| Stormdancer Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 04:15 pm: |   |
Another allergy day, altho it does appear to be lessening...great weather very nice and warm with cool gentle breezes temps around 80f ...
Got our scrap run completed, was a pretty fair haul...guess its worth looking at all that junk afterall...lol.
Had an unusual looking egg this afternoon...light tan with dark speckles, like splatter painting real light...could it be that Ms Piggy might have laid her first egg??? If so,then Red hasn't laid today, which isn't unusual as she lays about 6 days a week. I'm more curious as to the coloring of the egg!! Red lays a very light tan colored egg, almost white...never has had any with specks of dark brown...which is what Ms Piggy is supposed to lay...guess we shall see.
Still no rain...maybe I should go water the garden areas... |
| Stormdancer Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 06:03 am: | |
April 27,2008
Another beautiful sun filled day...perfect temps, low 80’s, light breeze...what else can a person ask for?
DH and I took off to go do our mowing job around 10:30 am...was a pretty long day, we didn’t get home until around 5:00 pm. My friend had asked us to do more than just the mowing, of course for extra money how could we say no? DH loves driving the tractor, so for him its like a play day, the money is just a perk of doing what he enjoys... my part of the job was running the weedeater along the front fence line around the house portion and a bit around the house. Should have been a pretty quick job, except that the dang weedeater that I JUST had in the shop began acting up again...same as my original problem...loses the prime and acts like its fuel starved. The plan is to have DH change the bulb and recheck where the lines go in...once that is done if it doesn’t run right it will go back. Figure since the bulb isn’t a “warranty” item that will be the first thing they want to charge a million dollars to change. HA! Already have the part. Gearing up for “round two" with the repair place...they aren’t gonna like me at all by the time this warranty runs out...GGGGRRRR. Used my friend’s weedeater until the line jammed and I couldn’t get the spool off to fix it... hands had gone to the numb stage from the vibrations of the weedeater... just wasn’t meant for me to run the darn thing I guess. Got quite a bit done tho and went out to help DH in her pasture instead. We cut several small saplings out from around the barn and DH pulled them with the tractor to her brush pile. My friend was tickled with the way things were looking...her horse looked like he was pretty happy to see the low grass again as well.
April 28, 2008
Looks like it will be this coming Saturday when I get back to finish the weedeating. We are forecast for rain Monday and I work this afternoon. Got a bit of “first sun" sunburn yesterday while we were out...both of us came home “sunkissed” pink...its tanned nicely this morning. Saturday is really looking like the best day for finishing this job...the hands and arms are crying a bit from using the weedeater...still have about 200 ft of fence line, a dozen trees and then there is around the house... if the weedeater will run right, shouldn’t take but maybe and hour and a half to finish. It was really zooming right along when the weedeater began acting up.
So far, its 66 f at 7:45 am... looking pretty cloudy at the moment. Hope we get the rain that is forecast, we are moving towards 21 days without rain... not good for more than one reason. Wildfires are beginning to pop up and that is never good...come on rain!!
I think I may have figured out some of our allergy issues the past week...the Confederate Jasmine on the back deck is in bloom... didn’t have any real symptoms while we were cutting Sunday, but the minute we came home, the sneezing began... so sucks cause I really like the Jasmine. |
| Stormdancer Posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 12:39 pm: | |
Brrr, the air has a chill in it today!! Started out feeling very nice this morning around 6 am...was already 71f...says its still 71f, but gee that breeze sure feels colder!! Its a very overcast cloudy day as well. The rain hit all around us yesterday, we got maybe three drops that actually touched anything. Its thundering off and on, but so far, we have seen nothing in the way of moisture. SIGH...looks like I'll be needing to water the garden today...held off yesterday as it kept showing signs of a good downpour.
Checked the cukes...WOOOHOOOO!! Looks like we have the beginnings of baby cukes at the moment. Tons of blooms on all three plants...funny tho that the one without the tomato cage around it seems to be growing the slowest...its in the middle of the two with cages...may have to scrounge another cage if I can find one not in use. Tomatoes are looking great and I'm picking two to six almost every other day....YUMMMMM 
We seem to be eating them as quick as they ripen, so looks like I have planted the perfect number for the two of us....guess if I was planning to can them I'd have to be planting more...good thing I prefer them "raw".
