Squeaky Frog

Homesteading IT guy running a plant nursery in central Texas. I like dogs and cats better than people, but some people are okay, too.

Public Key

npub1wsxc86a5lhe4zxkddhfjjrff7em900uez4h9lcr6vl3uh3ehtwlqca6gk5

NIP-05 Address

squeakyfrogfarm.com

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nprofile1qqs8grvraw60mu63rtxkm5efp55lvajhh7v32mjlupax0c7tcum4h0spz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsak2y6r

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relay.damus.io

nos.lol

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npub1wsxc86a5lhe4zxkddhfjjrff7em900uez4h9lcr6vl3uh3ehtwlqca6gk5

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Last Notes

2024-12-29 15:59:56 UTC

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Getting older sucks...

2024-10-19 06:40:12 UTC

Several dozen vultures circling over my property... Either they found a really great thermal to climb, or the end of the world is nigh.
I've never seen this many congregate before, it's actually a pretty awesome sight.
#farm #nature #wildlife #birds
https://image.nostr.build/f37fd41ff0e921c7fea8f345530606c25a2843e2c2be3870e14f270845fc774d.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/07ec6fd03016f9b78c02ef299d224e68530092dabdf4174b87fa0d1488964cfb.jpg

2024-10-12 17:01:55 UTC

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He just did it again...
https://image.nostr.build/8e972ba0a016f928a6c1cea0a126cb611d8f47448f4f590b848aa58b164eed31.jpg

2024-10-12 06:20:30 UTC

This fuckin' guy... Fur like velcro, and he has to roll in leaves and grass clippings every damn day. He's lucky he's awesome enough to be worth it.
#dog #cute #dogstr
https://image.nostr.build/9c46b37a52ea8231d23a2c28aab7f66d700265deb338075de1844e1fac235316.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/10ee70b0b39a15135fa57777b9d2e45c51a2d6e9785814f60f1190a496f25b4e.jpg

2024-10-12 06:13:30 UTC

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Helmet For My Pillow, by Robert Leckie.
The shit the Marines went through in the Pacific in WWII is unbelievable. Then to think that most of them came home after that insane experience and just went back to normal life, selling insurance, repairing refrigerators, driving taxis...

2024-10-05 00:43:19 UTC

Let's talk about watering wands.
The one on the right is store-bought. It costs about $14, and after a season or two of moderate use, it will leak all over the place, and you will throw it away in a fit of unbridled rage. Its soft aluminum tube will bend if you raise your voice at it or use it in a strong breeze.
The one on the left is homemade from inexpensive plumbing parts. The aluminum rosette on the end costs about $5, the rest of the parts total another $5. It is sturdy and durable. If it doesn't get left out to freeze in the winter, it will last many years. It comes in infinite lengths and configurations, because you're making it yourself. If you make it using threaded connections, you can replace the valve if it ever wears out (but it won't wear out). Since both ends are garden hose connectors, it can also be used as an impromptu control valve between two hoses of you unscrew the rosette and attach another hose to that end (I do this when running a sprinkler, as it's easier to fine tune the flow with the ball valve on the wand).
Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
https://image.nostr.build/1bd8edbb14a0234cdcf3786fe3a2db8d97cb094deeb6615833daf8384846d42b.jpg
#garden #water #farm #diy #grownostr #tools

2024-10-03 03:25:29 UTC

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That's really cool. I've been seeing more reptiles every year since I bought this place (10 years ago). The little green anoles and pink geckos are almost an infestation. Frogs and toads everywhere, too. I think that's one of the most satisfying things about developing this homestead, watching the wildlife increase and diversify.
My dad passed away right before I bought the property, and he was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan. For the past several years, we've had a growing resident population of cardinals. They're one of the most abundant birds on the property now, which makes me so happy.

2024-10-02 20:27:10 UTC

Yet another neat ectothermic creature hanging out in my composting area. This one is a Texas spiny lizard, and he's copping a little bit of an attitude with that look.
https://image.nostr.build/a27970143a220b11c8c4618fbb719b555f5f0f27f669ef440802be0c3392a985.jpg
#lizard #texas #garden #wildlife #reptile

2024-09-30 14:47:05 UTC

Planted sunn hemp for the first time this summer as a cover crop in some garden beds. I knew it would grow tall, but I didn't expect the flowers to be such a beautiful shade of yellow! The photo doesn't do it justice, in person, in the sunlight, they're almost luminous.
#garden #flowers #bloomscrolling
https://image.nostr.build/a1b5f3bd3bb049d708bca398e9dcb72c56ccce97f919dfb9206be5937bc60cae.jpg

2024-09-29 19:31:54 UTC

More than a year ago, we built some Johnson-Su bioreactor bins and filled them with wood chips. They've been cooking along quite nicely and breaking down into an awesome soil amendment. I was watering them last night and saw that they're full of wee tiny baby frogs! I counted at least a dozen of the little guys. Nobody told me that this was a possibility, so now I have to postpone harvesting from the bins until the wee tiny baby frogs are all grown up and moved out!
https://image.nostr.build/97419f9d1399aea8a7be07571994d98a1b7ac646003ff418385d1d31e7614cf4.jpg
Unfortunately for the frogs, they live in a tough neighborhood. I've got snakes living in the leaf mold bins right next to the bioreactors. Good luck, wee tiny baby frogs!
https://image.nostr.build/c5696a0156e55c1b8efd7c074516027d961db83b89a63db9ea0b8d21a80c0119.jpg
#garden #snakes #frogs #farm #wildlife

2024-09-25 00:16:29 UTC

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What variety are those?

