I like this time at night on HBT

[Dan]

PS., Snaps. Follow your dream. Pretty sure I've lost sight of mine. But not about me, about you! If there is something you love to do, maybe even have to get a bit more schooling to do it. Then my friend, I'd say I'm a bit jealous. There is nothing that will stop a person who has a dream and goal. Those people will and do achieve what they so want.

Paraphrasing, Stauffbier's words I do, indeed, truly believe in your heart and conviction. Go make it happen my friend. Dan's philosophy and idealistic thought for the night.

Sounds like you are indeed set on a noble goal based on your heart desire. Please do that Snaps, Daniel!

 

[TNGabe]

HBT has been calling out to me, but I lack the time to answer lately. I'm having a reoccurring dream that involves wild blackberries and EC-1118. Even wondered, if I went out to a field of blackberries, sprinkled a little yeast on the ones starting to over-ripen, then go back in a few weeks and eat them. Probably wouldn't work, just a dream I had.

Looks like the week after I get back from Pennsylvania, I'm taking hubby to a tractor fest in Tennessee. 4 days. So that will be 12 days of vacation this summer. At these tractor fests, there are always a few guys out in the parking area, drinking beer. I just go introduce myself. They all know hubby so I'm almost famous there. And of course, within a few minutes, they offer me a beer which I gladly except. And that's the rest of the day. "Oh sure, I'll take one more."

Are you gonna be in the nice part of TN? By which I mean the east TN. We don't even like to claim Knoxville as east TN and most everything west of there might as well be a different state.

Getting ready to go for a run when my wife wakes up. At my sister's now in DC. We're country people so the idea of owning an apartment is pretty strange and I'm 99% sure I've never been in a building with a doorman that wasn't a hotel before. Went to the zoo yesterday. We wanted to go to the botanical gardens, but they've been sequestrated and aren't open tues-thurs anymore. I bet if Haliburton had a contract to run the national bonzai museum it would be open....

Politics aside, making the rest of the drive to Philly later today and then our much awaited trip to Tired Hands to kick off our first NHC! I'm gonna be one hung over worn out hillbilly by Sunday.

 

[TNGabe]

Brother Dan. It has indeed been the calm before the storm. Check the forecast for this weekend. Blah. 112, no biggie.

Let me check with my little brother. He's a CHP in Monterey and they tend to be savvy on rental situations as most of them live elsewhere and have crash pads up there that they share. Ill see if he knows of anything offhand.

Working another shift alone tonight. Even though we're not supposed to anymore, for obvious reasons. This is my 6th straight day, then two off, then back on for 7. Man I am ready to move on from here. I start didactic portions of the fire academy for my fire science AS degree in August, then the Academy itself in January. I really can't wait. It's the culmination of a few years of working toward what I wanted to do instead of what made the money. 2.5 years ago my wife looked across the table at me, and asked me, "If you hate the insurance business who much, sell it! What would you so if you could do anything?" I didn't hesitate to say I would fight fire. Two months later the business was sold, most of the business (and divorce) debt was paid off, and it was a huge weight off my shoulders. I didn't realize how heavy that monkey had grown over the 8 years I owned it. I am now a firm believer in doing what it was you wanted to when you were a kid. Work toward it and do it. Chase that dream job. My son has bounced between being a cop and in the military. I will support either of those and will encourage him to pursue what he really wants to do, not that almighty dollar. I literally make 1/6 of what I used to before and I wouldn't think of going back for the money.

I hear ya snaps! I was working myself (probably literally) to death for a few years. Taking it easy this year and I won't say I don't miss the money, but the you can't buy sanity or well being.

 

[Varmintman]

Man it sounds like everyone has been bitten by the busy bug and I have as well. It just seems harder and harder to find time to spend on the puter any more. But I am thinking I will take off and go camping next week. Go find a place in the pine trees and just chill out

 

[mcbaumannerb]

I've been getting beat down by the sun lately. I'm doing exterior painting on a house, and it's been 101-105F the last week or so. I haven't kept up with the thread. I get home feeling like I got beat up, and I don't have it in me to type or talk. I just aint what I used to be.

I just finished up the day relaxing in my backyard after it finally cooled off.

Awesome yard Mike. I whine about doing yard work up here and we rarely get that hot! That's dedication.

Brother Dan. It has indeed been the calm before the storm. Check the forecast for this weekend. Blah. 112, no biggie.

Let me check with my little brother. He's a CHP in Monterey and they tend to be savvy on rental situations as most of them live elsewhere and have crash pads up there that they share. Ill see if he knows of anything offhand.