The broccoli seems to be doing ok, this is the first time I've ever grown it, so we are still waiting to see what happens. The Sweet Potato vine is growing nicely...can't wait for Sweet potatoes...
On a different note, the potatoes just continue to be eaten by some bug...the potatoes themselves haven't been much bigger than a quarter...ah well, it was an experiment anyway just to see what if anything would happen from the eyes on store potatoes.
Only a couple of carrots left...need to re-seed the area, looks like they like the spot.
I'm behind on where I wanted to be with the garden at the moment. Had hoped to already have the ground prepared and re-seeded by last week. Between the allergy attack and work, I haven't felt like doing much of anything. Was wanting to get my new mulch around to the front area yesterday and had just started out the door when I was called to come in to work...grrrr...wasted the entire afternoon waiting for a phone call that never came until late. Woulda, shoulda, coulda...seems to be me lately...sigh. Sis said I should ignore the phone when he waits like that, but the customer who comes in on Mondays usually has a very large order and it has been screwed up numerous times when it gets added by hand. I hate having to send out corrected invoices.
My morning began badly today...got up to find that one of my brat dogs...won't name names...SPIKE...decided to climb into the huge planter and sleep on my miniature rose, Sunsprite... he managed to break her off right at the ground. Talk about seeing red!!! I wanted to literally kill something this morning once I saw poor Sunsprite. Before coffee, I'm screeching at Spike and Mojo since they are the only dogs inside overnight...Spike does know better, he's been run out of my plants since he was a baby and he's ten now...grrrr, if he wants to live until eleven, he best stay away from my plants!! Guess this was my straw that broke me this morning. The boys dogs were here Sunday and after they all left, I'm finding broken four o'clocks...they are surrounded by fence and planters...pulled bromiliads(sp?) and stomped Aloe in the new bed...now my rose, which was on the porch to protect her from the chewing deer. To be almost in tears before I've finished pouring my first cup of coffee...
I can say I haven't been very pleasant to be around this morning. I still want to cry for poor Sunsprite. Told DH I'm about to cage or chain all of the dogs right now, and the boys are about to be informed the dogs can't come out....hate to be that way, but they have sat their butts right here and watched as I'm screaming at the dogs to get out of the flowerbeds...can't keep them under control, can't bring them to my yard. Still growling about my plants....poor DH, hope I can shake this mood before he comes back in tonight...he felt as bad as me over the rose, he knows how much I've babied it back from the deer and he loves how she smells and how pretty her bright yellow blooms are. Guess I need to hop over to the rose forum and see if there is some way I may be able to start the pieces that broke off... |
| Stormdancer Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 02:07 pm: | |
Another chilly morning...we woke up to the furnace running...of course several windows were open...temp inside the house had dropped to about 50 degrees...DH got up, closed the windows and kicked the thermostat up a bit...temp outside was only 50f as well...brrr, where has my warm Florida gone??
Still cool most of the day, finally warmed up to about 74f, but the air has a definite bite of cold in it. Kicked the heat off once it reached 60f, hate the idea of getting it too warm and then having to turn the fan on...just opened the windows back up and it has stayed quite comfortable...around 65f...will have to drop the windows again tonight with the temps expecting to drop into the 50's again.
Have received a few words of encouragement on the rose forum...but still not sure if the broken canes will take root. Only time will tell for sure...hate to lose the little thing, she's become very special to me. DH is almost as upset as I because he knows how much effort I have put into keeping her from being chomped to the ground the past two years...and now the dog tries to destroy her. DH really loves how she fills the porch with her sweet fragrance and like me, he likes her sunny blooms. I do hope she makes it. |
| Stormdancer Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 02:55 pm: | |
Happy MAY DAY...
wow, the beginning of a new month...where does the time fly off to?
Woke up again to the furnace running, luckily I had dropped the windows last night and kicked the thermostat down to 60f...was in the 50's again overnight. By 7:30am it was beginning to warm up nicely although the wind for some reason sure has a cold chill in it. Still no rain to speak of...the weather the other night said that our area had only received about 1/10th of an inch...yippee skippee...barely got the top of the grass damp. Just means I'm watering the garden areas more than I want.
My Aloe that was transferred when we first moved here has begun blooming...love to see the bell shaped little flowers. The Hummingbird loves to visit them also.