2024-09-25 00:12:22 UTC

I had a tooth implant installed today, and the dental assistant told me to try to avoid touching the stitches with my tongue. This is an impossible request. 95% of my brain power all day has been devoted to trying to control my tongue, and it ain't working...

2024-09-22 19:31:54 UTC

I set up a couple of large bins in the spring and filled them with leaves to make leaf mold compost. They've been breaking down all summer and are some beautiful compost now, but I found this guy making a home in one of them yesterday. Just a harmless green snake, but when you reach into a pile of leaves and feel slithering scales, your heart stops for just a second... He moved on up into the tree pretty quickly, and I harvested the compost much more carefully from then on.
#garden #snake #wildlife #farm
https://image.nostr.build/7cb1b02268e13787a164439f3bae6ca8c45c99f6a0771257a2d30cdd6b63604c.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/92837918485d25f2c54abf238dfd934dcaf6fad3d7c265dbfe50c204c9159a22.jpg

2024-09-17 06:30:20 UTC

https://image.nostr.build/8e7cbdce6273c565c7082ad18fe9f031971b5308befd54b25ca46bf82a47e2a7.jpg
#flowers #bloomscrolling #garden

2024-09-07 19:28:20 UTC

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I've been considering getting one to play with. Is the fan very noisy?

2024-08-29 15:29:40 UTC

Yesterday I was working in the front yard, cutting up some limbs that had fallen out of our pecan trees. Two of the neighbor kids ( are 4 and 6) came running over to "help". They enjoyed chopping up the smaller branches with loppers and then I taught them how to use a hand saw. Much fun.
While we were doing that, two older boys (age 10 or 11ish) from down the street showed up, carrying an old ironing board with a kayak seat strapped to it and wheels from a lawn mower. They are building a "go kart" and needed me to weld the front axle to the swivel caster they intend to use for a steering mechanism.
It's so heartening to see kids doing real things instead of just staring at screens. I didn't think kids tinkered around like that anymore. Maybe our society is finally leaving the paranoid safetyism of the past couple generations behind, and we're getting back to kids getting dirty and skinning their knees. I sure hope so.
#diy #grownostr #kids

2024-08-17 17:53:21 UTC

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I can't even begin to tally how many hours I of my youth that were spent on BBSes. I started out with a 300 baud modem on my Commodore 64, in 1985. Nothing was more frustrating than being 90% through an XMODEM download of some new game and someone in the house picked up a phone and kicked you off the connection!
Computing was so much more fun back in the day than it is today. Primitive, sure, but a much more interesting challenge. I think that's what I like about my recent forays into microcontroller programming and DIY automation stuff - it reminds me a lot of that golden age of home computing.

2024-08-17 16:07:59 UTC

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I couldn't agree more. I have had zero trouble with my Starlink in the year I've had it.
It's a little pricey, but worth it for how much better it is than other rural internet options.

2024-07-26 00:34:43 UTC

It took me fifty years to suddenly realize that "critter" is just a colloquial version of the word "creature".
I'm smart, guys, I promise!
#language

2024-07-20 22:32:07 UTC

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295kb on mine. Amethyst 0.88.4 on GrapheneOS.

2024-07-20 06:14:31 UTC

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Have you tried staring at a brightly lit screen just inches from your face that contains limitless information, communication, and entertainment options?

2024-07-19 19:51:51 UTC

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Pineapples aren't stocks. Technically, they're braces.

2024-07-19 19:49:33 UTC

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You have days without a blue screen?

2024-07-19 17:27:50 UTC

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Once you get Linux installed, this site is a good place to look to find suggestions for alternative software to replace the functionality of your Windows programs:
https://alternativeto.net/

2024-07-19 17:23:17 UTC

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This is the way.
Dual boot until you can't stand the hassle of using Windows anymore. A second hard drive greatly reduces the chance that installing Linux will break your Windows installation.
As you discover Linux equivalents to your Windows programs, you'll find yourself booting into Windows less and less. But if you jump in with both feet to Linux without any experience, you're more likely to end up frustrated and unhappy. This is a transition that most people need "training wheels" for, and having the safety net off your Windows installation being untouched gives you more confidence to experiment with the Linux side. Booting back into Windows is just enough of a hassle to motivate you to learn how to do your stuff on Linux, but leaves you with your old familiar options if you really need to get something done.

2024-07-19 04:22:24 UTC

This afternoon, I was out in front of the house working on transplanting seedlings. Two young men who work for a roofing company approached to ask about inspecting my roof for damage from recent hailstorms.
I talked to them about that for a few minutes, then they asked about the plants I was working with. We ended up talking about the garbage produced by America's industrial food system, and both of them said they were interested in growing some of their own food, but didn't know how to start. Long story short, I gave them each a surplus pepper plant with instructions on how to transplant them into a larger pot and care for them, and some fresh vegetables from my garden. They left stoked with enthusiasm for learning a new skill that could put them on a path to greater self sufficiency and better health.
Good luck, Austin and Cody! I hope you have success with those peppers and it inspires you to go on to a lifelong joy of gardening.
https://image.nostr.build/da8ea2cce02885f1c337525d9b2e1215da67d35b7c32f9382a2bbd4447fdd3be.jpg
#gardening #grownostr #growfood #growyourown

2024-07-18 20:02:24 UTC

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I use my dehydrator as an incubation chamber. Holds temperature really well, and can be dialed in fairly precisely. And a two gallon container will fit inside, so I can make a lot of yogurt at once.
I used to use the cooler method. For more consistent results, fill it with as much hot water as you can. More thermal mass means it'll hold a steadier temperature. Wrapping the whole thing in a blanket helps, too.

