Quite a tough day; woke late after the late night last night, and certain household members suffering from 'Cabin Fever'. But I kept busy... sorted out the last of the pumpkin seeds from their pulp, now all are on about 10 sheets of newspaper drying.
I went to the bread shop at lunchtime and later, took the St Nicks bucket back to them, plus two Apple Day posters which had been left on a lamp-post, and I'd taken back home for safekeeping and re-use. I went on to see Rich at Country Fresh... and he was creating more pumpkin Halloween Lanterns, so he gave me yet more pumpkin seeds. I really do need a little gadget or machine which de-hulls them. I wish someone would engineer something which did this. As it is, I either have to eat them with the tough outer coat on, which I don't like, OR have to peel them one by one, by hand, which isn't difficult but is time consuming.
I did a bit of compost heap management but not all that I have to put on a heap actually went on, so I'll have to do some more tomorrow.
Gill got our eldest to make tea... he made a batch of savoury biscuits, something he invented and is good at making, and to go with this he made a pumpkin, veg and Bulgar wheat pate which went well with the biscuits. He also sorted out some cucumber and celery sticks for dipping into hommous, coleslaw and mayo. It was a good meal.
And then, I was delighted that both my sons and one of their friends accepted my invitation to take them to see Illuminating York. There was a bit of discussion about how to travel, since the boys don't use their bikes now, as school is so close, so they aren't in a usable condition. There was talk of getting the bus, or walking down and getting the bus back... but I walked down with them, all the way to the Minster, leaving just before 8pm. There was a big crowd at Minster Gates, the junction of Petergate and Stonegate, but we got through to Deangate which was more open and had plenty of space. The installation 'Rose' by Ross Ashton and his wife Karen Monid was really good... at one stage it looked like the Minster was beginning to float up into the air!
After we watched this for maybe 15 minutes, we walked round to the other side of the Minster, to see the various installations in Dean's Park. I liked the 4 metre high sphere called 'Lightweight' best, but my friend Vanessa's community stained glass piece 'Unifying Light' was good too.
Then we walked home... Monkgate, Heworth Green, The Gasworks alleyway, James St, St. Nicks and home. I was impressed that all 3 boys managed this quite long walk, with minimal fuss (only one was making a fuss, the others just kept walking) and we got in at 9.45pm.
So a good finish to a not so good day. I spent quite a bit of time refilling the drying racks with pears and apples til late...
Showing posts with label pumpkin seeds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pumpkin seeds. Show all posts
Well, not too bad a day, as I had a relatively late start and got busy with assorted household things, and also some stacking, splitting and chainsawing. I got a fantastic booking for next April, a big event where I'll be performing to over 100 people - and a good fee promised, too.
During the afternoon I made a pumpkin loaf for the York Rotters Pumpkin Evening. I used a wholemeal loaf which I made into breadcrumbs in the blender, and also a big spoonful of very dry Meridian peanut butter from the base of the pot, which all blended in very nicely. I then added a whole onion, chopped, and a red pepper, chopped, and about a third of a pumpkin, grated, and a handful of chopped mixed nuts. For flavouring I used some red wine, Balsamic vinegar, bouillon and mixed herbs... and a dash of cumin. Then to bind it, an egg. I mixed it really really well, and turned it into a greased dish which I'd lined with mixed seeds. I microwaved it for 10 minutes, and then turned it out onto a baking tray and bunged it in the oven on Mark 6 for 20 minutes... and left it in the oven with the gas off for 20 minutes before taking it to St Nicks in a cake tin.
I also took one of my boys and a friend who lives up the road, both of whom enjoy carving pumpkins and had a good evening. I took my biggest pumpkin for the competition... mine weighed no more than 2kg, the winning one was over 40kg. I spent most of the evening peeling dried pumpkin seeds, and then sorting out fresh ones from the pulp. Two people requested my nutloaf recipe, so I'll send them this link.
The three of us got home at about 8pm and our visitor stayed for another 45 minutes or so. I had a fairly relaxing evening... washing up, sorting out pumpkin seeds (I have a bucketful to deal with!) and keeping the stove going.
