Have You Seen A Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar?

I have written a lot about Monarch butterflies in previous posts and the fact that I let milkweed plants grow where ever they want in my yard and garden.  It is my little way of helping the declining Monarch population.  If you want to read some of the posts I have written about Monarch's, just type monarch butterfly into the search box.  If you have milkweed plants, you have probably noticed a  caterpillar eating on the leaves that looks different from the Monarch caterpillar.  They are called a Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar.  Another name is Milkweed Tiger Moth.  At first I thought it was a tent caterpillar because the color was similar.  Looking more closely I saw all the hairs.  When the Monarch butterfly caterpillar, the Milkweed bug http://www.thecabincountess.com/2015/09/the-milkweed-bug.html and the Milkweed Tiger Moth caterpillar eat the leaves of a milkweed plant, they are ingesting a highly toxic chemical.  The milky sap in the plant is poisonous to humans and animals.  Birds feast on a lot of different insects but somehow they know not to eat Monarch butterflies, Milkweed bugs or the Tiger moth.  They retain the poison even after changing from a caterpillar into the moth or butterfly.  Predators learn that the orange and black color is a warning, and they shouldn't eat them.  Bats also like to eat insects but they can't detect the orange and black in the dark.  Amazingly the milkweed tiger moth has an organ that emits an ultrasonic signal easily detected by bats. This signal warns the bat of a toxic bad tasting meal and bats soon learn to avoid the tiger moth.  The tiger moth caterpillar turns into a drab brown moth but the signal they emit protects them at that stage of life.

The milkweed tussock or tiger moth caterpillar.

The leaves of this milkweed are being eaten off.

All the leaves are gone from this plant, but the seed pods remain.

I think these caterpillars could be very destructive.  They can eat the leaves off a whole plant very quickly.  Fortunately they leave the seed pods which will burst open soon leaving the wind to distribute seeds which will turn into new plants next Spring.

Making Caramel from Sweetened Condensed Milk

By now most of us have seen how to make caramel sauce by slow cooking sweetened condensed milk in the can.  All you do is place unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk in a slow cooker, cover the cans with water, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for five hours.  From what I can tell it works but cooking in the metal can always bothered me, and I never tried it.  Then I saw how you can do the same thing, but instead pour the milk into canning jars, cover with a lid and put it in the slow cooker or better yet, cook it in a pressure cooker.  I bought two cans of sweetened condensed milk at Aldi.  I poured the milk out into half pint canning jars.  Two cans of milk fit into three canning jars.  I put lids on the jars and put them on a trivet in the pressure cooker.  I added enough water so it came just under the lids.  I set the cooker on high for thirty five minutes and let the pressure release naturally.  When I opened the pressure cooker, I was amazed to see beautiful caramel dipping sauce for apples or anything you like to eat with caramel.  Just taking spoonfuls will work too.

It was very good, but I have very intense taste buds and I could taste a slight evaporated milk taste.  Maybe it was the Aldi product or maybe all sweetened condensed milk tastes that way.   My husband and my grandson's liked it, but I wasn't satisfied.

I decided to make my own sweetened condensed milk.  I used 1 cup of powdered milk (which also has that taste too), boiling water, sugar and a little melted butter.  I put it in the blender and mixed it until smooth.  Then I put that mixture in the small jars to cook in the pressure cooker.  It tasted better to me, but the texture was wrong.  Maybe I didn't blend it enough, maybe I blended it too much or it could be the butter.

Next I decided to try another brand of sweetened condensed milk.  It was between Borden and La Lechera.  I decided on La Lechera by Nestle.  Now I am very aware of the Nestle Boycott and of all of Nestle’s alleged crimes against humanity.  It has been going on for years.  Some of it has to do with baby formula but also about their business practices.  All the charges against them are most likely true, but to eliminate all products from a big company like Nestle is virtually impossible.  Nestle is also the parent company for thousands of other products we don't even associate with the Nestle company.  I have a feeling if we got down to the bottom line on most products, we would be disappointed.

