Hobby Thread - November 8, 2025 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. A spin of the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies (TM) landed on fall food traditions.

Are you thinking "I don't have any fall food traditions but I do like a sammich from time to time. I'm eager to learn more. I can't wait to get into the content!" I knew it. Enjoy.

[Top photo: "Colors of Fall" from polynikes]

***

What are you hobbying?

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. However, politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Pants are optional. Puns are welcome and encouraged but don't get your nuts cracked.

Play nice. Don't be a troll and do not feed the trolls.

***

This is gem of a film shows the old ways of cider pressing.

Here are newer methods - build your own:

***

Harvesting black walnuts:

***

Does anyone harvest acorns?

***

Anyone into canning?

***

The Unexpectedly Modern History Of The Apple Cider Donut

Cider donuts originated with the American colonialists. With fall as the butchering season, there was a surplus of leftover fat from the animals. To use it up, colonial cooks would mix the seasonal apples with fry dough, and eventually, cider donuts became a homespun Halloween treat. According to a 1901 news clipping from The Buffalo Enquirer, they were commonly served for dessert at spooky holiday gatherings.

Sweet Cider Donuts: Cider donuts made their commercial debut in the United States in the 1950s

I found the following in a New York Times article from August 19, 1951: "A new type of product, the Sweet Cider Doughnut will be introduced by the Doughnut Corporation of America in its twenty-third annual campaign this fall to increase doughnut sales. The new item is a spicy round cake that is expected to have a natural fall appeal."
According to the 2008 book "Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut," by Paul R. Mullins, the Doughnut Corporation of America (DCA) was founded in the 1920s by a Russian immigrant named Adolph Levitt who was quite the entrepreneur. He launched a chain of doughnut shops, developed a doughnut-making machine and a standardized a mix of ingredients to sell to other bakeries, and came up with National Donut Month and a host of other marketing gimmicks.

***

Some photos just feel like fall...

***

Humpty Dumpty seasonal humor:

***

Videos or stories about making candied apples are very common. Does anyone actually eat candied apples?

***

Food for Hobby Thread thought:

***

Horde Hobbying - Bonsai from Field Marshal Zhukov

***

Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a gaming theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

***

Notable comments from last week:

***

Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

***

If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, contribute something from your personal hobbying. We will feature a different theme next time. What are you hobbying? We love showing off Horde hobbying. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Fall food traditions?? Why candy corn, of course!

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 05:32 PM (uQesX)

2 Went to an estate sale I heard about at the ham club meeting this morning. Bought 10 old radios, and they threw in a stack of technical manuals just to be done with them.

Now I have to find places to stash all this crap.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 05:33 PM (lUFok)

3 I always like seeing polynikes' art. Very nice. Love the colors.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at November 08, 2025 05:33 PM (OUqBw)

4 Persimmons, pumpkin pie and beef and barley soup.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 08, 2025 05:34 PM (zzXla)

5 Fall: time for crock pot recipes and casseroles!

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at November 08, 2025 05:36 PM (IQ6Gq)

6 That top painting by polynikes is wonderful. It really captures the feel of New England in autumn when we would visit family and family friends in Maine and Mass. Gentle hills, intense colors among the evergreens, and small town life. Just gorgeous and a lovely memory.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 05:40 PM (yTvNw)

7

[Insert here]

Posted by: Obligatory Monty Python Quote at November 08, 2025 05:41 PM (HCMer)

8 Welcome Hobbiests from Lancaster miniature war game convention.
So far, 1 and 4 but still having a good time
https://tinyurl.com/4vyy99eu
This is refight of Bunker Hill 1775, I played on British side and took the hill

Posted by: Skip at November 08, 2025 05:41 PM (K5YFy)

9 "Does anyone actually eat candied apples?"

No, they were created so you'd see the bright shiny thing and come in and order the superior caramel apple. Ahh, do I miss those - you can't quite make them without the dairy (well maybe you could, but for the effort, I'd rather slices the apple and dip it in dairy free caramel and chopped peanuts - way less messy with a normally looser caramel)...

Posted by: Nova Local at November 08, 2025 05:42 PM (tOcjL)

10 Also yesterday, played a Napoleonic game with Lego men
All kinds of games go on here from every era and Sci-fi

Posted by: Skip at November 08, 2025 05:42 PM (K5YFy)

11 Does anyone actually eat candied apples?
----
Not if I want to keep what remains of my teeth...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 05:43 PM (IBQGV)

12 Growing up in Michigan my family always visited Yates Cider Mill, near Rochester. The mill is over 160 years old, said to be the oldest in Michigan. Could watch the cider presses, then buy the cider right there. There were also food trucks making donuts near the mill. They had picnic benches right there, if we were lucky we got the fresh made warm donuts to eat with the cider.

Posted by: Lirio100 at November 08, 2025 05:43 PM (ky7/T)

13 Like that painting, polynikes.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:44 PM (zZu0s)

14 I'm practicing making 1/35 scale trees for a diorama. I guess that's bonsai adjacent.

Posted by: PA Dutchman at November 08, 2025 05:44 PM (31p00)

15 Does anyone actually eat candied apples?
----
Not if I want to keep what remains of my teeth...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 05:43 PM (IBQGV)

I have never been able to stand them (nkt a huge fan of the caramel led fruit.) But there are tons of varieties in the stores every year.

You know, I cannot think of many instances where I like caramel EXCEPT in micro doses.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:46 PM (zZu0s)

16 Lots of happy trees!

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 08, 2025 05:46 PM (pkeXY)

17 Skip! Glad you're having a good day.

Posted by: TRex - no dinos at Bunker Hill at November 08, 2025 05:47 PM (IQ6Gq)

18 Love that bonsai collection. I don't do bonsai. My couple of attempts were less than successful. I mentioned on the gardening thread that I'm assembling the plants and materials to make some small terrariums and succulent displays. Supposed to be a nasty winter this year and I like the idea of gardening indoors when the temps plummet and the snow builds up.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 05:47 PM (yTvNw)

19 Awesome painting, polynikes!

Posted by: bluebell at November 08, 2025 05:47 PM (79pEw)

20 Winterizing the house. Getting the new generator setup.

Hobbies?

Probably not. Satisfaction? Yea.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 08, 2025 05:48 PM (NwnyJ)

21 Piglet's the one who eats haycorns. Pooh eats Hunny. I'm a thistle guy myself.

Posted by: Eeyore at November 08, 2025 05:48 PM (s0JqF)

22 Awesome painting, polynikes!
Posted by: bluebell at November 08, 2025 05:47 PM (79pEw)

Classic ranch style house. Reminds me of Mammaw and Pappaws house in Muncie.

