John Stone's Picture Gallery and Video Archive

[stefanjagger]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Yeah, I'm not sure I could slide that past our HOA.
Attachment 30897

Hah - You could maybe have grass up the side with trees, plants etc, looking over fields and a nice sunset in the distance...

[TonioK]

John

My compliments on the lawn and plants they look great. I'm assuming that you have Floratam? What are you using as far as fertilizer? Weed control? Seems everything I read about Floratam, weed killer and Florida doesn't mix.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by TonioK

I'm assuming that you have Floratam? What are you using as far as fertilizer? Weed control? Seems everything I read about Floratam, weed killer and Florida doesn't mix.

I actually pay a commercial company to fertilize my lawn because they have access to far better stuff than is available to consumers. Also, with so many potential problems (especially in the summer months when disease and bugs can be thorny issues), it's a nice insurance policy. I do supplement what they do with my own applications of Ironite.

I use a locally owned Florida company called Evergreen. I really like them. At my old house I used a couple of National companies (like Scotts and TruGreen), and they were HORRIBLE.

Yes, I have a Floratam lawn and it definitely does not like Atrazine once the temperatures start climbing into the 80s. Atrazine can, however, be used on Floratam in the cooler months, and it is an excellent (albeit controversial) pre-emergent weed controller. That's what the company I pay uses on my lawn once the cooler weather sets in, and it does the trick. Weeds just can't compete with a thick, healthy turf so they are not a problem in my lawn (the gardens are another story--I have to weed those every few days!)

[TonioK]

Originally Posted by John Stone

I actually pay a commercial company to fertilize my lawn because they have access to far better stuff than is available to consumers. Also, with so many potential problems (especially in the summer months when disease and bugs can be thorny issues), it's a nice insurance policy. I do supplement what they do with my own applications of Ironite.

I use a locally owned Florida company called Evergreen. I really like them. At my old house I used a couple of National companies (like Scotts and TruGreen), and they were HORRIBLE.

Yes, I have a Floratam lawn and it definitely does not like Atrazine once the temperatures start climbing into the 80s. Atrazine can, however, be used on Floratam in the cooler months, and it is an excellent (albeit controversial) pre-emergent weed controller. That's what the company I pay uses on my lawn once the cooler weather sets in, and it does the trick. Weeds just can't compete with a thick, healthy turf so they are not a problem in my lawn (the gardens are another story--I have to weed those every few days!)

I'll check out Evergreen, right now I'm using TruGreen and have a greener yard but still full of weeds and those stickers. Seems every time I question something about the lawn, they have an excuse when it comes to weeds.

Thanks for the info

[John Stone]

This morning I posted a photographic tour of my 2009 cutting diet. I also included information on how how I prepare each meal. I hope some of you find it informative!

[DFS]

Originally Posted by John Stone

This morning I posted a photographic tour of my 2009 cutting diet. I also included information on how how I prepare each meal. I hope some of you find it informative!

Loved the photo tour John!

This is probably not the day to suggest this since this is the day you ran out of fresh salad greens, but if you're buying fresh salad regularly you should consider fresh broccoli too. I tried all the frozen broccoli's out there, and they do fine. I keep a bag or two in the freezer for emergencies, but fresh broccoli is so much better imo. I buy like 4 or 5 heads at a time (one head is one serving for me) and just store in the fridge. I cut and steam the broccoli over water for about 8-10 mins, and prepare with drizzled extra virgin olive oil and garlic salt. The frozen is convenient, I see the appeal, but if you're buying fresh salad regularly anyway the transition should be easy. I think you'd be happy with the difference.

[MannishBoy]

Originally Posted by DFS

Loved the photo tour John!

This is probably not the day to suggest this since this is the day you ran out of fresh salad greens, but if you're buying fresh salad regularly you should consider fresh broccoli too. I tried all the frozen broccoli's out there, and they do fine. I keep a bag or two in the freezer for emergencies, but fresh broccoli is so much better imo. I buy like 4 or 5 heads at a time (one head is one serving for me) and just store in the fridge. I cut and steam the broccoli over water for about 8-10 mins, and prepare with drizzled extra virgin olive oil and garlic salt. The frozen is convenient, I see the appeal, but if you're buying fresh salad regularly anyway the transition should be easy. I think you'd be happy with the difference.

I've found that it's actually cheaper and a lot less work to even buy the big bags of florets from Sam's than the individual heads. Somebody has done the work of chopping them up, and it's cheaper. Double win!

I still keep some frozen, too, but I go through a 2 lb (I think) fresh bag a week.

