Speaks Volumes

See My Garden Grow!

Father's Day weekend garden update -

I planted my third and final batch of Silver Queen corn!  I sow (50) seeds in each sunken clump and planted them each 2-weeks apart with the closest clump planted yesterday.  This will give me plenty of corn to enjoy for weeks!  Also, come the fall, I'll have plenty of corn stalks for decoration.

I planted a row of MAMMOTH sunflower's along the fence, which are doing great.  I planted the entire package and will be sorry when it comes time for fall clean up.  As the name indicates, Mammoth sunflowers get BIG and tall, which makes pulling them when the season is done a lot of work.

I also have (9) Beef Stake tomatoes in with stakes already in place.  They're doing great and with all the rain we've been getting, they're getting big.  I'm trying something different this year and instead of just letting them be, I'm doing a controlled pruning.  Removing all the lower stems and all the suckers that are so typical with tomatoes.  I may not get as many tomatoes with this approach but hoping the plants will be more manageable and the fruits BIGGER! 

I also planted basil, along with my usual marigolds.  Basil is a soulmate of tomatoes and when planted together, the basil helps repel insects and the dreaded hornworm caterpillars.  "They" say basil also helps improve yield, hmmm.  Marigolds are also known to help in keeping unwanted insect pests away too.

Elmer Fudd, Where Are You?!

Here is a pic of what a nice health clump of balloon flowers looks like.  This one is about 3' tall now, which will grow to about 4'-5', nice and thick and green.  This particular clump is in the pool area and always has done great with plenty of flowers.

I have other clumps too throughout the yard and they've also done great, when left alone.

Here is a picture of what the wild rabbits have done to, what was a couple of nice thick clumps of balloon flowers.  The darn rodents simply destroy them, eating most of the leaves and chewing off some of the stems too.  They also have done a number on my black-eyed Susan's and hostas too, UGH!

I'm not sure if it was the relatively mild winter we had but there are oodles and oodles of wild rabbits this year.  Where are all the hawks I had out back over the winter or the other predator's like foxes?  I need help in regulating these vermin, as I can't do it all by myself...or maybe I can!

Here is an older picture of a balloon flower ballooned up and ready to open -

And here's a unique flower opened up -

The bees love these flowers and are always busy flying in and out of each all summer long.

Tater Tower Is Growing!

My tater tower is doing fantastic!

The plants are growing like gang-busters!

Time to add the second side boards, another 6".

I added 5-gallons of compost around the plants and filled the first layer - 

Then added the second layer of side boards -

Exciting!  I can't wait to see the results come harvest time.

AH, Summertime!

If you're in the area, stop in for a cold brewsky!  We have an extra chair and plenty of cold beer.

#blessed

My Wood Sorrel Plants

Not Oxalis Regnellii, rather Oxalis Deppei or "Iron Cross" but a nice addition to my Oxalis triangularis.

I started these beauties from bulbs and within a 2-weeks it looks like this AND flowering!

More to come!

Now, if I can only prevent the idiot cat, Oliver, from eating the leaves, which then causes him to vomit, UGH.

More Sowing Took Place

More sowing this past weekend - 

I got a second planting of corn, (50) seeds.  The first (50) I planted was two weeks earlier and the plants are already about 3" tall -

I planted an 6' row of carrots -

I planted an 6' row of beans, (25) seeds -

Now we wait and hope the rabbits, groundhogs and deer stay away!

Splish Splash!

I spent a lot of time on my pool this past weekend - skimming, vacuuming, adding chemicals and constant filter dismantling and cleaning, and it's all paying off!  The water is still a bit cloudy and more vacuuming needed but looking good - I'm getting there!

If you're in the area drop by for a dip, any time!

Black Beauty

My eggplant plants are doing terrific and seem pleased with the new raised bed!

A Sad Truth

but the way they leave tells you everything about them and they way you miss them once they leave tells everything about you!

Sad State of Affairs II

I'm sure there are others that would disagree with me and that's perfectly fine, as everyone has their own opinion.  However, this is my opinion, which is based on more than just this one example.  There are others, plenty actually, but for now this one will suffice.

These pic are examples of how lazy and entitled people tend to be these days.  Doing only what's in their interest and what's best for them, and to hell with everybody else.

The first two pictures are items that folks have put out curbside  and offering up as "free stuff".  Neither of these locations are in front of anyone's house, rather they're both at the end of different side streets.  That in and of itself isn't bad, after all, I've put plenty of items out, although at the end of my driveway, as "free stuff".  The issue I have with these two items in particular, is that these items sat out there for over 2-weeks!  I don't know if the original owners finally removed them or if someone finally took them or even if someone had enough, took them and tossed them.

Again, I don't have an issue with the concept of these items being offered up but, please, respect your neighbors and don't be a lazy piece of shit, and leave these items curbside for weeks on end.

This "Celebrate Trails Day" sign was placed at the entry to the park\ball field.  Again, in concept, no issues here and actually a good spot in terms of local traffic for many to see. The issue I have is the sign reads, "4th Saturday in April".  I took this picture on May 13th!  Following a storm we had, the sign had blown over and was on the other side of the entry way.  It happened to be Monday, May 29, trash day, so on my way back from my noontime walk, I picked up the sign and carried it to and discarded it in my trash barrel.

