Thursday, June 20, 2002
10:20 p.m.
A goooood rain!
2 & 1/2 inches of rain this afternoon.
Sunday, June 16, 2002
09:38 p.m.
diggin' 'taters'
Dug my potatoes on Saturday - now I'll be diggin' them on my plate!
Caught another mole, eighth this season (I actually caught one in the old, mower battered trap while the newer one was lost!).
Got a little rain early this morning - nearly a half an inch. Coupled with the traces from 'sea breeze' showers earlier in the week, rain totaled a half an inch for the week! Got some wind, too - blew over one tomato vine but I was able to stake it back up pretty easily.
Friday, June 7, 2002
03:21 p.m.
Coelacanth (or Amazing Grace)
Wednesday morning I noticed I had trapped another mole (the 6th this season) but didn't take the time to clear the trap. I got home late that evening and once again didn't clear it. When I went out to clear it on Thursday morning it was gone, mole & trap both. I fussed, I fumed, I kicked myself (figuratively) and I looked all over my yard and the adjoining properties. That thing's been doing 'yoeman's work' this year and I feel I really need it! I guessed some critter had been interested in eating the mole and dragged the trap along. I thought it might be the neighbor's dog which used to drag a lot of things from my yard but has not done so in quite a while. I didn't find my trap in the neighbor's yard. I looked more closely at the hole where the trap/mole had been and it appeared as though dirt had been pulled in an easterly direction so I looked a little more thoroughly in that direction, still no sign. The dern thing is 'steel' gray and I thought it would stand out among the browns and greens on the forest floor. Turns out there are a lot of gray sticks and branches though. Well, all I could do was try looking under different lighting conditions and resolve that I may not find it till the leaves were all gone next winter (by then it could have been mangled by a bush hog or picked up by someone else). I took a chance to look under mid-day light today and found it, about 30 yards from where I had set it and 10 yards back in the woods in the direction it had appeared to have been taken. It's good to have my good ol' mole trap back! I'll be clearing it in a more timely manner in the future.
Friday, May 31, 2002
08:31 a.m.
Still raining, still dreaming
Storms & showers brought better than 3/4 of an inch of rain to the garden yesterday. That's more than 3 & 1/2 inches for the week. We have a slight chance of more today then it looks like a break for the weekend. I'll need the time to work on the fire ant mounds which are springing up in the wake of all this rain. I'll also need to mow this weekend. I'll have some more squash and the first peppers (jalepenos & bell) this weekend. I was given some blackeyed peas by another organic gardener yesterday for a video job I did for her (I like to barter) so, there should be some good eatin' on Till's Hill this weekend!
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
05:58 p.m.
Our turn...
Been seeing on the news where some folks have been getting a lot of rain. Guess it's our turn now - we've had 2 & 3/4 inch in showers Monday night and this morning. It's sure making good veggies - been eatin' cherry tomatoes and onions for about a week and had the first squash last night. Yum!
Friday, May 17, 2002
06:06 p.m.
Rain, glorious rain!
Sorry to celebrate when so many others are having too much rain but we needed this, 3/4 inch in storms today - giving us a total of an inch this week. Both rains came ahead of cool fronts which have brought relief from the hot muggy weather of late. Folks around here have been saying we skipped from winter directly into summer. The first two weeks of May featured a lot of days with temps in the 90s. Monday's rain was followed by two cool days - I had just turned the A/C back on yesterday evening, may not have to use it all weekend!
Snagged another mole too - that's 5 this season - there is still evidence of more however!
Monday, May 13, 2002
03:08 p.m.
Rain finally...
Got a little rain last night, looks like about a third of an inch but it was accompanied by much wind. Not sure the wind damage was worth the small amount of rain.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
03:03 p.m.
Redding* up the place...
Finally got around to clearing up the debris from the early April 'blow down' today. I needed to mow but it would have been very difficult to work around the trunk and all the scattered branches. It took about three hours to get it all stacked on a nearby brush pile. I was aided by the fact that it had been dead a while and had broken into fairly easily manipulated pieces when it fell. Still, the hardest part was sliding/rolling/flipping the 8ft. sections of 12in.+ diameter trunk onto the brush pile. Other than that it was just a matter of lopping off branches, picking up sticks and lobbing them on the pile. All in all, a good Sunday morning's exercise.
