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dbjc364's August 2009 Entries

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Aug 25, 2009 | 2:48 AM PST
Tag: ABC's and 1-2-3's..
Its way too early for fall to be approaching,but our temps are going to dip down to the 30's at night,in the next few days they say-and fall is approaching.I've got 2 rounds of tomatoes from the saddest looking plants,and I'll get more if the temps don't kill them.Since I'm going north,they'll be on their own to survive.The guys are pouring the bulkhead floor this morning-eehhaa,good daytime temps at least for another long stretch.They will delay going north for a bit,and start the pole barn.After Jim is done messing around with cement today,he will start taking apart the furnace,to get it out of the way. The stainless steel chimney is ordered and on its way also.The new stove needs stove piping,a new seal around the door,and a coat of new paint-and get it into the cellar-after the cement has cured.So I quess that means the beds arent getting filled today anyways.We certainly dont need fall to come to quick,as we're hopping around fast as we can to get things situated.The good thing is we have heat upstairs in place,that stove just needs a good cleaning.The squash continue to do wonderful,no pumpkins yet-alot of flowers-so if fall is approaching-then they wont make it in time.Things got jumbled up yesterday-so no time spent on the beds,but today I'll have time to work on them.Still waiting on the school to call us about when Landon starts preschool-which is coming right up.Thats going to be so strange to see him off to school,instead of "hey lets go catch frogs and mow the lawn".I'll be taking him to school right up the street from his house,,then stay at his house till he gets out-then bring him back to my place,and his mom will pick him up as ususal.The morning hours will need to be filled with something creative,and thats when I have the bulk of my energy-so I quess someones flower beds are going to get tended to-else I'll surely go crazy.She wanted some of my Hostas circling the beautiful crab apple tree-so I guess thats the thing to do first.I have quite a good pile of smaller rocks I can part with to make a nice border.We'll get together for a bit today to vamp out the plan.

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Whats the scoop on the poop??..

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Aug 23, 2009 | 2:18 AM PST
Tag: all you chicken lovers..
Since celery is like chives etc., 3 yrs. ago I decided to freeze it-since I was not happy with the store bought,especially in winter months.I washed it-dried it on paper towels-cut up to fit in the bag,,in a ziplock bag it went.Since I use it in soups and sauce,or anything thats going to cook,I cut it up in the frozen state for whatever I'm making.It certainly tastes better.The 4 x 6 bed is made. He got right on that first thing,as he had already started it yesterday.Moved into place,and filled.Now I get to add my goodies.The cold frame fits good,he'll add hooks for the tie downs,and additional strapping for the frame,just in case of spring winds.As the plastic is more delicate than glass,I'll have to store it for the winter,and it'll only be good to leave in place for not too long in fall.So that'll probaly get my brain to working on a glass top that can stay out all year.He moved a few more heavy rocks for me with the tractor to the new rock bed in back of the gardenshed.Thats ready for some fill.I have 9 garlic bulbs drying,gave mom some tomatoes & celery yesterday.Cat foot prints were visible walking thru this bed,and Jim saw it lurking around,so it better be careful as I wont tolerate any messes in my beds.I'll have to look about getting something to deter it.Its too hot still to paint the trim,so I'll have to wait a bit on that,and work on the beds today,or something low key during the hot afternoon.No wind during the night-just some rain from the hurricane-which is good for the plants,and I dont have to water.Jim's still plugging away on the brush strip in back of the garage,making good progress.Right now I say I'm going to give the chickens free range everywhere-as all will be fenced in eventually,but I have the question of chicken poop? If I let them walk all over,will the fresh poop burn the plants if they hop in and out of the beds grabbing the bugs..?Maybe there will be so many bugs they wont even hop in a bed?Maybe I should just give them one huge area and fence them? Is this neighbor cat going to bother them??

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All set-up..

