RAISING RAISINS

My father planted several grape vines about 30 years ago. I believe they are Concord Grapes. This past weekend I cut a bowls worth of grapes. I decided to make raisins. On the internet I found my information. There are three basic ways of making grapes into raisins.
Here's How:


1.Spread the grapes out to dry on a grassy area for 15 days.

2.Remove stems and wash well under running water to remove any chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.

3.Spread to dry again. Timing will depend on the weather and the grape.

4.When the raisins are dry enough (taste), pack in glass jars or plastic bags or containers layered with bay leaves.

5.Seal well and store in a cool, dry place.

Tips:

1.Home-dried raisins tend to be drier than commercial raisins. Before using, soak in hot water for 15 minutes.

 I tried for three days and then went to a second option:

Oven Raisins

Not everyone can afford a convenient new appliance just for drying food and not everyone has sufficient sun year round to make raisins. Or, some people just want raisins Fast! And, there is no problem with that. For these people, oven drying is the best method.

Set your oven on the "Warm" setting, it should be 150-200 degrees. Bake them this way for 17-24 hours, slowly they dry out and evenly dry to make sweet delicious raisins.

Special Note: Seedless grapes make seedless raisins. However, Grape Seeds are very Healthy and are also suitable for making "crunchy raisins".

My grapes have seeds

You can also use a food dehydrator.

Bridgeport Bluefish Game

Yesterday was 9/11/12 and many memories of 11 years ago. A friend Ron Berler and myself attended a Bridgeport Bluefish baseball game. The Bluefish got down four zip in the first but came back and scored 11 runs to win 11 to 4. The night was a beautiful night for baseball. The league is an independent league with a mixture of players old and young. Some players were former major leaguers but most were college or low minor league players. The one thing that was very noticeable was the lack of hustle by many players after hitting a ground ball. Most of the players simply trotted to first with very little effort if they thought they were going to be out. "There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best." Source: The Sporting News (April 4, 1951) This is quote from Joe DiMaggio and the players should take a page from Joe's life in regards to playing the game the correct way.

Visiting Wheeler Road. Today

Went to Richie and Ashley's house today. The three of us took a walk into the back fields and woods. Ashley wanted me to show them where the cranberry bog was located. We found it but not sure if there are cranberry bushes there. Will have to check it out in the Fall. We then walked the many wooded trails. We found a hunter's blind that was deep in the woods. I located the site of a large fallen tree that we use to play around when I was young. There are many stone walls (boundary markers) that were built hundred years ago. After we went down to the pond and watched the four ducks. Later while in the back yard the four ducks walked up looking for food. Ceddy and Evi came out but the ducks and two dogs seem to get along.

Favorites

The other night at the house we were asking questions about our favorite songs, movies, etc. I thought I would like to list a few.
Favorite singer - Neil Diamond
Favorite song - Sweet Caroline
Favorite movie - Bridge Over The River Kwai
Favorite Sport - Baseball
Favorite Baseball Player - Ted Williams
Favorite Author- Kurt Vonagut
Favorite book- Catch 22
Favorite Comic -Lewis Black
Favorite Meal-Chicken Parm
Favorite Drink- Diet Pepsi
Favorite Pastime -Sudoko
Favorite TV Show - Law and Order
Favorite Basketball player-Larry Bird
Favorite Hockey Player -Bobby Orr
Favorite Football Player -Tom Brady

World's Fair 1964

My father in 1939 had the opportunity to go to New York World's Fair when he was 17 years old. In 1964 he wanted my brother Bobby and myself to go to the 1964 World's Fair in New York. We stayed in a YMCA and spent about 5 days in New York. We finally had to go home because we were running out of money. My favorite memory was the exhibition by the state of Illinois. Walt Disney built a talking and moving Abe Lincoln that was truly lifelike. Today if you go to Disney World you can see the model version in the President's Hall.

Abe Lincoln Exhibit

The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City.^[1] Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding", dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe"; although American corporations dominated the exposition as exhibitors. The theme was symbolized by a 12-story high, stainless-steel model of the earth called the Unisphere.^[2] The fair ran for two six-month seasons, April 22–October 18, 1964 and April 21–October 17, 1965. Admission price for adults (13 and older) was $2.00 in 1964 but $2.50 in 1965, and $1.00 for children (2–12) both years.^[3]
The site, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the borough of Queens, had also held the 1939/1940 New York World’s Fair. It was one of the largest world's fairs to be held in the United States, occupying nearly a square mile (2.6 km²) of land. The only larger fair was the 1939 fair, which occupied space that was filled in for the 1964/1965 exposition. Preceding these fairs was the 1853-54 New York’s World’s Fair, called the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, located on the site of Bryant Park in the borough of Manhattan, New York City.
The fair is best remembered as a showcase of mid-20th century American culture and technology. The nascent Space Age, with its vista of promise, was well-represented. More than 51 million people attended the fair, less than the hoped-for 70 million. It remains a touchstone for New York–area Baby Boomers, who visited the optimistic fair as children before the turbulent years of the Vietnam War, cultural changes, and increasing struggles for civil rights
In many ways the fair symbolized a grand consumer show covering many products produced in America at the time for transportation, living, and consumer electronic needs in a way that would never be repeated at future world's fairs in North America. Most American companies from pen manufacturers to auto companies had a major presence. While this fair wasn't officially a BIE sanctioned world's fair, it should be recognized in history as the first exhibition of any classification that gave the attendee interaction with computer equipment. Many corporations demonstrated the use of mainframe computers, computer terminals with keyboards and CRT displays, Teletype machines, punch cards, and telephone modems in an era when computer equipment was kept in back offices away from the public, decades before the Internet and home computers were at everyone's disposal.

In Memory of Aaron

Last night Linda and myself went up to Richie and Ashley's house for dinner and a brief ceremony to pray for Aaron. Richie had cooked up a pork loin with tomatoes and a special sauce on white rice. Tasted great. After dinner we offered up some food and lit candles in Aaron's memory.Aaron died July 19, 2009. Each anniversity Ashley and Richie have had a small service to remember Aaron. Three years have passed and each day I have a moment or two where Aaron is in my thoughts.
Love you always!
Dad

Being at Home

Just got back to my apartment in Norwalk. I spent the last 10 days or so in Fitchburg with my wife. It was great to be with her. We did little things but I enjoyed her company and our conversations. It was great seeing Gene and Linda Henry one night and then Don and Joyce the next night.I also enjoyed going to Kelley's and Ashley's homes for a day. Looking forward to the end of the week and my going back home.

July 14th and I am back in Fitchburg for 5 days. Picked up the four grandchildren and they will be sleeping over. I marvel at how old they are getting. Four wonderful kids who make Linda and myself proud. Going to Ashley's house in Ashby tonight. The northern lights might show if the night sky is clear. Anyway, we will have an outside fire going and we will be putting marshmallows to the fire test. The kids will also enjoy seeing the four ducks that are enjoying the pond.