The Plastic Project: It Begins

I've had a lot of time to think about the Plastic Project.  For those of you who do not remember, the plastic project was my idea of getting all of my tools into plastic bins, plastic boxes, plastic cups with lids and much etc, just to protect them from the oncoming humidity of a rainy Southern Spring.  

With much of my main project done, I've begun putting things away and what better way to put them away than to put them into plastic.  As I began putting things up, I noted that it was important to know what's in what box, as many of the boxes are the same. And the answer was obvious: Markers.  Well, yeah, the bins and cups and plastic rescued from Plastic Paradise all have their own labels; but many of them have the labels printed on the plastic. I had thought of using some sort of sticky tape or label, but then I remembered the hot Southern Summers and how that might dry out some tapes, or melt the glue on the backs of labels making quite a mess (as well as making it more difficult to identify what's in each box, cup or bin.) I decided then that each plastic container must be 'mark-able.'  That is, it should have a smooth surface somewhere I can take my nifty medium point permanent marker and label what's inside just as you see above and below.

 

There is, of course, one caveat - one catch - one noteworthy note.  Print clearly and press on the marker with a moderately heavy hand.  You don't want to be digging about in the shed next year wondering what that label says. Don't write where you will be holding the thing either, as you can wear off the letters.  

Ok, there you have it, the first steps in the Plastic Project.  I hope to post more as the project continues.  Check back next week!

Loss of a Southern Icon

 

It's been a long week, and longer still to learn of the passing of Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning "To Kill a Mockingbird."  Harper Lee was and may always be known as a Southern Icon.

Harper Lee, whose 1961 novel To Kill a Mockingbird became a national institution and the defining text on the racial troubles of the American deep south, has died at the age of 89. Lee, or Nelle as she was known to those close to her, had lived for several years in a nursing home less than a mile from the house in which she had grown up in Monroeville, Alabama – the setting for the fictional Maycomb of her famous book. The town’s mayor, Mike Kennedy, confirmed the author’s death.

Until last year, Lee had been something of a one-book literary wonder. To Kill a Mockingbird, her 1961 epic narrative about small-town lawyer Atticus Finch’s battle to save the life of a black resident threatened by a racist mob, sold more than 40m copies around the world and earned her a Pulitzer prize.

But from the moment Mockingbird was published to almost instant success the author consistently avoided public attention and insisted that she had no intention of releasing further works. That self-imposed purdah ended abruptly when, amid considerable controversy, it was revealed a year ago that a second novel had been discovered, which was published as Go Set a Watchman in July 2015.

The house where Lee lived for years with her sister Alice sat quiet and empty on Friday. The inside of the house appeared unchanged from when she lived there – antique furniture was stacked with books, audio cassettes and gift baskets.Her neighbor for 40 years, Sue Sellers, said Lee would have appreciated the quiet. 

Her literary agent Andrew Nurnberg said in a statement: “We have lost a great writer, a great friend and a beacon of integrity.” He added: “Knowing Nelle these past few years has been not just an utter delight but an extraordinary privilege. When I saw her just six weeks ago, she was full of life, her mind and mischievous wit as sharp as ever. She was quoting Thomas More and setting me straight on Tudor history.” 

The South has lost it's voice and is dark tonight.  

Duck Tape Level Up!

 

As any good Southerner  - nay any good HOMEOWNER knows Duck Tape is one of the best things for making repairs and doing work around the house. You can use it to hold things in place while you work with them, or just hold them in place permanently. I've already posted the history of the product as well as the proper terminology DUCK Tape, not DUCT tape. If you wish to catch up, click here.  

But, getting back to my reason for writing, other than it fills me with purpose, I reached for my brand new roll of Duck Tape the other day and pulled off a long piece when I noticed that the tape seemed somehow 'less' than usual.  Thinner, perhaps, and I looked at it closely. It was thinner, and the webbing embedded in it seemed looser, further apart. I grumbled a bit under my breath as I thought of how some companies cut back on quality to keep prices low. Grumble Grumble, need another piece....and...

And then my eyes beheld something I had never noticed before.  Behold:

 

It says "Basic Strength" right there on the label! Now, to me, the fact that Duck Tape themselves puts the phrase on there means only one thing.  There is more than one type of Duck Tape! The mind fairly boggles at the thought!

"Oh Glory-BE!" I cried. (Yes, sometimes I talk like that. It's a family thing.) Then I raced to my computer and went to the Duck Tape site and began looking around. I've always known that Duck Tape made tapes with zebra stripes, neon colors and such, but I was searching for more. There, under the All Products, and then Original Duck Tape, I found the mother load!  They've got Original and Basic (my roll above) as well as All Purpose, Advanced and (be still my beating heart...) MAX STRENGTH. That must be the tape used to keep the moon up in the sky! I was giddy with excitement as I made plans for my first order for one of each, including MAX Strength. 

