What did you do today? - 2020 version

[Gumby]

Tell us more.

Can I grow it in Fl?



Went on a little search about Saffron growing, it says you get 3 stigma per flower and only one flower per plant, is that what you find?


Do you harvest with tweasers?

Any growing tips?


EDIT: Went on a little search about Saffron growing, it says you get 3 stigma per flower and only one flower per plant, is that what you find?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279973177_Saffron_Flowers_with_Augmented_Number_of_Stigmata
I wonder about Crisper modification?

We planted the bulbs in a bed in front of our porch early last September, I think. They pushed up leaves within about 4-6 weeks, but no flowers last year. Then the deer and/or rabbits ate the foliage. This spring, we dug up the bulbs and moved them to a fenced-in raised bed. I thought they were goners, but about two weeks ago, they started pushing up leaves and the first three flowered yesterday. They look exactly like the pictures. One purple flower per plant, with six leaves, three red stigmas and three yellow stamens. The young wife cut off the flowers, then removed the stigmas with her fingers. They are drying on a plate in the pantry, which is making the room smell like saffron. She put the remaining part of the flowers in a bud vase. They smell like hyacinths and look nice.

We are in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a. I have read that they can be grown to Zone 9, but I think they do need some cooler weather in order to flower.

Edit to Add:

It seems she took pictures. Here they are.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Colonoscopy for DH (golden 10 year ticket awarded) and glass ordered for bedside stand tops. We are living on the edge

 

[O2Bfree]

DH and I took my DM out for a late breakfast at the restaurant she and DD founded in '53 and sold in 2011. Business continues to be good, the place was full. Then we took her to her bank to deposit the cash she got for her car.

Researching vintage Ray Ban sunglasses to decide on a price for DF's aviator glasses. They have the 12 kt gold-filled frames, and there are a lot of them for sale on eBay, with prices all over the board.

 

[1242Vintage]

Bunch of random tasks today.

Finalized plans to ship a car from west coast to Wisconsin for my son. It’s a crappy little Mazda but good enough for a graduate student.

Fast paced hilly 30 mile bike ride/workout

Ordered two new Yeti mugs for January Cancun trip.

And heading to the gym now for second half of my daily workout.

 

[W2R]

To each his/her own, I guess, but I don't understand all this possum hate.

Oh I can explain! At least in my case....

I am 150% city girl. The first time I saw a possum was when we were living in College Station, Texas. I heard a noise in the middle of the night and got up to see a possum in the bright moonlight. She was on our deck looking into the living room through the sliding glass door. I got down on my hands and knees and we looked at one another through the door for quite some time, our noses about 4" apart. I was half asleep, or 3/4 asleep, and didn't know what on earth that animal could be. In my half dream state, I honestly thought maybe it was a Martian rat and that we were going through something like a Vulcan mind meld. My late ex awakened and I told him I was mind-melding with a Martian rat. He took one look at the Martian rat, and thought that was hilarious. He, of course, knew what possums look like in the moonlight.

Ever since then I have jokingly referred to them as Martian rats. I don't hate them as much as I once did. By now I am more accustomed to seeing them here in our New Orleans neighborhood. I still don't like them much, though.

 

[ivinsfan]

Oh I can explain! At least in my case....

I am 150% city girl. The first time I saw a possum was when we were living in College Station, Texas. I heard a noise in the middle of the night and got up to see a possum in the bright moonlight. She was on our deck looking into the living room through the sliding glass door. I got down on my hands and knees and we looked at one another through the door for quite some time, our noses about 4" apart. I was half asleep, or 3/4 asleep, and didn't know what on earth that animal could be. In my half dream state, I honestly thought maybe it was a Martian rat and that we were going through something like a Vulcan mind meld. My late ex awakened and I told him I was mind-melding with a Martian rat. He took one look at the Martian rat, and thought that was hilarious. He, of course, knew what possums look like in the moonlight.

Ever since then I have jokingly referred to them as Martian rats. I don't hate them as much as I once did. By now I am more accustomed to seeing them here in our New Orleans neighborhood. I still don't like them much, though.

Kindred spirits!!! Our possums always look really sluggish and grumpy. Our animal vet told us they shouldn't be able to live up here in the North country They were transported here in round hay bales during the bad drought of the late 80's. Somehow they have adapted but I don't think they enjoy our winters.

 

[ls99]

Saw a new blurb of a 7.4 earthquake near Sand Point Alaska (Aleutian islands). Spent many years installing earthquake sensors in the area. The locals were mostly sceptical of ever having anything above a 2 or a 3.

Thought about some of the Phd's who spent time there and wrote papers and such. Tracked one down to New Zeland, he was yunger than I, he has passed away.

Another one had an identity crisis about fifteen years ago and became a politician. So says his son.

Another one ended up somewhre in the USGS.

And so it goes.... to praphrase Kurt Vonnegut.

 

[Walt34]

Flu shot this morning, ran some errands, lunch followed by nap, then decided to put "DW's lawn mower" into more long-term storage. We call it "hers" because we bought it to leave at her father's house when she was doing a lot of the home maintenance stuff before he passed. I think I ran it once last spring but it sees little use since although it's self-propelled it has only one speed which is too fast to be comfortable using.