Damn. Dusty.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:49 PM (zZu0s)

23 Went to an estate sale I heard about at the ham club meeting this morning. Bought 10 old radios, and they threw in a stack of technical manuals just to be done with them.

Now I have to find places to stash all this crap.
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 05:33 PM (lUFok)

Any Catalin radios? Any Sparton mirrors? Any Zenith Transoceanics?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 05:49 PM (npFr7)

24
I don't know about Fall food, but I kinda enjoy "peppermint" flavored stuff starting in December.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 05:51 PM (tuBfV)

25 Does anyone actually eat candied apples?

I haven't had one in decades. What kind of weird, foreign numbers were on the screen for the recipe??

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 05:51 PM (uQesX)

26 That pic is great. The foreground on the left as the leaves on the road dropped by the tree merge into the road bank.

Posted by: pawn at November 08, 2025 05:52 PM (sPsWv)

27 Beautiful picture by polynikes. I hope he is ok.
Haven't seen him on threads for a while.

I don't really like candy apples , but I do like caramel apples. The apples orchard and farm place several towns over has a nice selection of caramel apples as well as apple cider donuts. I also like apple and pumpkin pies which they make up as well.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 08, 2025 05:52 PM (guLpK)

28 Bluebell,
Went to farmers market this morning and got some stayman apples. IIRC, they are one your favorites. If they are as good as they look, I'll get a half bushell next week. Don't see them in the grocery stores.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 05:53 PM (yTvNw)

29 "Does anyone harvest acorns?"

I'm betting Perfessor Squirrel has a stash.

We've got some big fat juicy ones out at the farm. There were at least 6 different kinds acorns we found there yesterday. You can eat them but I'd have to be pretty hungry to go to the trouble to prepare them.

Lots of hickory nuts too. The Indian name of the creek that borders our place means "Hickory nuts all over" and they were right.

Posted by: fd at November 08, 2025 05:53 PM (vFG9F)

30 Caramel apples were one of my favorite fall treats as a child. Candied apples meant a trip to the dentist.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at November 08, 2025 05:53 PM (OUqBw)

31 Obligatory:

The Simpsons visit a cider mill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VfJ1BC-c_U

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 05:54 PM (IBQGV)

32 Fen... difference between candied apple and a caramel apple?

I just realized that I have always seen caramel apples and seen the two terms used interchangeably.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:54 PM (zZu0s)

33 Nice pic. You always know it's Fall when the bootleg dealers come around selling stolen pumpkins out of the back of their pickup trucks.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at November 08, 2025 05:54 PM (+vNs+)

34 The painting I believe is of a famous view that used to get real crowded this time of year.

Posted by: fd at November 08, 2025 05:55 PM (vFG9F)

35 Growing up in Michigan my family always visited Yates Cider Mill, near Rochester. The mill is over 160 years old, said to be the oldest in Michigan. Could watch the cider presses, then buy the cider right there. There were also food trucks making donuts near the mill. They had picnic benches right there, if we were lucky we got the fresh made warm donuts to eat with the cider.
Posted by: Lirio100 at November 08, 2025 05:43 PM (ky7/T)

One of the few things I miss about CA is going up to Apple Hill in the fall and getting fresh apple juice and cider and cinnamon donuts. In the winter, you can choose and cut Christmas trees.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 05:55 PM (uQesX)

36 I have never been able to stand them (nkt a huge fan of the caramel led fruit.) But there are tons of varieties in the stores every year.

You know, I cannot think of many instances where I like caramel EXCEPT in micro doses.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:46 PM (zZu0s)

Candy apples aren't caramel - they are just hard crack sugar candy dyed red...

Posted by: Nova Local at November 08, 2025 05:56 PM (tOcjL)

37 "Does anyone harvest acorns?"

I'm betting Perfessor Squirrel has a stash.

Posted by: fd at November 08, 2025 05:53 PM (vFG9F)
---
I'll never tell!

We do have LOTS of oak trees around here, so acquiring a stash would not take much effort.

If I were so inclined.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 05:57 PM (IBQGV)

38 Any Catalin radios? Any Sparton mirrors? Any Zenith Transoceanics?

Not that I was able to see. Dude was a hoarder, but let the building(s) he kept stuff in go to the point of the roof of two that I saw collapsing. I got what I could where I felt safe-ish and got out.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 05:58 PM (lUFok)

39 Last week I mentioned forearm chaps. They arrived a couple of days ago. Haven't had a chance to test them yet but they fit well. With the 'old man skin' on my arms, they should be nice protection. Roomy enough to wear long sleeves under them and gloves over them.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 05:59 PM (yTvNw)

40 Candy apples and caramel apples are quite different but both have their charms.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at November 08, 2025 05:59 PM (+vNs+)

41 That is a lovely painting, polynikes. All my favorite earth colors!

As I am now well into Stage 3 of the current painting and heading towards Stage 4, I've got the "paint fine details" covered.

It is well known among artists that all paintings pretty much go through four distinct phases:

1. This is going great!
2. OMG, this thing looks like crap!
3. Hey, it's not too bad...
4. I'm sick of working on this, shoot me now!

Posted by: tankascribe at November 08, 2025 05:59 PM (NtoJk)

42 Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 05:54 PM (zZu0s)

Candied apple has red, hard sugary topping. Caramel apples have caramel topping which is a bit softer. There's probably a better description. Online.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 08, 2025 06:00 PM (guLpK)

43 My folks had an apple press on their farm in Vermont. The old fashion hand operated kind not that new fangled motorized stuff. We crushed a lot of apples.

Going to a local farm tomorrow that presses cider and makes fresh cider donuts on Fall weekends. They are fantastic.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 08, 2025 06:00 PM (viF8m)

44 I thought scrolling by Polynikes painting was a photograph until I see comments Point it out.
Awesome job

Posted by: Skip at November 08, 2025 06:01 PM (K5YFy)

45 Checking in from lovely Cedar Park, Texas where my lovely lady and I took the Austin Steam Train Society's Hill Country Flyer up to Burnet.

Trains are my lady's hobby, but the trip was a pleasant day's diversion for the both of us.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 08, 2025 06:01 PM (i5oKA)

46 41 As I am now well into Stage 3 of the current painting and heading towards Stage 4, I've got the "paint fine details" covered.

Posted by: tankascribe at November 08, 2025 05:59 PM
***
Maybe if we ask nicely, you'd be inclined to share with the Horde when the time is right??

Posted by: TRex - finely detailed dino at November 08, 2025 06:02 PM (IQ6Gq)

47 Another awesome painting, polynikes. Fall food traditions? Egg bake and butterscotch coconut bars in hunting camp. Thanks for another fun hobby thread, Dino.