The caramel I made from La Lechera was quite good.  I will be asking my family what they think, but I preferred it over the others I have made.  I will try the Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk by Borden next time, but as of now I have had my fill of caramel.  The Borden company probably has people protesting them too.  I don't really know or maybe Nestle owns Borden.  It's way too complicated for my brain.  The bottom line is that cooking any brand of sweetened condensed milk, which is basically sugar and milk, turns it into a nice caramel. 

  

Sometimes Things Just Work Out

A few weeks ago we put in new hickory floors in our living room and bedroom.  We wanted to match the ones we already had in our kitchen and dining area. 

The carpet in these rooms was old and dirtier than we thought.  That was apparent when all the furniture was removed from the rooms.  It was a lot of work moving the furniture out of the rooms, but it was worth it.  It was something we wanted to do for a long time, and finally got it done. When the floors were done my husband and other family members thought it was time for a new television to go with the new look.  They wanted a new "smart" TV, but since I don't watch that much television in that room, I thought the "dumb" TV was just fine.  The "smart" TV would connect to Netflix, Hulu and Youtube with the wifi we already have.  We already have computers, tablets and phones that do that so what was the point.  The real reason I didn't want to get a new television was that I didn't want to give up the entertainment center that held the "dumb" TV.  The first reason was that the cabinet was so heavy that no one could lift it.  What on earth would we  do with it.  The thrift stores are full of old entertainment centers and no one is buying them, nor are they taking old TVs.  Most of these cabinets don't fit the new televisions .  The second reason was this cabinet was where I displayed my seasonal decorations especially Halloween and Snow Villages.

Being married 49 years means we have had years of practicing compromise.  I wanted to keep my cabinet for display purposes but also log homes don't have a lot of wall space to hang a television on.  I didn't want a modern television and a bunch of cords hanging over our rustic fireplace.  That would be just plain ugly.  My husband wanted a new TV.  The compromise was remodeling the old cabinet to fit a 55 inch "smart" TV.  

While the flooring installers were here, we asked them to carry the big heavy 36 inch TV out to our truck.  They said "no problem" but as they were sweating carrying it out, I think it was a bit of a problem.   Then we found a place that takes TV's because nobody wants them anymore (except me).  We had to pay $20 to get rid of it.  Getting rid of the TV meant there was no turning back.  At first modifying the old cabinet seemed like we opened a can of worms, and it might not be possible.  We decided if it didn't work out it was fine.  My husband knew either way he was getting a new television, and I knew there was a possibility I could keep my cabinet.  If not, maybe I could find something I liked that would work.

We took out all the components.  The whole right side of the cabinet had a glass door and shelves which held a stereo system, the Direct TV receiver, a DVD player and a VHS player (yes we still had one of those too).  He took the door off and most of the shelves out.

Then we bought some oak boards and some stain that matched the wood in the cabinet.  He cut back the center partition and framed out the top, center strip and sides.  The new televisions are so much thinner it didn't have to be cut back all the way.  Then some glue, a few clamps and a little stain made it match pretty well.

Once the cabinet was done, we had to find a TV that would fit.  We didn't think it would be a problem, but it was.  We measured down to the 1/8 inch.  Most 55" TVs were to tall.  We found one that would fit but the base wasn't right.  Another was a brand we had never heard of and didn't want to take a chance.  Finally we found a 55 inch Sony but it was still 1/4 inch too high.  It had a stand that would probably work.   We bought it, but had to make adjustments to make it fit. He had to use the router and take out some material so the stand could sit down in a groove.  We held our breath (at least I did) as we placed the TV into the cabinet.  It fit like a glove. 

We finally have arrived in the 21st century.  My husband is happy and has more TV programs than he will ever be able to watch.  I am happy because I still have my cabinet to put my decorations on. 
 

Making Baby Hydrangea Plants

Several years ago we purchased a hydrangea bush.  I always loved them and wanted one but never had room until we moved here.  I had a friend who had a couple varieties and would always have them drying around her home in the fall.  I settled on a variety called Limelight.  It has a light green color as the flowers are forming.  As the flowers become fully formed, they become white with a touch of pink on the ends of the petals.

The flowers start out as lime green.

It is a beautiful bush.  I pick some for drying in the house http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/09/time-to-dry-your-hydrangea-blossoms.html and leave the other blossoms to dry on the plant over the winter.  They turn brown but stand out in the winter.  They look pretty with snow on them.

