dbjc364's Blog

Be determined..
Sep 28, 2008 | 3:58 AM PST
Tag: git' er' done'
I quess we both decided this was going to be the last time we worked on this-and disrupted with making a mess.With 2 days of rain, and more on the way,it was a good time to do this.All materials on board- and didnt need much,I got 3/4 done with chalking & Radiant Barrier on Friday-,we always had a small leak under the window area,puddled on the floor- but this time it didnt leak, but we've had no wind yet either.Since I cant remember if it leaked after we put up the gutter in July-it may have stopped it then.Anyways we decided the darn thing is getting done.He hangs the OSB today- & I can start priming.It was cheaper than sheetrock-which was overkill for a mudroom. On tuesday morning,no rain scheduled-we go to the outside,take off the cheap housewrap-plug every hole & crack,then put up Radiant Barrier again.Then we can lay the lineoleum,knowing it wont get wet. We also layed out the stove area lineoleum for that to smooth out for a few days before securing it down.When the sun gets to the corner during the winter,we get incredible heat from the sun heating up the mudroom-so I open the door and it helps to heat the living room for a good 5 hr. stretch.But dont you know I also get the flies,which make a mess.So I'll look for something besides the sticky tape-non-toxic,that can deal with this. Sometime this week the perennials bulbs will go in. Everythings got a good drink of water now & its back to a drizzle- and some flowers are blossoming again. It poured hard last nite.No wind yet- as its just barely going to scim the coast they say-so we may not.

Gray Skies..
Sep 27, 2008 | 4:47 AM PST
Tag: chalking..
I dont know how many times I'll empty out this mud room before its all completely done-but it sure would be nice to get it to the sheetrock. I made a little more headway yesterday,picked up more garden stuff laying around that needed to be stored away anyways-but in anticipation of this next hurricane gaining strength,their saying strong winds possible on sunday. We're suppose to get as much as 4-6 inches of rain,it rained late yesterday-not hard,just steady,and its barely raining now this early a.m. I emptied the mudroom again-found the chalking gun and 1 tube of chalk.Will make sure I have more on board today. I did the last of the stuffing around the windows-washed them down,chalked,then started putting up the Radiant Barrier. Have to take down the heavy coat rack before I can continue today.I always make a mess,piling stuff in a pile,and littering the counter.Theres something to be said about trying to live in the space your trying to build or remodel...maybe I can contain my mess a bit more in a box in a corner out of the way today till the projects done.Need 3 pieces of sheetrock for this project,hope its just drizzling long enough to go get some this morning-as the lumber yard is right up the street. After its sheetrocked we'll build a built in coat rack & shelving.Couldn't get back to the perennials,but it looks like Monday & Tuesday will be ok for planting before more rain rolls in. Our foliage is turning quickly with its reds & oranges,but we'll lose alot if we get the winds.

Nice supper..
Sep 26, 2008 | 3:23 AM PST
Tag: tomatoes..
Mom gave me all the plants she pulled up from her garden-glad she didnt use any poisons this year-else I would have declined.2 huge black bags- 1 more to come. The compost pile is high now! I feel like a lucky dog with all this garbage! Jim will remove the soil from the 2nd bin to its own spot & I'll start the 2nd compost-after the rain spell we get.I'm emptying the potting soil from the window boxes & containers into the flower beds-need to add some more peat & some compost. I'm not as concerned about those beds-but would like the soil to be a bit better than what it is,as ours is on the clay side. I'm looking forward to a nice sunny cool day to gather & shred the leaves. I love playing the yard in the fall..more than any other time.We got the set of stairs moved to the back door with the tractor-yippee! Done. I need to get that chalking gun out and do around the mudroom windows both sides-wonder if there's time today..& do I have chalk on board? 3 more celery plants to pull up and its all done.A wonderful recipe for Tomato soup last nite-was yummy. 1 pint of fresh tomatoes-{grinded up}-put in heavy saucepan-but I used a bit more- 1/2 teas. baking soda,, in another saucepan- 1 qt. of milk- 1 can of evaporated milk heating on low. I added parsely- salt & pepper, put it all together after the tomatoes boiled a bit.I didnt puree' them all the way but left little bits of tomatoes.So much more flavor than Campbells.Great with grilled cheese-sliced tomato & onion sandwiches.