Posted by: scampydog at November 08, 2025 06:02 PM (GPaCv)

48 TRex,

Thanks for those video links. They all look interesting. I look at them after the thread has ended.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:03 PM (yTvNw)

49 Peppermint bark. It ought to be a Christmas food but it always makes its appearance before Thanksgiving and vanishes in December from the stores around here. Soup is also a fall food; it's too dang hot in CA to think about having soup the rest of the time. Although we only have two seasons: hot(dry) and cool (wet). Now entering Wet.

Posted by: tankascribe at November 08, 2025 06:03 PM (NtoJk)

50 Not quite "hobby" since the work was being done on a "daily driver" vehicle, and not a hobby car, but it was unpaid work, so ti's hobby-adjacent, I guess:

Changed out the shredded right rear tire on the white '99 Suburban. The tread had completely separated from the carcass, and was wedged in between the brake backing plate and the spring. I managed to (slowly) drag it free using a C-clamp, crowbar, and come-along. Got the shredded tire off the rim OK, and the rim was undamaged. The parking brake cable was beaten to crap, and I had to cut it. The brake hydraulic line was hammered, but not completely flattened, and is not leaking. Mounted the new tire, and it is on the truck. Will go for a short drive soon, and see how it behaves. I will mount the remaining three of the set, too. They are the same size, same make (Cooper) but are a highway snow tire, instead of an off-road ground grip.

The shredded tire made a lovely orange fir in the burn barrel. Doing my bit to forestall catastrophic global cooling.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:04 PM (npFr7)

51 44 I thought scrolling by Polynikes painting was a photograph until I see comments Point it out.
Awesome job
Posted by: Skip at November 08, 2025 06:01 PM (K5YFy)

----------

It hasn't stood up to real criticism until it's been posted in the Mid-Morning Art Thread.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at November 08, 2025 06:05 PM (+vNs+)

52 45 Checking in from lovely Cedar Park, Texas where my lovely lady and I took the Austin Steam Train Society's Hill Country Flyer up to Burnet.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 08, 2025 06:01 PM
***
Nice! Sounds like a great day.

We may do a full-scale train theme on the Hobby Thread someday...

Posted by: TRex - steam powered dino at November 08, 2025 06:05 PM (IQ6Gq)

53 51 It hasn't stood up to real criticism until it's been posted in the Mid-Morning Art Thread.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at November 08, 2025 06:05 PM
***
Without dogs or bewbs, it doesn't have a chance.

Posted by: TRex - art critic dino at November 08, 2025 06:07 PM (IQ6Gq)

54 Maybe if we ask nicely, you'd be inclined to share with the Horde when the time is right??

Sure, TRex. I figure this one's got another 6 hours or so of work left to do. I just hauled the palette box out of the freezer to thaw so I can fiddle around the edges a little bit while the last application of oil paint is still workable and before the light goes.

Posted by: tankascribe at November 08, 2025 06:08 PM (NtoJk)

55 seventeenth hobby to keep your mind sharp: Morse code!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at November 08, 2025 06:08 PM (kHop/)

56 Beautiful artwork up top, polynikes!

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:08 PM (eQmnE)

57 Not that I was able to see. Dude was a hoarder, but let the building(s) he kept stuff in go to the point of the roof of two that I saw collapsing. I got what I could where I felt safe-ish and got out.
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 05:58 PM (lUFok)

Hope you have some fun with them! I have often wondered if you could rewire a beater T/O to make it a transformer-powered AC set, using all 6xxx tubes. Might be able to make the front end more sensitive, and get a bit more oomph on the audio, too.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:08 PM (npFr7)

58 Great painting. Looks like an area of the country where I grew up.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at November 08, 2025 06:09 PM (LjSYW)

59 Thanks TRex!

Juggling is supposed to be great for keeping your mind sharp too.

I now know I need hobbies. Especially after everything this year. And my new hobby will be....spinning the wheel.....

3D puzzles.

I have the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal from Wrebbit. Beautiful puzzles when done.

Posted by: Posted by: Stateless - VERY GRATEFUL, BLESSED, LOVED AND HAPPY! -- - New Life Creation - 18.1% at November 08, 2025 06:09 PM (Sco7b)

60 The painting I believe is of a famous view that used to get real crowded this time of year.
Posted by: fd
----
Leaf Gawkers, we are inundated with them each year.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:10 PM (XeU6L)

61 My hobby today was digging pernicious vines out of plant beds before it got too cold to want to work in the yard. Got a bunch of greenbrier (aka smilex) so that was a win.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:10 PM (eQmnE)

62 Sweet Cider Donuts: Cider donuts made their commercial debut in the United States in the 1950s
__________________________

Orson's Decadent Apple Cinnamon Bourbon Buns with Homemade cream cheese icing made their debut this afternoon.

I know this isn't a cooking thread. And, since we're focusing on fall faire hobbies. I grow apples (Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Winesap, MacIntosh and a few others). This year I decided to experiment with them. I jarred up a bunch in moderately priced bourbon and let them age a bit. Today I 'unjarred' the apples (the bourbon was set aside for later *wink* *wink*) mixed in some cinnamon and brown sugar, and various "magic" spices and reduced it down to almost a paste on low heat including flecks of the remaining apples.

I then used a recipe for butter croissants for the dough. made a few rectangular, and flattened discs with a healthy (and I mean HEALTHY) coating of the apple cinnamon bourbon paste on each. Stacked them, rolled them. and cut them.

The house smells pretty good.

Posted by: Orson at November 08, 2025 06:10 PM (dIske)

63 Put ten mix 31 ferrite beads on my coax cable leading into my transceiver to reduce common mode noise. Works.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 08, 2025 06:11 PM (abIsI)

64 59 3D puzzles.

I have the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal from Wrebbit. Beautiful puzzles when done.

Posted by: Posted by: Stateless - VERY GRATEFUL, BLESSED, LOVED AND HAPPY! -- - New Life Creation - 18.1% at November 08, 2025 06:09 PM
***
Hello Stateless. 3D puzzles are great. Kind of a grown up version of legos. Juggling is fun at any age though!

Posted by: TRex - dino in three dimensions at November 08, 2025 06:12 PM (IQ6Gq)

65 I then used a recipe for butter croissants for the dough. made a few rectangular, and flattened discs with a healthy (and I mean HEALTHY) coating of the apple cinnamon bourbon paste on each. Stacked them, rolled them. and cut them.

The house smells pretty good.
Posted by: Orson at November 08, 2025 06:10 PM (dIske)

Could you stuff one or two into the USB port for me?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:12 PM (npFr7)

66 52 45 Checking in from lovely Cedar Park, Texas where my lovely lady and I took the Austin Steam Train Society's Hill Country Flyer up to Burnet.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at November 08, 2025 06:01 PM

That sounds wonderful! I’ve taken the grandson a couple times on the Texas State Railroad that runs between Palestine and Rusk. (And that’s PaleSTEEN, you goofs)

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:13 PM (eQmnE)

67 I now know I need hobbies. Especially after everything this year. And my new hobby will be....spinning the wheel.....

3D puzzles.

