Monday, October 23, 2017

Monday Morning Doings

I told Adam a minute ago that we accomplished a lot for a Monday morning! It helps that the new puppy, Trixie, gets up at a bodaciously early hour. Today that was 4:30 a.m.
Adam started by putting a trellis on the front of the house porch.
 I know, I know -- it's not very "fancy." But we're not fancy folk! It's a trellis for a particular plant to grow on, so I'm hoping it will eventually be covered in lovely green foliage. This will give privacy, and I can remove the shower curtain that's presently hanging there. See? That trellis is an improvement over a shower curtain! :)  
You see, I've had this silly plant for ages - I posted about it before -- a creeping fig. I planted half of the plant I divided at the base of the trellis:
 Creeping Fig is hearty in zones 8 and warmer. We are zone 7B. But I did see it growing in a warm, protected spot at the doctor's office, remember? The trellis is on the south side of the house, facing into sun, protected from north winds. We will hope. If it dies, I still have the other half of the plant.
Two purple coneflower plants will keep it company.
Well, half-way through the trellis project, the puppy woke up again (It's like having a baby, I kid you not.), so Adam switched to a project where he can tie up Trixie nearby. He made more cement leaves. This batch, he's using concrete (instead of masonry mix) with fiberglass in it. Plus he's putting a sealant on the leaves. And he's also etching the leaves, and we love the softened look it's giving them. Here's one he etched and painted:

Here are some with the sealant. These he will be able to sell before Christmas.
While he was doing that, I started processing our sweet potatoes. They've been curing on the front porch for about 2 weeks. So here are some photos that show the shocking transformation from ugly tubers to luscious, creamy mashed sweet potatoes.



 The outside is scary ... until you peel them.
 

Who would think that, under that ugly exterior, is this perfect, peach-colored potato?
 

I cubed them roughly and steamed them on the stove top. Then I mashed them in the mixer and put them into quart ziploc bags, and then into the deep freezer.

Adam also dug the last white potatoes in the garden. They were planted from old potato ends. Not a very big harvest. Here are about half of them:
Oh - I forgot to add that on Saturday he caulked the eaves on the side of the house where we've been having a leak.
Now we're off to do "church work" for the afternoon. Rain is coming tonight (at last). We will hope the repair job is what was needed. One never knows with mysterious leaks - stay dry and warm wherever you are!

8 comments:

  1. Yay for Monday morning productivity! Adam's leaves are very cool!
    I hope the leak is fixed for keeps.
    Oh, the shower curtain works! Smart!
    Love love love to you!

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  2. WOW! you certainly had a great beginning to the week, I love productive days like these. I am so intrigued by the creeping fig, and the leaf stones, so pretty.
    We are expecting rain tonight too, hope the leak is fixed.
    Have a great week,
    Sue

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  3. It's been raining on and off all day here.
    4:30 sounds very early to get up. 6:30 feels like it is in the middle of the night lately with it being so dark.

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  4. That's a good day's work! Love those leaves and sweet potatoes.

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  5. The leaves are looking better all the time! Hope that vine proliferates and gives you lots of shade and privacy! I've had lots of roof leaks in my time, so I surely hope yours is history! :)

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  6. I feel happy to see the good harvest in your garden. That fence looks good for the climber plants on them. The leaf like base looks beautiful.

    sweet potato is very good for health...

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  7. I recently bought a steamer and have been cooking sweet potatoes and other veg. It never occurred to me to cook batches and freeze them. Duh! Thanks for the idea.

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  8. Pecans and sweet potatoes!!! Two favorite things that, if I had to move to the South, would comfort me to grow! So wonderful to read about your experience of doing that. Thank you!

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