The Coffee House

[snowbear120 51]

Maine has, in no paricular order: winter, mud, visitor, black fly, winter

 

[SquarePeg41 2]

Both @SquarePeg and I have Major Wheeler honeysuckle. Mine has only been in the ground for a year, and we were inundated with rain over the summer and it never looked great. I'm hoping for better next year.

OTOH, Sharon's looked phenomenal. It was still blooming in October, I think.

Will be fun to see how yours behaves down there!

@jeffashman the hummingbirds and small bees love Major Wheeler! The birds tend to ignore it, so I’m not sure if the berries are toxic? I planted 2 small ones in fall of 2022 and then added another medium sized in fall of 2023 on the other half of the trellis. Between the 3 plants they’ve completely covered it already and I’ve started also training it along the fence. My only “complaint” about the major wheeler is that the hummingbirds will go under the trellis to feed so it’s not the best for getting good photos. Not sure if it’s native and will grow in your area but the Jacob Cline red bee balm is also a hummingbird magnet.

Major W

Jacob Cline

 

[SquarePeg41 2]

Hi Hosers! I’ve been quiet photography wise for a while, but I did finally get out there with my camera last week. Went with a friend down to the Newport mansions to take photos of the holiday decorations and also managed to capture a Christmas tree on the beach and a decorated lighthouse. Hopefully I’ll be able to edit these and post them to share before the holidays are done. Retirement is very time-consuming!

 

[terri39 10]

Retirement is very time-consuming!

I'll remind you again, because it's fun for me, that you had concerns about being bored in retirement. Heh.

 

[smoke665]

Wow. Temptation got the best of me tonight. Opened a bottle of the latest creation, fig wine bottled in November. Fermentation started in early July, just over 3 months in secondary Fermentation and clearing, followed by a month of rapid aging with charred oak, before racking to bottles. The picture doesn't do it justice, the deep bronze color, clarity, the oak nose, and the smoothness with vanilla notes. The only bad thing is the yield on this run was not as much as I expected. Never been a wine conisuer but this stuff beats anything I've ever bought.

 

[jeffashman15 6]

@jeffashman the hummingbirds and small bees love Major Wheeler! The birds tend to ignore it, so I’m not sure if the berries are toxic? I planted 2 small ones in fall of 2022 and then added another medium sized in fall of 2023 on the other half of the trellis. Between the 3 plants they’ve completely covered it already and I’ve started also training it along the fence. My only “complaint” about the major wheeler is that the hummingbirds will go under the trellis to feed so it’s not the best for getting good photos. Not sure if it’s native and will grow in your area but the Jacob Cline red bee balm is also a hummingbird magnet.

Major W

View attachment 281958
Jacob Cline
View attachment 281959

From what I can find, robins, waxwings, cardinals, mockingbirds, and eastern bluebirds eat the honeysuckle berries. They probably have a lookout that sends out a general alarm if a photographer is in the area... Major Wheeler is considered a native here, so I imagine it will do quite well. Will be getting some lattice to attach to the privacy fence for it to train along.

 

[CherylL]

The puzzle box would not fly with the grands. Last year I had clues for a treasure hunt with about 5 clues. The last game I did with them was in November. I stuck the small post it tabs in 6 rooms. Like an easter egg hunt. To give the youngest a fair chance they went solo timed and then rotated. After a few bust rotations, we went for a free for all. The youngest ended up getting the most tabs. $1/tab.

What is everyone serving for the holiday meal? This year we are going with pork tenderloin and shrimp. I don't eat pork, but I know how to cook it

 

[jeffashman15 6]

MLW's crockpot brisket is always in demand, so that is most likely what is on the menu. A nice brisket marinated in Claude's marinade and then slowly cooked with an apricot jam glaze on top. It comes out fantastic! Now that I know how easy it is to roast a capon, I may do another one, or a goose.

 

[snowbear120 51]

We haven't decided on a menu, yet. We won't have a lot of time since MLW and MLSIL will be flying in Christmas Eve afternoon and we'll be driving bact towards Maryland Christmas afternoon.

We're considering a ham with stuffing (not quite "suffed ham)", cranberry sauce (not the canned(, lazy lobster's sweet potato casserole, and something green - probably green beans though I would prefer asparagus if we can get it. I might make creme brulee but we'll pick up a pie of some kind.

 

[smoke665]

We'll be traveling around Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, so not sure what will work into the schedule

 

[cgw121 146]

Straight-up trad turkey with the expected sides this year. Smaller-than-usual guest/drop-in list. Crew just now kicking nasty colds that left us this past week barking like trained seals--and doing no baking or goody prep. On the mend and getting ready for the push next week. Different Christmas with a month-long(and counting) Canada Post strike. Thanks Amazon!
Passed on a lovely hunk of elk top sirloin--threatened boycott swayed me. A black powder friend got a nice bull somewhere north of Algonquin Park at the end of the season in September. Around 2,000 petitions for a dozen or so permits. Took him with an 1870s Sharps replica rifle, 45-70 black powder cartridge and practice. Hardcore old school hunting.

 

[SquarePeg41 2]

The puzzle box would not fly with the grands. Last year I had clues for a treasure hunt with about 5 clues. The last game I did with them was in November. I stuck the small post it tabs in 6 rooms. Like an easter egg hunt. To give the youngest a fair chance they went solo timed and then rotated. After a few bust rotations, we went for a free for all. The youngest ended up getting the most tabs. $1/tab.

What is everyone serving for the holiday meal? This year we are going with pork tenderloin and shrimp. I don't eat pork, but I know how to cook it

Christmas Eve Princess is making chicken parm and baked ziti.

Our usual main dish for Christmas Day is beef tenderloin. Sides of Mac n cheese, roasted potatoes, some other veggies. Apps beforehand still tbd. Lots of desserts made by the tipsy baker.

We're considering a ham with stuffing (not quite "suffed ham)", cranberry sauce (not the canned(, lazy lobster's sweet potato casserole, and something green - probably green beans though I would prefer asparagus if we can get it. I might make creme brulee but we'll pick up a pie of some kind.

Send some of that crème brûlée this way please.

 

[snowbear120 51]

I could do that. The recipe makes 6 or 8 and there’s only 4 of us. Meet us in Worcester on the way back.

 

[terri39 10]

Wow. Temptation got the best of me tonight. Opened a bottle of the latest creation, fig wine bottled in November. Fermentation started in early July, just over 3 months in secondary Fermentation and clearing, followed by a month of rapid aging with charred oak, before racking to bottles. The picture doesn't do it justice, the deep bronze color, clarity, the oak nose, and the smoothness with vanilla notes. The only bad thing is the yield on this run was not as much as I expected. Never been a wine conisuer but this stuff beats anything I've ever bought.View attachment 281963

It just sounds fascinating! Glad it turned out so well.

You don't use a wine glass for it? They're designed to help show off the nose and clarity, along with other attributes.

 

[smoke665]

You don't use a wine glass for it? They're designed to help show off the nose and clarity, along with other attributes.

I do, but I was to lazy to go up a flight of stairs to get one.