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Aug 22, 2009 | 1:15 AM PST
Tag: I think I have enough for now..
well- I dug out that cold frame that was balled up and packed away in the gardenshed.I had only used it that one time when I first bought it-so it took me awhile to put the metal frame back together.The plastic cover has large screened flap openings on both sides for ventilation,and it has loops so we should be able to attach it so it wont blow off.All the pieces were still in a box,so thats a plus.We measured it, a 4x6.He got the hemlock for it,and he'll start building the raised bed today for it.I'll put the cover back in the gardenshed intact & all together this time.There should be plenty of floor space,since I cleaned out the shed,and the lawn mowers arent going back in there this year.It'll be ready to use for spring.Brother says"How come we didn't use this early on?" I said"Remember, I wasnt suppose to garden this year>but now I'm getting ready for next spring.lol. I made a spegitti sauce in the crock,using my grown celery,but its a slightly bigger batch this time,so I'll have to transfer & finish it off in the spegitti pot today.I had finally used up all my frozen tomatoes from last year on the last batch.Other than adding a bit more salt & pepper today,my spegitti sauce outdoes the store bought-everytime,even "Newmans's Organic" in the jar.This time I got lucky and found Hunts Organic Tomatoes in a can,on sale.My celery is yet again,heavenly smelling.I hope they have bouquets of it up there at the pearly gates when I finally go yonder.When I do have to buy it in the store-it's so disappointing & smells dead.But usually I freeze enough to get me thru most of the winter.So- this makes 5 raised beds,8-10 inches deep,all in full sun.That should be enough to be able to rotate the crops.I'm also considering leaving the 2 new front ones empty for veggies,as its all set up with the rain barrel right there.That would be good for peas & celery,and that gets sun from 2 in the afternoon till dark.Maybe they wont fry in the sun either.I've done them 2 yrs in a row in dappled/part shade and they did well,so I quess that bed would be an experiment.I'm ready to empty my compost tumbler into a bed today,and start another batch.I'm sure the tea holder is full also.Everything is getting a good drink-a couple hrs of hurricane downpour yesterday,possible regular rain today.The new barrel is full and overflowing.I just had a thought,that we're at the end of our summer,and the sun is more tamed,so why not try a crop of peas-or cool weather veggies.I wonder if I have give or take-12 weeks -if thats enough time.I quess I'll check out my seeds this morning and see if theres anything that might make it.I know that the carrots will,but I already have a 2nd batch of them started.Time to do more reading up on veggies..

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Gone is the dirt...

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Aug 21, 2009 | 3:09 AM PST
Tag: dragon flies..
Glory be-the huge pile of dirt is gone from the driveway! He kept working at it till it was gone yesterday. When the digger man was here digging last week,-he unearthed a large chunk of cement-flat on one side and fairly flat on the other.I told him to just chuck it to the side and we'd do something with it-probaly the dump. We ended up using it under the rain barrel as I would like to attach a soaker hose to it for the raised beds,so need the barrel higher off the ground.A good fit for the barrel-just needs to be a wee higher now.The guys will put up a tarp cover-should we get rain they can drop it over the bulkhead hole and keep some of it out.I'll finish cleaning the barrel,and we'll add the downspout today.Where Jim's flattening/clearing out the brushline,and adding all this dirt,we decided to put an already made 4 x 8 bed frame.This time after I amend the soil-I'll cover with black tarp till next spring.Thats where the Ginseng bed will be-as it likes the woodsy environment and takes many years for growing.There will still be a line of trees in the back of it,just clearing out the dead brush and saplings to let the healthy stuff grow good.The tractor is doing a fine job knocking it down and scraping it up,and much faster then a Dr.Trimmer ever would.On the other side in back of the garage & pole barn,he started the same,broke thru the tall brush-weeds till dark ,where he'll lay a ton more dirt thats in the 2nd pile waiting.Theres a large strip here between us and the farmers corn on the property line where we'll put up a fence for the chickens.I'm probaly going to go with stockade fence again on this side-as the farmer uses Round-Up on his crop,and the solid fence will help.He was nice enough one day when he saw Landon out there on his swingset,not to get too near that side,but since then we have moved the swingset to the other side of the house for the building of the pole barn,so it worked out good.As we're on a main drag-I had my uncle park his 75' Beetle here for the exsposure to sell it. It finally sold and the man is suppose to pick it up this weekend.Then it'll be out of Jims tractor plowing way to continue with that strip.I think he's having way too much fun doing this job,and we're so glad we bought it.Its a good size machine-bigger than the rider-but small enough for this one acre property,and has certainly earned its keep thru all the seasons.I got pics of the squash so Mom can tell me what kind it is.I counted 7 good size ones and many smaller ones,and still many coming.We ate some tomatoes on our Taco's last night,that were good.I didnt get to the garlic the other day-so today is the day-first thing this morning.Brother pressure washed some trim for me for less scraping so I can prime/paint some house trim also after that.We're going to lassoo a stump with the tractor,and use destructive implements to remove it,as the stump kill stuff didnt work too well.That should prove to be interesting...the dragon flies are here in abundance doing their dance with the mosquitos-large groups of them in late afternoon.Sometimes we sit at the picnic table and its like watching a movie-there are so many of them eating the bugs.