* Redd: from Middle English (Northern England/Scotland) "to put in order". I remember my Grandmother using this word - telling me it was time to redd up the room I had been playing in!
Monday, May 6, 2002
11:00 p.m.
Watering...already!
Finished mulching yesterday and boy did the garden need it. I've not failed to record our rainfall - we haven't had any in nearly a month. So, I watered the small patch this evening. That's where I'm growing the 'hill crops' this year (cantelope, cucumber, squash & watermelon). These were among the last to be mulched as they got off to a slow start. This let them dry out more than the plants in the big patch. Speakin' of the big patch, I laid out the drip hoses for the onions, peppers and tomatoes after finishing the mulching yesterday. I'm not using them yet but I wouldn't be surprised if I was by the end of the week. I'm closely watching these plants for signs of wilt.
Put out the Humming Bird feeder tonight!
Sunday, May 5, 2002
10:58 p.m.
POed...
I was just thinking how great the onions were doing his year, especially the red ones, when I came home one night last week to discover about half of then layed over and the mulch around them all 'beat up'. My best guess is the (damn) cats have moved their overnight WWF to the onion patch. Maybe I mulched with catnip? Well, at that point, I could have killed the lot of them, in fact the following morning, I walked up on one taking a crap in the small patch and gave it a 'toe ride' halfway across the yard. (got shit on my pants, too - there's probably a proverb in there somewhere) Well, sanity returned and that evening I made access to the big patch inconvenient by adding chicken wire to the field fence that surrounds it. I also laid down some fence panels over the effected area to make it less pleasant to roll in. Of course, they moved the wrestling back to the small patch, so I fashioned some field fence cages to surround and protect the 'hill crops' there. Finally, this weekend I tilled up a patch out back for a "cat shititorium" that I hope they will find more covenient for their doings!
Sunday, April 28, 2002
12:02 p.m.
touching up
Did a few minor alterations in the garden today. Weeded the onions, they are not mulched. Thinned the pole beans and used some of the thinned plants to fill gaps in the purple hulled pea row. Re-planted a jalapeno pepper into the space left by one which had died. Weeded the hills in the small patch and moved a couple of squash to semi-barren hills. Hand watered all the transplants and had to put up shades to keep direct sun off the squash (they don't like to be moved and have to bear full sun!) Looks like I'll be able to complete mulching next weekend.
Monday update: one of the plywood shades was knocked over during the night squashing the (squash) plants beneath it! I'll have to remember to lay the covers down at night. Hope the squashed plants survive, but some did not look so well. I'm guessing the cats knocked the shade down and from the looks of things danced on it. They'll teach me to scold them for getting in the garden!
Saturday, April 27, 2002
11:33 a.m.
Transition to summer
Had several random chores to do today to get ready for a southern summer. Brought the 'house' plants out from where they had wintered. These actually spend more time outdoors (April into November) so I'm not sure calling them house plants is appropriate, maybe around the house plants? The ones I kept in my outbuilding had not fared so well this year. By virtue of my not spending much time out there these days and a contrary heater thermostat they were not watered sufficiently and they were exposed to freezing temperatures on a couple of occassions. I will see them every day outside so there is a better chance I will give them proper care over the summer.
Also tried to stay ahead of the bugs. Sprayed a couple of tent catapillar infestations and doused a tree stump which is full of fire ants and has not responded to repeated application of AMDRO. Then there were the big, black carpenter or leaf cutter ants. These are a perenial problem to which I must give attention every couple of years to keep them out of the house.
Temps broke into the 90s for the first time this weekend so it was time to test the A/C. All appears to be well with it - now if I can just remember to clean the filter %-)
Sunday, April 21, 2002
10:28 p.m.
Nothing 'mulch'!
Got the garden mulched today. (except the newly planted hills and rows which by the way are germinating nicely!) Spent 4 hours putting shreaded hardwood bark on the rows and hay between the rows. This is the second year for this routine - it worked well last year and the added organic mater should be helping the soil. I've got enough hay for another year (maybe two). This should work well at keeping the weeds down especially since we've had no rain since I tilled and raked last weekend. There has been no new germination and much of what was uprooted didn't get to reestablish itself.