Empty holes..
Sep 25, 2008 | 2:56 AM PST
Tag: playing with dirt

Where are those darn bushes? We're getting regular hard frosts every nite now. When a company asks me when would you like these shipped by,,and I say the 15th,that DOESNT mean the next week-or we'll let you know when they go out.That means they go out the door by or on the 15th.I know what my climate is and how we deal with it.Otherwise I would have waited till spring.Never mind, I told Jim to cancel the order.Not interested anymore.I'll deal with a different company in the spring.I am totally #@!$ed off & moving on..Next- the Pellet Stove people...
Jim took the new car to work yesterday,said it was a nice ride over the potholes & cracks for a change. He's taking the Honda today to give me a turn with it, & Mom wants to see it.He did get my bed tilled for me last nite-it was just one side that needed it,then flipped my compost with the tractor.Mom gave me 2 huge bags of compost -another today. Yesterday I went to the daughters in the morning, so we could pull up what she had in her small flower bed to add more soil-compost,and reposition the flowers.This was planned for quite some time-just waiting for a decent day.She didnt have much in there,as unfortunately when she weeded it she also threw away some flowers.We had some tall stuff in there that just didnt look right for a small bed,so will put the small clump of daylilies near her yard border-where they can grow to their hearts content-as they multiplied rapidly.I have a small tray of Muscari bulbs she can have,as those multiplied nicely the last 2 seasons-and their small & tidy.We've been trying to remove some vining flower from the previous owners,that takes over the whole bed. I dug my way to china removing all the little roots I saw.Fixed the rock border that shifted.Rain due in for 2 days-so we'll take a break and resume next week. I put my Rosemary-potted up for the winter in the mud room for now-before I have to bring it in the house for the winter.Today I'll start planting those perennials & playing with some more compost.

One down-2 to go!!
Sep 24, 2008 | 3:38 AM PST
Tag: slightly behind schedule..
The car arrived yesterday! 2 more items to go...we puttered till it was time to leave and didnt get home till 8 pm last nite. We stopped at our discount place for groceries on the way home , and also switched cars. I stalled it 3 times,trying to get use to the gas-clutch,just trying to get out of the parking alot.I'm so use to the truck now with its hard clutch,this is a much more delicate item.A beautiful blue,and enough cup holders to go camping in.Much more room than the Honda-and kinda like a spaceship feeling.lol..He'll be taking that to work to save on gas now.The tiller is sitting there waiting to get to work on the bed,hmm- I wonder if he'll zip that for me before work...I hope the bushes have arrived at his work..

3 scoops,,Lada-Da-do-dee-dumm-du
mm...
Sep 23, 2008 | 3:08 AM PST
Tags: landon says , "Ewe stinky"..
Ok- nothing arrived in yesterdays mail,& no phone calls. I mowed the yard while Landon rode his machine and played with the dirt & trucks. I cleared beds some more, I'm almost done now-had 2 huge loads of compost.Brought in 1 more load of tomatoes to ripen up and I'll be done with them.I made up a batch of speg. sauce of just Romas yesterday,after Landon left I weeded the Rock Garden,Jim will give the one side a quick till for me today- and I'll start planting the perennials.We've gotton 3 hard frosts so far. I did the no till thing in the cement bed-laying the cardboard and newspaper down-wet it-then some soil- now putting in compost,gave it a few good scoops of compost activator.I'll empty the container soil in there today-and it should do well covered over with black tarp. Moms got a load of compost for me to pick up today. I'll plant the 2 small low-bush blueberries in that bed in the early summer-and that gives me 2 more holes for the highbush. The regular compost pile is doing well also-with activator also breaking down,but I need the tractor to flip it much easier. I have 2 small water barrels-one we're going to make another batch compostor with. This winter,he's going to build a brackett so I can flip it around easy to mix & put it on the back deck closer. This winter I'll use my regular black one-its just harder rolling it around with no handle.That one I have to empty today- and fill the milkjugs with its tea.As I'm not planting anything in the veggie beds next year-I'll keep topping them with compost and cover them.I never thought compost could be so interesting & productive.For Xmas,,I definitely want a food dehydrator. My daughters eyes glaze over when I talk compost & I almost cried when she chucked hers to the dump,as I would have gone & picked it up.Now she knows to save it for me.Heck I'll even come and take the plants out of the bed for her. She's not getting the idea that the soil makes the difference,as I could see from her produce. I have a feeling it may end up just a flower bed,but thats ok too. I don my gloves & have a good time messing around with the garbage pile...while humming- singing,"Da-do-dee-dum-dum,cau
se breaking up is hard to do,dont you leave me here in misery-lets give it one more turn you see,just dont take your love from me, just give me some good veggies please,,da-do-dee-dum-dum...

