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11 years and counting

Timbo637

2024-10-31 6:49 AM

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Feels like hell week all over!!

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2024-10-30 9:38 AM

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Roller Coaster Withdrawal

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2024-10-14 12:28 PM

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Smile....and don't shoot the messenger

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2024-09-27 3:17 PM

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Therapeutic Effects of Gardening


11 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Davit, your avatar is such a stunning blue!
 
I used dental floss to tie up roses today, so they are more easily seen.  Floss is practically invisible, so arranging the roses, and deadheading them later, allows anyone to enjoy them longer.  I also took out some dandelion in the front lawn, and did some light weeding in the backyard, where there's room for more tomatoes(or anything). I started to taken down the failed pole bean lattice, to move to a better spot, by away from the clothesline.
 
It's embarrassing to admit to such a small space, but it's actually bigger than we need.  I think if I spread things out, it might help keep the weeds down, since it's easier to manoever. 
 
I made an acronym to remind myself of the things to do outside using the letters SPAWW(support, prune, weed, water), but I lose myself in the garden outside, and kind of glide around from whatever interests me, keeping myself from my less helpful thoughts, which are the real weeds I wish to remove from my life.
11 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
If it's sharped with 3 sides, I can see it working.  I have a garden hoe.  I think my dad made your type of hoe, and I could put the pole back on it, and use it and modify it.  
 
I reluctantly watched some youtube videos, since I thought I'd get the wrong kind of ho(e) film, but was lucky(or not).  What stunned me was some guy using a weed whacker in bare feet!  I always try to wear my steel toes.  What I liked though was his quiet machine !   That's why I tried my shovel tonight, since it's noisy, and I wear ear plugs.  I saw an action hoe in use too, and it looked handy.
 
 
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hugs

Still the best tool in the garden is the planting hoe. I sharpen the three sides and use it with one corner leading in a slicing motion to cut weeds. I still use it as a hoe but often with the sides instead of the face. I have one with a serrated edge filed into it.

Davit
11 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
One thing I noticed about myself, is that I can learn by observation.  I notice that a neighbour's gardening crew use shovels to slice away weeds, before bringing in a tiller.  I've used a noisy hedge trimmer, so trying the slicing method seemed easier, and I used in on the backyard, before a coming rainfall.  Shallow roots made this easy.
 
I think I'm going to take the initiative, and just buy and plant some remaining basil and 4 more mature tomato plants, as well as replanting pole beans, while placing a tarp over the rest of the small yard so nothing grows.  Alternately, I could spread the plants over the earth, since that would keep the weeds down.
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Yesterday was a long but productive day so today is a different storey. I seldom get two days in a row that I can work hard. So no tractor today. The ditches on either side of the road look good with the bushes cut and shredded. Highways is supposed to do this but they don't so I do it. I'm sore because I have to run the tractor at an angle just short of tipping over to get all of them. Needless to say I don't do this when I'm tired. Because of the angle I get a sore back and neck. Don't tell anyone, but I still like a challenge and this is one. 
So today I weeded asparagus. Between the rows is pretty hard from lack of rain. Weeded the pumpkins too. Mowed some lawn and watered the garden. I should work on the sprinklers but they are screwed to the fence and I want to move them. I am just too sore to be on a ladder today.  It is a tall fence to keep out the deer. I still have at least ten Asparagus to dig up and move. I'm letting the ones I moved go to leaf so they set good roots before winter. There are still plenty I can eat. In fact I should cut tonight for supper.
I feel like I am one step ahead of the wolf all the time, there is just so much work to an acreage. When it is hot like this we get little biting flies that are a pain. (literally) There are only a very few mosquitoes. Yesterday I killed two, today only one. That really makes a difference to the pleasure of being outside. Makes a difference to a person with a panic disorder too. I made a microwave brownie as a reward for pushing myself today. 
I'm bribing my stray cat with milk now. It has to come on to the deck to get it. It seems to like it here and I do feed it so why not. Today was cooler which is nice, I wilt when it goes above 30C. I'm hoping my Yellow Rose will bloom.
Anyway it is back outside for me for a bit.

