I like this time at night on HBT

[CGVT]

Hey Late Nighters! Doing a little evening brewing in Lower Alabama tonight. Slathered up with bug spray and enjoying a beautiful evening...

 

[bigken462]

Good for you buddy. I'm at work with a bunch of folks whining about having to work. Sure wished I was off myself. lol

Happy brewing!

 

[passedpawn]

Passedpawn, do you think it would be to late in the season for me to plant some peppers? I have a bunch of half barrels filled with top soil which was left here from the previous owners. Not sure what they had in them, but the soil is rich and dark. I've been so covered up with other chores, I've not made much effort for a garden this year, but thought about planting a few maters and peppers in some of those barrels.

Nope, go for it. When hesitation grabs you, kick it aside and rush forward! Quick like. I don't want to be somber, but do you know how many generations of bigkens preceded you? All of them, to the first amoeba that wallowed out of the sea. We are NOT DESCENDED FROM FEARFUL MEN!

 

[passedpawn]

Late nite members, wherever you are, here's a ditty that I love. Lyrics included. For your late nite soundtrack the awesome Jeff Buckley. Ever wonder why songs like these aren't more popular?

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNTRecJPukk[/ame]

 

[bigken462]

Good evening night peeps. All is quite here at work. Well for me anyhow. The crews have been kinda busy. Some grumpy, some happy, some just transfixed on the time clock. I will be that way in a few.

It's been a good weekend weather-wise here. Sunny, breezy. great temps. While I hate working out in the nasty weather, it sure sucks to have to work when it's pretty too. lol

I hope to have enough energy in the morning to attend church service. I'm usually dragging on the last layer of skin on my keester by 0700. Monday morning I have surgery rotation at the hospital for some advanced training and a staff meeting that night back here at work, so sadly, my first off day is going to be messed up with work stuff. Happy to have a job to support myself, but it never fun giving up off days to support the job. lol

Tuesday I'll be cranking the mower and finish mowing. Was able to do about 3 acres the other day before it started raining on me. I could have continued on later, but I didn't want to rut the yard up. Maybe it will be this nice next week when I'm off. I was able to upgrade recently to a 60" zeroturn mower. Sure beat the 42" small lawn tractor I was trying to use.

Anyhow, snapped a quick picture to send to a Facebook friend before I left. The pasture behind the house is covered with yellow flowers. Looks nice, but its not good for the cattle. Won't be long before they are mowed down.

Ya'll have a great weekend.

Ken

 

[passedpawn]

man, I'd love to have a spread like that.

 

[bigken462]

Passedpawn, do you recall the name of those peppers? Im thinking about going to Lowe's tomorrow and getting a few if they have any.

As for the new place, God has blessed me immensely. I still miss my other place tho, but it great having a place to stretch the feet out.

 

[passedpawn]

Passedpawn, do you recall the name of those peppers?

The peppers I'm growing? I've got cayennes and habaneros in pots now. Habs are huge! I grew them from seed. You might be better off looking for pint/quart plants at the stores. Seeds can take a while to germinate.

 

[bigken462]

Thank you sir, have you made any jelly yet?

 

[passedpawn]

Thank you sir, have you made any jelly yet?

No. Please elaborate!

 

[bigken462]

Oh man, you've not had a good biscuit till you spoon on some spiced jelly. I've had both habinaro and jalapeño jelly. Check out youtube for recipes.

 

[bigken462]

Check out some of these pictures I found.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pep...=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=k-nA0FqPKEog_M:

 

[passedpawn]

Check out some of these pictures I found.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pep...=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=k-nA0FqPKEog_M:

Thanks. I will probably try that. I've got more hot sauce than I can safely eat in the foreseeable future. Will bottle some for gifts, then begin making stuff like jelly and dried pepper flakes for pizza and stuff.

 

[CGVT]

Thanks. I will probably try that. I've got more hot sauce than I can safely eat in the foreseeable future. Will bottle some for gifts, then begin making stuff like jelly and dried pepper flakes for pizza and stuff.