I have the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal from Wrebbit. Beautiful puzzles when done.
Posted by: Posted by: Stateless - VERY GRATEFUL, BLESSED, LOVED AND HAPPY! -- - New Life Creation - 18.1% at November 08, 2025 06:09 PM (Sco7b)

How is Ralphie? Did he get a Timbit at Tim Horton's this morning?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:14 PM (npFr7)

68 Yardsailing was this weekends hobby time.
Found one of those Amish tractor seat milk container barstools for $15. Pristine condition. Probably fetch $500 easy on Ebay. I've always wanted one though so I'm keeping it. Very comfortable.

Posted by: Reforger at November 08, 2025 06:14 PM (PRpSP)

69 >>The painting I believe is of a famous view that used to get real crowded this time of year.

Sleepy Hollow Farm, Pomfret, VT.

It's only a few miles from parents old farm.

https://tinyurl.com/4exne42m

Posted by: JackStraw at November 08, 2025 06:14 PM (viF8m)

70 50 Not quite "hobby" since the work was being done on a "daily driver" vehicle, and not a hobby car, but it was unpaid work, so ti's hobby-adjacent, I guess:

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:04 PM
***
I asked the Wheel of Hobbies and it confirmed that your tinkering and fixing qualifies as hobbying. Best wishes for upfixing das auto.

Posted by: TRex - suburban dino at November 08, 2025 06:15 PM (IQ6Gq)

71 Orson's Decadent Apple Cinnamon Bourbon Buns with Homemade cream cheese icing made their debut this afternoon.

I know this isn't a cooking thread. And, since we're focusing on fall faire hobbies. I grow apples (Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Winesap, MacIntosh and a few others). This year I decided to experiment with them. I jarred up a bunch in moderately priced bourbon and let them age a bit. Today I 'unjarred' the apples (the bourbon was set aside for later *wink* *wink*) mixed in some cinnamon and brown sugar, and various "magic" spices and reduced it down to almost a paste on low heat including flecks of the remaining apples.

I then used a recipe for butter croissants for the dough. made a few rectangular, and flattened discs with a healthy (and I mean HEALTHY) coating of the apple cinnamon bourbon paste on each. Stacked them, rolled them. and cut them.

The house smells pretty good.
Posted by: Orson
*************
Warning: reading and thinking about this comment may result in immediate weight gain...even before eating anything! Sound delicious!

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at November 08, 2025 06:15 PM (IQ6Gq)

72 The house smells pretty good.
Posted by: Orson at November 08, 2025 06:10 PM (dIske)

The house here does not smell good, I believe the cat left a little “present” somewhere and my other hobby this evening is to find it and dispose of it. Maybe the stupid cat too if this keeps up.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:16 PM (eQmnE)

73 Orson-

I use winesap apples for cobbler. It's pretty damn good. Is it better to use a blend of different apples?

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at November 08, 2025 06:16 PM (LjSYW)

74 Work has been sapping my stamina lately, not much energy left for hobbying. Have been doing cryptoquotes daily (I generally like cryptograms, but all the books I've found are quotes). Right now the bane of my word puzzling has been all the MLK quotes. His name is easy to spot and pretty much nullifies the puzzle aspect. You just have to fill in a bunch of letters, but I'll be damned if I skip them. And so many of his quotes are long af. So tedious.

Posted by: She Hobbit at November 08, 2025 06:17 PM (ftFVW)

75 63, nice!

similar: I took a 4 foot RG-316 BNC cable and wound 15 turns on a big 240-31 toroid, this works great.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at November 08, 2025 06:19 PM (kHop/)

76 Used to do Sudoku and crossword everyday. until Gannett bought out the local paper and destroyed its meaningfulness. I cut off the subscription.

There was a peripheral occurence with Sudoku, I wrote a software solver. That kind of spoiled any mental challenge after that for doing it 'manually', as it became a cookbook exercise. I'll mention that publius also wrote a solver.

I do engage an online Wordle puzzle whenever I'm on the computer.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:20 PM (XeU6L)

77
The shredded tire made a lovely orange fir in the burn barrel. Doing my bit to forestall catastrophic global cooling.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
-------

Ah. The Winnie Mandela gambit.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:23 PM (XeU6L)

78 Sweet cider donuts - is that the same kind of thing as apple fritters? Because i love those!

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:24 PM (eQmnE)

79 The house here does not smell good, I believe the cat left a little “present” somewhere and my other hobby this evening is to find it and dispose of it. Maybe the stupid cat too if this keeps up.
Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:16 PM (eQmnE)
---
I hate it when that happens...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 06:24 PM (IBQGV)

80 I use winesap apples for cobbler. It's pretty damn good. Is it better to use a blend of different apples?
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at November 08, 2025 06:16 PM (LjSYW)
__________________________

Most people will tell you that Granny Smith apples are one of the best baking apples. And, they are. But, Winesaps are one of my favorites mostly because I don't cook apples often. Winesaps are crisp, tart and sweet right off the tree. Also a good cooking apples, however.

Personally, I don't mix. Although, I understand a lot of people do. When you do mix, you run the risk of having some apples cook better than others, and you end up with some in there that might taut, and others not. If that's what you're going for...go for it. I like uniformity in pie. But, let's be honest, it's hard to make an apple pie that people don't enjoy.

_

Posted by: Orson at November 08, 2025 06:25 PM (dIske)

81 [Keep it restricted to hobbies. CBD]

Posted by: 13times at November 08, 2025 06:25 PM (WWdvJ)

82 Sweet cider donuts - is that the same kind of thing as apple fritters? Because i love those!
Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 06:24 PM (eQmnE)

Two different things.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at November 08, 2025 06:25 PM (LjSYW)

83 Fall makes me think of making baked beans, fresh bread, kraut, thick soups, and other recipes that cook low and slow: beef roasts, turky and roaster chicken. Stuff where cooking warms the house and doesn't challenge the air conditioner. Also, the lacto-fermenting I'm learning to do does better at cooler room temps. I use an electric proofer to raise dough.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:25 PM (yTvNw)

84
Camping!

Do any of You People do this? Recently I delved into the solar panel world, which is oddly deeply intertwined with the camping community, to check out alternative power options.

What struck me about all these avid campers is they spend most of their time figuring out ways to bring literally ALL their household devices & comforts with them to go "camping."

What say you about this camping thing?

