Friday, January 31, 2014

Random 5 Friday

 How's this for Oyster Mushrooms...we always called them tree mushrooms.  My husband spotted this growing on a tree stump on his way home from work.  We have gathered/picked them every since we got married;  Roger has actually been eating them all his life, but these are the first we have ever seen that were this big...
I just thought I would share these pics today till a few might see them that did not see the original post about them.
We had mushrooms to fry that night, plus froze several bags.
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It is time for Random 5 Friday

1.  It bugs me to no end when I email a business to ask a question and they do not reply.  I often wonder why even have an address if they are not going to handle the email responsibly.

2.  I have got to say it again:  I am ready for summer.  Or spring at least.  I can not wait to be able to sit on the front porch and to have ripe tomatoes from our garden.   We at least got above freezing today!

3.  I am almost through reading Hiking Through:  One Man's Journey to Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail by Paul Stutzman....I always enjoy reading personal accounts of through hikers.  When I am done with it, I have about decided to start Grass of the Earth by Aagot Raaen.  It is the biography of Norwegian homesteaders in North Dakota.  I have read it before and will probably read it again.  It just sort of suits this time of year.

When it is this time of year, I wonder how our ancestors survived the winters.  It was a lot of work just to keep warm.  Much less do the work they had to do.  They didn't have heat and light and water at the flip of a switch.  And think of the clothing we have now.  All the special blends and fibers just to help stay warm.  

4.  I am the most indecisive person there ever was or will be.  Just ask my husband.  Most times I know what I DON'T want...just hard to decide what I do want.  He can ask me where I want to eat...I may not know where I want to eat, but I know I don't want to eat at McDonald's.  (Don't mind breakfast there...and I like their french fries)  We will decide to get out and go somewhere just to get out...I may not know where I want to go, but I know I don't want to go shopping.

5.  With the amount of money we spend paying taxes, our streets should be paved with gold.  Here in Indiana we pay federal taxes, State Taxes, property taxes, and we pay taxes on our vehicles each year when we get our license plates.  Say we have to pay $350 sales tax when we buy a car, we pay that when we go get our license plate.  Next year,  we pay say $325 when we get our license plates renewed...and it just gradually decreases.  The tenth year I think it is $49, and that is what we pay each year thereafter.  Of course a trailer is another $35 or more...and I think when we had a dog, it was 3 or 4 dollars for each dog.

So, I was wondering, what all kind of taxes does your state have?

To read more random thoughts, please check in at A Rural Journal.