Pepper jelly over cream cheese and then eaten on crackers is great.

The habaneros may be a bit too spicy, though.

 

[bigken462]

Today and yesterday was spent on the mowing deck and running the trimmer. All the chores are caught up so this weekend there should not be anything left to do but enjoy the shade trees. I would like to brew, but there is a few big bills coming out of this check, so I guess I'll keep things quite this weekend.

I planted 32 pepper plants today. Red and yellow bell peppers, chilli's, jalapeno, Habanero, Serrano and cyans. I probably overcrowded them and may transplant them into a nearby flowerbed if they start to fill out the pots. I had about 8 of those huge plastic containers used for new trees when they are shipped. Top soil was already in them and looked good, but I added some 8-8-8 and some composted spent grains I had piled up out there from the winter.

It's been a good two days off. Almost all of both days spent outside on the tractor knockin out the chores. All in all I'm falling in love with the new place more and more each day. I really gotta save me some money up and buy me a tiller. My dad had offered me to let me use his, but I can't stand borrowing tools as it never fails that something always gets broke.

This evening my lil nephew helped me set the plants out. He'll be 7 next month and was asking if he could have his own garden too. So, I guess it's back to the store this weekend to let him pick out some of his favorite veggies.

Hump day is a few hours away. Hoping ya'lls week is going good.

Here's a shot of the upper yard on the west side. The pasture will soon be mowed, but for now it makes a good backdrop. I had just spent the better part of the last hour using the trimmer under the fence. Kicked my tail, but I got everything trimmed that was joining the yard. VERY soon, I'll be getting me a 55 gallon drum and a sprayer to remedy that problem. lol

Have a good night peeps.

 

[passedpawn]

Today and yesterday was spent on the mowing deck and running the trimmer. All the chores are caught up so this weekend there should not be anything left to do but enjoy the shade trees. I would like to brew, but there is a few big bills coming out of this check, so I guess I'll keep things quite this weekend.

I planted 32 pepper plants today. Red and yellow bell peppers, chilli's, jalapeno, Habanero, Serrano and cyans. I probably overcrowded them and may transplant them into a nearby flowerbed if they start to fill out the pots. I had about 8 of those huge plastic containers used for new trees when they are shipped. Top soil was already in them and looked good, but I added some 8-8-8 and some composted spent grains I had piled up out there from the winter.

It's been a good two days off. Almost all of both days spent outside on the tractor knockin out the chores. All in all I'm falling in love with the new place more and more each day. I really gotta save me some money up and buy me a tiller. My dad had offered me to let me use his, but I can't stand borrowing tools as it never fails that something always gets broke.

This evening my lil nephew helped me set the plants out. He'll be 7 next month and was asking if he could have his own garden too. So, I guess it's back to the store this weekend to let him pick out some of his favorite veggies.

Hump day is a few hours away. Hoping ya'lls week is going good.

Here's a shot of the upper yard on the west side. The pasture will soon be mowed, but for now it makes a good backdrop. I had just spent the better part of the last hour using the trimmer under the fence. Kicked my tail, but I got everything trimmed that was joining the yard. VERY soon, I'll be getting me a 55 gallon drum and a sprayer to remedy that problem. lol

Have a good night peeps.

I love those pics of your property.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I too am jealous. All I have is my house on 1/4 acre lot. You have room for a good sized family BBQ with a touch football field and more

 

[bigken462]

Thanks guys. Growing up on a farm, then having moved away I had always found myself dreaming about having something big enough to garden on someday. I can't call this mine as it's only a rental, but at least I have something to call home.

The last house I was living at, I knew from day one it was only going to be a temp till the housing market picked up. The short two year lease turned into almost 5 years. I did fall in love with the lil place, but I always had to keep in mind that it would someday sell. For the first time in 5 years (Today actually) I am able to look at something and not worry about where I will be at tomorrow.

Today, 5 years ago we had a catastrophic day of super cell tornadoes come through our state. Several hundred people lost their lives sadly. My house was deemed uninhabitable and was forced to move. Thankfully a deal opened up with someone who had just gotten married and moved out of state and they was needing someone to occupy their house till they could get it sold. So in the end, it all worked out.