Working another shift alone tonight. Even though we're not supposed to anymore, for obvious reasons. This is my 6th straight day, then two off, then back on for 7. Man I am ready to move on from here. I start didactic portions of the fire academy for my fire science AS degree in August, then the Academy itself in January. I really can't wait. It's the culmination of a few years of working toward what I wanted to do instead of what made the money. 2.5 years ago my wife looked across the table at me, and asked me, "If you hate the insurance business who much, sell it! What would you so if you could do anything?" I didn't hesitate to say I would fight fire. Two months later the business was sold, most of the business (and divorce) debt was paid off, and it was a huge weight off my shoulders. I didn't realize how heavy that monkey had grown over the 8 years I owned it. I am now a firm believer in doing what it was you wanted to when you were a kid. Work toward it and do it. Chase that dream job. My son has bounced between being a cop and in the military. I will support either of those and will encourage him to pursue what he really wants to do, not that almighty dollar. I literally make 1/6 of what I used to before and I wouldn't think of going back for the money.

Dan - good for you on following your dream, and best of luck with the academy!

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Right on! I took a job teaching 4 years ago, taking a massive 50% pay cut, but I love getting into that classroom and I have time and freedom in my life. Won't ever own a yacht, but I really don't care. I live pretty simply with my wife, and things are good.

I believe it was Lily Tomlin that said that the winner of the rat race was still a rat. The rats can have their race, I'd rather be happy.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

MMMM...flat beer......yum

 

[snaps10]

I've been working my butt off trying to lose my Homebrew belly and build some muscle before entering the hell hole. I've been racing bicycles since I was 12 and my mentality and training has always been strong legs, light upper body. Suddenly I'm facing the realization that I have to throw a long ladder, drag heavy hose, etc...alone in the academy. P90X is kicking my butt.

 

[bottlebomber]

Making the move to kegging, just picked up my first two ball locks $35 for 2. I put an ad out on our local FB classifieds and got a Mexican dude who has several. He brought me these two but says he has 5 more that he will sell me for $100. Score.

 

[passedpawn]

Making the move to kegging, just picked up my first two ball locks $35 for 2. I put an ad out on our local FB classifieds and got a Mexican dude who has several. He brought me these two but says he has 5 more that he will sell me for $100. Score.

Buy them all or be sorry later. I like the ball locks. They are harder to find here.

What's with the stem in middle the left keg? Looks like a Schrader valve.

 

[bottlebomber]

Buy them all or be sorry later. I like the ball locks. They are harder to find here.

What's with the stem in middle the left keg? Looks like a Schrader valve.

That's what I was looking at too. I guess it's so you can serve once it's carbonated without lugging your tank around.

 

[BobbiLynn]

Are you gonna be in the nice part of TN? By which I mean the east TN. We don't even like to claim Knoxville as east TN and most everything west of there might as well be a different state.

Oh, I don't know, Crossville. It's west of Knoxville! Can't possibly be as bad as the time I went to Alabama. There were 3 women trying to kill me one night because they claimed I was flirting with their men. I was just having a beer and talking to them. Trust me, I was not flirting with them. "Not my type", to put it mildly. But with any state in the US, even Florida, there are very good areas and very bad areas. A tractor fest so will be a bunch of rednecks, I fit right in with rednecks, so should be good.

Great hearing from all the busy people. Nice of you to at least check in and tell us what's going on with you. Sorry to not address each person who provided updates individually, I've been busy too.

I decided today that my berry picking partner is awesome. She's just afraid of snakes, bears and lightning. I started packing the machete on our trips to the woods. Told her it was just to cut down paths but she knows I'll also use it to protect her from snakes and bears. And I used to be afraid of lightning myself, so I won't hold that against her. She thinks she's a country girl, but I think she's sort of a princess. A princess country girl. When I pick her up on the little Gator lawn tractor thing, I have to switch our seat cover things, give her the dry one. Dried it off with my butt for her. And she won't sit on the ground to have a picnic unless I provide a nice dry, clean blanket to sit on. And poor thing is all cut up on her arms. When the brambles stick you, you can't pull your arm away, keep telling her that. As soon as it sticks you, be still and pull it straight out. Yanking your arm away will tear your skin. I just have poke marks, hardly any scratches.

 

[BobbiLynn]

Here's our sign. I wanted to keep it simple. I'll try to get pics of the blackberry fields soon. Someone had asked about pics.

