Well Chuck, it's February

Delmonico · January 31, 2026, 09:13:16 PM

Just thought of it.

DeaconKC · January 31, 2026, 10:35:32 PM

Glad to see this up and running already. Supposed to hit single digits here tonight than thankfully start a warming trend. Church is gonna be abbreviated Service tomorrow with lunch there and then an early afternoon service due to the weather. We will probably lose our houseguest tomorrow as I'm sure our 19 year old g'niece wants to get back to her apartment. You all be careful and stay warm, God bless.

Major E A Sterner · January 31, 2026, 11:17:49 PM

Bitter cold here, 9 degrees now going down to -zero overnights for the next 10 days with next Sunday at -10. Daytime temp run from 15 - 32 degrees.
Got some bad news concerning my Mom, They have stopped all treatments due to the tumors growing into her stomach and bladder, She will hopefully come home Monday for Hospice at home until the time comes that I am unable to care for her, then she'll go into the hospice about 6 miles from our house for end of life care. So far she has no pain and hopefully it stays that way.

Major 2 · February 01, 2026, 04:31:28 AM

Continued prayers and best wishes for Her...

Currently 26 degrees with Wind Advisory, northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, wind chill 8 degrees right here in my backyard

WOW !

Silver Creek Slim · February 01, 2026, 07:19:51 AM

Morning y'all.
Coffee and tea are hot.

I'll be praying, Major.

'Tis -7 and partly cloudy. "Partly cloudy in the morning then mostly cloudy with a chance of light snow in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 20s. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent."

Slim

Coffinmaker · February 01, 2026, 08:15:40 AM

It's some chili in my end of the swamp. Was Minus 11 yesterday and this morning it was 0. Yesterday was our coldest January day in 34 years. Burrrrrrrrrrrr. Still digging out from last weekend's storm.

Major 2 · February 01, 2026, 08:30:36 AM

We have Ke-Ke birds in the back pasture,
I haven't seen them since 1977

Johnny McCrae · February 01, 2026, 08:39:36 AM

Major EA, your Mom is in our thoughts and prayers

Johnny McCrae · February 01, 2026, 08:42:11 AM

34 here in the Sunshine State

Delmonico · February 01, 2026, 01:24:31 PM

Prayers.

Almost 40 here spossed to get some warmer.

Going out later and try the Jeep car thing, guess they don't like sitting all lonely in the cold by themselves for 2 weeks. Didn't need to go anywhere and don't need to breath that cold much. Don't need to go anywhere the next week, a couple want to if the weather is nice. May have to buy it some gas, below half, last time was in early Dec.

Been working on knives, running low so did some E-Baying. Can now fillet a bison when it's done if need be. Never been power ground Scales loose but very savable. I remove and replace as needed; top one is a patch knife because I needed/wanted one and the end was bad, that one is sharpened 10 degrees from center of blade, the rest 15 degree.

The collection came yesterday, sat on it and actually out bid me a few cents at 5 seconds, wanted it bad and price was just over $20 without shipping. I have the proper silver plate spoons, and I have a lot of butter knives coming. The top knife I figured had been abused by a grinder and would rescale with some nice walnut clean up the blade and put it on the trade blanket. But nope, has not been ruined with a power grinder it looks that shape because it is a real pig sticker, yes, a real type of knife used for butchering. Some double edged both sides, this one only part way down.

I bid but wouldn't go higher on a lamb splitter.

I clean up the blades as best I can with out belt sanding and poke them in an onion a few times to start a patina.

I remove the scales and either clean up or replace. Old knives can be gross under them. I have rivets coming, the ones I pin I make then from brass or steel rod or the small ones work good making them from 10p box nails.

I figured that out at a hardware store years ago; young clerk was confused with me measuring nails out of the old-time bulk nail bin. He never seen anyone buy nails with a dial

Not the first time I confused a young clerk. The Ace in T-Town is family owned and I don't need to search for an old clerk.

They have 3, also a young fella that is fairly sharp and very willing to learn. And the clerk lady is maybe 40 and very sharp. A while back I explained why muriatic acid aka hydrochloric would not work but needed phosphoric acid and needed it stronger than what coke has. He said they didn't cover a lot of chemistry in HS, ok with that.

BTW Amazone has 85% with a Ph of around 1.5, cook is about 3.5, I go about 50/50 and end up with around a Ph of 2. And what is cool is the stuff I get is food grade so if someone notices it then it looks al hunky dory. Which it is.

I was amazed you could get a Ph meter under $20, not lab grade, but he don't need to use it. It's only accurate to one decimal point but good enough for a crazy cook.

In the cast iron groups some think I'm a mad genius and some think I'm an ass.

A nice balance, I think.

I love the tales about "back in the day" lye soap was harsh, but we don't have lye soap today, between me and the Yuppie "Homesteader" it can get funny. LOL I have 4 samples of Living History lye soap; one made up by the National Parks somewhere. And those 4 have an even lower Ph than the store-bought stuff, and the store-bought stuff is used by a lot of people to wash some awful delicate personal parts.

BTW all of my information on cast iron cooking is one flash drive and when I'm gone my youngest knows where to find it. She will tell everyone with my FB account and anyone wants this information can get with her. Some is well arranged; some looks like just lab notes.

Of course, I can send all or some to any of you, but I keep adding stuff all the time. Once I get to the point they lock me up without a car and all that I will still have something to do. Doubt they'll let me have all my toys.

DeaconKC · February 01, 2026, 06:18:26 PM

Major EAS, praying for you. We were the caregivers for all 4 parents, so I do understand how much you need prayer.

Got down to 6 degrees last night, but we got through it. Got up to 42 and sunny today and we had a great turnout at church. LadyC made me some delicious ham and beans, they were outstanding. We're just gonna relax with some TV mysteries tonight.

Hey Del, could I grovel my way into having you put some new scales on a knife for me?

Major 2 · February 01, 2026, 07:22:55 PM

Ham & Beans, brings me to funny story.

I was working with my late plumber friend about 15 years ago on my well.
It was cold and Hollis mentions "his wife was making Great Northern Beans & ham hock bean soup" for when he got home.

Sounded so good I decided, I wanted to make some myself.
I had never made GNB's before but forged ahead.
I bought 3 packages of Dry Beans & and ham hock, got out our 3 qt. Crock pot. I saw where you should soak the beans, but I figured 6-8 hours in the crock pot on low would do the trick.
Well, it did I had beans overflowing out the pot, over the counter and spreading out on the kitchen floor.
Looked like Volcano of beans....
Called my sister and got her 3 qt. pot and borrowed her 1 qt. too. Still had to discard 1/2 my spreading overflow.

But dang was it was good soup, moral? one package is PLENTY.
and now I going to the store tomorrow and make pot

Thanks for the reminder, Kevin

Delmonico · February 01, 2026, 10:09:45 PM

Quote from: DeaconKC on February 01, 2026, 06:18:26 PMMajor EAS, praying for you. We were the caregivers for all 4 parents, so I do understand how much you need prayer.

Got down to 6 degrees last night, but we got through it. Got up to 42 and sunny today and we had a great turnout at church. LadyC made me some delicious ham and beans, they were outstanding. We're just gonna relax with some TV mysteries tonight.

Hey Del, could I grovel my way into having you put some new scales on a knife for me?

Maybe, what have you got and what do you want, don't say ivory, long story but there may be some undocumented ivory on the way. I may have accidently bought some.