Pantry addition

[George Shirley]

Yesterday and today I am working on converting my office closet into an
auxiliary pantry. Putting in one by twelve shelving, already had one
shelf, I'm adding five more, fourteen inches apart, just right for
stacking cases of full or empty jars. Ordered a couple of nice LED
motion sensor light bars for the closet too. This is the darkest house
we've ever lived in, was built with small windows to keep the heat and
cold out. I'm adding ceiling fans with four lights to each of the
bedrooms and we already have one in the living area. Hopefully these
weak old eyes will see better once I'm done remodeling the house.

I don't like keeping my stash of canned goods in a garage without
climate control. I imagine the sound of hot jars exploding as the summer
heat comes on.

The gardens are coming along nicely, tomato plants are blooming,
radishes, lettuce, chard, and various other seeded plants are up and
growing. Have a good stand of pole beans mixed with cucumbers on the
north side of the raised bed gardens, all up and flourishing. I have
visions of pickles floating around in my head. The little ones love
dilly beans and dilly carrots so there are plans for those too.

We've had some very nice rains, which help with all that grows out of
the ground and keeps us happy too. It is getting on toward summer and
next month will be dewberry and blackberry picking time. We've located
large swathes of each along public roads. In Texas it is an old
tradition to go berry picking at that time. Also have located at least
six mayhaw trees that have now dropped their blooms, marked them on a
map and, they too, are on public right of way so fair game. I'm not sure
yet but think I saw a pear tree blooming at the site of an old homestead
that is now highway right of way. Will check it out this afternoon when
the traffic is slow. We have about eighteen thousand vehicles go by on
the main drag here daily, all rushing off to work or to shop. The
Woodlands Corp. is also building a new project just north of us with
lots of shopping and probably another ten thousand homes being built.
Move to Texas people, business is booming and there is NO state income tax.

George, glad to be back in his native state again.

[George Shirley]

On 4/7/2013 8:21 AM, George Shirley wrote:
> Yesterday and today I am working on converting my office closet into an
> auxiliary pantry. Putting in one by twelve shelving, already had one
> shelf, I'm adding five more, fourteen inches apart, just right for
> stacking cases of full or empty jars. Ordered a couple of nice LED
> motion sensor light bars for the closet too. This is the darkest house
> we've ever lived in, was built with small windows to keep the heat and
> cold out. I'm adding ceiling fans with four lights to each of the
> bedrooms and we already have one in the living area. Hopefully these
> weak old eyes will see better once I'm done remodeling the house.
>
> I don't like keeping my stash of canned goods in a garage without
> climate control. I imagine the sound of hot jars exploding as the summer
> heat comes on.

The canned stuff is now in the new pantry addition is in use. Only four
shelves versus five, as I needed room on the floor for some things.

Was a real PITA getting those shelves in, I wonder how builders can get
away with no studs except one in the middle of a six foot wide closet. I
ended up using anchor bolts to hold the shelving braces to the dry wall.

We're closer to famine than I thought, only three half pints of pear
jelly left and that's a favorite of the great grands. Not much kumquat
marmalade left either. May have to one of the pick-your-own-farms to
keep up with the quantity that 23 people need. Naturally, now that we're
close, we can get the free labor.

George, tired but happy

[gloria p]

On 4/9/2013 2:50 PM, George Shirley wrote:

>
> The canned stuff is now in the new pantry addition is in use. Only four
> shelves versus five, as I needed room on the floor for some things.

I can imagine! Our daughter and family went from a full basement with
three car garage in CO to no basement in CA so his electronics workshop
is in the new 3 car garage which is crowded even with no cars in it.
They knew what they were getting into but didn't have much choice there.
They have a beautiful house but there's never enough storage space.

>
> We're closer to famine than I thought, only three half pints of pear
> jelly left and that's a favorite of the great grands. Not much kumquat
> marmalade left either. May have to one of the pick-your-own-farms to
> keep up with the quantity that 23 people need. Naturally, now that we're
> close, we can get the free labor.
>

I hope they help with the preserving also. Picking is only a small part
of the labor involved, but you know that.

I am happy for you and Mz Anne that you are getting settled so quickly.
Tired? I'm exhausted just thinking of what you have accomplished.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy spring and summer.

gloria p

[kgrilley]

<snip>

>
> We're closer to famine than I thought, only three half pints of pear
>
> jelly left and that's a favorite of the great grands. Not much kumquat
>
> marmalade left either. May have to one of the pick-your-own-farms to
>
> keep up with the quantity that 23 people need. Naturally, now that we're
>
> close, we can get the free labor.
>
>
>
> George, tired but happy

George, do you need another infusion of marionberry jelly? Was a good year for berries in the willamette valley last year.

skg

[George Shirley]

Always, what can I send you? I have pickle relish, pear jelly, and
pickled sunchokes available. To bad marionberries don't grow this far
south.

Hoping to pick lots of dewberries and blackberries next month and in May.

George

[Carol S]

How wonderful to have another pantry for storaing you hard work.......so
nice to hear your plants are growing!....we had snow this morning here
in Ohio....Carol