Davit.
11 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
What does anybody do with deadheaded roses?  I tried putting them in a vase, but apparently "pot pourri" is a product that people buy?  I noticed it at the yoga studio, and wonder if any one has creative uses for their beautiful roses?
 
When is the ideal time to deadhead?  My back is sore, so I'm going to decide today whether to see the chiropractor, or not, since sometimes this doesn't last long.  I have to sit to research stuff, so it's hard to get away from sitting, but I minimize it.
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hugs

Thank you for asking. Yes today I'm tired. I'm waiting for the yeast to proof for my bread. The last few hot days really took a lot out of me. Today is nice though with a breeze. I have things I want to do but may not. Some how it seems like a nice day to sit on the deck. I find that hard to do though when there is stuff to do.

If you look along the edge of the leaf where it is eaten you may find a very tiny caterpillar not much bigger than a thread. It will turn into a bigger green caterpillar and leave poop on the leaves below or it will turn into a looper, loopers are harder to find. Rub the edge of any eaten leaves to kill them. They love mint also. I shake the plants to make them fall off.
They also eat the Delphiniums. Basil is another favourite food. Butterflies are pretty but their offspring are so damaging.

Gotta go make the bread now.

Davit
11 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Are you tired Davit?
 
I'm going to cut some mint down, and mom can preserve it. It's wet, but I was able to do some laundry and dry it outside.  The break allowed us some relief from the humidity.  I worried about the inside temp settings, but I think it's okay for summer now.
 
I sent some eaten tomato leaves to some master gardeners website for their comment.  I'm not sure I really need so many plants, but apparently this stuff can spread.
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Overwork can really get to a person and leave them depressed. It can take all the pleasure out of life and leave a person feeling rung out. If it is temporary all that happens is a person loses a day that they very much need to. If it goes on then it becomes a fight which is one of the things CBT really helps with. 
On top of being tired and sore it started out as a wet dull day. So my positives: It is cooler so I can weed longer so I can take my time and won't hurt as bad. I wanted the rain and want more. I'm sore so it is a good time to make bread and sweep the floor. (more rain please) Doing laundry, laundry is easy, it does itself. 
I could of course feel sorry for myself and my list would be full of negatives and I could be depressed for days. And then I could be depressed because I lost some more time. Okay, so I'm tired and sore, it isn't raining right now so I can have my tea on the deck with the Hummingbirds. 

Davit
11 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Today I had two visitors that took up precious time. And then it got very hot. Still I managed to finish weeding the last flower bed. The Virginia Creeper is doing very well. It just needs more water.

I went out in the heat of the day to mow the far end of the deer pasture I have been working on. I had to leave part of it because it is coming up in Saskatoon Berry bushes. Hundreds and hundreds of them. I managed to mow the willows beside the road without tipping the tractor and it looks better. This is more landscaping than gardening but I lump it all together. Again I had to hand water because I still have not gotten the pump hooked up. Soon I hope. Everything is looking good they just could use a real good soak. And I could use a break. There is a lilac coming up on the wrong side of the fence that will have to be moved, no rush thought. I much more need to move Asparagus and Strawberries. 

Since I am finished mowing for a while I can take the mower off and put the tiller back on. A good part of a day to do alone since the tiller still has an extension cord wrapped around it. I will have to cut that out.

I wish you could see the flowers along the pond trail. Thousands of white Thimble Berry flowers on either side. So pretty. The wild roses with their pink make a good contrast. 

My neighbour wants to plant Larch around his house. I'd like to get a few also. A pretty tree that sheds its needles every year, they are more yellow than green.

Tired today, but a good tired. I have to tie up plants, they are getting too tall. Tomorrow maybe.

Davit

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