 

[TNGabe]

Here's our sign. I wanted to keep it simple. I'll try to get pics of the blackberry fields soon. Someone had asked about pics.

Dang, you're getting $25 a gallon? Way to go. I was buying gallons for $10 last year.

 

[BobbiLynn]

Dang, you're getting $25 a gallon? Way to go. I was buying gallons for $10 last year.

Wild berries or domesticated? Grown in rows, on thornless bushes, yeah they go for cheap prices. Ours are local wild berries. The flavor is so different, and they remind the locals of their childhood, memories of picking wild berries on the side of the road. We've been selling as many as we can pick.

 

[bottlebomber]

Even the trained farm raised berries down the road go for easily those prices Bobbi.. I don't think you're out of line with those. I know I sure as hell would want at LEAST $25 a gallon if I picked em.

 

[Leadgolem]

Dan, when you come up against a road block it's good to look at things in another way. Relax, look at things from every perspective you can. Sometimes these things are like puzzles. Focus to much on one part of your goal, and you blind yourself to all of your options.

Snaps, happiness is so much more important then money. Many of us can live with much less then we think we can.

BL, that's definitely a local sign. No area code on the phone number. Here in Denver there is one that is pretty much for land lines, and a completely different one that's almost exclusively cell phones. I haven't seen a sign without one for a long time. I'm glad you are getting good prices for the berries, I know money has been tight for you.

 

[TNGabe]

Wild berries or domesticated? Grown in rows, on thornless bushes, yeah they go for cheap prices. Ours are local wild berries. The flavor is so different, and they remind the locals of their childhood, memories of picking wild berries on the side of the road. We've been selling as many as we can pick.

Ewww, thornless blackberries! No, I found wild for that price. I wasn't suggesting that 25$ is unreasonable, I know how much work picking is. I'll be doing a good bit of it myself next month. We're about a month behind you. Blueberries are coming in, too.

I'm planting raspberries in the spring, but I can't understand planting blakcberries. Sweet blackberries the size of your thumb? No thanks. Maybe the berries down there are different, but wild blackberries where we live make your face pucker up a little and most folks don't eat them plain. Makes some good jam and they are even better for sour beers. I've got five gallons of Berliner Weisse with 10lbs of berries from the freezer going now.

 

[Varmintman]

Dan, when you come up against a road block it's good to look at things in another way. Relax, look at things from every perspective you can. Sometimes these things are like puzzles. Focus to much on one part of your goal, and you blind yourself to all of your options.

Snaps, happiness is so much more important then money. Many of us can live with much less then we think we can.

BL, that's definitely a local sign. No area code on the phone number. Here in Denver there is one that is pretty much for land lines, and a completely different one that's almost exclusively cell phones. I haven't seen a sign without one for a long time. I'm glad you are getting good prices for the berries, I know money has been tight for you.

Hollywood Undead - Young - with lyrics

Truer words have not been spoke. I lived making tons of money but had no life. I was miserable. Now I live modestly and have never been happier

 

[Varmintman]

Well as if I needed more things in my life to work on I got a jeep yesterday. 1988 with a straight 6 and a hard top. Thinking I am going to park it in the shop and strip it down to the frame and rebuild it over the next few years:rockin:

 

[BobbiLynn]

Maybe the berries down there are different, but wild blackberries where we live make your face pucker up a little and most folks don't eat them plain.

Yeah, our berries are sweet but not overly sweet. A little tartness to them but not enough to make your face pucker, unless you get one that's not quite ripe. People here do eat them plain, really good straight-up. One lady who bought a pint said her kids had them all eaten by the time they got home. So this week she ordered a quart so she could try them. Hard to tell scale in this close-up pic, but we pick the ones that are the size of a thumbnail or larger. Just measured one of the bigger ones, a little over an inch long.

BL, that's definitely a local sign. No area code on the phone number.

Everyone here has the same area code, cell phone or landline!

 

[lschiavo]

Backyards are awesome. This is a not so good photo of mine. There is a row of spruce so I don't have to look at the as$hole neighbors. I have a small garden, sandbox, trampoline (ever get some on a trampoline? Try it! Just a tip from uncle lschiavo), three apple trees, two maples I planted that are giving some nice shade finally. There are woods behind our lot so I have a nice walking trail cut with the permission of the property owner...Thats where my hops grow. We are moving this fall to my grandmothers house...I will miss this backyard...It is my baby.