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Squash is squash...

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Aug 20, 2009 | 3:01 AM PST
Tag: not ready for a nursing home yet..
Heck if I know what type it is,but its downright beautiful.Apparently it has the ideal conditions so far this summer,as its thriving.To be on the safer side,I suppose I should cover it with cheesecloth or some type of netting for insects.I have no idea when to pick it or how to cook it,but I'm sure someone will tell me..I dont do squash at all.Jim likes squash,as do some family members who will be the lucky ones to get some.I just picked up 4 small seedlings that were started in the spring,figuring I'd be lucky to get one good plant for jim,but all 4 survived-and its the healthiest plants in the beds.To me it looks like an acorn shape and green with small white lines.I need to snap some pics of it.Brothers pumpkins on top of the loam pile are thriving also-plenty of flowers-now waiting for the fruit,and we'll be lucky to get a pumpkin at this late date.We'll have to cover them for early frosts I'm sure, to extend their growing time.Jim will work on dirt removal all day today,and hopefully that first pile will be gone by the end of day and started on the 2nd.Brother finished up the venting of the roof,moved onto the priming of trim again-then removed the last gutter for priming, and got the new one up over the new beds in front.He can finish the downspout section this morning-soon as I decide which one of the rain barrels to use.Just in time-as Hurricane Bill may hit our coast they say.We're inland,so we'll only get some rain-but we're overdue for some now.The air went a bit drier-but more humidity due in on friday again.We can tell the summer season changed,as the cricketts chorus is in full swing now,and those insects that make the high buzzing noise.I have a cold frame that I bought a few years back-tubing and plastic cover-thats been sitting in the shed.I want to use it again & want to build another raised bed to fit that.So I'll get that out today and put it together so we'll know the size.The ladies from my mothers bridge club are driving by on Mondays,and so very much like the redo in the front with the lattice uncovered,& new beds facing the street.Probaly not nearly as much as me, as its been too long living with country-house wrap decor...I really dont think thats a decor category,but driving around sometimes you'd swear it was...lol. I'm just glad its going away.Another small section in back to do.Once the back of the garage is cleaned out of wood,and whatever is lurking back there,I'm taking the last of the sunflower seeds next spring and throwing them back there. I must have 20 lbs of seeds in a bucket.Whatever the crows dont eat-maybe I'll get some flowers.I'm fairly disappointed in the Jereuselum Artichokes I planted 3 years ago.I have a tall thick long hedge of them-but with our season-its just too short I quess,to get any flowers by the time frosts roll around.They are quite invasive also,sending out runners to beat the band.I'll be pulling them up probaly the next 2 yrs,and throw them out in the field.The garlic is quite ready to finish harvesting now.I'll hang it in the garage on a line.I really didnt think the teeny-tiny Wisteria would make it this year,but it did surprise me.Its still small & short but full of stems and leaves.It will take years before I ever see a blossom I'm sure-and I'll have to make sure the trellis is good and sturdy before then.I dont think what it has is rugged enough.We had to laugh at my daughter the other day,as we're all sitting around chatting,had just got done building the newer beds when she came to pick up Landon.She's telling me I should slow down,and stop building & planting,even though I'm not as old as my mother- but I'm getting old,and wont be able to take care of all these plants when I'm really old,and ready for the nursing home!.I didn't even think I was going there...Jim starts laughing,and tells her thats one reason why we are building them to make it easier,and hopefully less maintenence.Besides,if or when we think we dont want to do this anymore-we're taking her blueberry inheritence that we were going to give her,sell out & spend it with glee-while traveling in a camper to see the state & country.Now that produced some howls...I sure thought it was halarious.I don't know about these kids these days...

