Monday, September 22, 2008

New storage pantry!!

Since Not Quite Grown loudly objects to me turning her Shabby Chic bedroom into a pantry, I used the last day of my steroid-fueled energy to finally outfit the closet under the garage stairs into a canning and storage pantry! (Was that one of the longest sentences I've written in awhile??)

I didn't take any pictures of the "before", but it pretty much was a dumping ground for pictures that had no home in the house, and a galvanized trash can to keep mousies from the bagged dog food.

I used mostly recycled wire shelving from other closet projects, bought one 6-foot shelf, and brought a three shelf rack up from the shop. The closet is long and skinny, so pictures are kind of choppy!

Top, looking straight in. Note to self: Get more TP.

Trash cans hold dog food and a 50 pound bag of rice.

Looking around the corner into the back of the closet.

It's great to be able to see all the produce I put up this summer (so far!) This shelf holds four kinds of pickles, beets (need more!), four kinds of tomato products, and apples. I think next year, I don't need to plant pickling cucumbers or any more tomatoes than I can eat fresh!!

Rack holds food grade plastic bins of sugar and flour, plus extra canning jars.

I'm so happy with my new storage area!!

*****

I have spared you all the reports of Sassy's little poop-fest this week, but I think I have figured out what she's been eating out of the backyard. It's just that I don't know what it is!

She went zooming out to this particular tree this afternoon and starting sniffing around the ground excitedly.





On the ground, I found a pinkish-orange fruit, about the size of a golf ball.



Inside,the flesh was soft and orange with large, flat, brown seeds, much like watermelon seeds. These matched (exactly) the decorations on the piles I picked up in Sassy's private corner of the yard!



So, anyone know what this is?? It smells sweet, but not anything I recognize. Is it something I can eat?? Or do I need to cut the tree down to keep it from killing my dogs??

Any suggestions welcome!!

Edit: I think I have identified this tree as a variety of persimmon!! Now to figure out what to make with all the fruit!

6 comments:

sewtakeahike said...

Hey Lisa, love the new pantry area, you did a fabulous job! So you like rice huh? I just found THE BEST recipe for kheer (indian rice pudding), if you are interested, let me know but it could help use up a few grains of that rice for sure!
From the looks of your mystery fruit photos, they look like plums. I bet they would make a fabulous crisp!

Lisa said...

Thanks, Penny! Not a huge fan of rice pudding, but thank you for the offer!

I thought maybe plums too, but their are multiple seeds in each, not one big pit. Still sound like plums??

Anonymous said...

Oh boy!!!!if those really are persimons you have trreasures. They make great puddings, cookies and lots of other good things. I will go thru my cookbooks and send you some recipes!!!!!!!YUMMIE.

Lisa said...

Yup! I'm all but convinced these fruits are a native (non-Japanese) variety of persimmons! Who knew!!

MarmiteToasty said...

Goodness, I thought it was a fig, but then, what do I know lol...

Aint penstimon a flower LOL, but then, what do I know ;)

Dont eat it without investigating, incase it gives you the squirts :)

x

MarmiteToasty said...

ps....... I would LOVE a pantry that big, your pantry is the size of me bedroom LMFAO only I dont have a wire bed..... if you was ever short of dosh you could rent your pantry out to the least fortunate and make quiet a packet LOL

x