As luck would have it, I was cleaning up a bit and came across my OTHER rolls of duck tape.  Immediately I checked the label and there it was: ADVANCED! 

I think this is my favorite, but I'm still looking forward to getting a roll of MAX STRENGTH.

So, lesson learned.  Never buy anything other than DUCK Brand tape, and always check what grade you're buying. And lastly, buy a roll of that MAX strength and send it to me. I'll try to mention you by name when I write about it. 

Snow and the Southerner

We had some snow a while back. Pretty much most of the country got snow, so it's not that surprising that we here in the south got snow, too.  Of course, not the snow like they got up north, (41 inches? Really?) but we did get our share. About 10 inches this last time, but as much as 14 in some spots. Growing up in Colorado, I had more than my fair share of snow, let me tell you! In fact, those snow levels are one of the reasons I stay here in the South. We get snow about a handful of days a year.  Compared to Colorado, it's practically tropical.

Snowfall in the South is much different than in Colorado, and it's important to know the difference.  In Colorado, for the most part, they get this beautiful white powdery snow that is so light and, more importantly, DRY that you quite literally cannot pack it into a snow ball.  Here in the South, the snow is not dry. It's wetter than a catfish smoothie!  (I have no idea what that means, but it jumped out onto the keyboard and I'm not about to change it.) 

What this means in effect is that the snow is heavy, and packs easily.  I went out into the snow, wearing my snow boots to feed the cat that lives in our shed.  In only a few minutes the packed snow in those footprints had turned to ice! (Picture above shows the difference a few minutes makes!)

Which also proved to me that I had to shovel the walk.  If that snow turned to ice, it would take twice as long to melt. So, out I went, shovel in hand, and cleared the front walk.

 

And the driveway, creating a walk end to end. 

 

Then, I cleared an odd path through the back patio...

 

So that I could feed the cat who lives out in the shed.  

Which also means I cleaned off the stepping stones 

and 'porch' in front of the shed, too.  

 

Then I collapsed.  

The light snow in Colorado is nothing compared to the heavy snow here. All that moisture makes it feel like lead.  But in this way, once cleared these areas will dry once the sun hits them, giving me a surefooted path through the southern snow, after my nap.  

The Birth of FrankenTool

 

Back in November, I wrote about the loss of my favorite handy tool.  I posted that pic of it above and lamented its loss, the tears I shed and how hope for the future was dark and bleak.  Of course, my lovely wife found a new one for me at Christmas! (She really knows me.  Either that or she got tired of me crying and writing bad poetry to a broken tool.) 

But, even though the new tool joined the tool line-up and did more than its part in working with me during my many projects, I just couldn't bring myself to toss out the old tool.  The memories mainly, but more, the fact that the thing still had the screwdrivers, file and blade on it, which were still usable.  So, it sat there on the workbench for the last couple of months.   

Then comes the snow, and I spent a lot of time indoors with nothing to do.  I got to looking at the broken implement and wondered whether I could take the extra parts out of one handle and install them in the other.  Much thought, planning and searching for Allen Wrenches (where do these things go when I'm not using them??) and finally I attempted the impossible.  

AND? 

SUCCESS! 

It's not going to replace the new tool, but it's ready with all the extra pieces that the tool really works for!  AND I didn't have to use Duck Tape or learn to weld.  I would have, but didn't need it.

Mid-Week Repairman

Morning starts really early here at my Southern Ranchero. I'm usually up before the sun, and get my breakfast together along with my lunch and even get a few tasks done: empty the dishwasher, feed the cats, take out the trash.  I give myself about an hour and even have time to check the weather reports.  Getting up this early also means I'm in bed early, long before my wife.

Thursday morning I get up to find a note on the kitchen counter which says she discovered a puddle in front of the kitchen sink.  Sure enough, there in front of the sink is a towel she had placed to soak up said puddle.  I open the doors under the sink and - sure enough - there is a leak in the filter we use for the fridge.  

It's ok, I have time, I carefully take the filter out and turn off the ice maker, leaving a note for the wife that I would replace said filter that night. Not quite the middle of the week, but homeowners know that this sort of thing happens without regards to the day of the week.  Minor repairs that someone else might have to call a plumber for, I just get out the tools and "get'r done."

