Water Cooler Chit Chat

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

[Thursday's_Child]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

How shady is too shady?  It's true that most flowers and fruits need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, but if you have bright dapple shade or morning sun there are a lot of greens you could try.

[RatGuy]

Out for a walk this morning, and a neighbor passed along the gossip that the 55yo widow next door to me had taken up with a 25yo man. Apparently it's the hot topic among the Silver Sneakers crowd.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

How shady is too shady?  It's true that most flowers and fruits need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, but if you have bright dapple shade or morning sun there are a lot of greens you could try.

We have a good bit of shade in the backyard and I'm sure our neighbors would protest if I turned the front yard into a veg. garden. That being said, there are a few select regions in the back yard that get sun for about 6-7 hrs a day. Unfortunately, they need to be cleared out- it's very 'wild' back there.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Out for a walk this morning, and a neighbor passed along the gossip that the 55yo widow next door to me had taken up with a 25yo man. Apparently it's the hot topic among the Silver Sneakers crowd.

Do tell... ;)

[ergative]

I made a sourdough! It wasn't from my own starter, but I did get the starter from a colleague, so true community transfer, rather than selling out to the man and buying it. It rose and everything. Also the handle of my Dutch oven exploded from the oven heat (it wasn't supposed to do that, I think: it was a proper Le Creuset enameled cast-iron pot), so you win some you lose some.

[Katrina Gulliver]

I've been asked for reading recommendations. I think during the shutdown all I've read are these fora and Reddit.

[polly_mer]

I've been asked for reading recommendations. I think during the shutdown all I've read are these fora and Reddit.

Years ago, my husband picked up a box set of the novels on which Game of Thrones was based.  I've been working my way through them and they're pretty good.

No idea about how they compare to the show.

[Puget]

I made a sourdough! It wasn't from my own starter, but I did get the starter from a colleague, so true community transfer, rather than selling out to the man and buying it. It rose and everything. Also the handle of my Dutch oven exploded from the oven heat (it wasn't supposed to do that, I think: it was a proper Le Creuset enameled cast-iron pot), so you win some you lose some.

Congratulations! I've been making my own bread every week for years in my trusty bread machine, usually sourdough (though I also add some regular yeast). Regular grocery bread, even the whole grain kind, seems pretty terrible after you get used to always having home made.

Flour has been in somewhat scarce supply, but I scored 5 lbs each whole wheat and white bread flower on my grocery run this week.

That reminds me, I promised starter to a friend for socially distanced pick up next weekend, so I need to start feeding mine up to double it.

[Thursday's_Child]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

How shady is too shady?  It's true that most flowers and fruits need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, but if you have bright dapple shade or morning sun there are a lot of greens you could try.

We have a good bit of shade in the backyard and I'm sure our neighbors would protest if I turned the front yard into a veg. garden. That being said, there are a few select regions in the back yard that get sun for about 6-7 hrs a day. Unfortunately, they need to be cleared out- it's very 'wild' back there.

Maybe they wouldn't mind if it was just a little part of the front yard?  Yes, I know I'm dreaming...  The potential issue with using one of your sunny clearings is tree roots.  Cutting them isn't good (to phrase it mildly) for the trees and, in some species, they can go 50+ feet past the longest branches.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

How shady is too shady?  It's true that most flowers and fruits need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, but if you have bright dapple shade or morning sun there are a lot of greens you could try.

We have a good bit of shade in the backyard and I'm sure our neighbors would protest if I turned the front yard into a veg. garden. That being said, there are a few select regions in the back yard that get sun for about 6-7 hrs a day. Unfortunately, they need to be cleared out- it's very 'wild' back there.

Maybe they wouldn't mind if it was just a little part of the front yard?  Yes, I know I'm dreaming...  The potential issue with using one of your sunny clearings is tree roots.  Cutting them isn't good (to phrase it mildly) for the trees and, in some species, they can go 50+ feet past the longest branches.

Our soil texture, porosity, etc. isn't the best- too much red clay. I'd go with raised beds. Maybe hugelkultur.

[Thursday's_Child]

I'm lamenting my 'too shady' yard. I want a dang vegetable garden! Maybe I can sneak on campus and see how our garden is doing.

How shady is too shady?  It's true that most flowers and fruits need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, but if you have bright dapple shade or morning sun there are a lot of greens you could try.

We have a good bit of shade in the backyard and I'm sure our neighbors would protest if I turned the front yard into a veg. garden. That being said, there are a few select regions in the back yard that get sun for about 6-7 hrs a day. Unfortunately, they need to be cleared out- it's very 'wild' back there.

Maybe they wouldn't mind if it was just a little part of the front yard?  Yes, I know I'm dreaming...  The potential issue with using one of your sunny clearings is tree roots.  Cutting them isn't good (to phrase it mildly) for the trees and, in some species, they can go 50+ feet past the longest branches.

Our soil texture, porosity, etc. isn't the best- too much red clay. I'd go with raised beds. Maybe hugelkultur.

I had to google that - it's an interesting option, and one that would give you a use for all the twigs & prunings that accompany trees!

[hmaria1609]

Yesterday my parents and I went to look at bath faucets at Lowe's and Home Depot.  Unlike Lowe's, Home Depot was limiting how many customers entered the store.

Lemon flavored white chocolate covered almonds were on sale at Costco.  :)

[Cheerful]

In honor of Friday and First Day of May, we obtained a larger room for the water cooler.  We have fancy coffee drinks and teas and a make-your-own sundae bar today.  Funds for these things grew outside on a tree.

[ergative]

I made a sourdough! It wasn't from my own starter, but I did get the starter from a colleague, so true community transfer, rather than selling out to the man and buying it. It rose and everything. Also the handle of my Dutch oven exploded from the oven heat (it wasn't supposed to do that, I think: it was a proper Le Creuset enameled cast-iron pot), so you win some you lose some.

Congratulations! I've been making my own bread every week for years in my trusty bread machine, usually sourdough (though I also add some regular yeast). Regular grocery bread, even the whole grain kind, seems pretty terrible after you get used to always having home made.

Flour has been in somewhat scarce supply, but I scored 5 lbs each whole wheat and white bread flower on my grocery run this week.

That reminds me, I promised starter to a friend for socially distanced pick up next weekend, so I need to start feeding mine up to double it.

Foolish question, but doesn't it get a chance to double every time you feed it? Instead of discarding whatever amount, you simply feed that too? Or are you referring to the arcane process by which fridge-preserved starter must be restrengthened by regular feedings?

I used some of my discard to make a sourdough carrot cake today. It honestly tastes like exactly the same thing as regular carrot cake. I mean, it's great---I love carrot cake with cream cheese frosting---but I expected a bit more tanginess.