Monday, April 15, 2002
05:34 p.m.
Mo' plantin'
Took the day off today to assure a two day weekend (spent all day Saturday photoing/videoing the Area 7, Texas Special Olympics track & field events). One of my goals for the day was to get caught up on my gardening. Got out shortly after 9am (still nice & cool, then), tilled the 'big patch' and plowed a furrow for pole beans and purple hull peas. Got he beans and peas planted, then weeded and tilled the 'small patch'. Had to re-plant watermelon and cantelope (guess the soil was just too cool last month) as I planted squash and cucumbers. Only had one marigold to fail, so I replaced it, too. Also had three 'left over' tomatoes which I found/made places for. I finished off the day by rakeing both plots smooth - sure looks good! (if I do say so myself)
Monday, April 8, 2002
10:27 p.m.
Rain, storms and a 'blowdown'
We got about 4 inches of rain in storms last night and this morning.
The storms featured about one minute of strong, straight line winds which blew the top out of a dead pine tree that hovered menacingly near my out building.  Tree top on the ground, looking South.
The top half of the tree was blown in a direction opposite from my building. Tree top on the ground (yellow arrows) and broken trunk (red arrow) looking West (buildings are NW of trunk).
The 'blow down' would have been something to see! From the indentation on the ground, it appears the top (45 feet) was blown horizontially out of the tree, traveling about 20 feet before striking the ground almost vertically then falling over.
I don't believe what is left (another 45 feet) can reach the structure, besides without a top there is little surface area for the wind to blow against. It is not nearly as threatening, now. Of course, I'll have it to clean up, though!
Sunday, April 7, 2002
10:30 p.m.
Mowing, weeding & feeling better!
Did the first mowing of the season yesterday. I only mention it because I managed two and a half hours of semi-strenuous outdoor work without completly colapsing. I couldn't finish the job however because of fatigue and a growing sense of needing to know when to quit.
Weeded the taters and onions today and put the cages around the tomatoes. Picked up some hardwood bark mulch tonight. Now were getting some more rain!
Sunday, March 31, 2002
11:19 p.m.
More rain
We had some thunderstorms last night that brought with them about an inch of rain. The weather was kinda rough both south & north of here but we faired well with just a little wind and lots of lightning (never lost power). The downside of all this rain (apart from septic system woes) is that the grass already needs mowing. Oh well, I need the exercise antway.
Btw, my health problems were diagnosed as shingles brought on by a bout with the flu.
Oh yeah, somtime last week (I lost the actual date to the fog of dis-ease) I caught another mole. That's three for the season, more than ever before and there is evidence of still more to be caught.
Monday, March 25, 2002
10:50 p.m.
Another rain
Got almost an inch of rain this evening - perfect for the seeds I put in the ground Sunday. Didn't go to work and begged out of our monthly music playin' tonight. The muscle/joint pain ain't so bad but I've got no energy! Hopefully we'll find out what this is tomorrow and get "on the road to Wellville".
Sunday, March 24, 2002
10:24 p.m.
More Planting
Got the rest of my seeds yesterday. Planted watermelon and cantelope today. Sure wanted to prepare the seed bed and plant beans & peas but I didn't dare - muscle pain is aggravated by work.
Friday, March 22, 2002
6:34 p.m.
Freeze coming
Had to find covers for all the set plants after work & before dark tonight. The low is forcast to be near freezing!
It was all I could do to get this done - I've had joint & muscle pain since Monday (attributed it then to aches from the weekend work), Tuesday developed a fever and Wednesday a rash broke out on my right arm. Thursday I had to do heating pad time & hot shower before I could go to work. Friday was worse - got an appointment with a doctor for Tuesday, expect a restful weekend will do me good!
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
10:31 p.m.
A Good Rain...
..but what rain isn't (a flooding one of course)! But seriously, soon after transplanting tomatoes, peppers & marigolds we got a nearly 2 inch rain last night. Perfect for setting these 'sets'.
Sunday, March 17, 2002
10:26 p.m.
Planting continues...
