Friday Morning, April 5, 2013
Up at 3:15 AM and enjoyed the peace and quiet reading....and drinking coffee. It was pretty cold last night; I saw a skiff of ice on the bird bath....we actually saw a pair of Purple Finches enjoying a bath together yesterday.
I had great plans to mow yesterday but neither mowers was willing. If it is very cold they just don't start. DH is charging the battery on my old (and favorite mower) so, hopefully, I can mow today.
I also vow to spray with dormant oil! No rain in sight for several days and nice warm temperatures.
I made my first garden faux pas this morning. I dug a very large clump of what I thought was a weedy grass...then I realized it was a clump of tradescantia! It will survive. I may divide it into several clumps and put it in an area where it can do its thing without me bothering it. It is a Missouri native that grows in the ditches....in fact, I think that is where I got this one.
Saturday April 6,2013
WE (DH rode the new mower) did all the mowing, even the orchard. He reported that the ground back there was very soft and wet and he almost got the mower stuck.
I was even able to start up the old Stihl trimmer and do about 30 minutes worth when I ran out of string and energy. No spraying the trees.....then this morning it is extremely windy and probably not a good day to spray....I see the oldest peach tree is dead and the split tree in the garden is showing color so too late to spray it. The little plum is fully bloomed and the bees and other fliers are all over it. I also see the bees on the weed, dead nettle, that I have been erroneously calling henbit. I get them confused every year.
Still no spraying....too late for the plums, peaches and pears....maybe the apples will get it.
Sunday, April 7
Did some tilling and raking in the garden. It is such a slow process this year because of this culprit. It tills up in small clumps and has a mat-like system of very fine roots. I have to till a while and then rake the clods out or I just cover them and the they continue to grow. I have never had this in the garden before.
Monday, April 8
This is finally the day! New fridge comes this afternoon and none too soon. Here it is in all its SS (stainless Steel) glory.
Then we had to wait 24 hours before loading it fully and I still haven't done that yet. I vow not to overload this one with 30 different jars of jams, jellies, pickles or other condiments! I am not even going to bring down all that was in the other one.
I have now tested the icer maker and it is very nice. I had two glasses of crushed and cubed ice water yesterday evening.
Tuesday, April 9
We made a run to Fair Grove late yesterday afternoon to look at the 45 inch square shipping crates I found on Craig's list. We thought it would make an instant dog house. We bought it, $40, and now we need to paint it before placing it in the dog pen. It is very heavy and we will have to use the front end loader on the tractor to get it off the truck.
Wednesday April 10
This is our baby girl's 45th birthday! Hard to believe. I still vividly remember her birth and the first day we brought her home.
The storms promised didn't happen but we are getting a nice gentle rain, 1/4+ so far, and some lightening.
If the storms don't get worse, I think we will take advantage of the rainy day and head to
Bolivar to get the license for the ATV and shop their Wal Mart for supplies. Then, weather permitting, take a wild razee over the country side to try and find the man we bought pullets from two years ago. Why I didn't take down his name and phone number I will never know. DH swears he can find him......lots of curvy roads heading back west out of Bolivar toward Stockton Lake........we shall see.
Up at 3:15 AM and enjoyed the peace and quiet reading....and drinking coffee. It was pretty cold last night; I saw a skiff of ice on the bird bath....we actually saw a pair of Purple Finches enjoying a bath together yesterday.
I had great plans to mow yesterday but neither mowers was willing. If it is very cold they just don't start. DH is charging the battery on my old (and favorite mower) so, hopefully, I can mow today.
I also vow to spray with dormant oil! No rain in sight for several days and nice warm temperatures.
I made my first garden faux pas this morning. I dug a very large clump of what I thought was a weedy grass...then I realized it was a clump of tradescantia! It will survive. I may divide it into several clumps and put it in an area where it can do its thing without me bothering it. It is a Missouri native that grows in the ditches....in fact, I think that is where I got this one.
Saturday April 6,2013
WE (DH rode the new mower) did all the mowing, even the orchard. He reported that the ground back there was very soft and wet and he almost got the mower stuck.
I was even able to start up the old Stihl trimmer and do about 30 minutes worth when I ran out of string and energy. No spraying the trees.....then this morning it is extremely windy and probably not a good day to spray....I see the oldest peach tree is dead and the split tree in the garden is showing color so too late to spray it. The little plum is fully bloomed and the bees and other fliers are all over it. I also see the bees on the weed, dead nettle, that I have been erroneously calling henbit. I get them confused every year.
Still no spraying....too late for the plums, peaches and pears....maybe the apples will get it.
Sunday, April 7
Did some tilling and raking in the garden. It is such a slow process this year because of this culprit. It tills up in small clumps and has a mat-like system of very fine roots. I have to till a while and then rake the clods out or I just cover them and the they continue to grow. I have never had this in the garden before.
Monday, April 8
This is finally the day! New fridge comes this afternoon and none too soon. Here it is in all its SS (stainless Steel) glory.
Then we had to wait 24 hours before loading it fully and I still haven't done that yet. I vow not to overload this one with 30 different jars of jams, jellies, pickles or other condiments! I am not even going to bring down all that was in the other one.
I have now tested the icer maker and it is very nice. I had two glasses of crushed and cubed ice water yesterday evening.
Tuesday, April 9
We made a run to Fair Grove late yesterday afternoon to look at the 45 inch square shipping crates I found on Craig's list. We thought it would make an instant dog house. We bought it, $40, and now we need to paint it before placing it in the dog pen. It is very heavy and we will have to use the front end loader on the tractor to get it off the truck.
Wednesday April 10
This is our baby girl's 45th birthday! Hard to believe. I still vividly remember her birth and the first day we brought her home.
The storms promised didn't happen but we are getting a nice gentle rain, 1/4+ so far, and some lightening.
If the storms don't get worse, I think we will take advantage of the rainy day and head to
Bolivar to get the license for the ATV and shop their Wal Mart for supplies. Then, weather permitting, take a wild razee over the country side to try and find the man we bought pullets from two years ago. Why I didn't take down his name and phone number I will never know. DH swears he can find him......lots of curvy roads heading back west out of Bolivar toward Stockton Lake........we shall see.