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:26 PM (tuBfV)

85 Thanks, Orson. I'll stick with winesaps only.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at November 08, 2025 06:27 PM (LjSYW)

86 Whoever said that this was a common scene for paintings of fall colors is correct:

https://tinyurl.com/2ke9zwda

Posted by: pawn at November 08, 2025 06:27 PM (sPsWv)

87 81
Posted by: 13times at November 08, 2025 06:25 PM
***
We're talking fall food and hobbying on this thread. Not politics. It is the Hobby Thread. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Posted by: TRex - on-topic dino at November 08, 2025 06:27 PM (IQ6Gq)

88 54 ... " I just hauled the palette box out of the freezer to thaw"

tankascribe,
What is the purpose of the paints in the freezer? Never heard of that. And what kind of paint?

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM (yTvNw)

89 ***
Hello Stateless. 3D puzzles are great. Kind of a grown up version of legos. Juggling is fun at any age though!
Posted by: TRex - dino in three dimensions at November 08, 2025 06:12 PM (IQ6Gq)

And when they are done, they are impressive enough to p,ace around the house.

Hello AOP.

Ralphy seems fine. Eating, drinking and active. And he got his timbit. Thank you for asking and for talking me off the ledge.

Back to tonight's hobby after hours and hours of yard work. 5 degrees Celcius and outdoor Christmas lights are going up. Sweet.

Posted by: Posted by: Stateless - VERY GRATEFUL, BLESSED, LOVED AND HAPPY! -- - New Life Creation - 18.1% at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM (Sco7b)

90 Heh, already got three of the technical manuals sold. Not enough to cover my costs, but it's a start.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM (lUFok)

91
I discovered the best way to prepare for a emergency Power Outage is...

be ready for a faux "camping" adventure...at your home.

Simply put, you need the same stuff you need for camping: Lights, warmth, food, water, and, importantly, a way to sustain all the aforementioned.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM (tuBfV)

92 What struck me about all these avid campers is they spend most of their time figuring out ways to bring literally ALL their household devices & comforts with them to go "camping."

What say you about this camping thing?
Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:26 PM (tuBfV)
---
There's camping and then there's "glamping."

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 06:31 PM (IBQGV)

93 88 54 ... " I just hauled the palette box out of the freezer to thaw"

tankascribe,
What is the purpose of the paints in the freezer? Never heard of that. And what kind of paint?

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM
***
I was going to ask if there was an ice cream sammich involved.

Posted by: TRex - chilly sammich dino at November 08, 2025 06:32 PM (IQ6Gq)

94 Bluebell,
Went to farmers market this morning and got some stayman apples. IIRC, they are one your favorites. If they are as good as they look, I'll get a half bushell next week. Don't see them in the grocery stores.
Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 05:53 PM (yTvNw)
---------

Yes, indeed they are! I got my big box of them near the end of October and there are only a few left. I wait all year for those delicious apples.

Posted by: bluebell at November 08, 2025 06:33 PM (79pEw)

95 I discovered the best way to prepare for a emergency Power Outage is...

be ready for a faux "camping" adventure...at your home.
-------

And, stop procrastinating. Do it now.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:34 PM (XeU6L)

96 AOP,

Do you need a Zenith Transoceanic? I have one

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:35 PM (znHU2)

97 Stayman apples are great, ditto the cider. One of my favorite things about fall in DC all those years.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 08, 2025 06:35 PM (U/Byj)

98 What say you about this camping thing?
Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:26 PM (tuBfV)

Camping is fun, but you're describing glamping.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 06:36 PM (uQesX)

99
The idea of camping was great...when I was a child. We slept sleeping bags...in tents, which is pretty much sleeping on the ground.

We cooked Hot Dogs...if we brought a little steel grate.

We stuck DIRTY STICKS into marshmallows and burnt them on a flame.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:36 PM (tuBfV)

100 Do you need a Zenith Transoceanic? I have one
Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:35 PM (znHU2)

I have two already. One has the Loktal tubes in it, and the other is newer, with the miniature tubes. The older one plays; I recapped it it a few years ago.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 06:37 PM (npFr7)

101 Sometimes you want to go stay somewhere nice outdoors but not necessarily camp on the ground with the bugs and stuff and maybe have a bathroom and a shower and place to get out of the rain/heat/cold.

My tent camping days are over. BTDT.

Posted by: fd at November 08, 2025 06:38 PM (vFG9F)

102 So far when I've made apple pie I have used mostly granny smiths with a few honeycrisps thrown in. Seemed fine. Crumbly perfect crust is my problem, all my pie fillings are good. And for apple pies, can recommend using the reduced cider to kick up the intensity of the apple flavor.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 08, 2025 06:38 PM (U/Byj)

103 99 We cooked Hot Dogs...if we brought a little steel grate.

We stuck DIRTY STICKS into marshmallows and burnt them on a flame.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:36 PM
***
Luxury! We used our bare hands!

Posted by: TRex - yorkshire dino at November 08, 2025 06:38 PM (IQ6Gq)

104 Eleven hours of Couperin. I know that's not enough, but take it up with him, not me:
youtube.com/watch?v=Tb2DvIWIyCs

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 06:38 PM (7imtn)

105
Mike Hammer, I assume you're Five-by-Five on your municipal power sitch?

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:39 PM (tuBfV)

106 The idea of camping was great...when I was a child. We slept sleeping bags...in tents, which is pretty much sleeping on the ground.

We cooked Hot Dogs...if we brought a little steel grate.

We stuck DIRTY STICKS into marshmallows and burnt them on a flame.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:36 PM (tuBfV)

You didn't use dirty sticks to cook hot dogs over a fire? That's how we did it if we forgot to bring wire hangers.

Posted by: Vendette at November 08, 2025 06:39 PM (MR1yy)

107 I just don't use mine and I know they should be powered up. Worked last time I turned it on.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:39 PM (znHU2)

108 Walnuts

Black Walnuts. They cover areas of the property. I'd have to pay to get rid of them. Did try some years ago. They were very bitter.

Did not like.

A hobby would be to find someone who'd collect them. Without having to pay for it.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 08, 2025 06:41 PM (NwnyJ)

109 I like fermented apple slices. Slice a couple unpeeled apples put in a mason jar with water and sea salt in the pantry. Let sit for three day with the jar cover ajar. Tighten the lid and refridgerate, and eat slightly tangy, probiotics.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at November 08, 2025 06:41 PM (wBaIH)

110 We stuck DIRTY STICKS into marshmallows and burnt them on a flame.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:36 PM (tuBfV)
---
We usually had enough sense to bring a wire coat hanger for that purpose. Now I guess you can get a specific tool at Walmart.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 06:42 PM (IBQGV)

111 108/ Never had black walnuts. But if I remember correctly, the trees that grow them are a magnificent wood...highly prized to work with.

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at November 08, 2025 06:43 PM (IQ6Gq)

112 Luxury! We used our bare hands!
Posted by: TRex - yorkshire dino at November 08, 2025 06:38 PM (IQ6Gq)
---
That's not exactly fair.

