#how is it this dry in winter

[deadfileinthecabinet]

I hate winter. I swear.

[manglechanbluh]

Come on, he is wearing gaiters I couldn't resist + End of the Line speeding bullet

[foodandfolklore]

Dry your own Orange Wheels and Peels

For many people it's strange to think that Oranges are often seen in winter decorations and are traditionally eaten this time of year. I know my house always had tangerines around, and I still buy them to this day in December. People also got them in their stockings as a treat. I didn't know still did this until I had my first Christmas with my now partner and they made me a stocking with an orange and apple. Gotta say, that orange was good. Now, this is partly because citrus fruits are in season in the winter. But there's another aspect.

The winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, is in December. Also called yule. It marks the celebration of the returning of the Sun, and Oranges are packed with solar energy. An orange wheel, fresh or dried, is a perfect symbol of the Sun to decorate with. Many people will dry their oranges during this season to make storage and decorating easier.

A dehydrator makes things a lot easier, but not everyone has one. However, fret not, you can still dry your oranges in the oven. You just need to set your oven to as low as it will go. Start at 150F and see if it will accept. Most ovens the lowest it will go will be between 160F to 200F. Don't try higher than 200F, your Oranges will get too toasty.

Orange Peel

If you want to just preserve orange peel, first decide what you are going to be using it for. If you plan to use it in things like tea, spell jars, basically need big chunks, simply use a vegetable peeler to peel the zest from the pith. Then place the strips on some parchment lined baking sheets, and place in the oven for around 30 minutes until they start to curl.

However, if you are wanting to use the peel in ways where us would need to be smaller; like curry powders, cookie doughs, and other general cooking, I strongly recommend grating your zest before drying. You can grind or cut up the larger chunks after they have dried, but orange zest (and all citrus to be honest) becomes rather leather like once dry. So grinding with a simple mortar and pestle is near impossible. You will need a coffee grinder or some other blender.

Orange Wheel

Lay your orange on it's side, so it's bump bits are on the left and right. This way, when you slice into the orange, you get your desired wheel look.

Now Start slicing. You want them to be fairly thin. I'm talking like no thicker than half a centimeter or quarter of a inch. If you have a mandolin, that'll make things easier. But if you're like me and don't have one nor can you consistently cut straight to save your life, fear not this will still work. These wheels just need to be thin.

One you have your wheels, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. You can dab off excess juice with a paper towel if you happen to have a leaky fruit. Place them in the oven and check on them after 3 hours. They may be done, or they may need more time. Be prepared to wait 6 or 7 hours drying orange wheels. Maybe have a home day planned.

If your wheels are getting brown but not dry, remove them from the oven and give them a moment to cool. Turn the tray around before placing back in the oven.

You can store these in a clean glass jar, and if done right can last a few years. This process will work with other types of Citrus too. Lemons, Limes, Grapefruits. You can make lovely decorations or dress up a gift in an eco friendly way.

[thisfuckingdork]

I was a very impatient highschooler in that when faced with crossing a creek/climbing a small cliff or taking an extra FIVE (5) minutes on my way home/to school to walk around it. I would always go with option one. (Being honest I probably still would)

[norsesuggestions]

the computer password is NOT: proper winter shoes

My winter shoes are broken, there is alot of snow outside atm, and i got money to buy new ones for christmas

I was so ready to start google for these shors right now that my hands started to type the sentence

"Proper winter shoes"

Instead of my password

Really ready for some new shoes!!

[abutterflyobsession]

this year I resolve to keep my dry hands from cracking and bleeding through the sheer power of my will

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[dazzelmethat]

My plant boy oc Ame looking out at a nice landscape.

[slutdge]

god i need winter to be over my skin is so fucking dry 😭

[a-really-cool-blog-name]

Dry hands

Based off of my experience every night as of recently.

[casser-starkling]

obsessed with how wet robb stark always is

[manasurge]

Tis' the season where I mentally and physically suffer. Complaining below (feel free to ignore, I'm just venting. I usually do this every year to get most of it out of my system lol):

mmm the fall/winter SAD is indeed in full swing. No warmth + no sun = a bad bad time. I always get so annoyed when ppl assume that I love winter bc I'm a "winter baby", as if that has any sort of divine intervention on instantaneously adapting you to perfectly fit the climate you were born in. NOPE. Silly human superstition. I start to freeze once it hits below 20C. I wish I lived in a warmer climate o|-< The depresso is probably going to make me very whiny and moody until next spring, so an early forewarning bc I'm EXTREMELY annoying about it this time of year bc it's the only way I know how to deal with it. But moreso in addition to the physical stuff is how badly it messes with my mind, making me so depressed to the point of just... sitting in non-moving silence where I become stiff as a board (very painful btw) and I isolate, making the bad depresso brain time even worse where I overthink everything bc of the silence and isolation. It's also always the time of year where everyone goes quiet too, which is understandable, but also makes things 10x worse (I am very alone in my life and where I am, and kind of rely on online friends bc they're all I have. I don't even have a pet. I'm literally just, loner mode. I don't really have much family to speak of, and only one family member I do speak to. I have little to no connections at all. But regardless, this is still the best living situation I've been in my whole life, so that's saying something).

[frostise]

❝ you can't intimidate me. ❞

❝ plants die in the cold, ❞ she had told it in a matter-of-fact tone while gesturing to the decaying flowers covered in frostbite resting under the shade of the tree. the sunrays stream through the leaves of the trees and hopelessly kiss away the ice. it was enough evidence to suggest the natural workings of winter had transitioned into spring. ❝ they shrivel up and die if nobody is there to take care of them. some plants can withstand a cold snap, but most aren't resilient enough to survive the winter. ❞

louise was mostly entertained by the striking resemblance of those flowers contrasting her previous victims when their body heat was stolen and with it, their life. but unlike plants who wilt away silently, humans had mouths with high pitch vocals that could pierce glass and sing a killer's favourite tune.

a pleasant hum ensues at the thought of it. ❝ kinda reminds me of— ❞ but she doesn't get the chance to finish off her sentence when 'bloom' had an immediate response to it.

louise manages to tear her gaze away from his vine covered body before it did any more damage, now looking up to see the hostility evident on his face as she considers her next words carefully and decides to maintain an appropriate distance away with no sudden movements.

a frown wrinkles her forehead. ❝ relax, i wasn't trying to freak you out. i was going to say dying plants remind me of my work. you don't have to worry about me stirring up a snowstorm in your home. trust me. ❞ a friendly smile appears in hopes it would clear the tension, ❝ you absorb energy from the sun and i'm taking a educated guess you have to maintain how much you can take until it becomes too much. you're...somewhat like me. ❞

[wowbright]

It's about time for me to store the dehumidifier for the summer, and it is driving me absolutely crazy that I cannot remove the grill in order to clean off the fan blades. I can look right in there and see how every single blade is caked in dust, but even my little sewing machine sized vacuum cleaner extensions will not fit through the grill in a way that lets them get suction on the blades to clean the dust off.

Yeah I know a lot of people don't even clean their box fan blades but hey this is me.

[dumb-doll-lips]

I bought some cheap little perfume that smells like Dr Pepper after some ice has melted in it. (I think. I havent had Dr Pepper in a whilee.). And I’m loving it. It doesn’t have good staying power or anything. But it feels so fun smelling like a soda.