2024-07-18 19:54:18 UTC

I know all cats like cardboard boxes, but this little idiot has an unhealthy compulsive obsession. Literally any paper product left unsecured for 30 seconds is commandeered.
https://image.nostr.build/68ba5527244211101d54782e326e42a7331e88888b76a7d2d34ab2d72ffddd48.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/fc766b45218017a1d6f1410692c80eb67321372f1ddead0be144c5b54e9320ff.jpg
#catstr #cat #grownostr

2024-07-18 17:44:47 UTC

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My first thoughts are either a food grade drying oil like walnut oil, or homemade milk paint, both using finely powered charcoal as the pigment.
Walnut oil will polymerize and cure, so shouldn't continue offgassing to affect your food's flavor. Use a fan to move plenty of air over it for a few days to speed oxidation and curing.
Milk paint is essentially just curds from nonfat milk blended up with pigment. Curdle the milk using lime or lemon juice, strain out the curds, and then blend it up. Add water to thin if, needed. I'm not sure how milk paint will do in a humid environment like a dehydrator, so you may need to seal it, perhaps with a coat of walnut oil after it's fully dried.

2024-07-14 02:26:03 UTC

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My inner Alex Jones is wondering if this isn't a setup to take Biden out next. He's traveling to Texas next week, wouldn't it be a great way for the powers-that-be to get him out of the way by killing him in a "red" state? And since someone took a shot at Trump today, they can have a pro-Trump patsy all ready to go, claiming "retaliation".
I'm not saying that's going to happen, but I would have zero surprise if it did. It's not very clever, but I don't think these deep-state "intelligence community" guys are particularly creative, and they don't really have to be. Most of the public is dumb or apathetic enough to just accept any narrative that they hear repeated three or four times.
The fact that all those rooftops just a couple hundred yards from the rally were left unchecked is a major red flag that something "spooky" went down today.

2024-07-13 21:05:00 UTC

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What a piece of crap. It doesn't even connect to the internet or have Bluetooth like all the latest Wal-Mart disposable appliances! 😉

2024-07-12 06:37:07 UTC

Loofah vines coming on strong this year. If you've got space for them to climb somewhere, they're a fun crop to grow every few years. They last a pretty long time in use, so a couple vines will provide a few years' worth of sponges, which store indefinitely once dried.
We just let them dry on the vine (not a problem in our hot summers), but they do take a fairly long season to grow from seed, fully ripen and dry, 120 days or longer. Once dried, you simply peel them, slice them to the desired size (a serrated bread knife works great), and shake out the seeds. On first use, you'll want to rinse them out thoroughly, as they can retain some residue from their former life as a gourd.
I've been told some people give slices of the dried sponges to rabbits as chew toys, as well. We don't raise rabbits, so I can't verify that.
They're also just an attractive vine in their own right, with lots of bright yellow flowers. It wouldn't be a half bad ornamental even if you didn't collect the gourds.
https://image.nostr.build/b35897663bf83c3cbe497800ddcfd3528fab404b50bdc42ded343e480f70a112.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/113cda5002e89bb451c76c631633682d7f655cc1afd73f37d37bb33aefda320a.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/2772e7742717fc0b0ff88404d57ae5773961641a0bc538f819dcd2b677c0301f.jpg
#garden #homesteading #plantstr #flowers

2024-07-12 05:06:29 UTC

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Same here. It's a great exercise to learn the ins and outs of the mechanics of the gun. Then I document it with photos showing the serial number for insurance purposes.
If it's a rifle, I usually boresight it to verify that the sights are at least in the ballpark before shooting it. You'd be surprised how often they're pretty far off.

2024-07-12 03:07:50 UTC

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All I do is poke the cuttings into potting mix in 4-inch square pots, water completely, then put the whole tray of pots into a big clear plastic tub and place the lid on loosely. Put it in the shade where it can't get any direct sunlight (it's basically a mini greenhouse, so it'll get really hot inside if the sun hits it). Check it for moisture levels frequently to make sure it doesn't dry out, and they will probably be rooted in a month or so.
Rooting hormone helps, but isn't strictly necessary for elderberry.
Unless you're in a real hurry to replicate the plants, you'll probably have better luck if you wait until it's a little cooler, but you can still root them in summer.

2024-07-11 05:43:49 UTC

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Very cool. What hardware are you using?

2024-07-11 00:36:18 UTC

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Did you get a sourdough starter from someone or start your own?

2024-07-11 00:32:31 UTC

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The episode where he discovers "Baba O'Reilly" is just so dang good. It's rare to see a character who is good and innocent not just presented as such, and not just as the butt of a bunch of mean-spirited jokes.