Time to get my lil buddy off to school. Ya'll have a great day.

Ken

 

[Dan]

Cheers! Live the good life BigKen. Sounds like you're doing it super well!!

 

[bigken462]

Cheers! Live the good life BigKen. Sounds like you're doing it super well!!

Till the bill comes in. lol

 

[lschiavo]

Till the bill comes in. lol

"You can't take it with you". That applies to debt also

 

[lschiavo]

We have a crazy summer coming up in the gas station electrical business. I am feeling very happy and blessed to have such prospects. It will mean many early mornings and long days but the work is satisfying and we (my brother and I) feel very appreciated. I like where I'm at career wise right now. I've been much worse off in the past. I even have a bit of a tan already from being outdoors (it's probably windburn or frostbite)

 

[passedpawn]

We have a crazy summer coming up in the gas station electrical business. I am feeling very happy and blessed to have such prospects. It will mean many early mornings and long days but the work is satisfying and we (my brother and I) feel very appreciated. I like where I'm at career wise right now. I've been much worse off in the past. I even have a bit of a tan already from being outdoors (it's probably windburn or frostbite)

I worked in a gas station (many, actually) installing some stuff many years back. Lots of electrical work, cutting concrete, etc. It was in france. Lasted about a year.

Those were great days. I can remember the owner of the station I worked at. Very nice guy. When it got dark and we were done the owner would break out cans Kronenburg 1664 and we'd finish the day with camaraderie and drinks. The best restaurant in the world was across the street. I sure miss that place. It was in Saint-Cloud, outside Paris.

I watched a french dude that I was working with, Franc Lucas, eat an entire cheeseburger with a fork and knife. Funny them french.

I got lost in a sunflower field there once while working. We were testing something in a car and driving around with an oscilloscope tied to the vehicles tach, and got lost. We had to climb on top of the car to look for telephone poles to get us the hell out of that field. True story. Somewhere near Bordeaux I think.

 

[bigken462]

we'd finish the day with camaraderie and drinks.

Man, when I read that, had a sudden flashback to my time in Iraq working as a medic 05-07. Every day when the clinic would close, my co-worker and I would pull up a chair and talk about home. We both was homesick and missed our family and peeps dearly. Seems like this was the only time of the day that we could forget about the ****box that we were working in and escape back to the green grass of our lawns back home. This picture was the last shift I pulled on my base at Camp Speicher in Tekrit Iraq. I made some good friends, some sadly that would never come home. At the time, I considered it to be one of the lowest pivotal times of my life. Looking back, I can't help by miss the camaraderie you spoke about. We were Brothers whom time and distance could never separate.

Most of us still communicate today through Facebook. Funny that all the years later, we now find ourselves talking about our times in the sandbox instead of talking about our home. I'll never forget the friends I made there, or the ones that never came home. COB C1 Camp Speicher RDM Medic OIF II

 

[Dan]

Hi to all the great folks here[emoji3]

Ive read the posts since I last logged in and only can say wonderful, truly!

Just got off the phone with my son, he'll be 28 in June. Good son. I suppose I've done things wrongly along the way but man, somehow I raised a great son. It wasn't all me doing this but a "village". He is a very good man. [emoji108]

 

[bigken462]

G'morning Sir. How's things over on the Pacific side of the pond? Nice & sunny here yesterday, but I fear it's going to rain today. I work off this morning then gotta get up later and go shovel some horse manure for the garden. It's free and it gives me a chance to help a neighbor clean his barn who has taken the time himself to turn, disk and cultivate my garden for me. Surprisingly I woke up to a freshly tilled garden spot. All I need to do is get a small tiller running to make some furrows and plant the seed so I'm happy to return the favor by cleaning out his horse stalls.