So I put a little bit of Trufuel in it to warm up the oil and let it run until the fuel system was dry, changed the oil, and put some fogging oil in the cylinder.

I noticed the blade had a lot of rust on it so I took that off and wire brushed it clean with a wire wheel on an angle grinder, sharpened it, and put a thin layer of grease all over the entire blade as a rust preventative and torqued that down per specs. Hopefully all that will let the mower sit unused for years with no ill effects if we ever need it again. Or maybe I'll just give it away to Habitat for Humanity or someone who can make use of it. I hate to just throw it away since there's nothing wrong with it, everything works fine, we just don't use it. If nothing else I'll list it on Freecycle in the spring.

 

[Souschef]

I spent part of the morning working on the 23 ton switch engine. I took some photos of the fuel system and traced out the wiring between the battery switch and the fuel shutoff on the fuel pump.
I then stopped at the local Greek restaurant to pick up gyros for dinner. I joking say it is written in our marriage contract for me to pick up dinner there after working on the engine.
Since we were married on Santorini, it makes sens to me.

 

[aja8888]

Played golf, it was 91F today. It will be Fall soon.

 

[Starsky]

Bought my first water softener system for the house. It gets installed on Monday and I'm looking forward to it a lot more than I ever thought I would.

 

[Ronstar]

Went for a six mile hike. Saw my first bald eagle of the season. Found some old car/truck photos in my archives and whipped up my 2021 calendar.

 

[SJ1_]

Drove to Hilton Head yesterday and getting ready for a Pickleball tournament today.
Love it down here not a bad ride from North Georgia 6 hrs of mostly back roads.

 

[Badger]

Received my new tool for removing a bicycle crank on my recumbent trike in which the pedal threads had been stripped. Fortunately my wife's trike has the same components so I removed hers as well. Disassembled both cranks, the chain rings, and pedals then degreased everything. Reassembled everything and installed the good crank with the good chain rings on my trike to ride. Taking the damaged crank to a bike shop today to see if they can tap it and install a threaded insert so it can be used again.



Cheers!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Brewed a brown ale today. Dang, it's hard to keep all 3 taps on the kegerator going!

 

[retire to nature]

Roast Possum With Apples And Yams Recipe

Roast Possum With Apples And Yams Recipe



Yeah, I'm bored today.

I have been reading to be prepared FIRE, always concerned boredom. All other comments made delightful to go forward, and your comment hit me for big concerns for boredom. But you made me laugh harder! Thank you!

 

[O2Bfree]

Watched the recap and first showing of some of the footage from the OSIRIS-REx collecting a sample off of the asteroid Bennu. Now watching coverage of the Expedition 63 crew undocking from the ISS and returning to earth. Also making a batch of lima beans in the Instant Pot to have with some Italian sausage ravioli for supper.

 

[LRDave]

This AM very early (3AM central), DW & I went out to watch the Orionid meteor shower for about an hour+. We carry blankets and pillows and lay down in the middle of the road (dead end - no traffic). We counted 20 with 2 or 3 long bright ones.

The Orionids are "junior varsity" in terms of meteor showers, but the night was about as perfect for viewing as it can get in NE AL, no moon, no clouds and relatively warm temperatures (57F).

 

[Gumby]

I went on my bi-weekly grocery store run. Very little traffic in the store and the stock was good (which may change as the COVID numbers run back up). I was even able to score a tub of disinfectant wipes for the first time since February.

I also achieved "Queen Bee" status on the NYT spelling bee this morning, a feat of which I am quite proud.

 

[MichaelB]

I drove DW to the early voting site this morning. It was raining and we figured there would be no line - and were correct.

 

[finnski1]

DW and I voted.
Headed to the Dentist for a quick exam.
72 deg and beautiful here in NH.

 

[Finance Dave]

Did a 14 mile bicycle ride this morning (I average 50 miles/week). Weather here is turning cold...but it's 76 for a high today!

Mulching leaves, then doing a small grout repair on bathroom floor.

 

[Nemo2]

Eye surgeon appointment. Instructions: Gradually reduce, (but don't discontinue, due to shingles incursion), drops. Make an appointment to see optometrist in 6-8 weeks to revise glasses lens for left eye.

See surgeon again mid/late January.

 

[aja8888]

I have been reading to be prepared FIRE, always concerned boredom. All other comments made delightful to go forward, and your comment hit me for big concerns for boredom. But you made me laugh harder! Thank you!

You really have to learn how to stay busy in retirement. You need hobbies or some other form of interest. Good luck!

 

[MichaelB]

I have been reading to be prepared FIRE, always concerned boredom. All other comments made delightful to go forward, and your comment hit me for big concerns for boredom. But you made me laugh harder! Thank you!

Boredom? Not a chance. Those that are not yet retired confuse “nothing to do” with “doing nothing“. Nothing to do in retirement is a belief held primarily by journalists, also by still working family members of us early retired folk that think our newly acquired free time is now theirs for the asking.

Doing nothing requires careful planning and considerable imagination. After all, doing nothing is really doing something that just isn’t obvious to others.