2024-07-10 20:59:40 UTC

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I should note, this recipe requires 5% vinegar (white or apple cider) if you're going to put them up. Some vinegar out there is now 4%, thanks to "shrinkflation". If you use that weaker stuff, you can still put them up in the fridge, but they won't be shelf stable and safe to store at room temperature.

2024-07-10 20:36:49 UTC

Pickled peppers are one of the easiest things to can, and they are such a great addition to the pantry. These are Mariachi peppers, one of my favorites. Good mild heat, great flavor, and very productive plants. Highly recommended.
https://image.nostr.build/3b0fddae805cdfb541a5b11c5497b1e8a26a8f7fd4fba7e08b9ae5cd3b6bff4f.jpg
The brine I use is dead simple, and works for any kind of peppers:
1¼ cup water
1¼ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
That's generally enough brine for two pints of pepper rings; multiply as needed. Just cut the peppers into rings, place in jars with a clove of garlic in each, pour boiling brine over the peppers and put on the lids with 1/2 inch headspace. If you want to eat them soon, keep the jars in the fridge. If you want to put them up shelf-stable, process them in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.
#canning #preserving #prepping #homesteading #garden #foodstr

2024-07-06 21:40:14 UTC

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The trick with onions is getting them in the ground as early as you can in your season, and choosing the right day-length varieties for your location. Onions start to bulb when the number of hours of daylight reaches a certain point (the actual number is determined by the genetics of the variety), so getting them in the ground and growing as far as possible before the days get that long is key to getting nice big onions.

2024-07-05 02:30:14 UTC

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My guess is it's residue from the anti-abrasion coating they spray on glass bottles and jars when they're manufactured to keep them from getting scratched in handling. I don't know if Ball uses that process, but lots of glass container manufacturers do. It should wash off with soap and water, and it's a good reminder to always wash new jars well before using them.

2024-07-04 22:53:38 UTC

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I always make sure to revoke network permission for keyboard apps, but having one that doesn't even try to spy on you in the first place is a much better solution. I'll check it out!

2024-07-04 15:39:34 UTC

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Looks like a water beetle larvae to me.

2024-07-04 05:33:43 UTC

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Still adorable so far. 😊

2024-07-02 19:08:34 UTC

This is my new favorite band (for now). If you like Southern style rock, like Drive-By Truckers or Lynyrd Skynyrd, you owe it to yourself to get Whiskey Myers into your life.
If you walked into a tar-paper shack bar in the middle of the desert and saw that the bartender was a rattlesnake with an eyepatch, odds are the jukebox would contain only Whiskey Myers music.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0aJHieJ3vcM
#rocknroll #music #grownostr #southernrock

2024-07-01 09:01:36 UTC

This crape myrtle tree has been putting on a heck of a show this year. All of the crape myrtles around here have been impressive this spring, but this one drops those delicate white flower petals like snow into our backyard. Beautiful!
https://image.nostr.build/d9f0c3c818731139db5764be903fe34f2666c86affad4260d4e3f6065f23617b.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/e7fc8de692fdd3e29a92cb394a0610889d9f6e222d6e923bf98b6c90922f58a7.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/d21bdcab70d5c6595c22f0d3f9b6947bda9938f5e2b5e8137c025d83e712e3d9.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/d66dec1e0b7bce38469cc34103ca63097db1e2e7a349d9e20067bfe7f6d2b08e.jpg
#garden #flowers #bloomscrolling #bloomstr #grownostr

2024-07-01 06:24:20 UTC

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I've never seen the movie, but the book is great. Another excellent one with similar themes is "Alas, Babylon", though that one is not quite so dark.

2024-07-01 00:07:51 UTC

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Wrangler's "Riggs" line of cargo pants are my go-to. I used to wear the Duluth firehose pants, but I grew to hate the pockets on those. The Riggs pants hold up to abuse nearly as well, and I find them more comfortable and better designed. The front of the legs is actually two layers of fabric, so if you wear through the outer layer of the knees, they're still usable, albeit no longer suitable for formal affairs, coronations, royal weddings, and such.

2024-06-30 21:05:37 UTC

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This guy's videos should give you a quick primer on each step of the process.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_Aetb7e8ejx5_9L20uaPUbwDJHCNmEsN

2024-06-30 17:41:09 UTC

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I haven't seen canning done with a sous vide circulator before. How long do you process those for, and at what temperature?

2024-06-30 16:07:20 UTC

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It's definitely a repair that takes some time and skill. If you're going to attempt it, I recommend getting a piece of drywall and practice a little. It doesn't take that long to pick up the technique, but if you practice on something you can throw away, you'll have better results once you move to the real wall. The main difference between a great drywall guy and an amateur is the amateur takes five times longer and does a lot more sanding. 😉
And thanks for the zap!

2024-06-30 03:41:57 UTC

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One other thing, those joints are jacked up due to movement of the walls. The popped nails and sheared joints mean the walls have moved relative to each other. This might be normal long-term house settling or seasonal movement of, for example, heavy clay soil under the house, or it might be a more serious foundation or structural issue. If it's the latter, your repair will probably crack again as the movement continues to occur.