Whirlwinds..
Sep 21, 2008 | 5:04 AM PST
Tag: whirlwind of activities..
The bushes were mailed out last week, the holes are dug,just have to mix compost mixture up for them. We're No. 18 on the pellet stove list-they think 20 are coming on this next truck.woo-hoo..! I told jim everythings going to come at once...lol. Well- as if we were bored with no projects,,the kids got the new 2nd hand couch from hell,,lacking 2 inches to go in, the door was rotted out anyways and needing replacing. posted in the September Album.The son-in-law lacking the knowledge & tools, we jumped in with his brother, and now its almost done.The previous owners never chalked or flashed the door- attaching the deck right to the house-promoting the rot from the snow & ice. It was an Atrium door and was also quite cold in the winter. All is much better now a week later- the door will be set into place today,he'll just have to finish up the inside wall- matching the interior pine up-or whatever hes going to do. The "Fair" was good, came home with four new tulip bulbs, one Mt. Everest Allium,2 Hyacinths,tomato seeds, garlic to plant,red clover cover crop seed,and a tired body. Also picked up a large "Birdhouse Gourd Kit", to putter on over the winter. On the way home, a large barn sale had a large piece of lineoleum for $12,,so back we go to pick that up this morning along with a washer & dryer from his sisters. Then its back to the kids place for the door placement.I think Jim can get back to the carport on Tuesday. I'll take Landon to the playground today while the guys work on the door project & keep him out of their way. I can get back to my stove wall tomorrow. Been pulling up whats done for the season to compost,and a boxful of tomatoes still to pass out.

More holes..
Sep 18, 2008 | 2:09 AM PST
Tag: fall is upon us..
Amen,,thank god for post-hole diggers. It made quick holes in a fraction of the time he'd do it by hand..besides saving his back alot of grief..Ten more done-now waiting for them to show up. I needed another 2 holes for something,,but can't remember what.I'll think of it this winter..Another 4 x 14 ft. raised bed got built,located near the arbor,helping to shape the wide pathway.The first thing that got built,eventually the arbor will be replaced,but so far its holding up.A cool sunny day yesterday must have set off the energizer bunny in me,starting with 3 hrs. of housework,then mowing-wacking-weeding & picking. Cleaning the truck,dropping off a movie,making supper. I finally wound down at 8 pm, so it must have been Duracell batteries..the new raised bed is for my perennials that are getting moved a little at a time. Since weeding is at a minimum for the veggies in their raised beds,this should do the trick. That gives me 2 large beds for the flowers. I should be able to fit everything in those 2. The 3 wide paths leading out to the blueberries & the north side, just evolved thru the contours of the yard, and time.The 2nd section of the little fence is stained now,working on the last section-looks like I'll be able to finish it before snow flies at least. Where I've moved a few things to different spots-I left behind a chunk of root, so I'm getting additional perennials.After we fired the last dealership & got our money back, the new dealership was great and we were in & out in 30 min.The new car is suppose to be here next week.On the way home, a stop at the newly built casino to play for a few hours, and a great buffet lunch topped the day off.Even though we didnt win anything,we had a good time out again and did our part in keeping the local economy to keep rolling along.Saturday is our Common Ground Fair day out- and will stop on the way to see where our Pellet stove is.That is so very disturbing,since we were told the 2nd week in August we'd have it-they have a great supplier-blah-blah-blah.Its now chilly enough to click on in the early morning hours.The organic seeds I got from the fair 2 years ago all germinated-so need to pick up a couple more packs of beefsteak. Those tomatoes were huge. Jim's helping the son-in-law to put in a new door,then we'll be ready to work on the carport lattice wall.The pigpen isnt built yet-we need to make plans to build that right off. Hoping the Indian summer lasts awhile yet...and the conditions are ripe for awesome foliage.