You have long claws and very thick skin.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 06:43 PM (IBQGV)

113 I will mention this on the book thread too, but I know we have spinners post on the hobby thread.

New spinning book "Listen to the Wool" by Josefin Waltin is worth the money. She is Swedish so some of the fcus is on Swedish wool breeds. She is both a wheel and spindle spinner and has taught spinning. He focuses on is on preparing raw fleece and, more importantly, enjoying it all. It is really inspirational. She posts on Substack, also has a blog and some online classes. If you are a spinner, buy the book.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:44 PM (znHU2)

114 105
Mike Hammer, I assume you're Five-by-Five on your municipal power sitch?
Posted by: Soothsayer
------

Uh, you mean standby power?

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:44 PM (XeU6L)

115
There's camping and then there's "glamping."

with Gilligan, the Skipper too

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 08, 2025 06:44 PM (pkeXY)

116 Sort of a subset of the fall cooking theme, at least for us. We plan our fall and winter emergency pantry. That means the ingredients, mostly what we use for seasonal cooking, and the means to prepare them. Fortunately, our stove is gas and doesn't require electricity to function. Not trying start a prepper thread.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:44 PM (yTvNw)

117
Uh, you mean standby power?
Posted by: Mike Hammer

No I meant situation. You gots juice, yes?

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:46 PM (tuBfV)

118 112 You have long claws and very thick skin.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 08, 2025 06:43 PM
***
Yes, but with short arms, one must get VERY close to the fire.

Posted by: TRex - flammable dino at November 08, 2025 06:47 PM (IQ6Gq)

119 Martini Farmer, black walnut ice cream is divine.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 08, 2025 06:47 PM (zzXla)

120 Went to an estate sale I heard about at the ham club meeting this morning. Bought 10 old radios, and they threw in a stack of technical manuals just to be done with them.

Now I have to find places to stash all this crap.
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 05:33 PM (lUFok)

Sounds like my basement. LOL!! Old radios, TV's going back to the RCA 630 from 1946, TV broadcast equipment including an RCA TK-760 studio camera. Love to tinker.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at November 08, 2025 06:47 PM (5xuJ/)

121 Black walnuts husks are full of tannin and stain everything they land on. I think they have been used to tan leather.

Posted by: fd at November 08, 2025 06:47 PM (vFG9F)

122 I like to do overnight trips with my teardrop. Didn't get to this year. It's a comfortable little trailer. I have solar panels and batteries, but seem to have shore power in the places I've been..it lets me see more of this area than I can do just driving. And I like just hanging out in it, in the backyard.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:48 PM (znHU2)

123
What's more inexplicable?

a) Ice fishing
b) Camping
c) Snowmobiling

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:48 PM (tuBfV)

124 That top painting is beautiful.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at November 08, 2025 06:48 PM (CHHv1)

125 Don't think we've done a proper camping/RV thread yet. Maybe the Wheel of Hobbies will find favor with such a theme...

Posted by: TRex - undomesticated dino at November 08, 2025 06:49 PM (IQ6Gq)

126 That picture of modern day Hobbitton is cool.

Posted by: Eromero at November 08, 2025 06:49 PM (8xLgq)

127 Without dogs or bewbs, it doesn't have a chance.
Posted by: TRex - art critic dino at November 08, 2025 06:07 PM (IQ6Gq)

Huh. It's like he knows us.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at November 08, 2025 06:50 PM (zZu0s)

128
btw, I know people who have died while snowmobiling. I swear this is true, his obituary read "...he died doing something he loved."

Just dumb.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:50 PM (tuBfV)

129 Got into radio direction finding last weekend. I am policing two of our regular weekly VHF nets for jammers. Now that Baofeng HTs are being sold to everybody, licensed or not, every asshole with $30 to burn is jumping in and making a mess.

I am going to find every last one of them, and put them all To Sleep. Real fox hunting, not toy fox hunting. It's way more fun than I thought it would be, so far. Five element yagi, with 11dB F-to-B ratio, on an indoor rotable mast next to my desk. Works gud.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 06:50 PM (7imtn)

130 I'm still planning lights.

Regarding camping, my friends have a nice compromise. Their families all chip in on a camper at a nice, heavily wooded trailer park.

He took me there. It was really nice. A creek where kids would fish, heavily wooded trails, playgrounds with toys for the kids, a huge daily truck ride where people would throw candy for the kids, swimming pool and a main central room where you can shower and do laundry.

It was very nice there. And everyone kind of knew everyone so my friend woukd leave the trailer unlocked even with his laptop inside.

I'm not much for camping, but the trailer park was fantastic.

Posted by: Posted by: Stateless - VERY GRATEFUL, BLESSED, LOVED AND HAPPY! -- - New Life Creation - 18.1% at November 08, 2025 06:52 PM (Sco7b)

131 109 ... "I like fermented apple slices. Slice a couple unpeeled apples put in a mason jar with water and sea salt in the pantry. Let sit for three day with the jar cover ajar. Tighten the lid and refridgerate, and eat slightly tangy, probiotics."

Thanks for mentioning that. Hadn't heard of fermented apples prepared like kraut. But I love apples and fermented stuff so I'll give it a try. Luckily, I don't lack for apples or mason jars. This could become a new autumn menu item.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:52 PM (yTvNw)

132 What's more inexplicable?

a) Ice fishing
b) Camping
c) Snowmobiling

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:48 PM (tuBfV)

Well, with camping and to a (much) lesser extent snowmobiling, you're not going to make the local news if you drive your truck on the ice too early or too late, or leave your ice house out on the ice too long.

Posted by: Vendette at November 08, 2025 06:52 PM (CQ7Ov)

133 Never cut open a black walnut to see what's inside! They have a nasty smelly juice that stains your skin permanently. I don't know why squirrels love those things so much.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 06:52 PM (7imtn)

134 There's a black walnut tree in my yard. It shades the workshop, otherwise I would have it removed.

It makes a mess and the nuts attract unwanted critters.

Posted by: JQ at November 08, 2025 06:52 PM (rdVOm)

135 What's more inexplicable?

a) Ice fishing
b) Camping
c) Snowmobiling

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:48 PM (tuBfV)

Only done number tw... uh, camping. At least with ice fishing you've already got frozen fish.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 06:53 PM (uQesX)

136 No I meant situation. You gots juice, yes?
Posted by: Soothsayer
---------

Oh yes. Doesn't seem that long ago, but I've had power since Nov. of '24 , after the one month outage starting Sept 27th of '24. A very interesting time. Our biggest problem was water.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 06:54 PM (XeU6L)

137 Listen to the Wool sounds wonderful--I ordered the physical book. Thank you!

Posted by: Lirio100 at November 08, 2025 06:54 PM (ky7/T)

138
Oh, now I remember. You had no water for a long time.

Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:56 PM (tuBfV)

139
When my folks were alive, at the beginning of every Fall, they would put out a large wooden bowl with a selection of unroasted nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, which my Father called "filberts", Brazil nuts, etc along with a couple of nutcrackers and nut picks.