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As this soil turns..

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Aug 16, 2009 | 4:25 AM PST
Tag: now we have frogs..
Just barely enough room for a vehicle to pull down the driveway now.Piles of dirt everywhere. Loam, gravel, and filler-clay piles.Figuring out what to do with each pile,but I think we've got it sorted out whats going where..The oil tank is now gone- a whole 2 days on that project,,the hemlock is cut for the front raised bed to go together sometime today.We want to work on the backside of the house foundation,so I'll move all the Hosta to the front of the garage,where its in the shade most of the day.Then we'll move the 2 Hosta beds on the houseside to a different spot and be able to work on the house.In the meantime, we started building yet another 10 ft bed from the rocks we brought back.Putting on the backside of the gardenshed,so now I can start moving more perennials in a few weeks.We're 1/2 done with that and ran out of rocks,but Jim says theres more hiding in the tall grass,and some of the loam is screened for the 2 newer beds now.Jim finally bought the "Load Handler" for his truck and loves it.It should save his back from getting too sore.Rick is up on the addition roof,finally putting in the new venting that it needs,and also installed an air conditioner in the wall. Our casement window style wont hold one, and I thought it was a waste of time anyways to keep putting it in a window and out every year.He'll build a cover box to go around it for the winter.We'll do the same downstairs,and it'll allow me to use the windows.The addition trim is 3/4 primed now,the form made for cement pouring of the bulkhead hopefully next week.Now I think we've entered a real push time frame,heat for the winter is a must. Everything also has to get done in stages,so while we're waiting for certain things like materials,manpower or clear skies,Jims been filling in his time with smaller projects. He got the front raised beds built.I can start amending the soil better next week.I'm pretty sure I'll put the Hosta out there,as its shade till late afternoon.I see alot of people grow theirs in full sun-but since its a woodsy plant,I'll give them the environment their most used to.I'm still picking blueberries but they have slowed down in the amount left to go.Started picking tomatoes-they are stunted in size of fruit,possibly some have blossom end rot or the blight-I'm not sure but we'll get some anyways.The squash are doing fantastic,nice and big-and starting to climb everywhere.One cuke plant made it,stunted in size,flowering anyways and producing fruit.I'll take whatever it wants to give me this year.Now I have frogs and toads everywhere.I keep putting them in the gardens,and one of the groundhogs has shown itself a couple of times.I also saw Mr. Bunny the other day.The heat is pouring upon us,90's to 100 with high humidity.At night the outside temps are the same as inside-75*..Today, its finally dropped just abit.The clothes are drying fast on the line.Even though we need to go north,we flipped a quarter and decided to stay home this weekend, and get this dirt moved out of the way.Jims got vacation time coming and a good stretch up north early Sept.to get much done, so our time here for this weekend is crucial we think.

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Resting then,but not now..

