Chitchat thread #24

[Florence Fennel]

Forgot about it being the ethylene that does the ripening Snoop, you're right of course. My years notifying patients with damaged kidneys that they should avoid bananas because of the potassium content must have caused the muddle in my work starved brain!

[Jay22]

Thanks for the info on bananas folks. Saw on Twitter someone’s hanging baskets and the fact they had watered them with water which had banana skins soaked in it overnight. They looked good.

[rary]

Good afternoon, its been a nice sunny day today, though clouding over now,I have had a busy morning had to repair the conservatory as OH was getting her rise anr recline chair delivered, plus I got the chance of a load of cardboard, which I have now got stacked in the shelter but spent a fair bit of time removing all the sellotape from the cardboard, I think there is two strips put on to seal the box to seal it then a third just incase , however I now have a good quantity of cardboard for when I alter my raised bed. When reading some of the comments re. banana skins, not sure if they will be the same as apples but I remember several years ago an organic apple grower saying, non organic apples were sprayed 14 timesfor protection from insects, virus and moulders before picking and the chemicals used could not be washed off, so if buying apples for eating they should be peeled before use, so on that note I will say have a good evening and enjoy your fruit, its supposed to be good for you

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Waiting for Frank to arrive. Dull but warm this morning. Have a good day

[mrsbusy]

This is the recipe I use ..
1kg cantaloup melon flesh ,
800gsugar,
juice of a lemon
and a splosh of vanilla

I find it easier to chop up the melon(s), then weigh the flesh to work out the ratio to sugar weight.

It makes a typical runny confiture ( the french typically use 800g sugar to 1kg fruit to make confiture so it needs to be kept in the fridge once opened. 1:1 in this recipe would be far too sweet)
(You can of course stuff your face with any ‘leftover melon’ instead)
Then follow the other recipe in English for instructions….
https://www.mesinspirationsculinaire...te-maison.html
https://food52.com/recipes/60711-melon-jam

I would never have thought of making jam or compot with melon! But happy to give it a try. I suspect the melons you get will be ripe and more tasty than what is sent over here.

[mrsbusy]

Good Morning All Rain yet again here - the washing I did on Monday I folded and put back in the machine. Looks like I'll have to wash it again
I'm recently retired too Mrs B and haven't established much of a routine yet, apart from Himself bringing me a cup of tea first thing
I used to hang banana skins on my tomato plants to encourage ripening Jay

Have a good day

I've been retired a few years now and the routine has developed to the point that if we don't have baked beans on Wednesday we get confused for rest of week!! We got 2 dogs to help us out and they are rather like children - they like routine. When we visit our 2 small grandchildren in the USA we adapt to their total lack of routine - no mealtimes, no bedtimes, it's total chaos!!

[mrsbusy]

In theory, banana skins should work very well as there are lots of nutrients in the skin. Not masses so that you have to fear over-fertilising, apparently, but enough to make it worth doing. One thing to think about though is that bananas are heavily treated with pesticides. They don't get through to the fruit inside, but the skins will have a lot on them. I have a biologist friend who will eat just about anything except octopus (clever as a four-year-old child, he says) and bananas because of the pesticides. Me, I'd never eat a banana skin curry. So if you're growing organically on principle, you might want to wash the pesticides off before soaking the skins.

I buy organic bananas so I hope the skins are ok. They don't taste any better but it's just avoiding stuff that's been sprayed especially if it's going into the compost.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Dull but dry and calm day here. Just as well as we’re going to collect our daughter and granddaughter from an airport over three hours away ( yup - and then drive home) going to be a loooong day but I’ve prepared a lovely picnic lunch/ supper to have on the way home to break the journey….and plenty of activities for in the car for littl’un

I’m another one who gets given tea in bed most mornings as OH is often awake and up before me watering or checking the veggies.
I’ve hot Hibou trained well….she ‘bothers’ him as first choice in the morning

Enjoy your day peeps- see ya later!

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Looks like we could be back into the mid-30s now. Phew. Everyone's on fire alert though. Plants crackle underfoot as they're tinder dry. One fire 20 km or so away was caused by a lightning bolt a few days ago. Not much you can do about that wherever you are.

Right, on a more positive note, there's work to be done and I've come up with another project I can spend my earnings on. It's such a bonkers idea, though, I'm not sure I'll see it through to fruition. So mad I'm not telling anyone. Not even Mr Snoop for now. With any luck I may have talked myself out of it in a week or so's time. Better get on with things. Plans or no plans, there are deadlines to be met.

Have a great day, everyone. Give the smiles a wave for me.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

An exciting day ahead Nicos

Grory hop for me today just got to check the list.

Back later.

[Florence Fennel]

That sounds intriguing Snoop, hope it's nothing dangerous!

[Florence Fennel]

How lovely for you Nicos

[Florence Fennel]

My Grory hop delivery this morning and the item unavailable is a brand of butter and, can you believe it, they couldn't find a substitute?

[rary]

Good morning, a beautiful morning here I was out a walk with the dog earlier and didn't need a jacket or jumper, fed the birds, watered my baskets and now having a, bit of breakfast, I will have another wee wonder round the garden deadheading and 5he like before heading up to the church coffee morning, I keep calling it that when possibly it would be better called a cafe, whatever its called will have some cake, biscuits and cups of coffee, while discussing various subjects with some other men and of course the women will be blethering as usual.
Have a good day and enjoy your self whatever you are doing

[Snoop Puss]

That sounds intriguing Snoop, hope it's nothing dangerous!

Dangerous to my waistline... Hence the folly of the idea.

Have a lovely day, Nicos.