They'd keep it filled all fall and winter long and it was understood that anytime we felt peckish, the nuts were fair game even up to a minute before dinner time.

It guess that was a midwest thing. One of those simple treats of the season kind of dealios.

Anyway, we loved it.

I tried to carry on the tradition, but it fell flat with the kiddos.

I may try it again now that they're older.

Posted by: naturalfake at November 08, 2025 06:56 PM (iJfKG)

140 gp - go get 'em! I don't get the motivation for jamming legitimate radio users. There are plenty of places on the spectrum where nobody cares what you do (11 meters, for one). Go crazy there.

Posted by: PabloD at November 08, 2025 06:56 PM (HqfBN)

141 139 , hazelnuts, which my Father called "filberts",

Posted by: naturalfake at November 08, 2025 06:56 PM
***
I understand that "filberts" are a thing in Oregon, but don't know where the different names comes from.

Posted by: TRex - nutty dino at November 08, 2025 07:00 PM (IQ6Gq)

142 Mixed nuts, in the shell, were "Santa's" main stocking-filler. Plus a tangerine and some hard candies, maybe a small toy or two like colored pens or fancy hair-ties.

Posted by: JQ at November 08, 2025 07:00 PM (rdVOm)

143 140 Thanks, PabloD!

The worst ones are the ones who interfere with aircraft comms and first responders. Evil fuckers. FCC goes after them, sometimes, but with hams and our piddly shit, it's all up to us.

Y'know, it is really stupid for the local radio club to FUND a repeater, and yet do absolutely NOTHING to stop these pricks. I got fed up and decided to do something. Hope I can get other locals to pitch in and help.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:01 PM (7imtn)

144 gp - In former times, buddies of mine located an unlicensed operator, got him busted by the sheriff.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 08, 2025 07:02 PM (XeU6L)

145

gp-What exactly are you going to do?

Posted by: pawn at November 08, 2025 07:03 PM (sPsWv)

146 143 I'm not even a VHF guy, nor am I even a regular phone operator (I'm all about HF DXing with FT8.) But this really grinds my gears, and I'm learning a lot of new stuff by doing it.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:03 PM (7imtn)

147 I absolutely love camping, but haven’t been able to do it for a while. Although a month ago I rented a screened enclosure at Cleburne State Park for me and the grandson for 2 nights (an hour south of Fort Worth, beautiful little lake) and we had a great time there.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 08, 2025 07:03 PM (eQmnE)

148 145 That's strictly need-to-know.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:04 PM (7imtn)

149 139 ... "at the beginning of every Fall, they would put out a large wooden bowl with a selection of unroasted nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, which my Father called "filberts", Brazil nuts, etc along with a couple of nutcrackers and nut picks."

We have a 'fancy' aluminum bowl inherited from my Wisconsin in-laws with a holder in the center for crackers and nut picks. The first bags of mixed nuts in the shell are just arriving at the grocery. That bowl will be well stocked, and restocked, until spring.

Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 07:04 PM (yTvNw)

150 139
When my folks were alive, at the beginning of every Fall, they would put out a large wooden bowl with a selection of unroasted nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, which my Father called "filberts", Brazil nuts, etc along with a couple of nutcrackers and nut picks.

They'd keep it filled all fall and winter long and it was understood that anytime we felt peckish, the nuts were fair game even up to a minute before dinner time.

It guess that was a midwest thing. One of those simple treats of the season kind of dealios.

Anyway, we loved it.

I tried to carry on the tradition, but it fell flat with the kiddos.

I may try it again now that they're older.
Posted by: naturalfake at November 08, 2025 06:56 PM (iJfKG)
We did it in S.C. Mostly October through Christmas.

Posted by: Eromero at November 08, 2025 07:05 PM (8xLgq)

151 [Keep it restricted to hobbies. CBD]

Posted by: the turtles swim in an infinite elephant poo ocean at November 08, 2025 07:06 PM (gKWVE)

152 "It guess that was a midwest thing."

Totally familiar to this midwesterner

These days, I stick to goober peas, since mixed nuts are now stratospherically priced. I eat so many peanuts, I'll probably die of the aflatoxins.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:08 PM (7imtn)

153 Got into radio direction finding last weekend. I am policing two of our regular weekly VHF nets for jammers. Now that Baofeng HTs are being sold to everybody, licensed or not, every asshole with $30 to burn is jumping in and making a mess.

I am going to find every last one of them, and put them all To Sleep. Real fox hunting, not toy fox hunting. It's way more fun than I thought it would be, so far. Five element yagi, with 11dB F-to-B ratio, on an indoor rotable mast next to my desk. Works gud.

You sound like someone who might enjoy using the Kraken SDR setup. It's designed for RDF work in a car or truck.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at November 08, 2025 07:13 PM (lUFok)

154 "You sound like someone who might enjoy using the Kraken SDR setup. It's designed for RDF work in a car or truck."

I use RTL-SDR rcvrs whenever I'm just listening, not transmitting. They rock, and the guys who reverse-engineered the chips inside are fricking geniuses!

I'm just starting out, so I'm logging azimuths from my base station for now. Later comes the mobile ops. This is, of necessity, a long term project, one that I'm sure I'll enjoy.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:16 PM (7imtn)

155 btw, I know people who have died while snowmobiling. I swear this is true, his obituary read "...he died doing something he loved."

Just dumb.
Posted by: Soothsayer at November 08, 2025 06:50 PM (tuBfV)

Heh. Just came back from a quick road test of the new tire on the Suburban. Seems OK, not noises, brakes work fine. One one road a mile East of me, and a little South, there sat a snowmobile on the the top of a rise in a field, maybe 50 yards off the road. Looks like it might have quit right there, and its rider walked home to the nearby house. You wouldn't normally park a snow machine where you had to walk an eighth of a mile to get to it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 07:19 PM (npFr7)

156 Memorize bible verses. May help slow dementia and obediance to God is always a good play.

Posted by: Kingsman at November 08, 2025 07:21 PM (ehY6c)

157 Beautiful painting.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at November 08, 2025 07:23 PM (2NHgQ)

158 Time to say thanks and good night before the next act takes the Ace of Spades stage. Thanks for being here. You're all nuts. If you're hungry for more, come back for Club ONT later. Different hobby theme next week.