Continued planting today. First I tilled the 'big patch' then measured (so as to most efficiently use the length of each row) then used post hole diggers to put a coffee can sized hole at the site of each transplant. I filled the holes with fertilizer and transplanted a dozen pepper plants (bell & jalapeno) and 21 tomatoes (Homestead, Cherry, Celebrity & Beefsteak). After a lunch break, I tilled the small patch, measured, marked and dug sites for 10 'squash' hills. I filled each of these holes with fertilizer then mounded soil over them to form the hills. I transplanted a marigold plant into the center of each hill. Marigolds help repel squash bugs, the worst pest in my garden. I'll give the marigolds a month to get established before planting squash, cucumber, cantelope & watermelon on the hills. According to the almanac, there is one more weekend of 'moon favorable' planting this month. I'll plant green beans & (maybe) purple hull peas next weekend if the weather permits!
I also weeded the garlic plants which survived the recent freezes very well and fertilized the rose bush before calling it a day.
Saturday, March 16, 2002
11:28 p.m.
Shit Shovelin' Saturday
One of the first tasks of spring planting is gettin' the fertilizer. Since I fertilize organically, this means shoveling or purchasing some form of animal shit. The folks I rent from have been good about letting me have all the cow shit I want from the feeding area at their farm. I usually get enough for two years each time I go so I only have to go every other year.
This year was my first to use my new trailer. I sold my '82 VW pickup last year after 19 years of shit (and other stuff) haulin'! I wasn't sure how things would go with the trailer but all went well. I used a wheelbarrow this year whereas before I was able to back the pickup right up to the feeding shed. It was actually less work filling the whelbrrow than tossing every shovel full into the back of the truck. I hauled out 12 wheelbarrows full in about an hour. Now that I've unloaded it in the usual place it appears to be about the same amount as I used to get by truck.
Good breaking in for my new boots. Now to continue planting!
Saturday, March 9, 2002
11:21 p.m.
New Boots
The old Red Wings have been shot for several years but the price of a new pair kept turning me away. I still can't see forking over $110 for a pair of work boots so I got a pair of Chinese made "Survivors" at Wal-Mart for $44. We'll see if the leson I've learned about cheap shoes being just that - cheap, applies to these boots as well.
I began to break them in while cuting boards and attaching them to my trailer. I had to fill in between the rails in preparation for hauling some loose barnyard fertilizer.
Sunday, March 3, 2002
11:10 p.m.
Cold again
Don't know about records or how cold it was early (it was around 24 degrees at 9am with strong N winds) but my water supply was frozen untill the outside temperature rose above freezing in the afternoon. I think it was frozen at the supply valve so I replaced the insulation there and will allow the water to run tonight as teens are forcast. Winds are calm, fortunately!
3/4 update:
21 degrees on the digital this morning (16 degrees on the bulb) but the water still flowed!
Wenesday, February 27, 2002
11:02 p.m.
Record freeze
Low this morning registered 19 degrees on my digital thermometer and 14 on the 'red liquid in a bulb' one. The digital is one of those indoor/outdoor types with its outside sensor mounted just two feet from the outside wall of the house. Perhaps it gets some warmth from the house. The liquid one hangs about 6 feet away from the house and so may be more acurate on a still day. At any rate it was still & cold this morning.
Sunday, February 24, 2002
10:21 p.m.
Bagged a mole!
Eliminated another mole today. That's two this winter, hope they are all for a while...
Tuesday, February 19, 2002
10:44 p.m.
Rain!
Got a good rain today - over an inch!
Monday, February 18, 2002
10:29 p.m.
no rain
We've had no rain since I planted potatoes & onions. I tilled again, to cover all my tromping around from planting and to prepare for rain which is due tonight.
Sunday, February 10, 2002
10:23 p.m.
Actual ('02) start
Found the tiller manual, took it to the auto store, got a replacement belt, put it on, got both patches tilled up, fixed beds for potatoes & onions and got them in the ground. Tried 'post hole' fertilizing for the potatoes that has worked so well for tomatoes & peppers the last couple of years. Put the onions in losest but also poorest part of the 'big patch'.
Sunday, February 3, 2002
10:18 p.m.
Aught two start
Got ready to start this year's garden but the tiller had broken a drive belt. I fiddled with it and a couple of others I had on hand (second hand) for an hour or so before deciding it needed replacing. Too late to get to town and get back and put it on before dark so i settled for pruning the rose vine and turning the compost pile.
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