A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Coffeehouse 2186 The Coffee Is Fixed!

Terrible rhyme, of course, but you get the idea!




How are y'all on this cold night?



Merme

I don't complain when anything is fixed Merme.

fighting a fever again but i'm here, and posting,so...

You are so witty, Sheri.


I have potatoes in the big oven because our microwave gave out last night. I think it may just need a new fuse because it isn't even a year old yet. So, we'll be eating late tonight because I can't nuke anything!


Merme

I'm sorry you are feverish tonight, Jiffy. That can be so uncomfortable.

Tomorrow is my big shopping day to get the food supplies for our Mardi Gras party on Sunday. I can't locate file powder up here yet!


Merme

I saw a show a while back, merme. they were making gumbo and bought some kind of leaves....sasafras..??? maybe? and ground up their own file. maybe you should grow your own for future use?
sorry your feeling bad, jiffy. we have all been taking turns being sick around here. TOO much tree poline and weather changes, I say!
I was walking around the yard earlier today, and was ooohhhing and awwwing at all the new growth that is sprouting everywhere. later in the week were getting down to mid 30's. hope it holds above freezing so all the baby sprouts don't freeze.
your rhyme is just fine, ms. merme! oh lookey - I made a rhyme talking about your rhyme!

Speaking of weather...

We had a REALLY bad storm here this evening. We were under tornado warnings/watches for 4 hours. It passed right over my place (no twisters, thank God!), leaving softball sized hail all over. As soon as I heard the warnings, I filled the tub (to flush with in case we lost power), Wayne started building a fire in the fireplace, Teeny and Allie started toting in wood, and Bunny started helping me get dinner and spare dishes done. We only lost power in flashes, but we were ready for an extended outage if need be.

It got so bad that the neighbor just behind us showed up at the door with her 4 kids! They live in a mobile home, and got VERY worried. We told them that the door was always open for them, should they feel the need.

There is still lightening popping all around, but it's a good distance off.

Anyway, I'm just catching up on all the goings on while I was banned from the 'puter! LOL

Annette

Ohh, take care, Annette. I wonder if it blowing towards Savannah now?

Well, I am again heading to bed early. I'm whomped. Busy days lately. And tomorrow I get to go to work and refresh my soul with green growing things. Good night all.

Well, I said good night and am back to say good morning. First cup.

Morning!

We weathered the storms just fine. No damage to home or plants. It's a little cool outside this morning, but I think I'm going to go put my potatoes out while I have a chance. It's supposed to warm up some, so it shouldn't be too uncomfortable out in the garden.

I don't know if Savannah got hit wiht it or not. I think they may have been further south of them. The storms pretty much followed I-20 into and around Atlanta. I live about 6 miles south of I-20 and 10 miles into Georgia from the Alabama state line. If you look up "John Tanner State Park", that's where I am.

Annette

We had a terrible storm last night. It was freezing cold before I went to bed but it was thundering and lightening too. How does that happen? It rained so hard and the wind was so strong I thought my house would be carried away on the currents but this morning when I got up it was 36 degrees and now the rain has stopped.


Annette, you're sweet to let you neighbors in when they're frightened. Sometimes just being with someone makes everything better.

cold here today after being almost 70 yesterday

Hi Belinda. I had posted a thank you a while back but I don't know if you were on to see it. I got the seeds. I had started to put them out but I'm glad I didn't since it's freezing again. Love ya.

you're very welcome, I don't think freezing would hurt them, I let alot of mine drop and just leave on the ground, and they seem to do fine, mine that are up have stayed green all winter, the tops where the bloom and seeds make die and I cut those back, but the rest stays green

It weren't nothin'...they'da done the same for us if the tables were turned!

These are the same neighbors that I'm hoping to unload some of the excess tomato plants on as well! LOL

Annette

Morning
Had a cup of coffee this morning already- got Mom her breakfast and had some toast .... now watching Criminal Minds we recorded last night...love that DVR... we had the boys (all 4) yesterday till almost 9- gave them burgers- hotdogs... french fries for dinner... and a salad... gave the 3 little ones their baths so they could go right to bed when they got home.... by the time they left we were worn out.... sure glad I had my kids young!
Its nice looking outside today- sun is out but only 23* right now-- so it's cold too... I did see a Robin yesterday- first one this yr so spring is on her way...... been hearing more song birds in the mornings too when I go out for the paper.... will be glad when it's warmer.
Well off to finish the movie and get my shower ,heading to Sam's this morning- need to stock up on some stuff again.... out of bread.
Nana

Hi everyone ~

It started snowing here yesterday at nightfall & kept it up til this morning when it turned into a snowy/rainy slush which it has been doing all day.

We went to New Hampshire this morning to go shopping because NH doesn't have any sales tax. The super Wal-Mart down there is the biggest Wal-Mart I have ever seen! I got completely overwhelmed by it but would probably go back there for serious shopping.

I also bought everything we need for the Mardi Gras party on Sunday except for the fresh fish & seafood I will pick up on Saturday... didn't want to get it this early! And I still have to track down some file powder.


Merme

file powder?? what's that?

Annette

It's used in a lot of cajun cooking. that's about all I know about it.