During the afternoon I made a pumpkin loaf for the York Rotters Pumpkin Evening. I used a wholemeal loaf which I made into breadcrumbs in the blender, and also a big spoonful of very dry Meridian peanut butter from the base of the pot, which all blended in very nicely. I then added a whole onion, chopped, and a red pepper, chopped, and about a third of a pumpkin, grated, and a handful of chopped mixed nuts. For flavouring I used some red wine, Balsamic vinegar, bouillon and mixed herbs... and a dash of cumin. Then to bind it, an egg. I mixed it really really well, and turned it into a greased dish which I'd lined with mixed seeds. I microwaved it for 10 minutes, and then turned it out onto a baking tray and bunged it in the oven on Mark 6 for 20 minutes... and left it in the oven with the gas off for 20 minutes before taking it to St Nicks in a cake tin.
I also took one of my boys and a friend who lives up the road, both of whom enjoy carving pumpkins and had a good evening. I took my biggest pumpkin for the competition... mine weighed no more than 2kg, the winning one was over 40kg. I spent most of the evening peeling dried pumpkin seeds, and then sorting out fresh ones from the pulp. Two people requested my nutloaf recipe, so I'll send them this link.
The three of us got home at about 8pm and our visitor stayed for another 45 minutes or so. I had a fairly relaxing evening... washing up, sorting out pumpkin seeds (I have a bucketful to deal with!) and keeping the stove going.
A better day, mood wise, and after lunch was able to get out and visit Country Fresh for two sacks of compostables and then to Freshways who also had done a clear out and had frost-damaged cucumbers for me (two boxes) and 2 sacks of mixed stuff. They also invited me to take two boxes of bananas which are darkened by the cold, but the fruit itself is perfect within. I hadn't got room on my trailer.
Then to the Co-op to do general shopping and had a nice chat with Maria. They had no soya milk in the fresh milk section. (We're just out of it; need to do another SUMA order) Came home and Gill asked me if they'd got any long life soya milk, so I cycled back and yes, they did have, so I bought three different types to see which one (if any) we like!
Then on to Freshways again and they gave me the frost-tinged bananas... so many! What am I going to do with them? I haven't space to dry them all, and the racks are full of kiwis! I put a message on facebook and considered freecycle. I cycled round to Bob's but he wasn't there, although one of his housemates was, and he took two bunches. Deb took two as well, but I'm still left with two big boxes worth, probably 100 hands between them. I ought to rig up some racks hanging off the crockery shelf which goes all around the room.
The Facebook message got several results... I'll be able to offload quite a few and I got literally dozens of recipes and ideas about how to use them.
A lovely evening... had a real game of Scrabble with Gill and listened to Sting on the telly playing some nice tunes from Newcastle and the North East, peeled bananas to dry on the stove and shelled pumpkin seeds, these still from 2008! I wish I could find a little 'kitchen sized' hand-operated pumpkin seed cleaner, which removes the crunchy outer shell and leaves the succulent seed in the middle. I'm currently doing them by hand. I looked on Google for these machines and all of them are kitchen sized... literally, as big as a room!
So, a good day. Thankfully!
Then to the Co-op to do general shopping and had a nice chat with Maria. They had no soya milk in the fresh milk section. (We're just out of it; need to do another SUMA order) Came home and Gill asked me if they'd got any long life soya milk, so I cycled back and yes, they did have, so I bought three different types to see which one (if any) we like!
Then on to Freshways again and they gave me the frost-tinged bananas... so many! What am I going to do with them? I haven't space to dry them all, and the racks are full of kiwis! I put a message on facebook and considered freecycle. I cycled round to Bob's but he wasn't there, although one of his housemates was, and he took two bunches. Deb took two as well, but I'm still left with two big boxes worth, probably 100 hands between them. I ought to rig up some racks hanging off the crockery shelf which goes all around the room.
The Facebook message got several results... I'll be able to offload quite a few and I got literally dozens of recipes and ideas about how to use them.
A lovely evening... had a real game of Scrabble with Gill and listened to Sting on the telly playing some nice tunes from Newcastle and the North East, peeled bananas to dry on the stove and shelled pumpkin seeds, these still from 2008! I wish I could find a little 'kitchen sized' hand-operated pumpkin seed cleaner, which removes the crunchy outer shell and leaves the succulent seed in the middle. I'm currently doing them by hand. I looked on Google for these machines and all of them are kitchen sized... literally, as big as a room!
So, a good day. Thankfully!
