Nancy Reading

I'm in two minds here.... I find produce that is on the smaller side fiddly to wash and prepare. But vegetables that are too big are also just wrong!

We've had some obscenely big carrots in the shop this year, but little ones don't last very well (surface to volume ratio not optimal I guess). Large produce can be rarher woody too.

I'm wanting my own grown parsnips to be fatter (but not so long). Potatoes need to be bigger than marbles too I suspect the optimum size of a vegetable is about a portion size; or obviously smaller in the case of things like peas and cherry tomatoes.

Rebekah Harmon wrote:

Nancy Reading wrote:could make a couple of patch pockets and sew them on the front perhaps?

I dont thinkni woyld like the look of one on the front. But maybe the side panel!

I suggest you check the placement before you do them there - you may find them a bit far back on the sides....Alternatively you could unpick a section of seam and have them hidden behind like the original jacket- any fabric might do then.

I tend to agree with Burra here.

Burra Maluca wrote:everything is so unimaginably complex that our relatively feeble minds perceive it to be so...

Although we believe we understand some processes there is probably more going on that we don't understand, and those we think are random maybe one day we will understand the rules governing those too.

One of my childhood memories is of playing 'sevens' as a family. Vingt-et-un was another popular one with us. Just add more decks of cards the more people you have playing (seven of us). One holiday at the seaside we collected limpet shells to use a money tokens, which I think we used for several years, although sweeties (candies) were more popular.

Nynke Muller wrote: I dug them up and replanted them in the dark dry spot near the fence, where nothing else will grow. They thrive!

That's really interesting. I wonder if in my cool summer climate the ferns may do better in a drier area. I do have some shady without much competition. It may also be that I just don't have enough organic material in the soil for them, only time (and mulch) will fix that.

I wonder whether there are varieties that grow larger, or whether it is just a matter of location.

I guess most recent first or chronologically earlier first, is like email inboxes - some people prefer one way and others another. Perhaps we could consider making it another pie feature? then people could select which they prefer and everyone (with pie) would be happy.
I find reading bottom to top to follow a thread more difficult than top to bottom. I guess if you've already seen it then having new posts at the top might be easier, but as said above 'the green line' and pie find my place so I forget that is one of the benefits of pie.

Adding to this great thread on ideas for home made freezer ready meals. I often batch cook as there are just two of us, and leftovers of some dishes are often nicer the next day (like chillies or curries). One one-pot dish that works well for us is risotto (or my anglicised version of).

There are so many things I agree with in this thread! Don't feed the monsters (vote with your wallet!) and lead by example.

I like the 'blame game' triangle. Actually I don't - because it is true!

“Hold up a mirror and ask yourself what you are capable of doing, and what you really care about. Then take the initiative – don’t wait for someone else to ask you to act.” – Sylvia Earle

That's a great find Kevin!
The fiddlehead ferns are sold as garden plants in the UK, and as I think I have the perfect (cool and damp) climate I have been trying to grow them here. So far I have been a bit disappointed. They seem to be very small still after several years so something isn't right, and I haven't been able to harvest them. I have planted one in my front garden which is shady, and one in my tree field which is shady and damp. My soil is generally acidic (very). I'm wondering if they actually would prefer a bit more sunshine, since I'm not short of water.

This is just great Rebekah! I've never got the hang of sewing, so am really impressed with what you have achieved - love the cosy coat! If you can make and dye more of the wool, you could make a couple of patch pockets and sew them on the front perhaps?