What R you doing today?

[Rice_Guy]

The good part of this, the cheese curd trail;
https://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/things-to-do/an-epicurean-getaway-the-wisconsin-cheese-tour
or the GreenBay curd trail (restaurants) in town. Fresh curd squeaks when you chew it, has a lactic acid flavor, is still sweet, is soft.

I was lucky to grow up in cheese country. When I was a kid you could walk into the local cheese plant and they would scoop cheese curds out of the vat or cut a chunk of anything you wanted off a fresh wheel. Can’t do that anymore.

My neighbor’s dad was a cheese maker who had a very poor inventory control issue. When he retired they found cheddar up to 25 years old in the cooler. Most of it had turned but the wheels that didn’t sold at auction for a kings ransom! For our anniversary that year he gave me a 1/4 lb of 22 year old cheddar… that’s what heaven tastes like!!!

However I can vouch that being in one’s twenties and bending over, with hands or shovel into a twenty foot long stainless vat is back breaking. Many of the neighborhood farm corner producers are gone. But if your kids really really want to do cheese U of W (madison) and the master cheese maker program will let one learn everything.

Well almost everything, the FDA doesn’t let us make traditional, inoculated cheese any more.

Yes several aerobic species.

Traditional makes me appreciate how much overkill US wine makers have . . . . it is a preservative system . . . . the stuff growing on the wall and floor is part of the good flavor.

 

[jswordy]

The good part of this, the cheese curd trail;
https://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/things-to-do/an-epicurean-getaway-the-wisconsin-cheese-tour
or the GreenBay curd trail (restaurants) in town. Fresh curd squeaks when you chew it, has a lactic acid flavor, is still sweet, is soft.

However I can vouch that being in one’s twenties and bending over, with hands or shovel into a twenty foot long stainless vat is back breaking. Many of the neighborhood farm corner producers are gone. But if your kids really really want to do cheese U of W (madison) and the master cheese maker program will let one learn everything.

Well almost everything, the FDA doesn’t let us make traditional, inoculated cheese any more.

I love genuine Wisconsin cheese curd. Mmmm... That and processed Wisconsin meats... and Spotted Cow, of course.

 

[Christopher Anderson]

My family (missing two sons who live in Oregon) is in town for Christmas. Being "rich Grandad", I am taking everyone to Fredericksburg, TX for the day. We are taking a wine and food tour followed by hill country lights driving back. A fellow church member owns the tour company, so I get a $$ break, except his wife is also coming and I am treating them to supper.

 

[jswordy]

My family (missing two sons who live in Oregon) is in town for Christmas. Being "rich Grandad", I am taking everyone to Fredericksburg, TX for the day. We are taking a wine and food tour followed by hill country lights driving back. A fellow church member owns the tour company, so I get a $$ break, except his wife is also coming and I am treating them to supper.

Talk about your business with them at supper – and then WRITE THE WHOLE DAY ALL OFF!

 

[Christopher Anderson]

Talk about your business with them at supper – and then WRITE THE WHOLE DAY ALL OFF!

Actually, I do some partime work in Fredericksburg and we stopped by and did that. But... 8 guests? No, but there is a percentage I can take. And will.

 

[jswordy]

Actually, I do some partime work in Fredericksburg and we stopped by and did that. But... 8 guests? No, but there is a percentage I can take. And will.

Gotta THINK BIG, Chris!

 

[jswordy]

I think today is some kind of special day for a lot of people but for us, it was Grout Day! To the right is the new Cafe fridge (but still without the special order brushed brass handles, on their way). The Cafe dishwasher and range come Friday. The window trim is cut and stained, ready to go on. Then the only major thing left to do is put in the counter outlets and switches (which I forgot to buy yesterday when at the end of a five-store returns and materials run). Then it's a bunch of tiny stuff.



After this, I get to move into the adjacent sunroom, do some drywall compound work, caulk it and paint it, and then install the same flooring to match the kitchen. A piece of cake compared to this!

UNDER EDIT: Oh, here's a before pic. I think the light almond grout really made it look so much better!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Merry Grout-mas!

 

[jswordy]

Merry Grout-mas!

And Tilings of Joy to you, Bob!

 

[Obbnw]

I've been cleaning up my vines the last few days. This year the leaves never fell off so it looked quite messy with the shriveled brown leaves.

Today I removed a vine. It had a trunk disease at the base that had spread up to a higher branch. probably should have removed it earlier.

 

[jswordy]

I've been cleaning up my vines the last few days. This year the leaves never fell off so it looked quite messy with the shriveled brown leaves.

Today I removed a vine. It had a trunk disease at the base that had spread up to a higher branch. probably should have removed it earlier.

It is a super odd year weather-wise. My blueberry bushes still have red leaves on them! Do you know the disease?

 

[Christopher Anderson]

What am I doing? Wife and I are watching a Christmas movie: Die Hard. actually, a marathon.

 

[Obbnw]

I'm not sure which one. My guess is eutypa lata. The photo shows the second spot I found. The original infection was just above the graft. The vine was still producing ok and I never noticed leaf symptoms but that vine was a little slower and not as productive as the others. I should have removed it when I saw the first damage a few years back.

 

[jswordy]

I'm not sure which one. My guess is eutypa lata. The photo shows the second spot I found. The original infection was just above the graft. The vine was still producing ok and I never noticed leaf symptoms but that vine was a little slower and not as productive as the others. I should have removed it when I saw the first damage a few years back.
View attachment 118934View attachment 118933

Oh man, that's a super-easy one to catch, too.... But that's better than what I was wondering. Verticillium wilt came to mind. BIG problem in all susceptible plants where I live, but mainly soil-based. That one would require no grapes be grown on that soil, so it would be more severe. Mine came in on trenching equipment, so I have areas of my place where young maple trees, for example, will not live due to wilt.

https://lodigrowers.com/verticilium-wilt-excerpt-from-grape-pest-management-2/#:~:text=Verticillium wilt causes significant losses,detected in grapes in 1973.

 

[jswordy]

I was sitting at the Christmas table watching all these young adults going by, with a friend nearby.

"I used to toss that one up in the air and catch 'em," I said. "Then, I'd put 'em down and they'd raise up their hands and say, 'Do it again! Do it again!!!"

"That one, too."

"And that one. And that one, and..."

My friend was smiling. One of my nieces happened to be passing by.

"Didn't I used to toss you up in the air and catch you?"

She smiled warmly and nodded as she passed.

'"Yep."