2024-06-30 03:37:45 UTC

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You'll need to remove any loose tape and drywall compound, then re-tape the corners. That involves laying in a thin bed of drywall compound, laying the paper tape into it, and using a taping knife (like a big spatula) to smooth the tape into the compound and squeeze the excess compound out from under the tape. It will look like hammered shit at this point, don't panic. You let that dry, then apply a thin layer of compound over top, smoothing and feathering it out to blend into the wall. Let that dry, then sand it down smooth and apply another coat, feathering it out further this time. The goal is a seamless transition, so you may need several thin coats, sanding in between, to get it to look good.
It's a specialized skill, and it takes practice, but it's not very complicated. Just takes patience and a strong sanding arm. Make sure you get it all as smooth as you can before priming and painting - it's much harder to sand out any imperfections once there's paint on the wall.
The outside corners might not have paper tape, they might have metal or plastic corner bead that's attached with nails or screws. If that's the case, and the corner bead is solid and not loose, you should be able to just knock off any loose drywall compound, give it a rough sanding, and smooth over a couple of new layers of compound.
For the inside corners, after the initial bedding in of the tape, you'll want to work the walls one at a time. Do one side, let it dry, then do the other side. Let that dry, then sand both sides together. Repeat. Unless you have a lot of practice, it's very easy to screw up the side you just finished if you try to do the opposite side while the compound is wet.

2024-06-29 15:32:44 UTC

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I've tried several times you get started with Strike, but they wouldn't accept my bank account or any debit card I tried, so I was never able to get any fiat in to get sats out. Sounds like all I'm missing out on is the potential for headaches and bad customer service.

2024-06-28 16:49:54 UTC

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Great idea! I've got access to some vines that are loaded, I think I'll do the same thing...

2024-06-27 04:36:29 UTC

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My vote is for bottom left.

2024-06-27 01:54:24 UTC

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This is an interesting old-school (19th century) book with lots of info on how they finished wood back in the day. A couple of caveats: some ingredients may be uncommon and hard to locate today (or go by different names now), and some of this may not meet modern ideas about safety. But it's an interesting book about techniques that have gone by the wayside in favor of polyurethane sprayed on particleboard...
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17935

2024-06-26 22:47:48 UTC

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Normally butter, but for that recipe, being an Italian herb bread, I would try olive oil.

2024-06-25 20:22:55 UTC

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Yes, it's solid state. Samsung is regarded as one of the best solid-state drive makers.

2024-06-25 19:24:10 UTC

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Samsung T7 Shield. They cost about $100 for 1 terabyte. Nice pocketable size, with IP65 dust/water resistance. Very good transfer rates, and a durable rubberized case.

2024-06-25 14:11:06 UTC

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Whoever wrote that article is interpreting the situation all wrong. Bytedance isn't in denial, they're playing chicken, and they're betting that Biden will blink first. And they're probably right.

2024-06-24 04:20:25 UTC

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Do you have a recipe for the giardiniera, or do you just wing it?

2024-06-23 23:29:28 UTC

The easiest message in the universe to communicate is telling a dog you've dropped something edible on the floor. You tap your toe near the item, and the dog eats it. This is universal; no dog, regardless of its intelligence level, fails to understand this. Even people who have never been around a dog will do this instinctively. It's *the* core element of the 60,000 year old cooperative agreement between humans and dogs.
It is, on the other hand, utterly impossible to convey the same information to a cat. It would be easier to construct an entirely new language based on prime numbers to communicate with alien gas orbs from the planet Zargon than it is to get a cat to understand you dropped a small bit of chicken and it's RIGHT FUCKING THERE.
https://image.nostr.build/29c8fb0520f03f8d42490c53d902f11cf525ddffe1a482eebb9ec3ee19bf1b9d.jpg
#dogstr #catstr #grownostr

2024-06-22 22:39:16 UTC

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Give 'em 12 words on a piece of paper with no explanation. If they can figure it out, they deserve the sats. If they can't, sell them hints. 😉

2024-06-21 02:37:30 UTC

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https://githubstats0.firebaseapp.com/

2024-06-20 04:20:17 UTC

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Kind of a strange request, but okay:
https://image.nostr.build/b2d32f8883a19e63507bad676ea088a149adeec5c3387823379749c8c38901bd.jpg
These three are kinda shy.

2024-06-19 19:21:06 UTC

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You might investigate using vital wheat gluten to enhance your dough. It's gluten extracted from wheat and milled into a fine powder. A little goes a long way, like a tablespoon per loaf of bread, and it can really pump up the protein content to help make an airy, chewy loaf of bread.
It really helps to lighten up rye and whole wheat breads, or breads using other grains like oats, which all tend to come out dense and heavy from a lack of gluten.
You could also try adding it to your high quality AP flour to bring the gluten content up to a normal bread flour level.

2024-06-19 16:38:57 UTC

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I just harvested my first fig yesterday! It was the only one on the whole tree to ripen this early, so I don't know what's up with that. All the others are still quite green.

