May 7, 2013

Another very foggy morning. 50° - highs 70°

Watered plants under lights. I need to re-pot some, especially the tiny lavenders.

Plans: Work outside today weeding beds and pulling dead shrub by lr window.

What actually got done (usually very different from plans!)

I mixed up 2gallons of herbicide (generic Roundup product). I don't like using them but this year the weeds have simply overwhelmed me.

Sprayed most of it. Then decided to get the 25 gallon sprayer out and spray the part of the garden that is completely covered with a short grass that has already set seeds. It is almost impossible to till.

We hooked the garden cart to the ATV (my towing mower is still in the shop) and got it to the garden when a tie rod dropped off the left front wheel. This made it impossible to steer. I had DH drive it straight forward off the garden plot. I went ahead and sprayed by picking up the sprayer (I just mixed 5 gallons so it wasn't too heavy) and moving it forward when I ran out of hose....then I had to go back the get the battery. I did get it done but am slightly sore this morning.

The only way we could get the ATV out of the garden was to remove a cattle panel that was tied to t-posts for beans; then pull the t-posts. He would drive a few feet and I would manually turn the left front wheel. We got it out......hooked up the trailer and was able to drive the ATV on. That meant a trip to Bolivar to leave it for repairs. The poor thing is 10 years old and has been used daily since we bought it. I hope it is fixable.

While down there we checked on the mower......next week hopefully. They are having trouble getting some pulley wheels off.

Then we stopped by the License Bureau and got the taxes and paper work taken care of on the new truck.

I know we should get a new ATV, but this is not the year for more equipment purchases! There also looms the possibility that they can't repair the mower....the newer mower does not have a hitch on it.

I think one could be welded on it. I definitely need something for the garden cart and sprayers. Machinery …......something always needing attention.

I have loaded the sprayer on the kids old wagon but it isn't long enough for the battery......I need a long piece of plywood to make that work. 

Last Saturday was baking bread day again. I made DH's white and my whole wheat. Also made pizza.

Gardening Pictures

The first iris of the year is from our neighbor so I call it the Lisenby Iris:

This is the first year in a very long time that the snow ball bush hasn't been covered with black aphids. I kept watching to spray and so far haven't needed to:

 
It is still in the green phase, soon to be white.

Does anyone else but me have gardening mysteries?  I thought I just had one rhubarb plant I grew in a pot last year and finally put in the new herb bed last fall.  I thought  it was Chipman's Canada Red.....I remember dividing it and putting some small pieces in the bed too.  Well this spring the largest piece jumped up and grew but it is more green than red or pink, a real disappointment.  A few days later I see tiny little leaves coming up along the edge of the bed.  I was sure it was rhubarb..and it is  and it is red as can be!  

This is the green one:

I still think the stems aren't large enough to pull this year.

and here is the red one:

I will never figure this one out unless I possibly blogged about  it.....probably didn't use the label feature though.  I must remember to do that. I am just going to enjoy that I have a red one!

I had too many chives to put all in the herb bed so I planted them at the base of the rose in the cistern planter.

 Birds

The orioles are still here and I think I saw an Orchard Oriole late yesterday afternoon but haven't seen it yet this morning.

The oriole is feasting on grape jelly for breakfast as I type.

I have been keeping a daily journal on Open Office thinking I would quit blogging but now may just transfer it.....with some editing.  I will see how that works.  I know gardening is going to keep me busy soon but I would miss sharing with you all pictures of farm life.

Here we go:

Friday, April 26

It rained most of the day, a light steady rain.

I made a banana cake and read most of the day.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

It has rained all night and all day with  over 2 inches so far. It is still very dark and cloudy at 7 AM this morning.

Monday, April 29

We moved the plant stand off the back porch to the dining room.  It makes it so much easier to take care of the plants with the dog on the porch.  It doesn't enhance the dining room but I am not concerned.  It will only be until the end of May and then everything should be planted outside.

Planted oregano, rosemary, thyme outside the back porch door.  I think having them so close  will remind me to actually cook with them!

Weeded the Grace bed; about half of the Cellar Bed. The Grace Bed is just south of the cellar where 'Grace' smoke tree is planted. One of the two crape myrtles survived.  I think the other is dead.

