Preparing for Winter V

boultdj

I always remember Mum using ash on icy paths, mucky but effective and free unlike path salt.

[Deleted User]

Delurking to say hello. I have a few wee things I do every year to prepare for winter, inspired by this thread.

I am a bit behind this years plans as I've been ill with a chest and ear infection, so hoping to catch up over the next week or so.

Plans I hope to get done soon:
Create 'emergency boxes' for mine and OHs car. This is just a tub with 2 blankets, spare hat, gloves and scarf, water and some cereal bars. It's there in case we break down or get stuck somewhere.

Wash winter jackets and cosy blankets for living room (as I dropped a bit of pizza on one of the blankets!!).

Make sure the house is well stocked with food basics and baking basics. Look for YS bread to store in the freezer. Recent winters haven't really made this necessary but several years ago I really needed the stocks from the freezer due to prolonged snow and delivery trucks not getting into our town so I still stock up in advance just in case.

Top up stocks of fire wood and kindling.

Buy Screen wash for the cars.

Top up bucket of grit.

Thanks to those who run the thread for inspiration and ideas.

-taff

mardatha wrote: »

Can't put coal ash on veg plots, not safe.

Why? My father did it for years, the earth in the garden there is lovely.
I also took the coal my sister sifted from there a few weeks ago to put on my raised beds.

pattypan4

Thanks, I am bagging and binning the ashes, they are properly cold first. I know about not putting coal ashes on the soil, too many bad minerals that I don`t want in my veg.

mardatha

That's what we do pattypan

Novice_investor101

Another full, wet & miserable day. It doesn't actually feel "winter" cold. Definitely not freezing, the house it staying around 16c during the day with no heating on. Doing wonders for the heating bills but I'm getting a bit fed up of the rain now.
I'd like a sunny, crisp cold morning for a change.

DigForVictory

I've been decluttering - various swingtop bottles now are cooling in the waterbath, filled with ginger cordial. I love Christmas & all but the endless drinking alcohol gets old when you long for a cup of tea as you'll be driving.

We used to dilute Schweppes ginger cordial with boiling water when we got back in from Really Wet walks - and everyone could drink it & feel the heat working from the inside out! So of course Schweppes stopped making it, & I learned to initially live without then eventually follow a simple recipe & make my own.

debbiedodge1737

DigForVictory wrote: »

We used to dilute Schweppes ginger cordial with boiling water when we got back in from Really Wet walks - and everyone could drink it & feel the heat working from the inside out! So of course Schweppes stopped making it, & I learned to initially live without then eventually follow a simple recipe & make my own.

Oh sounds nice. So you just mix with hot water. Could you share the recipe please. I would love to give this ago and your right drinking gets a bit tired over christmas.

:-)

As far as ours goes..... its freezing at the moment and I am so not prepared this year. On my list of to do's are ...... get out the extra top blankets for DS1 and DS2 , get the winter duvet out for our bed. wash frontroom throws, I read about a door curtain above and am now thinking if I should add one to our front door, we have one on the back, although we should use it more. Both front and back doors are a bit drafty (rental too) and there is always a draft from under the downstairs toilet door ... its has a good drafty inch or 2 under it. Other than that I am digging out slippers and warmer pjs for all, charity shopping wolly jumpers ect.

I wish it would stop raining though :-(

Sea_Shell

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

It's bitter here tonight, shiveringly cold and we have the most beautiful display of stars in the heavens. I hope we're all prepared because I think winter is here!

I'm envious of your stars!!! We're on the edge of a town, so light pollution blocks all but the brightest.

I love it when we go away somewhere dark and can really see them all.

I'm not envious of the freezing cold though.;)

DigForVictory

The ginger cordial recipe
In theory for 1.5 litres
root ginger 200g
lemon 1
golden caster sugar 600g
citric acid 15g (buy from chemists, home brew suppliers but alas rarely supermarkets)
[I also add a stingy palmful of black peppercorns to add zip.]

Method
Break the ginger into large pieces and peel. Cut into thin slices and put in a large pan. Peel the lemon rind into wide strips and add to the pan along with the juice. Cover with 1.5 litres water. Stir in the sugar and cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
[I skip the peeling the ginger & delicate chopping, and zest the lemon with a sharp knife not any neat tool or grater as I'm an idle body.]

Bring to the boil and boil for approximately 40 minutes or until the ginger is very soft and the liquid has reduced to a thin syrup. If it gets too thick stir in a little boiled water.
[I boiled it til the sugar dissolved then let it simmer for an hour - result I got 1 litre out, not 1.5]

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the citric acid. Strain through a funnel lined with clean muslin into a sterilized bottle.
[I tried to waterbath the bottles but my stock pan couldn't handle the sheer height of bottle, still, clean bottles with still hot syrup went in & were boiled for another 5 minutes to discourage nasties.]

Stand until cooled then seal tightly and label. store in the fridge, use within 3 months.
[I sealed before water bathing, as I hope the bathing & citric acid will mean I need not refrigerate but I have labelled the bottles Christmas 2019 so any recipient can form their own judgement as to how old & how safe...]

I drink the result with hot water & honey as a hot drink, and family add blended whiskey to make a toddy, or sling a chug into hot red wine to make a mulled mixture. I think experimenting is most of the fun & often skimp on the sugar to encourage the use of honey, agave syrup, & in one case even maple syrup etc. The tellicherry peppercorns give an extra bite that is a bit less child friendly, but I give chocolate to children, and go long on the honey when making a honey & lemon & ginger "cold cure".

I need to extract some of the rhubarb from the freezer & make rhubarb cordial - which mixes with prosecco in a way that has my womenfolk crooning. Then giggling. I don't plan to waterbath that - it's a grab & glug brew!