Quite a late start, which was nice, and didn't have much to do until an arranged meeting with David at 7.30, to show The Age of Stupid to some of our friends.
But I did do some work in the garden, some chainsawing, stacking... not that much though.
It was a relatively quiet day. I tried to deliver the DVD to David but he wasn't in. I picked up a small sack of recyclables from Country Fresh, and also some cans and glass jars which a neighbour had thrown in... I'll put them in the recycling.
I did do quite a bit of housework, the usual washing up, log-basket filling, taking now-dry pumpkin seeds off the sheets of paper they were drying on and putting them in a box lid to finish drying and then somehow be processed. I wonder if there is a simple machine which would remove the husk or outer shell, leaving the seed inside? Currently I do it by hand, individually... but I have tens of thousands to do... no easy job. Commercial pumpkin seeds are from a type of pumpkin which has 'naked' seeds.
Anyway, I cycled down to Davids for 7.30 with my copy of Age of Stupid, and David told me that our friend Will was coming, with his Austrian friend Otto. We had a chat afterwards, I explained about Copenhagen, Not Stupid and 10:10. Good to get another few people to see this film.
When I came home things were quiet. Later I watched a powerful film called Hard Candy, about a teenage girl getting her revenge on a paedophile.
But I did do some work in the garden, some chainsawing, stacking... not that much though.
It was a relatively quiet day. I tried to deliver the DVD to David but he wasn't in. I picked up a small sack of recyclables from Country Fresh, and also some cans and glass jars which a neighbour had thrown in... I'll put them in the recycling.
I did do quite a bit of housework, the usual washing up, log-basket filling, taking now-dry pumpkin seeds off the sheets of paper they were drying on and putting them in a box lid to finish drying and then somehow be processed. I wonder if there is a simple machine which would remove the husk or outer shell, leaving the seed inside? Currently I do it by hand, individually... but I have tens of thousands to do... no easy job. Commercial pumpkin seeds are from a type of pumpkin which has 'naked' seeds.
Anyway, I cycled down to Davids for 7.30 with my copy of Age of Stupid, and David told me that our friend Will was coming, with his Austrian friend Otto. We had a chat afterwards, I explained about Copenhagen, Not Stupid and 10:10. Good to get another few people to see this film.
When I came home things were quiet. Later I watched a powerful film called Hard Candy, about a teenage girl getting her revenge on a paedophile.
A good morning, went out to Hazel Court, the Council's waste and recycling depot, with a cycle-trailer load of drinks cartons, scrap iron, some throw-away electrical goods I've taken out of skips in order that they get recycled. Came back via Freshways, the new supermarket on the corner of Melrosegate and Hull Road, and made friends with Raj the manager.
Home to a pile of washing up, then a sit down with a coffee to watch Countryfile, which I watched whilst taking husks off pumpkin seeds. It'll be a long job, as I've got so SO many! But if I do a few dozen a day, I'll be finished by next Autumn!
It rained after lunch so I did some stuff inside but later I went to the allotment with some cardboard to use as a mulch, and I started cutting back the marauding brambles and chopping them into short lengths for composting. I stayed there til nearly dark and did quite a bit of work... probably not enough yet to not get chucked off... so I'll try to get on top of it this week, at least make an effort...
Gill had cooked spaghetti and veg for tea. I had that and then had to load up my bike trailer to go and visit someone. This was a result of an unusual request yesterday over the phone, and for once I'm going to hold back for a few weeks so the surprise is not compromised. I'll be able to tell all by the end of the month. But it is quite funny/odd/amazing.
Spent perhaps an hour there and came back across the Stray and was pleased to get home as it was still raining a bit. And...
I had developed a runny nose which is snot dice. Therefore a quiet evening in, being very friendly with my hanky. But did enjoy watching Stephen Fry and Graham Norton (not together!) with Gill. Gill dozed off to sleep and I spent time on my laptop, but when she woke at 1ish, just as I was about to go to bed, we remembered the SUMA order, which we can now do online, so I got my computer back on and I worked my way around the new SUMA website and placed an order, which will arrive, we hope, on Tuesday. Bed very late, after 2.30am.
Home to a pile of washing up, then a sit down with a coffee to watch Countryfile, which I watched whilst taking husks off pumpkin seeds. It'll be a long job, as I've got so SO many! But if I do a few dozen a day, I'll be finished by next Autumn!