Tuesday, April 30

Weeded Kitchen Window Bed, dining room porch bed and south dinining room foundation bed.

Began to kill the wild honeysuckle that has taken over my red honeysuckle I may have to kill out both of them.  I traced the wilding to a huge root stem and just severed it. Of course, now I have wilted stems twining among my red honeysuckle which has buds on it.  I like the wild one because it is fragrant and the red isn't.  But the wild one had climbed over the top of the nandina and almost covered it so I pulled it all out.

This will  be a continuing struggle trying to kill one and save the other.

We will have to rake up debris before mowing again.

Took time off to cut out and load 5 calves and took them to the sale barn in the afternoon.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

I raked up a huge pile of weeds and then we mowed everything again.  We were trying to beat the rain predicted and we did.

Picked up our check from the sale barn early....I think taking them in the evening before makes them sell much earlier on sale day.

We splurged and traded in our 2005 Silverado for a 2013 version (which means this is the year of the truck and not the year of the remodeled bathroom!).  I agreed to it though.

We picked up the truck around 5 pm. I was disappointed it didn't have running boards so Max will go back tomorrow and have them installed.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Max and Sylvia (MIL) went back to Marshfield. She needed some small things done to her new car and we needed to have the running boards installed.  I failed to mention she traded in her  car for another 'program' car.  I told DH when he took her down to take a 'look' at the new trucks......he  did!

They were gone all day.

I cooked a pot of beans; did some housecleaning and read. They got back around 3 pm. Max did evening chores. We had creamed asparagus and a poached egg on toast for supper. It was our first asparagus of the year.

I pulled the straw back over the strawberries. Everything else is on it own.

Friday, May 3, 2013

We got down to 30° and have about l inch of snow. Maybe it will act as insulation on some things.

We have one more night of freezing and then a slow warm-up. I won't know for a few days if the fruit was affected.

Maybe this isn't so disjointed it will make sense....if not, I will try to do better next  time.

Up very early this morning but I was asleep very early too so it all works out.

We got more rain late yesterday afternoon.  I dont' know how much yet but it was very heavy for a while.  I took a picture around 4:30 pm just before the storm hit.


Kris wanted to see  inside the new  fridge.  Her word is my command.  This is probably the neatest it will ever be.

This is the inside with both doors open.  I still have things to bring down from the Milk Parlor fridge.



and this is the bottom freezer.  I have not unbagged and sorted the contents yet.



This is the two doors.  The left door is configured differently to allow for the ice maker supply into the door.




This is my favorite  feature of these French Door fridges:  The tray.  This one isn't as large as the Kenmore but it doesn't have that slide up door that caused me lots of grief.

This one just slides in like a drawer.



Enough about the refrigerator; I just want it to work and last forever.

I bought in my flat of broccoli, petunias and borage.  I was afraid of the predicted freezing temperatures.
I will keep them inside under lights until this front passes.

I watered the trays yesterday evening late and that should last them a week.  I just run the trays about l inch  deep with tepid water and a bit of fertilizer; stir it up; swish it around and then let the containers just absorb it.  If much is left, I drain it off into a bed outside.

We did go to Bolivar yesterday as planned; got the ATV license and hit the Wal Mart that is next to the License Bureau.  I couldn't pass by the herbs they had outside the door:  They were $3.87 each but are in 6 inch pots and look very good.  There is Greek Oregano, Sweet Mint and Lemon Thyme.  The thyme probably isn't perennial here so I will try to remember to dig it and store it when I do the rosemary.



I will be baking  my Honey Whole Wheat bread again today.  I gave a loaf to  both installers since I had all the breads out cooling when they came and they commented about it......and they went above and beyond on the installation.  DH said they couldn't have his white bread..........so I will be baking today.


Our hunt for the chickens was a bust.  We neither recognized anything at all....so after about an hour of seeing some new scenery we just kept heading west toward Stockton Lake and highway 123....then headed south and back.  I may just go ahead and buy some young chicks and raise them.  I did see some Sex Links on Craig's List.  That will mean a 4-month wait for eggs but so be it.