Cool Cukes..
Sep 9, 2008 | 3:55 AM PST
Tag: ready for cleaning up..
The chill is in the air in the late afternoon,days still warm- but cool nights. Leaves are starting to drop- thats early for us.I need to fill one of my stockade bins with leaves this year for compost making and mulches-so stuff needs shifting around.We're hearing we'll get a frost Thursday nite-so need to gether my sheets up to cover the tomatoes.I'm going over the "Fall List", of the things that we need to do to button up around here.The cucumbers & peppers have decided to grow like crazy now and put out for me.The heats not stressing them out apparently & their just happy campers-so I have at least 10 more peppers coming along & many cukes and the vines are going everywhere now.Mom made the dill pickles in the crock & they came out so dilly yummy-better than store bought.I hope this year we have an awesome foliage season.

Raindrops..
Sep 7, 2008 | 3:09 AM PST
Tag: produce..
Wow- baby, we're getting some raindrops here.It started about 8 pm last nite- went all nite,and they say all morning.Still dark out-so can't see whats flooded. 3 days ago I picked 2 peppers and the plants looked like they had just about had it for the season-was waiting for one more-then I'd pull them up. Checked yesterday and the dang things have taken off and pumping them out again like mad.Picked 2 more Zuchinni-2 more to go,the little table in front of the window is full of tomatoes finishing ripening up. Much more to go & I've been giving them away.I got the 1st round of top coat done on the stove wall-"Sweet Maple" by Behr,this morning to finish it, and the couch is done & back inside,& also now working on painting a bench for the mudroom.Normally I don't go for too much black but thats what I painted the couch and it looks so much better in black. Jim is chalking & taping up the radiant barrier & strapping the upper today to ready for sheetrock.We'll work the morning in here & depending on the weather-? whether or not we go do something else this afternoon.We're not getting the wind here,just lots of liquid from the sky-but we got everything picked up in the yard that needed to & the newly planted trees are getting a good drink. We need to get 8 more holes ready this week,for the blueberries that are coming.

Its a short break time..
Sep 2, 2008 | 1:09 AM PST
Tag: maybe a good steak dinner out...
Sept./Oct., have always been my favorite months. Its cooler for working the yard & sleeping. I'm still doing the gardens in Sept.,but by Oct. I'm cleaning them out & the yard up-and ready for a good rest-as much as nature is.I know I can dream & scheme some more,but I am just plain pooped out.I start getting the antsy's around Feb. As my couch awaits me in the driveway- I came down with a whopping Strep throat case,hard & fast-and it kicked my butt.Hate it when that happens.A trip to the hospital & pharmacy-then to bed and nap. Now almost 50, I haven't had a problem since I had my tonsils out 25 yrs ago.Wow- that hurts. I hope today,I can have some of my energy back to finish the couch, as the loveseat is just too short for a good stretching out. I couldnt get to the tomatoes,so I know their waiting also-but wont push my luck and overdo it-as I want this healed quick. Other than that dang couch-I can keep the list short & simple.There's always tomatoes...daughter switched her days so I can recoup more,I hope Landon or Jim don't get my germs. Jim took me to the hospital and chased after Landon,when we got home,Landon took a 3 hr. nap,thank god ,and gave Pappa a break. After he left for the day- Jim went back to the carport,and got the inside floor all level-now ready to work on the outside ground sloping away from around it.Have to go over the calendar today- and pick another 5 day stretch for him to have off. Its Jims birthday this week-so should pick something different to do-not house related...

A busy time of year..
Sep 1, 2008 | 12:17 AM PST
Tag: Another sunny stretch
I've got my wood couch out in the driveway-3/4 primed.This morning I'll get that finished,so I can bring it back in & put back together,then move back onto the tomatoes again. A load ready for the freezer and another to pick.Yesterday we went to Moms and JIm put in a new lamp post, as it was leaning, the outlet not grounded,and already getting punky. Saturday morning we primed the carport wall,a Home Depot trip,then back home to hang ladders etc on its wall,by early eve., & again sunday morning,we were into moving the shelving & stuff around inside,and now have a huge amount of room,still boxed stuff to put away but a huge improvement.Need more bracketts, hangers & hooks now. Late afternoon I am on the top half of topcoat of the stove wall,"Sweet Maple" after Landon leaves. 2 more windowboxes to do something with. We get full sun till friday they say-then a soaking rain next weekend-which we need. 4 more cukes & 4 peppers to pick-then their done for the season.