The Hibiscus has numerous blooms as well...finally what ever was chewing on it seems to have moved on. The bucket starts have bloomed two or three times also. My cuttings that were planted into pots continue to hang on. No real growth showing, but I figure as long as they have leaves, they are still living.
The Confederate Jasmine continues to fill the air with fragrance. Either I'm beginning to desensitize to it, or else it was something else kicking the allergies up. This is the first year I've had the Jasmine blooming this close to the windows.
Still have loads of blooms on the Cukes...a few look as if they are beginning to form little cukes!! Woohoo!
Something got on the screened porch last night and made off with all but two of the tomatoes I had sitting on the shelf to finish ripening...one that was left, had chew marks on it and I found a half eaten one on the floor. GRRRRRR!!!! Critters!!
Tomorrow will be a busy day...have my weedeating to finish so I can collect my pay for that job and one of our neighbors has asked about doing some work in her yard as well...money,money,money!!! Looking forward to getting the landscaping service back up and running again...DH came in last night and says that one of the other guys has been told they are going to be laying off a couple of them... DH is also the mechanic as well as one of the drivers, so who knows...could be him as well, but not very probable at this time....but ya never know. |
After another cool start...temps were in the low 60's this morning...the day has warmed up nicely..we are currently at 80 degrees with a cool breeze and puffy clouds against bright blue, sun filled skies. No rain in sight...sigh..and the news last night indicated that we are indeed under drought conditions once more...wildfires are beginning to pop up in the counties south of us much more frequently now. Just a preview of what could be for the rest of us. Lower humidity is one of our fire factors and the wind of course only dries things out as it spreads any embers from the fires. Palmetto trees and Pines both burn rapidly even green... unfortunately, pine also burns below the ground in some of the swampier areas creating "muck fires". One area has begun diverting lake water to one of the muck fires in an effort to get that fire out underground...they are using a huge pump to force the water to the area. Not a good thing to live near.
My day has not gone as planned...DH never got around to fixing my weedeater, so my plan to finish the job from last Sunday is on hold. Wish he would do what he says...I was hoping to have the entire weekend to work in the yard and help him get my truck ready for our upcoming trip to the mountain. Guess I'll just have to have him out there with me to finish the job of weedeating...lol
Got the parts last night to replace the rack and pinion on my truck....jeez, the core charge is more than the darned part. DH had best get it in gear and get it swapped out so I can get that core turned in and get that cash back.
Finally let my boss know that we are planning some time off yesterday...he takes off whenever he wishes...so I can do what I want when I want as well...you would have thought I'd said I was moving by his expression. Seems this man thinks all who work for him are sub poverty...with what he pays it isn't far off...but, unlike the rest of the crew...I work because I want to...DH doesn't care if I work or not. So for this man to act as if I can't survive without the pennies he pays, just makes me laugh. I let him know that DH and I haven't had any time off for over five years and are making plans to do some "visiting". He doesn't need to know everything about my life.
DH's job right now is somewhat secure, the boss has told a few that he is cutting back, one of the guys is his brother, and the other is one who was on the way out of a job anyway. But, with his boss's vacation plans coming up as well, this is going to be the best timing for us to take off anyway. Plans are beginning to fall into place.
My poor little rose "Sunsprite" has been cut back all the way now. The big pot sure looks empty without her nice foliage spreading out. I do hope she makes it and I'm keeping her watered and checking for signs of life daily.
Looks like I need to move the Stevia plants that came back...they are looking a bit wilty even after watering...poor things get all the afternoon sun in that spot this time of year. Figures, about the time I think I've found a perfect place for a plant, along comes the strong summer sun and proves me wrong once more. That I believe is the most challenging about gardening in this crazy Florida weather...things just get way too much sun here some days. |
| Stormdancer Posted on Saturday, May 03, 2008 - 07:04 am: | |
The morning started out at 60f when I got up at 7 am...was hearing the furnace run and of course I had left all the windows open and even the door to the porch...it actually didn't feel all that bad. Watching the weather last night, looks like by the end of the week we could be having our first 90 degree days...joy...just now getting to turn the furnace off and now its trying to get hot enough for the A/C. Wouldn't be so bad if it was our old HOUSE...but in this tin can trailer...ye Gods!! it gets very smothery very quick when the sun is directly overhead... ah well, such is life...makes the mountain look that much more inviting...
