What R you doing today?

[tullamore]

We live at 7000ft EL so we can get lots of snow over the Winter. Our local ski area Pajarito (little bird in Spanish) will open today. The earliest open in 40 years! They have received over 36" of snow from this storm and are working 24/7 to pack the trails for skiers. The base is 9000ft EL. Summit is 10,500ft EL.

View attachment 117580

thats great White Powder - send some to Ottawa, Ontario
i'm a XC ski junkie!

 

[vinny]

but Viny where u Iive it goes from 57 degrees then 10 hours later to 27 with a 1/2 a foot of snow then 67 degrees 2 days later -lol! gotta love Alberta's weather
i go xc skiing a lot at Canmore a few times a year

They say if you don't like the weather in Alberta... Wait 10 minutes. I'm not even kidding, we can go from -40 to 57 in 24 hours.

That is why it is funny to me. I never get to enjoy anyone in snow while I am walking around in a t shirt. I'm relishing in the moment.

 

[Raptor99]

Folks in central NC get all happy when it snows. OTOH, I moved 750 miles south to get away from that white crap!!

That mostly works. While we've had a few storms that you would call a storm, in recent years it's typically flurries or a bit that doesn't stick to the road.

Folks from up north that move south rarely understand that road treatment is NOT the same. Here there's no equipment nor expertise to use it, so when snow does stick on the road, I don't drive unless absolutely necessary. [this is a guy who grew up in central NY and went to college on the Canadian border.]

Here in NW Oregon, we get about 1 week of snow per year. A big storm is 10-12 inches, which doesn't happen every year. People here are not used to driving in the snow, so it gets pretty crazy out there when the roads are icy. The joke around here is that that Portland's plan for snow removal is to wait for it to melt.

Those of us who grew up driving in winter weather just laugh. But once every few years we get an ice storm with freezing rain. That's time for everybody to stay home!

 

[vinny]

We live at 7000ft EL so we can get lots of snow over the Winter. Our local ski area Pajarito (little bird in Spanish) will open today. The earliest open in 40 years! They have received over 36" of snow from this storm and are working 24/7 to pack the trails for skiers. The base is 9000ft EL. Summit is 10,500ft EL.

View attachment 117580

The only month guaranteed not to snow here is July. It doesn't last, I've seen it in June, never in august. Our earliest dump was Sept. 3 a few years ago. Heavy wet snow and leaves still on the trees, everything young was bent to the ground under the weight.

I know you are no strangers to snow, but I'm still loving it. I can't even pretend.

 

[vinny]

Here in NW Oregon, we get about 1 week of snow per year. A big storm is 10-12 inches, which doesn't happen every year. People here are not used to driving in the snow, so it gets pretty crazy out there when the roads are icy. The joke around here is that that Portland's plan for snow removal is to wait for it to melt.

Those of us who grew up driving in winter weather just laugh. But once every few years we get an ice storm with freezing rain. That's time for everybody to stay home!

I grew up in Vancouver. Very similar. Usually not enough snow to mention. Maybe 3 inches and gone the next day. If it sticks. all hell breaks loose. If you live up a hill you likely can't get home.

I had a jeep. I was always fine with 4 wheel drive. I moved to Alberta and learned something. Even though they had low km, you can't drive on 6+ year old tires. At extreme cold temps old rubber has about the same traction as skates. I coulda got 5 more years outta those tires in BC! In Alberta, second time I was in the ditch, that was it! New tires!

 

[winemaker81]

The joke around here is that that Portland's plan for snow removal is to wait for it to melt.

In central NC, that a fact, not a joke.

About 20 years ago we had a major storm that dropped 36" (0.9 meters) snow on my house. A neighboring farmer came through the next day with a straight blade on the back of his tractor and plowed a single car width through the middle of our road.

I started shoveling the driveway after the first foot, and shoveled 3 times to keep it clear. For those who aren't aware, sunlight hitting the pavement heats it and melts the neighboring snow from beneath, so the more that is revealed, the faster it melts. I shoveled off the pavement in front of my driveway as far as the farmer's path.

IIRC, the roads were (more or less) drivable in about 3 days, but not at anything resembling normal speed. I live out in the county, and while the cities and larger towns (and highways) were plowed, nothing resembling a plow (other than that farmer!) came within 2 miles of my home.

It took 8 days to fully melt. I can't say I miss that!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Pulled up about 10 leeks from the garden and made potato leek soup. Fantastic.

 

[ibglowin]

Retired life DNS Chapter 12!

Flew out to Scottsdale for the weekend to play golf. Rented another amazing AirB&B. Hanging with our besties. Temp today is 80F!

 

[Jovimaple]

Yesterday FedEx delivered my FWK Ultima Cab Sav right before lunchtime, so I spent my lunch break putting it together! Followed all the instructions except I am using Renaissance Avante yeast instead of the included RC212. I pitched the yeast this morning.

The must is around 67 degrees F and the Avante temp range starts at 65 degrees, so I decided to bump it up just a tad with a heating pad set to 70 degrees. I don't mind if it ends up being a slow fermentation, so I may end up turning the heating pad off once the yeastie beasties get going.