2024-06-19 16:33:34 UTC

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I've got a dog, but despite being a world-class jumper (relative to his short legs), he's not fast enough to catch them. Chasing them is one of the great joys in his life, though.
Miraculously, the rabbits aren't doing any damage to the garden or orchard, so I'll just wait until they're nice and fat this fall and put a few in the freezer.
https://www.squeakyfrogfarm.com/nostr/Bionic-Duke.mp4

2024-06-19 08:02:31 UTC

The rabbits around here this year are out of control. There are tons of them, and they seem to have no fear whatsoever. Look at this cocky asshole, just lounging around like he's a lion on the savanna. Hey, dum-dum, you're a *prey* animal. Start acting like it! At least get out of the way so I don't have to step over you. We used to have an agreement where rabbits at least pretended to be afraid of people, but apparently they are no longer honoring that deal. Frankly, it's a little disconcerting to be stared down by a widdle bitty bunny wabbit like he's a gang leader in a prison yard... They're up to something, and I don't like it.
https://image.nostr.build/daabc85e3635ab8676224d70ccfe0e8de62cd7a9cbc189c4056fc1cb6f3dcad1.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/42e7ed008d979fd62af675a8ae34772cedd943dfe717629b13515cebf8050adf.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/76b5277e2c9d255608c71c72415acdf63c3d451b5262689bfb1b717e4fa7bc9d.jpg
#animals #farm #homestead #garden #rabbits #nature #overconfidentrodents

2024-06-19 03:12:57 UTC

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I can smell this photo, and it's making me hungry.

2024-06-18 19:52:48 UTC

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Honestly, I'm kinda surprised it was only a 2:1 ratio.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJI2w96UEGffdgk9R_JeKLV7IKlfVrd6dMIdvACTH_vg84pPWUw9ceHlTTCiJFbc1JcUxzwfzPZn_HFq4f1V676wtK-bW5Q0nDbUPPVkGSb1KliTO9CQYPo_mgRZO2eQ5RM9HEGDv0IN4/s1600/blog_growth_administrators_physicians.jpg

2024-06-18 15:27:47 UTC

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That's pretty slick if you have the right situation for it!

2024-06-18 06:21:48 UTC

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When your body is trying to heal from trauma or disease, isn't one of the most important things that you get plenty of protein so your body can build and repair tissues? I would expect this kind of food during recovery would result in poorer outcomes for patients.
And good luck in those hospitals if you have a soy allergy.

2024-06-17 23:13:07 UTC

I've been pretty disappointed by the lack of Nostr content focused on moving liquids from one container to another, so let's talk about "jiggle siphons". The name says it all, a jiggle siphon (aka safety siphon) is a magnificently simple invention that lets you get a siphon started by just jiggling it up and down a few times in the container you're trying to extract liquid from.
https://image.nostr.build/0ad32c92e9108fe53acce62f0179f87caf692b10ab051117081a7baea4ece11f.jpg
It's a simple check valve (a glass marble inside the valve does all the work), so as it moves up and down in the container, it forces a little liquid into the tube each time, until there's enough to get a siphon flowing. If you've ever sucked gas or aquarium water into your mouth trying to start a siphon that way, you'll understand the value of this.
I've got a couple of copper ones I use for gas and diesel (it's much easier to get fuel out of a full gas can using this siphon than to try to dump it out with the crappy nozzle on the can), but if you just need one for water, you can 3D print one out of plastic and steal a marble from a little kid.
https://image.nostr.build/e49dfa74bd98272c0a5a6c22e1e87d3f09b5fb3af0d8980f4e6663e694877df0.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/46d6a87de1eaa95052922c5c39da065b66d0dcf2b8169730aa041395b16cec45.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/562afc8fa47610a0254e9aac28e2f6671b267967ba05720ccaff371e5e238716.jpg
Here are the CAD files I used to make mine. You can use OpenSCAD to customize it to fit whatever size tubing and marble you have.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4337772
#diy #tools #3dprint #3dprinting #homesteading #grownostr

2024-06-16 02:59:58 UTC

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Me, too! A couple of years ago I left the front door open while I went out to tend the chickens and came back to a much bigger one hanging out on the umbrella stand in the entryway. Few things will get your heart pumping like an unexpected indoor snake... 😆

2024-06-16 02:34:52 UTC

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Yeah, the snake was under the bed, and the cat was *very* interested in killing it. The house was built in 1930, so there are probably lots of places a little guy like that could squeeze in.

2024-06-16 02:32:32 UTC

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I find the same goes for the majority of junk that comes across the Mastodon gateways. If I want to be on the "fediverse" and get drowned in nonsense, butthurt, and censorship, I can set up a Mastodon account very easily.
I wish Amethyst would let you filter notes based on the NIP-05 domain. That would clean up the feed very nicely without having to mute hundreds of accounts.

2024-06-15 20:56:03 UTC

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Nice! Totally out of idle curiosity and nothing else, where are you going to bury them? To save you the time of typing out a long description of the location, just send the GPS coordinates. 😉

2024-06-15 13:48:47 UTC

I was awakened this morning by a commotion in the bedroom. Turns out it was this:
https://image.nostr.build/b939a094fd88c07c36d34e7b66aeb84cb36df755a1d93baf0d30e41051318b32.jpg
Trying to kill this:
https://image.nostr.build/27e5242f3f0c04f3fdf477ff4731cd3b2482b1d1dfd065528bf96994ddf06081.jpg
Who said living out in the country was quiet and peaceful?
#catstr #caturday #snake #farm #homestead

2024-06-14 23:56:50 UTC

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I've got three of those, and they've been great. The oldest one I have has been in service for about five years. Don't expect to find parts or be able to rebuild it once it wears out, but they start reliably, run quiet, and are lightweight. They're not going to run an air conditioner, but they'll run some lights or small appliances or keep a fridge cold during an outage. I don't do much camping, but it seems like one of these would be perfect for that.
For $170, I figure if it saves a freezer full of food during an outage once in its life, it's more than paid for itself.
It's very simple to install a cheap hour meter on one of these, too, so you can keep track of maintenance easily.