Looks like the countdown for days without rain is on...feels like Deja vue...shades of 1998 when we had the horrendous wildfires burning everywhere...realistically, where are you gonna go? North is the only way totally out of the state...three sides surrounded by water sure doesn't give many alternatives. When the fires jumped the Intercoastal waterway, even those on the beachside began to panic...they never thought the fire could jump the waterway and many were very smug in their mistaken opinion until it happened. Guess we shall see...on the same note, the 1998 wildfires were at least preceded the years prior with fair amounts of rain from tropical storms and hurricanes...we haven't had any real weather from hurricanes since 2004...hope it rains soon...I truly don't want to experience that again...cause I feel this time would be much worse.
Tomatoes seem to be slowing down a bit...only one ripe one and fewer green ones showing. Will be trimming the tomatoes up a bit later today.
Cukes continue to bloom their little hearts out... of the three plants, only the one WITHOUT the cage seems to be growing slow. The other two are almost double the size of the one without the cage...interesting...
Broccoli is getting pretty tall...is it ever gonna set the "flowers". Dang, a couple more months and it will be in the garden a year!!
Looks like I'll be using the last of the carrots this month and planting a few more...those were soooo tasty!! Only have a couple of plants left in the mound.
I'm almost hesitant to try the Cantaloupes and Yellow Squash again in this garden spot. With the boring worms that took out every plant last time...and the new knowledge that Sevin does NOT help with the boring worms...is it gonna be worth the aggravation? Found the information on the boring worms when I was looking at a plant site for NC...
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/
pretty cool site I thought...and there are some journals for record keeping there as well. I'm hoping to have better growth with the herbs once I get things set up on the mountain. Florida is ok for lots of things...but there are just some plants that can't take the heat here. Even my Purple Coneflowers looked wilty at times from the harsh summer sun....reminds me, I really need to plant more of those...the dogs (what else)destroyed the last ones.
Time to see if I can get DH moving so we can get our day started...he is going to be helping with the weedeating as he never got my weedeater looked at until last night...same old problem its had...it isn't getting fuel to the spark plug...fuel starved sure ain't gonna let it work...grrrrr...just what I want, to go fight with the repair guys who swear its fine. |
Gorgeous morning...light breeze, temps about 65 degrees at 7 am...had a small rain shower last night...only lasted about 5 minutes...forecast for today is for rain...I'm not holding my breath.
Spent the late afternoon spreading mulch in the front around the walkway and in the new beds...sure looks nice if I do say so myself.
Of course the mulch never seems to go far enough...still needing more...guess its a good thing we have so many pinecones falling in the yard...LOL. With the drought conditions, the mulch will be watered occasionally to keep it from drying out too bad...I'm just looking forward to the weed control it will offer.
Went through the tomato plants yesterday and did a bit of trimming. They have grown so wild and several had bent from the weight of the tomatoes... found an odd insect on the fruit...will have to see if I can get a picture and get some type of ID on the bug....bright red, thought it was a ladybug at first...segmented though and then I saw several smaller ones on another tomato...could be what is chewing on them....
Gave the clippings to the chickens...they sure do enjoy stuff like that...Dumb Dove continues to bounce around the cage almost daily....SIGH...you'd think the goofy little thing would learn...it smacks the fence pretty hard and I'm surprised it doesn't knock its self out!!
Got most of the stuff on the To Do list accomplished yesterday...only a couple of things on it for today.
WooHoo! The replacement for the TV that went out will be delivered sometime Monday. We ended up purchasing a new tv, and with the old on being under an extended warranty, the new tv with a five year warranty plan ended up being less than the listed price....I don't think I care for Circuit City as a company...everytime I have been in that store it is next to impossible to get the sales help to do their job. Was informed when I called that all I needed to do was bring in the claim number and it would be taken care of. Took them the number, the CS person gave me another number to take back to the tv people and everyone acted as if they had no clue what to do. We were there for over an hour before we could finally get things taken care of. Personally, I have never liked that store or the staff that works there. Wouldn't have been there in the first place, but that was where the other tv was purchased and who the warranty was through. The new tv is way lighter than the other...my antique table will appreciate that...someday, it may even be hung on the wall...yeah, got a flat panel...wooohooo. About time DH and I get something cool for ourselves... our old tv lasted for over fifteen years and the kids didn't help it much. The current tv was picked up second hand from the landlord and he just bought it in 2005...no, I don't think that I should have to replace a tv every couple of years and that is exactly what I informed the sales person about....no way this tv should be dead already. Either way tho, DH and I will now be enjoying our brand new set Monday night. |
Grey and dreary looking at 7am...sure do wish it would go ahead and rain...doubt that will happen though. Was supposed to rain on Sunday, but we had beautiful sunshine instead.