 
In late winter, while the plant is still dormant, I prune them.  I cut them down to half of their size.  This year I had a friend message me to see if she could have some hydrangea leaves.  She was going to be in town in late April.  She had seen on Facebook how you can take the leaves, cut them in a certain way and root them.  I would have been happy to give her some, but this hydrangea variety has a different type leaf and during the time she could visit, the bush hadn't leafed out completely.

This was the hydrangea on April 25

Since the bush was just beginning to leaf out, I thought I would take some cuttings and see what would happen.  I had cut some in the fall and placed them in dirt over winter.  They began to leaf out but I think I disturbed them too soon.  The roots were very fragile.  If I would do that again, I would leave them undisturbed all summer.  They all produced leaves but one by one they died off.

A little bit of green budding

Around April 29th I cut ten sticks that had just begun budding out.  I placed all of them in a hanging basket and hung them on a shepherd's hook.

At this point I left them undisturbed.  I watered them when there wasn't much rain, but I pretty much left if up to mother nature.  Within two weeks I noticed some growth, but I wasn't sure if it would work.

Here they are in two weeks.  It's looking good.

Here they are over three months later.  The plants look healthy and have grown.  I figured it was time to separate them and pot each one individually.

I searched around for enough empty pots.  I found a couple diapers left over from the grand kids when they were babies.  I kept them for this very reason, potting plants.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2015/05/diapers-repurposed.html
 I put two of the smaller plants together so I have nine nice sized pots.  The bigger pot has two plants from one of my other varieties called Tardiva Hydrangea.  I used the same method, and I also got nice plants.  The Tardiva Hydrangea is really pretty, but different.  Some of the blossoms open and others do not. 

Tardiva Hydrangea

Hopefully all these plants will make it through the winter.  Only time will tell. 

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

I love chocolate.  I especially like chocolate pudding.  I could eat it everyday.  I stay away from the little pudding cups because they taste like chemicals, but I like the texture.  They say they are made with milk and are healthy but I can taste some type of preservative in them.  I know how to make pudding from scratch but it requires cooking over the stove which means planning ahead and lots of stirring.  I have been reading many different recipes for making Chocolate Pudding using avocados.  I couldn't imagine it working.  I have had some failures making "healthy" recipes, so I just never tried.  Just before I went on vacation, I had some avocados and bananas to use up.  I tried one of the pudding recipes and it was delicious.  The recipe I used had avocado, banana, cocoa powder, coconut milk and maple syrup.

After being home for a few days, I decided to make another batch.  I couldn't remember the exact recipe.  I looked online and there are hundreds of variations so I decided to wing it.

Chocolate Pudding

2 avocados (cut in half, take the pit out and scoop it out of the shell)
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup cocoa powder (use 1/4 to 1/3 cup if you want it less dark chocolate)
1 cup milk (if you're lactose intolerant, coconut or almond milk will work)
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup chopped dates

I put them all in the blender and blended until smooth.

This is a very forgiving recipe.  Sweeten it with whatever you like...maple syrup, agave syrup, brown or white sugar or honey, banana and dates like I did.  Regular 1% milk worked just as well as the full fat coconut milk.  I imagine almond milk would work too.  If you don't like the taste of banana with chocolate, just use another avocado or leave it out. 

The calories aren't that low, but good fat calories from avocados don't really count.   It is fast to make and delicious. It's especially good with a dollop of whipped cream.  Don't use Cool Whip type whipped toppings.  Of the many ingredients in those toppings, only a couple are safe and one of them is water.  Whipped cream is so easy to make, why take a chance. 

Another Life Lesson

I am usually very careful on the internet, but I was recently duped.  I have been looking for some new blouses.  I can't stand the new fabrics and styles they sell these days.  They may look cute on a sixteen year old, but not on someone my age.  I went so far as to buy a pattern with the intention of sewing my own tops.  Then one day I saw an ad pop up on Facebook.  The clothes looked like something I would be interested in.  I clicked on the link and found a couple I liked.  They were very inexpensive with free shipping.  That should have been my first clue.  I clicked on the link and it said us.shein.com.  I assumed (falsely) that the company was an American company.  The shipping was not only free but the shipping time was very fast and it had a rebate from ebates.com.  I placed an order for one shirt.  Immediately I received a confirmation with an order number and then a shipping email with the website.  I was looking forward to getting the blouse in a few days.  I hadn't received it in 3 or 4 days so I decided to check the status.  Lo and behold the shipping information was from someplace in China.  I couldn't even pronounce the name. 