2024-06-13 16:29:34 UTC

OK, I've never seen this before. Some kind of weird mutation or something caused this flower to grow petals in the wrong place.
https://image.nostr.build/d616e6b85beb4671d6be08cf924e7cc73a2d0df1ad7d06628da393ef5013cd5f.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/4f468df1c4aeeaf0be8993664c42fc8cd0e5c81977506608e00afe7c98673eba.jpg
#flowers #bloomscrolling #garden #nature

2024-06-13 03:18:42 UTC

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I always chuckle when I see "plant based" soy or almond milk.
Real milk is absolutely plant-based, too. You put grass into a cow and it is converted into milk with incredible efficiency.

2024-06-10 17:31:31 UTC

Homemade salsa, in two simple steps.
Before:
https://image.nostr.build/caa04802845b3161a8bb9e9eaee9ce51c29a96cd2299f16df7f16592449d1df6.jpg
After:
https://image.nostr.build/5a89451c059819f5a021d00aa975dacc95403334bdad0a16f70c86a686b589e8.jpg
#garden #homesteading #growfood #foodstr #farm #grownostr

2024-06-09 20:28:23 UTC

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Posting cat-related content is like 30% of the nostr game, so you're doing great! 😁

2024-06-08 02:27:02 UTC

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Interesting... So what's the idea here, you mix the salt and Vaseline together, or do you sprinkle the salt onto the Vaseline? Do you have to reapply when it gets rained on or watered?

2024-06-07 02:39:17 UTC

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Right now, we only have six totes going and are using the bottom shelf for some other plants we're starting from seed, but you get the idea. Top row is lettuce, second row is lettuce and bok choy.
https://image.nostr.build/c5ef1f1ddeefa73d42e914e1d167e23c504be51a936bb0a4e81ca263fa824573.jpg

2024-06-06 19:47:43 UTC

https://image.nostr.build/6e065a9f7a8a7f1f6a8a828b3f11705e8479d0327b7003df61f176cf7ff521fe.jpg
Here in Texas, it's too hot for at least half the year to grow lettuce and other greens outdoors. So we have an indoor hydroponics setup for that. Using these 3 gallon Rubbermaid totes, we can fit 54 plants on a small wire rack shelving unit (six plants per tote, three totes per shelf, three shelves high).
If you stagger your plantings right, you can keep a continuous supply of fresh greens coming indefinitely.
You don't even need special grow lights for growing leafy greens. We just use inexpensive LED shop lights.
You don't need pumps and valves and plumbing. The very simple Kratky method works just fine for lettuce, spinach, etc.
Basically, what I'm saying is, if you have electricity and four square feet of floor space, you can grow more lettuce than you'll want to eat. We sell the surplus to neighbors, who love having access to greens that are literally harvested just minutes before they receive them (you can't get fresher than that) and have never been sprayed with any pesticides, etc. We don't sell a ton of it, but more than enough to offset the costs of electricity and nutrient mix, so whatever we keep for ourselves is basically free.
#garden #homesteading #growfood #hydroponics #grownostr #farm

2024-06-04 01:06:14 UTC

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Absolutely! If you do it right, two or three chickens can be just a few minutes of your time each day in exchange for lots of eggs and garden fertility. And the eggs are *way* better than anything you can buy in a store.

2024-05-31 05:52:46 UTC

If you live near a Northern Tool store in the US and are looking for some raised garden beds, they've got 3x6 raised bed kits on sale for $35 now (that's half price):
https://www.northerntool.com/products/ironton-galvanized-steel-raised-garden-planter-6ft-x-3ft-container-length-72-in-container-width-36-in-material-galvanized-steel-model-np-pb101-5006137
We put several of these in last year to expand our garden, and have been very pleased with them. They're fairly sturdy once filled with soil, and have folded edges on the top and bottom so they're not razor sharp like the cheap ones you can get from Amazon (we've got a couple of those, too, and they're far inferior to the Northern Tool ones). Given the cost of building materials, you probably can't even make one this size out of wood for $35, and galvanized steel should last much longer. After a year of use on ours, some of the fasteners have rusted a bit, but the galvanized panels still look like new.
I posted this same deal last year when they went on sale, but they were $42 back then, so this is an even better deal. They have other sizes on sale, too, but the 3x6 has the best discount right now.
https://nostr.build/i/22a7635307b39a638b84bc1f176bfbbd8ac689bd45214cf72f1d6fb004f76fcd.jpg
#grownostr #growfood #gardening #garden #deal #bargain #homestead #farm

2024-05-27 22:33:44 UTC

My new phone's camera has a slow-motion mode, so I've been playing with that today. My dog is basically a Muppet, so he's a great slo-mo subject.
Thinking about making a TV show called "The Six Million Dollar Dog".
(That's about 85 bitcoins today...)
#dog #video #bionic #GenX #dogstr #grownostr
https://www.squeakyfrogfarm.com/nostr/Bionic-Duke.mp4