DH and I finally got the weedeating completed at my friends'...took about 2 1/2 hours...but we did go back over the east fence line and my friend also asked for a bit more to be done...she also paid for a bit more to be done.
Got home and both of us were pretty whipped...I seem to forget just how demanding the weedeater can be...both of us switched off and ran it so neither got too tired... would have been nice to have mine running so we could have got it knocked out even quicker...that was the original plan...run two.
But on the plus side...we did get everything on the "To Do List" completed...I will definitely be doing that again...works pretty well with DH.
Will be working on cleaning a bit this morning as the new tv will be delivered some time this morning...eeeewwwwww...I hate housework. Beat me, kick me, call me bad names...just don't make me do housework. SIGH...might as well begin... |
| Stormdancer Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 08:50 am: | |
Monday went fair...weather continues to be warm and sunny without rain for our area...temps are climbing into the mid and upper 80's...joy...just what I need at this point...summer weather so I can turn the A/C on.
Upgraded my cable/phone/internet on Monday...lost the ability to connect to the internet until this morning....grrrrr...wish the people who work on tech support actually knew what they were doing...took three calls before I got a smart person who noticed that my modem wasn't showing that I actually HAVE internet...duh...aggravation.
Called off from the farm this morning...DH is home with a nasty stomach turning headache... wish there was more I could do to help him when it gets this way...its accident related and there are some days when bed is the only relief.
The new tv was delivered on time Monday...love the new look and how great the picture is. Wow, sure did change the look of the room moving that huge old set out...this flat panel is only about six inches thick... really looks nice and fits so well against the wall.
Caught another rat critter last night...this is the third one using the glue traps...really hate the glue traps, but I'm over the rats destroying my house. The live catch trap has worked ok, but again, ya turn the critters loose and just end up catching them again...I'm tired of playing that game...Spike has caught several, and while that's fine, I do get tired of picking up the slobbered dead. He acts pretty possessive of them at times.
Chickens are all growing like weeds...Red continues to be the only one laying...Ms Piggy is looking very plump and I'd love to see her begin laying...she's getting close to the eight month old age...when?????
Ah well, off to check for today's eggs...need to get up and move around a bit and see if I can work this aggravation off.... |
Good question. Rocks usually lay around 20 weeks I think, but most chickens lay by the time they are 26 weeks. Is she egg bound? Are you sure she isn't laying? I had a big Rock get enormous, stop laying eggs, then lay one huge egg and die sometime after that. She wasn't egg bound, so I don't know what went wrong. I hope Ms. Piggy is okay. |
| Stormdancer Posted on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 12:59 pm: | |
Best as I can tell, its Red thats laying...Ms Piggy has only recently completed getting her adult plumage...She doesn't exhibit signs of being eggbound...that was the first thing I researched...I'm really thinking its just an age thing...she's being slow to mature...LOL.. best as I have figured, she's just at eight months...from what I read, it said around 7-8 months for her breed...still waiting...LOL |
| Stormdancer Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 12:46 pm: | |
 HOT!!!...the only way to describe our current weather...feels like summer has hit us full force today...is already 87 degrees and tomorrow is supposed to be our first 90 degree day for the year...joy of joys...from the heat to the A/C...just what I want to see on the electric bill. The promised rain was only that...a promise...sure didn't rain in our area...I've watered the front beds, yesterday, and will be watering the vegetable garden later this afternoon/early evening...just gets sucked back up if I water earlier in the day...the ground has quite a bit of sand under the new topsoil we put in the garden...can water for ten to fifteen minutes, dig down a few inches and its dry as a bone...really need to get the soaker hoses done in the gardens. Noticed yesterday when I watered the front beds that once I pushed the mulch away, the ground was not even damp...SIGH... looks like I will be watering more until I get those hoses laid out.
