lemniscate

We are in Day 2 since I crocked my first ever batch of my Mom's polish dill recipe. I have borrowed a 3 gallon crock from my father-in-law and have about 4 pounds of pickles with salt, dill, and garlic brining away in my kitchen. Dill is crazy expensive here in the Desert SW. I had to get the gourmet baby dill plastic packaged kind. I keep sticking my nose over the crock to whiff that briny dilly smell. I haven't smelled that in 25 years. I like mine "new" so I think I will have my first dill on Sunday. Husband likes sours, so he must be more patient. It's funny how a smell can trigger long lost memories and sensations. Like sitting on the picnic table during summer vacation with visiting cousins eating watermelon, your hands and forearms sticky from the juice running down and having a seed spitting contest. I think I will get a watermelon today and challenge Husband to a contest.

I'm not a survivalist by any stretch. I don't even camp. But I do like use solar power where it makes sense and is cost effective. I love the fact I don't heat up my kitchen to bake, cause I'd just pay to cool it down again. The farmhouse I grew up in had an outbuilding that was the summer kitchen. Maybe that idea isn't so old fashioned anymore Oh yeah! I forgot I did baked apples with maple sauce too. What types of cakes did you do and how were the results? I need to find one of those old splatterware black roasters to use the oven more efficiently. Need to go haunt a few thrift stores. Lemnisc8

A day late and a dollar short, but if someone else needs shears, I have these http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/li...hears&noImage=0 They come apart for easier cleaning, have a great grip and are strong enough for the bigger tasks. Plus they come with a cover and are under $20!

Hello, first post here. Anyone else ever use a solar oven for cooking? I purchased one off eBay a while back and have been playing around with it. I've gotten great results roasting garlic heads, potatos, carrots and mushrooms. The temp inside usually is in the 250F-300F range in full bright sun. Like a non-electric crock pot. I haven't attempted anything with meat yet, but am planning to do a pot of pinto beans as the next "experiment". The kind I have is a knock-off of the Global brand. http://www.sunoven.com/about.asp This seems to be a pretty amazing company, doing lots of "good works" globally to help people cook without deforesting their environment. I've been having fun doing solar oven cooking and am always looking for new ideas. I have been negotiating with my husband about which part of the yard I can build an hornos, an adobe, dome-shaped, wood-fired oven for breads. LOL, thank goodness he's an easy-going guy, he just smiles and shakes his head at my new ventures. I'm an engineer by trade, but as I get older I'm finding there's an inner-hippy trying to take over. lemniscate