Point being, if you put signs like this up or yard sale signs or lost cat signs, do the right thing; the respectful things and drag your lazy fat asses back out and remove them!  Your responsibilities don't end until you've cleaned your crap up!

This picture is kinda tough to make, as I was too far away, but another perfect example of entitlement and blatant disregard for others, as well as posted signage.

It's a woman and her two dogs on the soccer field, where scads of kids are instructed on every weekend.  The woman is using one of those tennis ball throwing sticks and the dogs are chasing balls all over the field.  The posted sign, on the right side of the entry way reads, "All pets must be on a leash.  Please clean up after your pet"!  I see this quite often, on this soccer field, as well as the one a mile up the street.  Different people, doing similar things with their dogs, WHY?

How does a pet owner clean up urine?  The town maintains these ball fields - mows, fertilizes and water, which equals an expense passed on to the tax payers.  Dog urine kills grass. Kids are playing and falling and rolling on these fields, parents are sitting in the grass on the sidelines watching their kids, do they really need to potentially doing so in dog urine?  Need I say more?

I understand it's great exercise for the dogs but it's NOT the place!  There is a dog park a couple hundred yards off to the right of the posted sign.  Now, I realize there isn't a whole lot of space in the dog park to throw a ball too far, however, it is what it is.  The dog park is for dogs and the soccer field is for kids\adults.

Again, show some common curtsey for others and respect these common areas for what they're intended for.

People suck!

See original "Sad State of Affairs" posting here

June Hail

It poured here this past Friday, some long overdue and welcomed rain.

At one point, it started to hail and was coming down at a pretty good clip, see attached -

Find The Critter

 Can you find the critter hiding in the first pic?!

No looking ahead at the pic below and cheating!

I have a lot of rabbits in my yard this spring and summer, alas.  I chased one off last night, that was in my garden, UGH!  Where are all the hawks I had hanging out here earlier in the year, or the foxes?  Would welcome some predators to stop by to help get these pests under control.

"Scapes" Have Been Removed

I removed the garlic scapes (flower stems) from the garlic plants yesterday.  Each with a simple snip of the scissors.  So, with the scapes removed, the plant will now put it's efforts and energy into the the plant, which should mean a larger garlic bulb to harvest later.

I used one of the scapes for dinner last night and sautéed it with the peppers and onions for my shaved steak sandwich!  I'm guessing it was very tasty, however, I still cannot smell or taste from getting covid back on May 14, alas.  Hope this changes soon! 

The Dash

The Dash Poem

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning to the end.

He noted first came the date of the birth and spoke the following date with tears.

But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.

For that dash represents all the time that they spent life on Earth.

And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own, the cars, the house, the cash.

What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real,

and always try to understand the way other people feel.

Be less quick to anger and show appreciation more,

and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile,

remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s actions to rehash,

would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

Snappy

I went for a run on Wednesday afternoon, around 6ish and noticed this lovely lady making her way up the embankment and towards the schools parking lot.  Since she was headed away from the street, I didn't intervene.

I don't carry my phone when I run, so when I finished, I grabbed my phone, jumped in the car and drove the mile to the school to check on her.  Sure enough she was far enough away from the street and seemed content, so except for snapping (no pun intended) a few pics, I left her alone.

Interestingly, on Thursday morning, 7:15AM to be exact, I was headed out to breakfast.  Driving past the school, which at this time of the morning was all hustle and bustle with buses and parents dropping off their kids.  Guessing all the activity made this girl nervous, as we drove past the school I noticed her making her way back down the same embankment she had climbed the evening before.

We didn't stop, hoping she'd be fine and that no one would bother her.  There was no sign of her an hour later when we were headed back home, which was encouraging.  On my noontime walk, I made a couple additional laps in that area but was unable to locate her, so guessing she made her way to safety and is fine.

Out With The Old...

Well, I did it!  I finally did it!  As difficult as it was to part with the old, I bought myself a new wallet!  Geesh, the old wallet has to be well over 25 years old.  As you can see it was in pretty rough shape, so it was time.  I bought a similar one but the new one has RFID-blocking, so nothing in the wallet can be scanned or read without my permission.

They say change is good.  Perhaps, but uncomfortable.

It SURE Does :-(

💔

More Creative Cooking

More "Creative Cooking" dishes I've made over the last couple of weeks - 

Ground chicken, canned tomato sauce from my garden and tricolored pasta -

Grilled New York sirloin, air fried garlic potatoes and corn -

Shrimp and scallop scampi cooked in beer -

My Friday night regular, homemade pizza and beer.  Both the beer and the pizza toppings change each week.  I will add whatever protein I have left over and somethings peppers and onions or broccoli or black olive. Doesn't matter, I just toss on what's available and it always comes on delicious -

Shaved steak with peppers, onions and loads of garlic -

Replaced And Upgraded!

Sadly, I decided to stop raising strawberries.  I'm just too tired of fighting with chipmunks and catbirds for the fruit.  Covering the bed in an effort to keep the critters out never really worked and make it that much more difficult for me to pick the berries.

As a part of this decision it was then time to replace the raised bed the strawberries had been in for the last umpteen years, as it was rotting away.

I replaced the old 4'x'8"x8', above, with 4'x10"x8', below, so taller -

I will be planting carrots and beans in this new bed in the coming weeks.

Also, I will continue my assaults' on the chipmunks, as a matter of principle and the thrill of the chase.