My rose, Sunsprite, is showing signs of new growth...she's currently entered in the "International Run for the Roses" on the Rose forum...now if I can just keep Spike out of the planter, she may have a chance...had four little nubs when I entered her, noticed this morning that two have been knocked off...grrr...best not catch that mutt in my planter. I have the cuttings that were broken off originally in water at the moment...maybe there is a chance they will take root...we shall see. If they don't, I'm not out anything...but if they DO...then I will be a very happy camper.
The starts that DS has been bringing home from various Hibiscus and other flowering shrubs they work around are all taking off like weeds. The newest Hibiscus starts are ready for potting and looks like I'll be doing that sometime this weekend.
Finally got the Basil in the ground...another pot that just was dry as a bone a few inches down. Glad to have that done so the Basil will take off and grow now.
The Peppermint acts pretty happy in its spot...was worried when it began looking thin, but seems to be doing just fine at this time. The Thyme has put little purple/blue flowers out...it too is doing well in its pots...need to trim it again soon.
WOOHOOO!!! Got baby Cukes showing on two of the three plants...yummmmm...can hardly wait! The plant without the cage is growing very slowly compared to the other two...right now, its "reaching" for its neighbor's cage...got to see if I can scrounge another cage for it.
Finally got a bloom on one of the little Hibiscus that my SIL got us the first year here...something was eating the poor babies, but now I have a bloom...
So far, DH has learned that his job is fairly secure at this point...his boss told him after laying off a couple of the others, that he appreciates the fact that DH can do more than one type of job...driver, mechanic, equipment operator, fabricator, etc...so his job is secure for now. We still are making plans to head to the mountain real soon for a vacation, and to begin getting things ready for us to make the move there. Guess that's why I'm having such a hard time getting myself to continue with the vegetable garden right now. What's the sense in growing stuff if I'm not gonna be here when its ready to eat?
I dunno, maybe I'll just wait until after we come back from the mountain to do anything more there...I'll have a better idea of how long before we make the move by then as well... |
| Stormdancer Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 02:34 pm: | |
4:30pm May 8,2008 continued... ok, so much for tomorrow being our first 90 degree day...right now it is holding at 89...feels every bit of it too. Just came in from watering the front beds...made sure I watered them really deep this time...also watered the potted plants really deep as well. Turned the sprinkler on in the vegetable garden during this time and currently have the soaker hoses on in the half-moon garden...since they water much slower they will be on for about thirty more minutes...that garden never seems to get remembered for water.
While watering...noticed that one of the sections of screen had lost the bead entirely and was drooping to the inside of the porch...can't believe I'm having to rework this already...stupid frame is definitely loose and no apparent way to tighten it...grrr...oh well, at least this time I could locate the ladder and the screen tool... |
| Stormdancer Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 06:34 pm: | |
May 8, 2008 continued....
It is currently 8:23 pm and the outside temps are currently 85 degrees...the weather just said tomorrow through Monday we are looking at temps in the low to mid 90’s...joy...the inside temp this afternoon was 85...with windows open and a fan circulating...I close the door to the porch once the temps get above 85 on the porch...just sucks in too much hot air...that usually lasts from about 1 pm to 4 pm...after that the sun begins to move behind the trees and the porch begins to cool off. At this time of the night however, 85 is just muggy hot ...no sun to make it sizzle. Looking for any breeze that happens our way.
With temps this warm already, looks like we could be in for above average heat here this summer....hurricane season is just around the corner and while I don’t wish for damages, we sure can use the rain that is generated from these storms. Come on rain....weather says a front is moving through Monday bringing us rain...I sure hope it drops a good bit...noticing the yard out front is getting brown and crunchy around the split rail fence...its mostly weeds that keep it green there, but I don’t care as long as its green. I don’t water the grass, figure that’s not a high priority for field grass...its been growing just fine all these years without extra water...but just watering the garden areas is still more than I really want to be doing. SIGH...guess as long as I want plants I’ll be having to water and need to quit my whining... I do enjoy the plants...
The soaker hoses barely drip and after 1 hour I checked the half moon garden and discovered the hoses had not even begun to get the ground damp...had to literally pull the hoses out of the growth...yeah, that’s an area that doesn’t see much weeding, the things out there are pretty self sufficient...two Crape Myrtles over eight feet, four Fire bushes, two Hibiscus, two native Yucca type “trees”, and four starts from the Rubbertree plant, and the two urns with the Crown of Thorns....everything out there is able to deal with drought conditions...and we also have several inches of pea gravel over good topsoil around those plants. The pea gravel has really helped hold the moisture, and it only stings for a little bit when I run the weedeater through that garden...LOL
Note to self: the soaker hoses need to run for a minimum of two hours ... make sure and set the timer so you don’t forget to turn them off...run until the area around the plants shows wet...jeeeeezzz, I truly forgot how long these things can run before showing results....last time they got forgot, we had a small “pond” on that side of the driveway below that garden...”but I ‘thought’ I turned them off...” DH is such a airhead some days....even tho I specifically asked him to go turn them off....DUH!!!!...grin.