The man who helped me get started with this garden has helped me immensely. Truly blessed beyond words. He's the father of my landlord and prefers to be called "pops". An older, retired person in his late 60's who would give you every stitch of clothing off his back to help someone. I find it enjoyable to speak to him about growing up on the farm when I was a kid. My grandparents have long passed, but I can't help but feel blessed to have a old mentor to get advice from.

Here is a pic of the garden spot I took last evening before heading to work. I'm not sure what to plant yet. Sadly I'm broke this payperiod, but I'll think of something.

 

[CGVT]

You all are making me use up I lot of "likes" in this thread.

 

[bigken462]

Evening guys, by now ya'll know I'm a picture addict. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and well since I'm poor at typing it works. lol

Today I cleaned out several horse stalls and brought over several big loads of manure to the garden spot. My body is feeling it now. Hard to believe that when I was 15 years old I would clean out our 300' chicken houses with a seed fork and pure grit. Today, a 30X40 foot horse barn kicked my tail. This is what working in Health Care does to ya. But in the end, the barn was nice and clean and I gained several loads of good free fertilizer.

I had to hustle it up to get done before some severe storms rolled in. Kinda messed my plans up to get everything planted tomorrow, but at least the fresh manure is getting washed into the soil a bit tonight.

The pepper plants I set out the other day are shooting up like mad. Hard to believe what a lil sun and water does to those things. It's almost like they were on steroids. Soon as the weather clears, I may dig a few of them up and put them in the garden spot since I've got 6 plants to one bucket. I'm sure they may be over crowded a bit later down the road.

So anyway, I leave you guys with a few more pictures before I go to bed. And for kicks, I'll toss one in from some fresh milk taken from the cow just this morning. You can see the cream floating to the top. Does that not bring back some memories to some of you guys?

Hope you guys have a good weekend.

KT

 

[Dan]

Cheers to you KT and for living the great life!

Can I pitch a tent on your property? [emoji1]

 

[passedpawn]

Ken needs farmhands. It's a dude ranch. Who's in!

 

[Dan]

Me!

 

[Dan]

Well at least for a week of vacation. I'll bring a sleeping bag and tent. Ken you gotta provide chow [emoji3]

 

[passedpawn]

Well at least for a week of vacation. I'll bring a sleeping bag and tent. Ken you gotta provide chow [emoji3]

Vacation? Pfft. You'll be tilling and herding kens kids and mending fences and cuttin furrows for some plantings. That's no vacation. Unless your idea of fun is working sunrise to sunset, getting dirty, tired, beat down, thirsty,

I'm in too!

 

[passedpawn]

OK, I can play harmonica. Who's got guitar? We need to have quality time at Ken's firepit during our dude vacation.

 

[Dan]

I'll bring my son. He's young, a youngish MARINE....and he plays a guitar well. Oops. The kid is a lot like me but better. We'll hook him up to a plow and just say get ER done Danny[emoji3]

 

[Dan]

But cigars and beer must be included. I got the smokes, Pappy can cover the beer, I'm sure. BigKen just give us a place to sleep and poop....and wash up. [emoji3]

 

[bigken462]

It's 117am. Im chilling outside by the fire alone. Everyone has left. 7 girls and my nephew. He was in heaven. I'll follow up with pictures tomorrow. But here is one just as it is. I'll be sleeping out here till it starts raining.

Gnite peeps.

View attachment 1462083687225.jpg

 

[bigken462]

Vacation? Pfft. You'll be tilling and herding kens kids and mending fences and cuttin furrows for some plantings. That's no vacation. Unless your idea of fun is working sunrise to sunset, getting dirty, tired, beat down, thirsty,

I'm in too!

You may leave tired, beat down and dirty. But you will not leave town thirsty! lol

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Morning Gents



Can't seem to get the video to come up...just the link.

 

[Dan]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462130808.191730.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462130840.962974.jpg

About to mill 12lbs of grain. Some pale malt, Munich and Pilsner plus a few ounces of carapils and c15.
My hopper holds ten pounds I'm told. The pic is the first load. I love this part of the brewing process. Cranking the mill by hand. No drills for me!! Ever. [emoji3]