Summer Ramblings and Backyard Ponderings...

Warning:  Rampant Rambling Ahead (I'm trying to avoid doing anything productive, k?!).  But there're pictures and Geeky Glee and Garden Ramblings ahead!

That said:  Let's proceed, shall we?
So, while the rest of the country has been sweating their collective @$$es off with record-breaking heat-waves, we here in California have been lamenting the pitiable LACK of summer weather!

I mean, it's been "pleasant" - don't get me wrong.  Mid-70's to mid-80's.  But nighttimes are downright chilly.  And the afternoon winds have been pretty suck-ish.  Kinda cuts into my "Laze-By-The-Tiki-Bar" Activities (which are VITAL to my sanity!).  Honestly?  I'm a mid-90's kinda gal.  I'm even good up to Triple-Digits 'cuz, well, "It's a Dry Heat!"

Srsly.  I visited good friend  and colleague, Joysey-K, in late-July/early-August one year.  Temps in the upper 90s with, like, 642% humidity ("Jeezus - people LIVE here?!!").  Whenever she asks me if I want to visit again I tell her "No.  If I wanna remember a Jersey Summer, I'll just plunge my face into the hot tub and attempt to inhale!"

Annnnywaaaayyyy...  As of TODAY we are starting to experience Summer!  Mid- to Upper-90's - YAY!  And it's early evening, and I'm still sitting outside in my shorts 'n tank top.  There's a light breeze (nice, actually), and I'm enjoying tunes and a Margarita at the Tiki Bar!

Speaking of Tunes:  I cannot BELIEVE that Joysey-K "scooped" me on something Techie-Related!  See, she called me and told me about how her brother had this cheap "Tablet" computer that he'd bought from Big Lots for $89.00, right?  And I kind of interrupted her and said "Oh, yeah - I've got one of those, too.  It's a total piece of sh*t!"

And honestly?  It is!  I mean: if you're looking for a portable computer (this was before I got my Netbook).  Yeah, they've got WiFi capabilities, but they are abysmally slow internet-wise.  I mostly used mine as an e-Reader for my Google Books - since the "Tablet" (Wannabee) was running an Android platform.  I have since switched-over to Kindle (but what-evah!).

Forget about Facebook - waaaay too slow.  And when I tried to hook-up with my Netflix account, it was a solid "No-Go!"

Well, after I finished b*tching, Joysey-K pointed out that her brother uses his as a Jumbo MP3 Player and Movie-Machine by transferring his files onto Monster-storage SD-Cards.

Well.  HELL!  Why didn't I think of that?!!  D'oh!

So then I spent an hour or two trying to figure out where the hell I'd stashed the damn thing!  Someplace Super-Safe, no doubt!  Cleaning various cabinets/closets/nooks - much to Joysey-K's Delight (She's a Clean-Freak!  She vacuums and dusts *FOR PLEASURE* people!!!).  I did, eventually find it.  And I did confirm that, yes, it WILL accommodate a Monster-Storage SD card.  I found an 8Gig card and proceeded to move MY ENTIRE MP3 Music Library to the SD card.  Then I found a 6' Audio-Cable and dragged it out to the Tiki Bar and hooked it up to our ersatz Bar Stereo: A marine stereo in a waterproof housing, sitting on the "sink" - and running to a couple of Tiki Toonz Speakers! (Actually - sounds awesome ever since Hubs rigged-up an external amp!).

This is soooooo cool because now I have my FULL music library - literally - at my fingertips.

Yep.  I don't even have to get off my lazy duff to change the music!

Way Cool Tiki Toonz Speakers!

So the "Tablet" (Wannabee) Computer is still a complete POS (as a computer).  But as an MP3 player?  It totally ROCKS (Literally, even!).

And I have Joysey-K to thank for the Advice!  Thanks!!!

In Other News:  I wandered out to the Garden this afternoon (although it appears my SOLID WEEK of being able to walk and function like a normal human being is coming to an end - OUCH!  Thankfully, I've got new Rx Meds to try - Yippy F**kin' Skippy!) (Jayzus!  One of the prescriptions costs over $400 Retail!  No Sh*t!!!)

Anyway...  I wandered back and spotted THIS!

It's Stephanie Stupice of the Finny Farm!

Why, I do believe she is ready to be harvested!!!

She was DELICIOUS!!!

(and kindly ignore the reptilian skin on my finger.  This is how it looks when I'm "feeling good!")

(I won't post pictures of how it looks when I'm feeling like sh*t!)

So then I turned my attention to the Santa Rosa Plum Tree.  Remember my Love/Hate Relationship?  Well, we are fast-approaching that "Hate" stage!  I'd posted on FB a couple of nights ago about how "Pitting plums is booooooring!" and one of my friends replied that she had been up 'til after midnight, the night before, peeling and pitting 52 CUPS of plums.  52 CUPS!!!  Jeeeez Loueeeeeze!  I was b*tching about 8 Cups!  I just can't imagine!

Well, I pretty-well filled up my Harvest Basket (which is ample!).  I drug it into the house and figured I oughtta weigh it, just for sh*ts 'n grins.  Had to use the bathroom scale!

Yes, there's a decimal on the scale.

Let's just call it 15 lbs, k?

Good Gawd!!!  "WTF am I gonna do with ALL THESE FRIGGIN' PLUMS????????"  And yes, there are more to be harvested still on the tree!!!

Rinsing 'em in the sink...

The plums are just gonna hafta wait because I've got OTHER fruits to deal with.  But I'm kinda thinking that this batch of plums is headed for the dehydrator because A) "Hubs needs his FIBER to stay 'Regular!'" (Ahh the joys of Modern Maturity!) and B) Dehydrating plums to make prunes is FAR less work than blanching/peeling/pitting to make jam! (Okay, mostly 'B!')

As for that other fruit???

Jam-bound!

Some of the "salvaged" peaches went in a paper bag with an apple and they do seem to have "mostly ripened."  I've also still got some leftover cherries, a few of my neighbor's apricots and - did I mention that I've got f**king plums?!! (So help me, if tomorrow's Farm-Share Delivery includes plums, I'll shoot myself!!!)

Anyway, I *should* be in the kitchen, right now, tending a potful of hot water on the stove and a separate bowlful of ice-water, blanching and peeling and pitting the peaches and plums (and maybe apricots - haven't decided if I'll peel 'em yet!).  But instead, I'm nursing a margarita and rockin' out at the Bar!  

Oh, and "rambling" about what I should-be doing (and probably WILL be doing - once the sun goes down!).  It's a form of "Motivational Therapy" k?!!

That's MY story, anyway!  And I'm stickin' to it!!!

To be fair, I have done Valuable Google Research to cobble-together a suitable "Mixed Fruit" Jam recipe.  And yes, I WILL post it - once I'm done!