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Aug 4, 2009 | 6:01 PM PST
Tag: frogs..
Well- the guys kept pretty busy for Tuesday-Aug 4th. My day was a bit more resting-calming. I mostly tried to keep Landon out of their hair,took him to a yardsale and got him some kids movies to watch,stopped for an ice cream on the way home.I waited to pick the blueberries till after supper and it was alot cooler doing that chore. I did no weeding or wacking that day-still sore from the push mower the day before. I'll do more later.Brought home the lawn mower from the shop and did a small amount of riding time.The guys on the other hand,accomplished alot,and Ricks going to finish up the house trim on the living room,so it can be done this year finally.Prime -paint- chalk,soffitt vents,he's got 2 days to work on it till we leave for the north again.North time came upon us fast,all loaded and ready to roll out later on Thursday morning.We got up there late afternoon,rested for awhile,for the guys that meant have a beer,for me it meant grab my gloves and apron,hop on the lawn mower.I knew it was going to take me awhile as the grass was mostly 10 inches + in most places.Well,it took me hammering away at it till saturday early evening-and that rider sure got a workout.My butt was getting sore from the vibration of the mower so I kept taking short breaks,to clip small limbs,and the tougher tall weeds with the pruning tools.The guys were up on the hot roof on the hottest day-friday all day.I know they're glad that part is done- and all leak free now.Dealing with a large wasp nest behind the board trim-so they got that sprayed good,and hopefully that will be silent by the next trip.They continued working on the wall above the small roof-putting on felt paper & new cedar shingles,I snapped pics all day during the progress.They ran out of shingles for the last 3 feet in a corner, and it looked so much better standing on the ground looking at it, I decided to keep on going with shingling the lower section also.They both agreed with me that it was a definite improvement.It should also be warmer too,if the shingles arent falling off.With 2 new windows going in anyways down below-we might as well.The shingles on the house are very old,most are separating,and some are barely hanging on with a single nail.The trim needs all the usual TLC,but thats not a long job,as the weather & age has mostly scraped it down for us.We didnt stay up late,and up early in the morning,before the birds.Finishing what we set out for ourselves,grabbing the last of the debris pile for the dump,we packed early sunday morning and headed back.Jim helped me load quite a few garden rocks in the truck sat.,so it was a hefty load coming back.Everything up against the foundation was wacked & mowed down,as we need to be able to see what we're dealing with in the cellar.Once the grass was cut,that was a huge improvement in how the place looked,along with some bigger tree limbs to see getting out of the driveway.I'll make a couple long but smaller beds flanking the front door,instead of the huge wild array of perennials going everywhere.One could barely walk thru the path to reach the front door when their blooming.The front also needs to be sloped a bit more away from the foundation,so the guys will bring both their Mantis tillers,and it'll get a redo.A whole lot of Iris-tulips,globe thistle,giant poppies,Rose Campion,lambs ears. I'll dig up as much as I can,bringing lots of containers with me next trip.Laying around,what used to be what looked like a large luggage-cargo container for the roof of a car,has come in quite handy using the 2 pieces and a rope for hauling debris around.So quite a few perennials can go in those 2 pieces to come back here.There's no way I can plant all that before winter,so I'll have to cover them good with loam,and hope for the best.In one large circle of Dutch Iris-I'll bet theres close to a 100 rhizomes,or are they called corms? If brothers truck is fixed by the next trip,we'll be taking both of those.I'd say it was close to an acre that I cut,and came back with a flat on my rider.Jim got that fixed yesterday,along with a dump run.At this place,the machine came and dug for the pole barn,set the concrete piers in place,and dug the bulkhead hole.They rented the jack hammer,and Rick stayed on that all day,getting about 3/4 done.When the hole was dug- 5 frogs and a mole fell in,probaly all scared out of their wits by the jack hammer going off,hopping all around this huge hole trying to get out.When Rick was done at the end of the day,he set them all free.Jim had to disconnect the water thing{dont know the name of it}the little blue tank that water comes into the house,move it and re-plumb.Moving it to a better location,but with no water for the day,I didnt hang around the house,as it was too noisy anyways.Rick will finish up the jack hammering today,Jim will go to the office,and I'll go pick up the windows that are in-then start mowing this place.A late thunder shower yesterday for an hour,gave the plants a good drink.There's a whole lot of foundation rock debris to remove now-so it looks like 3 of us will be taking rock shifts. Update- my rider mower is down-won't go forward or backwards,so back to the shop it goes this morning.I hope its not serious and easily fixed-as its needed this weekend-and has to go north next weekend.Starting rock removal today,and looks like Jim may get his road built on the other side of the property with all this huge pile of gravel-as we have to put it somewhere.The squash are ready to leap out of the raised beds, so put up some small trellises for them to climb up a bit,and I'll get out the pantyhose to cradle the squash-hope that works.Got some good looking squash- and I dont even like it.The corn is tasseling now,and many tomatoes.Another bunch of carrots planted and up-and the first batch is doing good.90's to 100 this weekend they say..

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dbjc364's August 2009 Entries

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