Posted by: TRex - dino is looking for cider donuts at November 08, 2025 07:23 PM (IQ6Gq)

159 Got my new RPi 5 today. (The RPi 3B+'s here are running out of wind for most of my projects now.) RPi 5 is suitable for just about any non-gaming, routine desktop computing, watching movies, web surfing. $124 with wall-wart and 'bumper' protector, including shipping and taxes. Very affordable desktop alternative, esp for us Linux geeks.

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:23 PM (7imtn)

160 Thanks TRex!

Posted by: gp at November 08, 2025 07:23 PM (7imtn)

161 Only done number tw... uh, camping. At least with ice fishing you've already got frozen fish.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at November 08, 2025 06:53 PM (uQesX)

Ice fishing is a good excuse to sit in a warm shelter on the frozen lake, and drink booze. If you catch any fish, it's a bonus.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 07:24 PM (npFr7)

162 obediance to God is always a good play.

Posted by: Kingsman at November 08, 2025 07:21 PM (ehY6c)

Its a good bet too!

Posted by: Blaise Pascal at November 08, 2025 07:24 PM (n9ltV)

163 Ice fishing is a good excuse to sit in a warm shelter on the frozen lake, and drink booze. If you catch any fish, it's a bonus.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
---------
This is the way.

Posted by: scampydog at November 08, 2025 07:24 PM (LVaYG)

164 156 Memorize bible verses.

Psalms maybe? They're poetic. Have parallelism.
I don't know how far they've been translated to English verse, but a lot of hymns are basically paraphrases.

Posted by: gKWVE at November 08, 2025 07:26 PM (gKWVE)

165 I just discovered that roasting walnuts and pecans is pretty easy to do using an air fryer. Neat stuff!

Posted by: mrp at November 08, 2025 07:26 PM (rj6Yv)

166 Many years ago I took mom to her favorite black walnut tree picking area. She gathered a couple buckets worth, dried them and started the husking and cracking process. Not a single one had Amy meat in them. She did however end up with her chin stained from the goo that spattered on her while husking and cracking them open. Needless to say she wasn’t pleased with her efforts. I laughed and lived to tell the tail. RIP mom, we miss you.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at November 08, 2025 07:27 PM (2NHgQ)

167 Now I am going to take the other running Suburban to town, and find something to eat at the grocery store. If the Chinese restaurant is open, I might just order a meal there.

The 2008 Suburban has a real good heater in it; the white '99 barely huffs out some tepid air. I think it needs an engine thermostat. And for sure the heater blower needs service.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 08, 2025 07:28 PM (npFr7)

168 I built a press around a tongue jack, which works well, but does not have the speed to keep up with my new grinder. When my niece had me come over and press her apples this year we did 14 gallons and it was a slog.

I think I am going to have to build a new press around a hydraulic ram or something.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 08, 2025 07:28 PM (rbvCR)

169 Good grief I need to stop drinking. Any not Amy and tale not tail. Or possibly drink more.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at November 08, 2025 07:29 PM (2NHgQ)

170

...a succulent chinese meal!

Posted by: democracy manifest at November 08, 2025 07:30 PM (tuBfV)

171 I was looking at the prices for parts for a traditional press, with the scratter and acme screw driven press, and I finally went with a garbage disposal mounted in a salvaged sink, and the press built around a tongue jack. The cost was about two hundred bucks, and that included the false starts for wood that I threw out

Posted by: Kindltot at November 08, 2025 07:30 PM (rbvCR)

172 I take umbrage at that 'brain boosting' twaddle.

I would like that stupor genius to explain the differences between a F4U-5N, a F4U-5NL, and a F4U-5P.

If they can navigate that, explain what is a Bf 109G-6/R1/R6/Trop. And if it is a WNR or Erla built example.

Posted by: Anna Puma at November 08, 2025 07:31 PM (JvEqy)

173 What is the purpose of the paints in the freezer? Never heard of that. And what kind of paint?
Posted by: JTB at November 08, 2025 06:29 PM (yTvNw)

Oil paints will keep for ages in the freezer if they're in a covered container; in this case, a nice tupperware-type one from Masterson. Ditto for acrylic paints in such a container, but those go in the fridge. I've had paints stay good for well over a month that way. So between painting sessions, into the freezer it goes. Heh. When we bought a new fridge, I fetched along the palette box as the freezer compartment had but one requirement: will the box fit? It slotted quite nicely into the spot that the salesguy said was for frozen pizza boxes. "Uh, but it can work for that, too." Sold!

Posted by: tankascribe at November 08, 2025 07:32 PM (NtoJk)

174 I was looking at the prices for parts for a traditional press, with the scratter and acme screw driven press, and I finally went with a garbage disposal mounted in a salvaged sink, and the press built around a tongue jack. The cost was about two hundred bucks, and that included the false starts for wood that I threw out
Posted by: Kindltot
********
MacGyver nods

Posted by: The Grateful - Acta Non Verba at November 08, 2025 07:33 PM (IQ6Gq)

175 moives up!

nood!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at November 08, 2025 07:33 PM (hUzUC)

176 Dinner tonight was cider marinated pork tenderloin with butternut squash casserole and cheesy hash browns. A filling and tasty Fall meal. Had pumpkin pie for lunch, although I prefer it for breakfast.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at November 08, 2025 07:34 PM (2NHgQ)

177 New spinning book "Listen to the Wool" by Josefin Waltin is worth the money. She is Swedish so some of the fcus is on Swedish wool breeds. She is both a wheel and spindle spinner and has taught spinning.[ . . . ]
Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 08, 2025 06:44 PM (znHU2)

I have been playing around with twisting plant fibers to make cord and ropes. I have a couple of makeshift rigs, and of course twisting two bits of fiber by hand and twining them together is always something to do. Honestly though the best rope I made from grass was one where I had my wife hold one end while I twisted, and then we doubled it over and twined it together. That one turned out sweet, and if we had more than 6' to start with we could have made a decent rope.
The hard part is both of use being interested in working that long.
I have also used blackberry vine skin to make twine, and that also is a neat product, but again, it is a matter of keeping intersted enough to keep at it.
I mostly use it for tying up plants in the garden

Posted by: Kindltot at November 08, 2025 07:54 PM (rbvCR)

178 I understand that "filberts" are a thing in Oregon, but don't know where the different names comes from.
Posted by: TRex - nutty dino at November 08, 2025 07:00 PM (IQ6Gq)

It comes from England or France where the nuts were considered coming ripe on St Philibert's day

Posted by: Kindltot at November 08, 2025 07:59 PM (rbvCR)

179 I despair at getting people, even my wife, to call filberts correctly. Hazelnuts, right. You probably eat mangelwurzels too

Posted by: Kindltot at November 08, 2025 08:01 PM (rbvCR)

Processing 0.02, elapsed 0.0283 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0087 seconds, 187 records returned.
Page size 114 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.