I am using my Tilt hydrometer to measure progress and temp rather than the exact numbers, because the SG started at 1.110 before I added the skins and oak chips; those additions changed it to 1.102. I don't care about the exact numbers at this point as long as I can see the SG going down.

 

[winemaker81]

The must is around 67 degrees F and the Avante temp range starts at 65 degrees, so I decided to bump it up just a tad with a heating pad set to 70 degrees. I don't mind if it ends up being a slow fermentation, so I may end up turning the heating pad off once the yeastie beasties get going.

I have started Avante at 63 F and it took off fine.

 

[Bmd2k1]

Yesterday FedEx delivered my FWK Ultima Cab Sav right before lunchtime, so I spent my lunch break putting it together! Followed all the instructions except I am using Renaissance Avante yeast instead of the included RC212. I pitched the yeast this morning.

The must is around 67 degrees F and the Avante temp range starts at 65 degrees, so I decided to bump it up just a tad with a heating pad set to 70 degrees. I don't mind if it ends up being a slow fermentation, so I may end up turning the heating pad off once the yeastie beasties get going.

I am using my Tilt hydrometer to measure progress and temp rather than the exact numbers, because the SG started at 1.110 before I added the skins and oak chips; those additions changed it to 1.102. I don't care about the exact numbers at this point as long as I can see the SG going down.
View attachment 117778

how accurate is your tilt SG in a vino ferment like that? (Have pondered getting one...) Dig Avante -- my new fav yeast for most reds!

Cheers!

 

[Jovimaple]

how accurate is your tilt SG in a vino ferment like that? (Have pondered getting one...) Dig Avante -- my new fav yeast for most reds!

Cheers!

You can calibrate it (which I don't bother with).

I think when I tested it, it was fairly close to my regular hydrometer. However, I am not picky enough to worry about the differences a few degrees in temp make, etc. It's great for measuring progress, although as I noted, when you have skins and oak chips, it definitely changes the numbers. Also, if the fermentation gets really active and foamy, it's not going to be accurate all the time. It measures the SG by the position, aka, the tilt angle (took me a while to figure out that's where they got the name. Ha!) so foaminess affects the numbers.

I have mine set to report every 30 minutes. I think the default is every 15 minutes. Even at every 30 minutes, it will bounce around a point or two, especially when the yeastie beasties are really active. As I mentioned, the value to me is to see the overall progress.

I actually have 2 and I love using them!

 

[Jovimaple]

I have started Avante at 63 F and it took off fine.

Nice. That room varies between 65 and 68 this time of year. I have had some really slow starts before but I don't remember which kind of yeast. I'm hoping for a slow ferment but you know how the FWKs tend to go once they get started!

 

[ibglowin]

We have had some perfect weather for our (inaugural) Scottsdale golf weekend. 80F one day, 72F the next. The We-Ka-Po courses (Cholla & Saguaro) were over the top in desert beauty and challenge. Quite a bit of wildlife including Quail, and both Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote (Super Genius) We will definitely be back soon!

 

[tullamore]

beauty pics -soooo jealous
trade ya?
today pressed some must form Niagara on the Lake - from here in Ontario
Cab franc, Shiraz, and merlot

 

[BigDaveK]

Today I'll be adding more shelves to the cheese cave.

Another hobby getting out of control. Who could have seen that happening?

 

[winemaker81]

I stopped at Costco this morning, purchased a brisket and a pork shoulder. 12 lbs and 16 lbs, respectively.

This produced 4 pork roasts and 3 chunks of brisket. All but 1 brisket went in the freezer -- the last one goes in the crock pot tomorrow morning.

Although ... I'm thinking of firing up the smoker after Mrs. WM81 leaves for work, smoke it for 2 hours, then into the crock pot. Just an idea ...

I saved HUGE packages of pork and beef fat. The pork fat is for upcoming sausage ... and the beef because throwing out 4.75 lbs irritates me. I'm looking at beef sausage and or rendering for cooking fat. Ideas, ideas, ideas ....

 

[Boatboy24]

Went to Univ of Delaware with our good friends this weekend to catch a football game and visit their daughter. We had dinner at this really cool place last night and they put us in a little private 'wine room'. I saw something behind me that I thought @ibglowin might recognize.

 

[jswordy]

Still doing trim work on the kitchen today. I had been posting pix in Post a Photo, but this is what I am doing today, so here it is now! I am using 30-year-old Minwax wood prep before the staining and 30-year-old Minwax polyurethane atop it. Both still work fine, which shows how much brand can make a difference. Couple-three more working days and trim will be done. We finally had to turn on the furnace Friday night and last night, but it is still 65-73 days. I was so glad because it allowed me to open up the house and vent some of the mineral spirit fumes out! Even though I did all the finishing outside, it still outgases awhile. The baseboard is reused from the old kitchen. I just cleaned it and wiped it down with my go-to Olde English Furniture Polish. Looks great! So, closing on on the trim being done soon. Then the backsplash – if we ever can find a tile we both agree on!