...and I still hate broccoli

[DFS]

Originally Posted by MannishBoy

I've found that it's actually cheaper and a lot less work to even buy the big bags of florets from Sam's than the individual heads. Somebody has done the work of chopping them up, and it's cheaper. Double win!

I still keep some frozen, too, but I go through a 2 lb (I think) fresh bag a week.

...and I still hate broccoli

I've never investigated the expense, you're probably right.

I have gotten a 4lb bag of frozen florets at BJ's wholesale, and they are very very good indeed. But I still think fresh is best!

[vanDutton]

I just wish my food looked that good when it came out of the oven. I can't cook for crap, but I'm learning. I may steal the recipes so I'm not on the verge of gagging with every bite.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by DFS

I keep a bag or two in the freezer for emergencies, but fresh broccoli is so much better imo.

There's really no comparison, I couldn't agree more.

It's funny you should mention the broccoli, because I originally wrote a paragraph in this morning's update mentioning how much better fresh broccoli is compared to frozen, and that I should probably make the effort to start using it more. The Chinese place where I get my General Tso's Chicken cheat meal always uses fresh broccoli, and it's so good!

I'm really sick of frozen. It's just not that good.

OK, this weekend I'm going to tell Lisa to get me fresh.

[DFS]

Originally Posted by John Stone

OK, this weekend I'm going to tell Lisa to get me fresh.

Good call.

Cooking tip: Don't under steam it. I under steamed the broccoli for my wife and I last night and it was still a bit 'hard'. I had twice as much broccoli as usual so I guess it needed more time. She was mad at me. I'm not sure if you can over steam though, kinda like over baking a potato?

[Jedi]

thanks John, I really enjoyed your visual, gourmet tour

[leftyx]

Nice tour John. It was mouthwatering. And I'm surprised how much preparation you put in. But still, it's not very complicated, and I think I could follow some of the recipes for my meals. I may try one sometime soon.

[carddante]

Originally Posted by MannishBoy

I've found that it's actually cheaper and a lot less work to even buy the big bags of florets from Sam's than the individual heads. Somebody has done the work of chopping them up, and it's cheaper. Double win!

I also get the chopped florets from Sams- DIRT cheap when compared to buying the heads at the grocery store. You get 2 lbs of broccoli for about $4.

Originally Posted by DFS

I'm not sure if you can over steam though, kinda like over baking a potato?

You can. I do not recommend it. It turns into a steaming pile of green mush. It's WAY worse than understeaming it. Trust me. I usually steam my broccoli for 5-7 minutes, no more, no less.

[CA$ON]

When I cook my broccoli I use the Ziplock steam bags.


Buy fresh from your produce, wash off and stick in the steam bag. 3 minutes later its steamed PERFECT.

[Sea2Sea]

Cason is right, my wife brought home these Zip and Steam Bags http://www.ziploc.com/ from the dollar store. I was skeptical at first, But all you do is put the Broccli or any other fresh or frozen veggi in , no water or anything. Follow the recomended Micro wave time printed right on the bag and Whala ! Perfectly steamed goodness.

[adamh707]

You know... All this talk of frozen broccoli, I remember i had a few bags in the freezer that i hadn't tried... A little preface though; Veggies are relatively cheap here, so all i eat is fresh.

My rating out of 10 for frozen Broccoli with 10 being fresh- 3/10.... I actually tipped that defrosted gunk down the sink and got the fresh stuff out of the fridge..... hmmmmmm tasty!

[nc]

Hi John,

I've been reading the page for years and I always love following your progress. It's fascinating to me how your powerful work ethic has shown incredible results and I've watched you make seemingly superhuman gains to your physicality while maintaining the same mental issues that plague me and the rest of the world.

I wonder if you might want to look into augmenting your training with either meditation or cognitive based therapy. Both of these techniques are powerful and proven to make massive psychological changes when used effectively. I'd recommend looking up Jon Kabat Zinn from UMass Medical School for some information on meditation and David Burns from Stanford on the CBT. Both of these techniques have shown people who are terminally ill or in chronic pain (for example) how to gain control of their emotional lives and bring joy into their days, and neither requires any crazy equipment or doctor visits or anything like that. I haven't seen too many people (anyone, really) combine this approach with physical fitness and frankly given your drive and determination I think the results if you pursed this stuff would be the kind of thing that would make front page news and be a huge wake-up call to doctors and people world wide. Anyway, I just thought I'd throw that out there.

Peace.

[LCJ]

How long are they going to leave you wondering about your job? It's been a while since this first popped up...are they just torturing you with it?

[comp818]

John, have you ever thought about starting a business? A lot of people are turning to businesses (especially franchise business) due to the current job situation.