Here is my fathers day gift from my daughter. It's a crystal skull 16oz beer mug. This thing is heavy. I'm drinking a few out of it tonight

Dan, I am happy and jealous that you are finding your way to Hawaii. Best of luck my friend

 

[Leadgolem]

...Maybe the berries down there are different, but wild blackberries where we live make your face pucker up a little and most folks don't eat them plain...

Are you sure you haven't been picking wild black raspberries? They look very similar, but are much more tart.

Well as if I needed more things in my life to work on I got a jeep yesterday. 1988 with a straight 6 and a hard top. Thinking I am going to park it in the shop and strip it down to the frame and rebuild it over the next few years:rockin:

Haha, sounds like me. I'm not happy unless I've got 10 projects I could work on. I've been thinking of getting an older defunct mustang and restoring it when my home improvement projects are just about wrapped up.... In 10 or 15 years...

Yeah, our berries are sweet but not overly sweet. A little tartness to them but not enough to make your face pucker, unless you get one that's not quite ripe. People here do eat them plain, really good straight-up. One lady who bought a pint said her kids had them all eaten by the time they got home. So this week she ordered a quart so she could try them. Hard to tell scale in this close-up pic, but we pick the ones that are the size of a thumbnail or larger. Just measured one of the bigger ones, a little over an inch long...

That sounds like what I picked as a kid in Washington state. We got to know a couple choice spots. Like just off of a golf course. All the water and fertilizer they used would run down from the course and make the blackberries that grew just off there property under the trees go nuts.

 

[lschiavo]

I have a nice wild blackberry patch on our river property. It has been so dry the last few years that they have not produced. We are getting more rain this year than I can remember. I will have to check on them and hopefully get enough for some wine...

I will have plenty of apples and rhubarb. Blackberry rhubarb sounds good...

 

[Leadgolem]

I planted thornless blackberries from a catalog. They died. So I bought a couple locally. It's going to be a few years before they produce much though.

I have to say, I intensely dislike rhubarb. To me, it's right up there with okra. Though not for the same reason.

Something new from my favorite modern classical artist.

 

[Stauffbier]

Hi friends! I hope you are all doing well this Friday.

I was lucky enough to have the day off so I prepped for tomorrow's brew day. I'm making 9 gallons of my APA that I'm only using a 60 min bittering addition in the kettle. I'll be splitting it in to two batches and dry hopping each one with a different hop. One is getting dry hopped with Falconers Flight, and I have yet to determine what I will use on the second.
I also kegged and bottled my latest batch called Monkey Face IPA. It was a kitchen sink IPA. It has 8 different varieties of hops in it, as I was using up partial packs I had in the freezer. It ended up with a very "West Coast" kind of flavor. I'm looking forward to when it's carbed up.

Happy Friday friends!

 

[mcbaumannerb]

That's a day off put to good use! Good luck with the brew day tomorrow. Someday I'll find time to brew again...

 

[Stauffbier]

That's a day off putto good use! Good luck with the brew day tomorrow. Someday I'll find time to brew again...

Thanks! I hope you find time again soon!

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

My cellar was getting warmish for making beers so over the last week I bottled the last of my brews and cleaned and dried my fermenters and put them into storage. I have plenty of beer and apfelwein (I could probably get the German army tanked right now), but it is kinda sad to not have anything in the works right now.

I have a Merlot wine kit that I am going to do later in the summer. Thinking about some off-the-wall one gallon batches of something truly weird. A recent thread got me thinking of kvass, a sour fermented rye bread beverage popular in Russia and Eastern Europe. I am also considering doing a plain-jane lambic. My patience is good, but a lambic takes a year. I think I'll pick up ales in the fall with a nice British PA/IPA/ESB.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Hi friends! I hope you are all doing well this Friday.

I was lucky enough to have the day off so I prepped for tomorrow's brew day. I'm making 9 gallons of my APA that I'm only using a 60 min bittering addition in the kettle. I'll be splitting it in to two batches and dry hopping each one with a different hop. One is getting dry hopped with Falconers Flight, and I have yet to determine what I will use on the second.
I also kegged and bottled my latest batch called Monkey Face IPA. It was a kitchen sink IPA. It has 8 different varieties of hops in it, as I was using up partial packs I had in the freezer. It ended up with a very "West Coast" kind of flavor. I'm looking forward to when it's carbed up.

Happy Friday friends!

I got one gallon crash cooling, 2 1/2 gallons clearing (gelatin), Cold Coffee steeping for a 1 gallon Stout, and I have everything set to brew 6 gallons of a
Yooper's House Ale variation. Going to have to use my small keezer to ferment instead of serve since it is so hot. I hope to set the burner about 5 a.m.