Ok, just checked the areas around the soaker hoses...repositions the hose to cover more area, still very little moisture showing from the hose and its on full blast at the faucet...the hose itself it good and wet and I can see the droplets dripping to the ground...I've just forgotten how slow this is which is why I bought them to begin with...this has been running for over three hours already and the ground isn't showing much sign of moisture....just now getting dark, will go out and turn the faucet off at 9:30 pm. |
Early morning...6:30 am...temps outside are at 71 degrees...overnight it only dropped to 69 degrees. Smelling the wet smoke smell from the wildfires south of us. Yesterday the county north of us was experiencing the smoke from the county south of us where the fire is burning...pretty wild how that smell carries on the wind.
Not sure what I'm going to do with Spike getting in my rose planter. Looks like he's decided to sleep in the pot which of course is NOT doing the poor rose any favors. He keeps knocking the new growth off and at this point, I'm ready to do serious damage to HIM. Looks like he will be spending time in the kennel carrier at night since he won't stay off the rose...its getting warm enough to leave the door open to the porch and Mojo enjoys hanging on the porch at night. Spike can be such a hard head when it comes to my plants even though he knows it results in his being confined when he persists.
Time to begin the day before it gets too hot. I'm dog sitting for my boss and its time to go let the little girl out for the morning... |
10 am and the temps have risen to 83 degrees already...wind is blowing quite hard at the moment, but the humidity is rising as quickly as the temps.
Mixed some of my old coffee grounds into the soil around Sunsprite...seem to recall mom telling me years ago that the roses enjoy the grounds...we shall see...might just help deter the dang dog as well...the cage is going to be the best for him at this point I believe...otherwise, he is going to upset me to the point of wanting to hurt him...can be more aggravating than a wild critter at times. DH is in agreement on the cage for him...LOL...guess he's getting tired of me waking up mad when I see the evidence of Spike being in the planter.
The cage is on the back porch...waiting for tonight....here little brat dog....its time for you to visit the cage tonight instead of the rose planter.... |
Afternoon temps have crossed the 90 degree threshold...currently at 3:20 in the afternoon temps are at 91 with a 21 mph wind out of the SW...says it feels like 92...yippee, what's one degree when its above 90?
The wind is gusting pretty hard...the shades on the porch have been blowing into things since I dropped them down before noon (when it gets the hottest on the porch as the sun bakes through the front screens)....keep hearing things fall as the shades strike them...oh well, what's one more mess to deal with?
Finally got the weedeater dealt with...called the Lowes service number on my warranty, very nice man said take it to the local store and let them decide how to handle it...the cashier put my receipt numbers in and "poof"...refunded the price of the machine, my extended warranty is still in effect and I have a brand spankin new weedeater, plus cash in my pocket on account of they were having a sale on the trimmers in the store...Works for me!!! I'll just be happy if the new trimmer works until the warranties expire...
Shame its way too hot to try it out...I think I'd be passing out from the heat in this intense sun we are experiencing today....
But, the weekend is wide open...at least until the day becomes above 85...am really having issues with the heat at this point...sigh...must be an "age"thing...sure sucks getting older, but the alternative...ehh, well, guess I'll just put up with the ravages of aging. The body will just have to adapt or refuse...its the refusing that has me whining..."but, I've always done......never bothered me before.."
Now, where is that RAIN that the weather moron keeps yapping about??? |
I have it. And 52 degrees that you might like some of. LOL! |
LOL...well send that rain my way PLEASE... I'd really enjoy NOT having to water everything for a few days and my front yard is looking kinda crunchy as well as thirsty!!! The 52 degree temps were our night lows just last week...last night we not only had the windows open and the front porch door, but had to turn the fan back on once I went to bed because of the heavy heat hanging in the air...lol...trying NOT to turn the A/C on til July when it really gets HOT... |