2024-05-23 16:41:30 UTC

At our house in town, I built a bunch of nice raised garden beds along the sidewalk, where we grow vegetables and flowers. The whole front yard is pretty much flowers and gardens, very little grass. It's a busy street, and we get lots of complementary comments from people in the neighborhood. One year we had a huge trombocino squash hanging on the trellis and people were stopping to photograph their babies next to it...
A while back we started finding little gifts left in the raised beds with no explanation. A ceramic bird hung up on the trellis, a Christmas ornament in December, etc.
The most curious thing so far has been these little rattles/chimes/whatever they are. We have no idea what they're for, or who left them. They have something inside that makes a soft little ringing sound when you shake them.
Does anyone know what these are, or what the characters on them represent?
https://image.nostr.build/5e1fc1ae17aaa080e0349991e05e84454ca1b2e9ca88efbe6eeda09e93a339de.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/a84e816f3040dc5b0206bb490125fc63396cddedf23b09018cd243e5accb8a2b.jpg
#asknostr #garden #art #mystery

2024-05-22 23:21:52 UTC

Picked peaches in the orchard yesterday. Probably should have done it last week, some were overripe and serving as a buffet for the local insect population. I was surrounded by butterflies the whole time. Wonderful experience.
https://image.nostr.build/010f8aa3fd7deb8cded1f96733f215621110a1050c5796b9a9ea42aa452d38b9.jpg
#farm #garden #food #butterfly #homesteading #grownostr

2024-05-10 23:19:43 UTC

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If you want to keep deer off of new trees, you can make a deer repellent from eggs and milk. Beat a couple of eggs together with a cup of milk, add to a gallon of water and mix thoroughly. Cover and let it sit outside somewhere warm (not in a sealed container, though - it will pressurize and explode if you do that) for a day. It will stink, but if you paint or spray it on your trees, it's pretty effective at keeping the deer away. After it dries for a day or two, the odor subsides below the human threshold, but animals can still smell it. Putrefied eggs are the main ingredient in commercial deer/rabbit repellents like Liquid Fence.
You can add cayenne pepper or garlic (or both) to enhance its effectiveness, also.
In my experience, deer require a multi-pronged approach to control. Barriers, repellents, and startle mechanisms are all part of the equation.

2024-05-08 01:59:24 UTC

Okay, gang. Time to quit screwing around chit-chatting about Bitcoins and protocols and art and homesteads and whatever other frivolity ya'll engage in around here. Focus that nostr brainpower on this cat for a minute.
She started hanging around the farm a couple months ago, and has finally got comfortable enough to let me pet her, so now she needs a name.
Based on her physical characteristics, I think she might be a sister of the other little stray that started hanging around here a couple years ago, Junebug. And she doesn't really meow, she makes a croaking sound like a tree frog (see the video for that). So I'm pretty sure she's a cat, but there might be some frog or toad DNA in the mix.
https://image.nostr.build/dc240345a11f3b870c95bdd97ea2199e70054788da29c948924d43c77de4fae7.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/19d5e8b8c7999aa3f486409099332e916bcd6bf5cac63be82681d6c2693ad668.jpg
https://video.nostr.build/50a4e5747eafc1306a273772717757a8e718c39054be1aa5750b6eac5f73dc73.mp4
#cat #farm #asknostr #grownostr #catstr

2024-05-06 17:42:59 UTC

I 3D printed a soil block maker over the weekend, and I'm giving it a try now. Seems to work pretty well once you dial in the moisture content of your soil mix. Time will tell how durable it is (I only used 40% infill to save time and materials on this one), but it's basically just an experiment for us to see if we can incorporate soil blocks into our growing. If it works out, I can invest in a larger/more durable one.
https://image.nostr.build/3526a59c8511c25961660fc51485cf17a20d21727c124a52c015a4db63b29769.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/4bb9cda83f4a65a814f895999aa0950731a0acaa2bb371380f9567c0c25bbc85.jpg
This is the file I used (it's not my design) if you're interested in making one of your own:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3444101
#3dprinting #gardening #homesteading #grownostr #plants

2024-05-05 01:27:45 UTC

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Kittens are the biggest bait-and-switch scam ever. They're infinitely adorable, hilariously entertaining, and incredibly lovable. Then, once they get you emotionally hooked, they turn into cats and start sleeping all day, making noise all night, breaking your stuff and being assholes about food. I love my cats, but sometimes it's like having the worst roommate in the world... 🐱

2024-05-01 15:29:54 UTC

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One of the neighbor kids is a little girl who loves animals. Every once in a while she'll catch one and carry it around with her for a while. Not many wild animals will tolerate that!

2024-05-01 14:58:34 UTC

GM nostr!
One of my favorite things about living in a warm climate is having cool little lizards all over the place. The Texas spiny lizards and geckos we have are jumpy and nervous, and run away at every disturbance, but these green anoles are very chill. They'll hang out with you and watch you while you're in the garden, and only run away when they feel seriously threatened. I know a guy who trained one that lived in his woodpile to be hand fed. He'd catch bugs and feed it, until it eventually learned to recognize him and would come out for a treat whenever he walked by. They're cool little dudes.
https://image.nostr.build/968c71bfcdb2967bc45f6dd41414c69ab5f8f1060f071e9fdedff983640ac5e3.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/4aa6193a25612916f8b95d90bbd686dc947f3f1e593bd5f25dfff22d82e64d3f.jpg
#lizard #animals #grownostr #texas

2024-04-27 14:47:39 UTC

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That's a great analogy. Twitter and Facebook are the seed oils of the internet. They're unnatural, toxic, and promote inflammation.
Meanwhile, Nostr is bacon grease...