It is mostly ground up sassafras leaves, I guess. It isn't available in our spice aisle here but it is in the international aisle. Which is kind of funny.
It kind of thickens a broth and it has a flavor of its own to add.

Annette File powder is supposed to be spelled with an accent mark over the e and it is pronounced w/ two syllables... fil-lay, not to rhyme with tile.

As Tina said, it is used to thicken stews. Gumbo is often thickened with okra but if it isn't, file powder is used & then it is called "File Gumbo", hence the reference to the song Afgrey mentioned.... "Jambalya" by Hank Williams Sr.

"Jambalaya, crawfish pie, file gumbo
for tonight I'm going to see ma cher amio
pick guitar, fill fruit jar, and be gay-o
son of a gun we're gonna have big fun on the bayou!!"

Maxi & I plan to insist all our guests "sing for their supper" on Sunday night with at least one rousing rendition of that!

I'm a bit frustrated because not even our local Whole Foods Market which is a national organic chain & restaurant & clothier carries file powder OR sassafras leaves!


Merme

Oh great! Now I"M SINGING it! ha ha.
we used to have a regular member from New Orleans didn't we? I bet they sell file powder at every little corner store over there!
what are you making again merme? do they sell zatarans box dinners where you are? I was just wondering if you couldn't get a box of zataran's and use the some of the powder in the box for your seasoning. then the rest could still be used, just add your own concoction of spices?

gotcha! Sounds like you are going to have a VERY fun dinner party! LOL

Annette

yep, we got pounded, but no major damage, thank God. just a lot of lost sleep. matthew and i were both woke up by it, as were some of my co-workers.

A sleepy day in Savannah today then. I am glad you are safe.

a very sleepy day in savannah. we compared notes this morning on how many times we hit the snooze. one too many for several of us

sounds like one heck of a storm!
we're getting a cold front tonight. I wonder if your storms were part of that?
it is supposed to get down in the upper 30's here. I brought my little seedlings in.
holy cow! we have drama this evening! a buddy of hubby's is leaving his wife AGAIN, and needs a place to stay for a couple of days. I said a big fat no. he leaves his wife 3-4 times a year. I'm not heartless, but I don't live like that and I'm not going to harbor someone who does. the guy showed up. hubby went to town. I acted like I didn't know anything about it. he's outside sitting in his truck with some flusy! get a hotel, and leave us alone....am I right? ha ha

You are very right.

you are as right as i would be cricket!

and yes, our storms were the precursor to the temp drop. it is supposed to get down to 30 tonight for us, and 25 tomorrow night <-------- a frozen jiffy

whhoooo..........25 tomorrow night, huh? stay warm, my friend!
our last average frost date is the end of feb. I'm counting down the days!
my neighbor is harvesting squash already. he is quite a farmer. He's already sold a bunch to the big city's farmers market. I hope he doesn't loose any tonight.
Jiffy needs some file gumbo to soak her chilly feet in!

going to be 22 tonight and cold all next week. I don't mind cold weather except my schools are freezing.

Hi everyone....

Hey someone should let Merme know that I found the file powder by the cornstarch and other thickners at my grocery store so she might try looking there when she goes looking next. However you don't have to thicken the gumbo if you don't want to....just serve it over rice and that will do enough to thicken.

How is everybody doing???

Hellllllooooooooo

wow is it echoing in here? Weird how everyone disappears when I show up. Hmmmmmmm....wonder if my right guard went left or something?

I'm here, Fernie

Hi, Fernie.

Hey, all! Check out this article I just read. Appearently, if you aren't growing your own, and the ones you grow aren't heirloom, the nutritional value of veggies has declined over the last 50 years. So that no-carb/low-carb diet ain't gonna do you no good if the veggies came from the grocery store! All the more reason to go heirloom, in my opinion!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090218/hl_time/08599188014500

Annette

Interesting article. And actually confirms what I have thought for a long time. I am big on organic and buy my produce as much as possible from a local food coop which sells organic only and we have an organic farmers market during the summer and fall months. I started doing heirloom tomatoes first and have been trying some other types too like squash and pumpkins.

Hey Tina....how is everything down your way? I am living at the end of a mud bog and my poor car looks like a mud ball on wheels. I have cabin fever pretty bad but otherwise.....things are grand

Mud is no fun to go shoeing in. Things are good we had a bunch of rain but my house stayed on my hillside, so all is well. We have some good growing weather if I had the time to get out and plant something.

Cricket I am making Shrimp Etouffe and also Chicken & Andoulie Sausage File Gumbo (One of my guests is allergic to seafood). I am also making a Pillsbury appetizer that is made of crescent roll dough covered w/ ranch dressing, cheddar cheese & bacon, rolled up like a jelly roll & sliced into pinwheels before baking. Someone else is making the King Cake. Oh and I am also doing Hurricane drinks for the adults & Eye of the Hurricane Punch for the kids.

Tonight I totally cheated on dinner because I was tired after my big excursion out of state. I defrosted a large container of homemade chili & we made a batch of fresh mashed potatoes to go with. Easy but delicious! There is even enough for some more tomorrow!


Merme