is well.

We are all so very different and our needs are fulfilled in so many different ways.  As mentioned above, I, also, have found sudoku a great help, so is a good book on a tablet that will take my mind and boredom right out of there,  What a good book is, depends totally on your taste and preferences.

I am unfortunately in your wife's position more often than not and my husband takes advantage of the long wait to practice his French language skills by listening to audio tapes.  He often jokes that I should make another appointment so that he can get onto the next level - what can I say?  He is English and the British sense of humour is... well, it is what it is!

My thoughts are with you.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples   -  Mother Teresa

None of the other siblings wanted any so I grabbed what I could. I'm always on the lookout for one that's been abused but can be cleaned up.

Clever you!  I did as well. but now, I only have the ones that I need on a day to day basis.  Still, I can't help myself, If I see an abandoned cast iron pan somewhere, I've just got to rescue it!!  

I have cooked with cast iron ever since I can remember.  I have 4 frying pans (I think you called them skillets in the US) 2 small ones, a largish one and a very large one.  I also have 4 cooking pots (I guess dutch ovens) 1 large one, one smaller one, one oval one and a largish rounded one with a handle that can be hung in the fire place or on an open fire with a cooking tripod.  I guess you would call that a cauldron.

I use them for everything, frying, stewing, baking, roasting, dry toasting, pizza, bread, you name it.  They are so old and so well seasoned that they do not stick at all.  Fried eggs just slide on the plate!!  The oval one is great for pot roasting a bird (chicken, duck, guinea fowl etc...)  A bit too small for a turkey, but then again I don't really do turkey!  For a long time in the UK I also had a cast iron kettle, which unfortunately, seemed to have disappeared in the move to France.

I just love my cast iron pots and pans and I really would not want to cook in anything else.