It rained after lunch so I did some stuff inside but later I went to the allotment with some cardboard to use as a mulch, and I started cutting back the marauding brambles and chopping them into short lengths for composting. I stayed there til nearly dark and did quite a bit of work... probably not enough yet to not get chucked off... so I'll try to get on top of it this week, at least make an effort...
Gill had cooked spaghetti and veg for tea. I had that and then had to load up my bike trailer to go and visit someone. This was a result of an unusual request yesterday over the phone, and for once I'm going to hold back for a few weeks so the surprise is not compromised. I'll be able to tell all by the end of the month. But it is quite funny/odd/amazing.
Spent perhaps an hour there and came back across the Stray and was pleased to get home as it was still raining a bit. And...
I had developed a runny nose which is snot dice. Therefore a quiet evening in, being very friendly with my hanky. But did enjoy watching Stephen Fry and Graham Norton (not together!) with Gill. Gill dozed off to sleep and I spent time on my laptop, but when she woke at 1ish, just as I was about to go to bed, we remembered the SUMA order, which we can now do online, so I got my computer back on and I worked my way around the new SUMA website and placed an order, which will arrive, we hope, on Tuesday. Bed very late, after 2.30am.
Gill got me up fairly early as she'd suggested to our child who's had homework set over the half term holidays that he ought to do some today, and he immediately started arguing and kicking off. This is so depressing.
However, things calmed down once I'd come and sat amongst them, but when the subject was raised again with the idea that if he did a bit this morning, he might be able to go and play with a friend this afternoon, the same crap behaviour erupted. He did eventually get down to some, ie researching the shape of some musical notation, a 'rest sign' or something. I tried to help him with a couple of Google searches but he is so incredibly resistant to being helped. We are in a difficult situation, with not being allowed to help and him not knowing how to find the info but not accepting help.
After lunch, Gill went out and I sorted pumpkin seeds from the flesh by putting the whole lot in a bowl of water, and taking the floating seeds off the top and popping them on sheets of paper to dry off.
The boys played nicely but as soon as Gill came back they kicked off again! Why is this? We had a nice tea... lasagna which used some of the pumpkin soup, and was delicious.
Barry Potter came as arranged at 7pm to pick up my large fruit press and apple crusher prior to his orchard event on Sunday, and I invited him in to see the stoves which were going at full tilt, as the weather is very cold so we've got both running. He was impressed and perhaps a little closer to getting his own stove, something he's been preparing for for a little while...
I went out a few minutes later, to go to the York in Transition visioning meeting at The Stables. Laura Potts, an experienced 'green' and facilitator had agreed to help us find common ground and look at ways forward for the group. It was a good meeting... I think we did move forward and I met a nice guy called Ian whom I hope to meet again.
Home just before 10pm and the house was lovely and warm, smelling of apples and pumpkins.
However, things calmed down once I'd come and sat amongst them, but when the subject was raised again with the idea that if he did a bit this morning, he might be able to go and play with a friend this afternoon, the same crap behaviour erupted. He did eventually get down to some, ie researching the shape of some musical notation, a 'rest sign' or something. I tried to help him with a couple of Google searches but he is so incredibly resistant to being helped. We are in a difficult situation, with not being allowed to help and him not knowing how to find the info but not accepting help.
After lunch, Gill went out and I sorted pumpkin seeds from the flesh by putting the whole lot in a bowl of water, and taking the floating seeds off the top and popping them on sheets of paper to dry off.
The boys played nicely but as soon as Gill came back they kicked off again! Why is this? We had a nice tea... lasagna which used some of the pumpkin soup, and was delicious.
Barry Potter came as arranged at 7pm to pick up my large fruit press and apple crusher prior to his orchard event on Sunday, and I invited him in to see the stoves which were going at full tilt, as the weather is very cold so we've got both running. He was impressed and perhaps a little closer to getting his own stove, something he's been preparing for for a little while...
I went out a few minutes later, to go to the York in Transition visioning meeting at The Stables. Laura Potts, an experienced 'green' and facilitator had agreed to help us find common ground and look at ways forward for the group. It was a good meeting... I think we did move forward and I met a nice guy called Ian whom I hope to meet again.
Home just before 10pm and the house was lovely and warm, smelling of apples and pumpkins.