The reason I decided to include this repair in my lovely readable reads is, as you can see, duck tape. the silver savior.  Before i had used  three plastic ties like you'd use for wires, but this time, I wanted the filter to stay put.  Wrapped it around a couple of times and that filter is not going anywhere.  . 

Another repair made better through the miracle of science and a liberal use of duck tape. 

Southern Pralines

When I was a kid, we went to the big 31 flavors ice cream store on a regular basis.  When the store started offering a flavor called "Pralines 'N Cream" it was no surprise to me that it quickly became their number one seller.  Rich creamy vanilla ice cream with a hint of pecan, and big chucks of sugary coated pecans to satisfy that crunch craving.  

Of course the main ingredient in this heavenly mixture was the pralines.  As I grew up, I never saw a praline (pronounced PRAY-leen) and always assumed they were just pecans in a sugary coating, like a pecan cluster of some sort.  But the  South taught me right.  

Pralines look like a cookie, but they are a candy to be sure. A rich, sugary creamy delicious candy. Really, they are like nothing else.  I've had pecan sandies and pecan cookies but nothing is a Praline.  And, now you're asking, "So, tell us, Marv, what exactly IS a praline?"

First the history lesson.  Pralines were first made in the 17th Century in France, the French used almonds because of their prevalence at the time. After settling in New Orleans, the French began using the more locally found pecan. Since then the native creole Louisianians have improved the praline by adding milk giving the praline it's unique, distinctive savory taste for all generations to enjoy. Are you craving them yet? Good, because here is a great recipe! 

• 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) granulated white sugar
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) milk - whole is preferred but 2% is fine
• 6 tablespoons (3 oz) salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup (12 oz) pecans (These can be left whole, rough chopped or fine, even toasted if you prefer.)

• Before starting to cook, lay out a piece of parchment, aluminum foil, or a silpat for the pralines. Set a second spoon nearby in case you need to scrape the candy off the first spoon.

• Combine all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan, at least 4 quarts. Do not use a smaller pan as the syrup will bubble up during cooking. It's also harder to stir in a smaller pan.

• Cook the syrup over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. When it comes to a boil, start stirring constantly. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, until the syrup registers 238°f - 240°F on a candy thermometer.

• Remove the pan from heat immediately and keep stirring. Stir, stir, stir! It will become creamy, cloudy, and start to thicken. When you feel it starting to get grainy, the pralines are ready. You can also hear it if you listen closely; the crystals will make a scraping noise against the side of the pan.

• Drop spoonfuls of the praline syrup onto your waiting parchment. Work quickly, as the syrup starts to set as it gets cool. Let the pralines cool and harden for at least ten minutes before eating. They will keep in an airtight container for several days, but they're at their very best within the first 24 hours of making them!

Special notes because I know how you think: 

1. Stick to the Recipe - Stick to the ingredients listed and just do each step of the recipe as it comes, your pralines really do come out just fine.
2. Don't Mess with the Butter - This probably falls under the "stick to the recipe" advice, but it's worth mentioning it on its own. More butter than the recipe specifies and they spread out too much.Too little butter and the flavor is compromised.
3. Have Everything Ready Ahead of Time - Pralines are less fussy than other candies, but once you start making them, you can't stop or pause. Measure out all the ingredients before turning on the stove, and make sure you have a piece of parchment or silpat laid out to receive the molten pralines. Get your spoons, apron and your candy thermometer all within easy reach.
4. Use a Large Pot - What this means is, "Use a pot that's bigger than you think you need." The syrup bubbles up as it cooks and a big pot also makes the job of stirring easier. For this size recipe, a 4-quart saucepan is just about the right size.
5. Don't Stop Stirring Until the Pot Talks - This refers to the step of cooling the syrup before dropping the candies to harden. It starts off very loose and liquidy. As you stir, sugar crystals start to form and the syrup will start to feel thick and grainy against your spoon. The "pot is talking" when you can hear the tiny sugar crystals scraping the sides. That's the sign to head to the counter and drop your pralines.
6. Don't Double the Recipe - The problem with doubling the recipe is that you can't drop the pralines fast enough before the syrup gets too cool and hard in the pot. Since a batch of pralines only takes fifteen minutes or so to make, it's better to just do multiple batches if you're cooking for a crowd.

Final Recipe Note: Don't forget the pan scrapings! Whatever is left in the pan is the cook's treat. Scrape those up and eat them with a spoon.

Finally, Have I ever made some pralines? No.  I'm not that good with the stove, yet. (Still perfecting my biscuits!)  But I do know people who make terrific Pralines and I enjoy them whenever they do.  Yes, they are southerners, thanks for asking.