Hello Friends, we have been busy cooking down maple sap into maple syrup.
We enjoy a maple sundae after each cook-down.
A scoop of vanilla custard.
Some cashews sprinkled on top of the custard.
Warm maple syrup swirled on top of the cashews and custard.
Enjoy!
And now to the Hodgepodge.
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.
1. No foolin'! April is here. What's one fun thing on your April calendar?
We will be celebrating our oldest son's birthday, Sam will be turning 25!!
He sent me the photo below that he took with night vision during a recent training session he had with the Wisconsin National Guard. You can see the ridge, trees, grass, and look at the stars. Sam loves how the nigh vision highlights the stars.
2. It's often said, 'A fool and his money are soon parted'...what's the last thing you wasted money on?
Hair products, at my age I should know to just stick with what I already have, that works great most days. If I have a bad hair day, off I go, and buy a new hair product, that usually does not help the bad hair day. Ha!
3. April 2nd is National DIY day. Are you a do-it yourself kind of person or maybe you're married to one? If so, what's the last thing you DIY-ed. If you're not a DIY-er what's the most recent job you had to hire someone to complete?
My husband and I are tag - team DIY-ers.
Our largest project was gutting our kitchen and doing a complete re-do! We ripped out the tile floor, or more like had to smash the tile floor out. My husband started to say, "I am not 25 anymore, heck I am not 45 anymore." It was a job. In the end after the sore muscles heal, you smile and can be very proud of what you did.
Memories of the floor. Under the tile was the original hardwood.
I will share our current DIY.. in the random.
4. Do you eat lamb? If so do you have a favorite dish that calls for lamb?
We do not eat lamb.
5. Do you fit a stereotype in some way? Explain.
I do not think so? I might need some help with this one? Ha Ha!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Our latest DIY.. a hot box. At least that is what I am trying to create here. My plan is this.. I do not have a heated greenhouse. During the day the greenhouse can get up to 90 degrees or warmer. My new little seedlings are so happy. And my greenhouse will soon be full of seedlings. My problem comes at night, when our Wisconsin spring temperatures can dip way down at night, and I cannot leave my plants out overnight. I have to haul them all inside, creating a jungle inside our house. My thought was to make a hot box, using my chicken coop shavings, putting them in a box lined with greenhouse plastic and putting water into the shavings. During the day the sun will heat the shavings and in the evening the box will release the heat slowly, keeping the greenhouse somewhat warmer than the true outside air temperature.
Now will my idea work?
That night vision pictue is so cool! Good luck with the greenhouse project!
ReplyDeleteI’m super impressed by your DIY projects. Gutting the kitchen sounds like such a big job, but the reward of seeing it all come together must be worth it. And I love the idea of the hot box for your seedlings – I really hope it works! It’s a genius way to keep your plants cozy without hauling them inside every night. You’ve got this! Keep us posted on how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteI hope your plan works. Did you come up with that idea on your own or did you read about it? I imagine you will have the threat of frost for quite some time. That picture your son sent is so neat!
ReplyDeleteSam got a great pic with the night vision. Kitchen are a hard project to do and live through I am glad you found hardwood under the tile. I think your plan with the hot box will work nicely and soon hopefully soon we will have warm weather and gardens outside. Have a great week Carla. Keeping my fingers crossed for results on your election. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteOh, I think the hot box idea is a good one. Let us know if it works. My husband will be 60! this month. Good job on the flooring, I can diy a little but not to that extent! Yum to the maple syrup!
ReplyDeleteThat night vision pic is so cool! I like your hotbox idea! I'm sore from painting the front door this week. I forget how hard it is!
ReplyDeleteYum on your maple syrup. Enjoy Sam's 25th Birthday celebration. Great photo. Sorry about the hair products. I keep trying things for bags under my eyes and nothing seems to work. You two are amazing at doing projects. That's a great idea for heating the greenhouse in the evening. Hope it works!
ReplyDeleteThis is a creative idea! I can't wait to see how it works! The night vision image is so amazing!! It seems to highlight so many more stars than we normally see!
ReplyDeleteGoodness we would never attempt something so ambitious as a kitchen redo. Hope the greenhouse idea works.
ReplyDeleteWell done, you two, on that kitchen reno. Are we going to see the 'after' sometime? I hope your hot box works. Happy April to you!
ReplyDeleteOh, interesting! You'll have to keep us posted!! Of course, it was hard to concentrate on the details because I was lost in thoughts of warm custard and maple syrup! Heehee!
ReplyDeleteThe maple sundae sounds amazing!!! I have never tried that. So fun that make your own maple syrup. To answer your question about what is on the schedule for April: we are having our hardwood floors refinished. Looks like you found some wood floors during your kitchen remodeling project. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteI like the night vision picture ...
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy April.
All the best Jan
Flooring is a big problem. I would like to get ours done. Our found old hard wood flooring in our first home and we redid it and I loved it. Aging gets in the way of so many things but life goes on. I bet your syrup taste amazing!
ReplyDeleteHappy upcoming birthday to Sam. Gosh I remember when your boys were littles. Can he be that old already? I dont DIY, but like to craft and sew. I leave the DIY projects to hubby. Had lamb stew the other evening. Bob made it and it was good. Janice
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I love the sound of all the maple syrup!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Sam! The night vision is amazing!
hahaha! I know what you mean about hair products, I always think at my age I should know better!
Good job with the kitchen project. It does sound like a lot of hard work.
I have never had fresh maple syrup - only maple syrup from a store. I imagine it tastes delicious!! What a clever idea for a hotbox!! I would love to see an after picture of your kitchen!!
ReplyDeleteWow, that night vision picture is so cool! How great it must have been to find hardwood under a tile floor. Or did you know it was there? Good luck with your greenhouse project!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea with the hot box! Yes, do let us know if it works out. You've been busy! Happy April!
ReplyDeleteI find the hot box concept really intriguing! I would absolutely love to have a greenhouse, but I worry it would end up frying my little seedlings—that would be so unfair to them! The temperatures here get pretty high, so I’d definitely need to install some AC. It could work beautifully in the winter and early spring, but during the summer months, it might just turn into a "hot box."
ReplyDelete