A Wee Dram or Three

Hi, Folks

I thought I had better post something before I am charged with neglect.  I am slowly progressing with my course and am slightly more confident of attaining a pass.  Meanwhile, this is what I have been up to, along with my faithful lab assistant:

 

                                                                                                   

 

Now it is time for a drink or three!!

Absent Posts

Hi, Y’all,

It’s been a while since I gave you something to read, and today is no exception!

Not much to write about other than I am progressing ,(if that’s the right word), with my course.  This is supposed to be the easy part, the introduction to academic learning.  Can’t wait for the hard part! 

Now for some news of my winemaking.  Chateau Moderation is in full production.  I have discarded 1 gallon of plum wine which didn’t make the grade.  The alcohol content was superb but the flavour was cr*p!  For every glass you would require 3 toilet rolls!!!!  However, the subsequent attempts seem to be palatable,

SWMBO is coming round tomorrow to assist with the bottling, but before we commit to the bottle we will have to do some quality control, which means neither of us will be sober!!

I have designed the labels and printed them off, the bottles have been cleaned and sterilised, so we just need the taste test before we commence bottling. 

More news tomorrow.

Work! Work! Work!

I suspected that, at my age, this course would be hard going.  Boy was I right!

However, I am making progress, albeit slowly, and beginning to enjoy it.

I am also making progress with my winemaking too.  1 Gallon of Damson is almost ready for bottling, 1 Gallon of Plum is well on its way and will be followed in a couple of weeks by the 2nd Gallon of Damson.

Unfortunately the first Gallon of Plum seems to have given up completely.

I will be purchasing a couple of California Zinfandel wine kits, hoping to be ready for Xmas!

Now its back to studying!

First Step on a Long Road

OK,  I have recieved my materials for the first of many modules toward the quest for my ultimate goal.......a BSC in Computing and IT.

It's going to be a long hard road,  but there are a lot of people behind the scenes willing to help and guide me through.

I will have to put in a lot of hours reading, absorbing and writing.  I will also have to brush up on my maths as I am more than a little rusty.

Right now I am going to take the first tentative step and spend a couple of hours reading.

Here goes..................

It’s Gonna be a Long wait……….

I’ve got a gallon of Damson wine steadily turning to alcohol.

It’s gonna take a few weeks to turn all that sugar into my favourite food!

Meanwhile, I have just started a gallon of Plum wine.  That will sit in the bucket for 3-5 days, then it will be transferred to a demijohn for a few weeks.

As you can see from the photo, I still have some plums left, so another gallon will be underway as soon as the bucket has been emptied, cleaned and sterilized.

Thanks to SWMBO for the Plums!!

Caution, Alcohol in Progress.

"We Will Remember Them"

We pray for those who lost their lives on that terrible day 10 years ago.

We pray for their families, loved ones and friends.

We remember those who died trying to save others.

Here's a song by Alan Jackson

15 - Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)

 

Stop Whining…….Start Wining!

Some time this week I will attempt to make some Damson Wine.  I ordered the equipment today so it should arrive by Wednesday.

My damsons are ready for harvesting and I am ready for a drink.  SWMBO will be my lab assistant, (and taster).

I am hoping to get 6 bottles from the first batch, start small grow big.

I don’t think the big Vineyards need to worry too much just yet.

Pssst……Wanna Look At My Plums? I’ve Got A Lovely Pear

Here’s my plums!! (Damsons really)

And Here’s my lovely Pear.

Extreme Hedge Trimming!

Ever since I moved into my present home, I have looked from my garden at a row of 40 to 50 foot conifers.  No doubt they started life as a hedge, dividing neighbouring gardens, but then were just left to grow and grow and grow.  Although the birds love them and build quite a few nests in them, I have always had an aversion to them.  They block a lot of sun from my garden.

This morning I was awoken to the magical symphony of..................... chainsaws!

The Extreme Hedge Trimmers had arrived.

The abomination of a hedge will be no more.  It will cease to exist!

Already there is more sunlight in my garden.

Little Princess (not so little now, she is 7)

School Project ----- Countries ------ Show and Tell

Here’s what she came up with:

Chosen country ----- America

OK! she had a teensie weensie bit of help from me, in as much as I gave her a few piccys.

The rest she did herself:

Here’s the poster she came up with:

Clicky for biggy.

She recieved TOP MARKS!