Then I waited to get the item.  Eleven days later I got an email saying that the item was delayed due to some issues with the shipping company.  I don't know why they sent the email because the blouse  arrived the very same day.  I checked my payment, and it was paid through London.

The blouse itself looks like the photo although it is quite flimsy and see through.  I will wear it because I still like the pattern.  I wet it to see if it would disintegrate, it didn't, but I haven't washed it.  It may be a one hit wonder.

I was pretty angry that they weren't up front about it's origin.  All I could picture was little five year old children sitting in sweat shops making these blouses.  If I choose to order from this type of company, it's my choice but I don't want to be tricked.  The lesson for me is to be more careful and not to take things at face value.

Michigan Vacation 2017

Vacations are funny things.  We look forward to them, plan as many details as we can and then they are over so quickly.  You remember what happened, but in some ways they just seem like a dream after a couple days at home.  Thank goodness for photos.  Two weeks ago we traveled to Michigan.  We went for our nieces wedding. We rented a house for the week before with our oldest daughter and her family.  It was a lovely house in the woods near Glen Arbor Michigan.  There was plenty of room for everyone.  We visited all the little neighboring towns on Lake Michigan and took in many of the local sights.  The kids climbed the dunes (http://www.thecabincountess.com/search?q=sleeping+bear), tubed on a river, rode bikes along the many trails, shopped, we visited a lighthouse and best of all attended the wedding.

The beginning of the dunes.

Making S'mores.

The town of Leland (Fishtown).

The Grand Traverse lighthouse guiding sailors since 1852.

One of the majestic views.

The wedding was the most amazing wedding.  It took place at a ski resort.   My niece and the family worked very hard to make sure everyone was taken care of.  They had activities for the kids as well as adults.  They had games, a photo booth, s'mores and a fabulous meal with a brunch the next morning.  Most of the guests stayed at the resort.  The house we rented was close by so it worked out for us.  I even got to ride on a chair lift for the first time.  It was so much fun.  The ceremony overlooked Lake Michigan.  Everything was perfect.

Waiting for the wedding to begin

Even the bride and her dad took the chairlift up to the ceremony

My youngest daughter also attended with her boys.  They had some scheduling difficulties so she couldn't come for the whole week.  They took the car ferry across Lake Michigan and returned a couple days later the same way.  It may not save a lot of time, but it does save driving the long distance from Wisconsin.  For four hours you can just sit and relax.

Even though it was a quick trip, my grandsons had so much fun.  After brunch we all went to the beach.  Lake Michigan is so big it felt like we were on the ocean.  They swam and played in the sand.  We had a wonderful day.

When the wedding was over and everyone had gone home, we spent some time with my sister and brother in law.  They have second home in Traverse City and know all the best places to go.  We love it there and had a great time.  One day we visited beautiful Charlevoix,  Michigan.  It's another tourist town, but it was gorgeous.

Charlevoix Michigan had some unusual architecture.  They had what was called Mushroom houses.  They actually do look like mushrooms.  This one had a thatched roof.

While returning to our car we cut through the library parking lot.  Even that was very nice.  They had a gorgeous butterfly garden.  It would be exciting to have a similar garden.

The day before we came home we went out on Traverse Bay on a Tall Sailing ship.  There was very little wind but enough to push the boat along smoothly.  It was so relaxing.  They served ice cream, and we just sat and enjoyed the beautiful views.

Finally after enjoying good food, beautiful sunsets and unforgettable views, it was time to go home.

The only rainy day we had was the day we drove home.  It just misted and never rained very hard so it wasn't bad. 

A rainy day made the lake very rough and dreary.

Now we are back to our old routine.  We are happy to be home but also looking forward to our next adventure.