Hangar fun

When we have put our flight bags back on the shelf, logged our day's hours of flight, nestled our plane back in the hangar and have closed the big folding door, we kick back and find entertainment in small and furry ways.

We love this little guy!

Tomatoes are my life.

If you would search the archives of this blog somewhere back in early Spring you would read that I germinated and grew organic tomato plants in my greenhouse and now I reap the bounty from my garden! I ended up with 30 plants and have spent the last month putting the beauties up. This is one of three of my methods of storing tomatoes. This is simple tomato sauce that can be frozen.


This soft fruit/vegetable peeler is the best tool in my kitchen. It has saved me time and hassle countless times.




The most time consuming deed is to seed all of these before cooking.


Add a bunch of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and a touch of sugar and bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer.


The sauce has cooked down for a couple of hours simmering off all the water from the tomatoes. The result is so very tasty and will be used in all kinds of dishes this winter.


My ever attentive audience...

Another cool flight

A friend (K.) took me up in his Ryan, PT-22. These were built in the mid 40's as primary trainers for WWII. The open cockpit, inhaling exhaust and the clackaty-clack of the radial engine was eventful. The engine has such a distinct sound that when you are on the ground and it is flying you can hear it approaching from miles away and know which plane it is.


Specifications (PT-22):
Engine: One 160-hp Kinner R-540-1 five-cylinder radial engine
Weight: Empty 1,313 lbs., Max Takeoff 1,860 lbs.
Wing Span: 30ft. 1in.
Length: 22ft. 5in.
Height: 6ft. 10in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 131 mph
Ceiling: 15,000 ft.
Range: 352 miles
Armament: None

Number Built: ~1273

Number Still Airworthy: 85+


Getting geared up for a chilly ride.
K. flies, for employment, the Erikson air crane used for heavy lifting and fighting fires. He is sent all over the world for jobs.


K. flies it from the back and needless to say he can never see over the nose, even in landing. He let me take the controls for awhile and then he pulled some light aerobatics. Another great war bird!