SFrye732_Blog: May 2020

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Trixie-Dog Being Trixie-Dog!

The many faces of Trixie-dog!

Emilie does an amazing job at capturing some cool pics. Here are just a couple -

Note: Photo cred goes to Emilie Frye

I can't recall but seems we typically remove our pool cover at some point during this long weekend. In any event, we removed the cover on Sunday; pulled it back so I could install the ladder and other pieces and parts.

(8) gallons of liquid shock added and not too bad. The water itself is crystal clear, it's the schmegma and dead algae that needs to be vacuumed off the bottom. Once that's done it'll look even better and be ready for swimming.

We moved the cover to the driveway on Monday, where we spread it out to clean if off. Once all dry, we neatly fold to store in the garage until it's needed again in the fall.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Dandelion or Snake?!

Check out this young beauty, a Milk snake!

Emilie came across this young'n while out walking the dog. Unfortunately, all I got was this picture, which is the next best thing. Would rather of had her bring the dude home but that wasn't going to happen. Had I been there I would have grabbed it, if for nothing less than to check it out up close. Next time and perhaps a bigger one too, more of a challenge...

Ironically, we live on land that was once owned by Garelick Farms, see what I did there?!

Note: Photo cred goes to Emilie Frye

And We're Off...

The weather has finally broke. It's more seasonal now and the threat of a frost has passed. That being said I got some veggies planted; California Bell Peppers and BIG Boy Tomatoes, along with some Marigolds.

I always plant Marigolds in my vegetable gardens; along the outer edges. They're great for attracting beneficial insects and other pollinators like ladybugs, hoverflies and parasitic min-wasps, all that prey on garden pests They're also know to repel certain pests too.

I'll also be planting broccoli, cucumbers and some herbs once I find a farm stand that has some left. Unfortunately, that's going to be it this year. Was wanting to do corn again, since it was so successful last year, and some potatoes too but we're having our house painted something in June (date not set yet). They'll be power washing the entire house and machine sanding certain bad areas. Since our garden abuts the south side of our house, I need to leave the painting crew plenty of access and don't want them to dance around veggie plants. Smaller crop this year is fine too.

California Bell Peppers, Broccoli and Cucumbers -

BIG Boy Tomatoes -

These two raised beds contain my garlic, OH YEAH! I planted these in the fall last year and every clove planted has sprouted and grown! There are somewhere in the area of 66 plants now thriving. Can't wait till it's time to dig these beauties up and start cooking with them, YUMMY!

Even the strawberries are looking terrific with oodles of blossoms -

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

They're Taking Over!

Here's a small sampling of our Lily of the Valley spreading all over our property. It's amazing how they've taken over, seemingly overnight too. Interesting to note is that when we bought this house back in 2000 there wasn't a single Lily of the Valley on the property, not a one!

Not only do we have the typical white variety, we also have pink -

Here's a cool pic of a lone pink Lily of the Valley growing up through a Hosta -

We have oodles and oodles of Lily of the Valley flowers in the house now too. Another benefit to springtime here at the ole homestead!

I'm Thinking Of A Number...

Thanks Brotaterchip for making this house sign for us, see Geico gym commercial!

Took a while, a long while, to paint and glue the pieces and parts together but I finally finished it AND got it hung up this past weekend too!!

Family consensus was to nix the last name -

Here she is mounted and beaming proud as a peacock -

Still requesting that the 6' social distancing rule be followed when visiting!

Shot Gun...

Frick'n Oliver!

Seems to really like this spot.

My mothers chair, that I watch a lot of Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes and Boston Bruins games sitting in as a youte. As you can see he doesn't care about the clean and folded laundry or my grandmother's quilt, nope it's his spot now.

"Chive On"

Chive the herb, not to be confused with theChive NSFW website.

Our chive are doing fantastic and ready to burst, as you can see above! I suspect the bees and pollinators are chomping at the bit and can't wait.

Can You Hear Me Now?!?!

I was getting reports of choppy audio, lagging and stop and go with my video when in meetings. I didn't notice it on my end, however, there were certain times, so it seemed, where our Internet connection would come to a crawl but I wrote it off as everyone now working remotely.

Using Verizon's app I ran a speed test on our router and low and behold our upload speed was caca, at a mere 7.5Mbps!

Long story, so I'll shorten it, I placed a call to Verizon support. A technician was dispatched who replaced our router and what's referred to as the "ONT" (Optical Network Terminal) or demarc, where external lines end and the private (my) network begins. The latter was the fix!

Speed test results before ONT replacement -

Speed test results after the ONT replacement -

After new

What a difference in results! Feedback from coworkers has been positive too! They can now see me on video just like we were back in the office. They all miss me, but of course...

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

What A "Pussy"...

We've all heard the phrase "Fraidy-cat, am I right?!

Well, Oliver has taken it to new heights. First with the chicks, petrified, and now, today, we're having a couple windows replaced. Workers coming in and out. Hammering and sawing and banging, and he is out of his mind scared. You can see the fear in his eyes.

Here he is above finally worked up the courage to peer out from behind the curtain in the corner where he's been hiding for over an hour, geesh.

Chicken Room...

I decided that since we're now in the chicken business and we have a brooder setup in the basement, I'd air on the side of caution, and of past mistakes, to essentially make a walled off room where the brooder is kept. I used plastic from floor to ceiling on two sides and a green tarp for the front. My hope is to contain as much of the dust that these chicks are going to start making. The dust gets into EVERYTHING!

I think back on what I put my mother through, i.e. chicks raised in the kitchen, UGH!

A Hail Storm

This past Saturday around 10:30ish the snow squalls moved in quickly and at one point hail started to fall. It left almost as quickly as it came.

Crazy spring we're having so far - wet, cold and windy.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Happy Mother's Day 2020

In honor of Mother's Day I did a little "manscaping"...

Took advantage and made some small adjustments to our Daily bed and WHALA!

Saturday, May 09, 2020

We're Back In Business Baby!

After a couple year hiatus we're back in the chicken business!

Picked up yesterday from Ventura Grain Co. in Taunton, MA., day old!

3-Buff Orpingtons

3-Amberlink

3-Blue Cooper Marans

1-Russian Orlof

Here is a close up of the Russian Orlof. Emilie's choice bird, which she's named "Mabel". I on the other hand have named her "Baba Yaga" from the John Wick movie. However, I also refer to her as "Sventlana", who was the owner of Kids Plaster Zone where Emilie used to work. She was Russian, so it's kinda appropriate in my mind. Either name I use is disliked and poo-pooed by Emilie.