# Homesteading Singles Thread June 2013



## SimplerTimez

So, the newest thing is that I may be moving. Looks like my daughter and I may team up for a year.

I've found a place with an acre of land within 20 minutes of work. Just waiting to see if I can get a viewing appointment tomorrow. Of course, I have no furniture, LOL, but I'll sleep on a blow up mattress for a long time in order to have room to actually plant stuff. She has a washer and dryer, so maybe no more laundromat action for me? One can dream.

Everyone is napping but me  I have no place to nap, lol!

Oh, and flower seedlings are up too, to keep the lettuces company 

~ST


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## vicker

I slept on a half sheet of plywood and a piece of foam for 3 years  Go for it.


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## katydidagain

vicker said:


> I slept on a half sheet of plywood and a piece of foam for 3 years  Go for it.


I assume it was a vertical half....


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## homefire2007

I slept on the floor with doubled up blankets as a pallet for years. Got the kids beds one at a time until I could get my own. It was worth it...but I would hate to do it again! I hope everything works out for you. being able to putter in a garden is good for the soul


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## lonelytree

Looking for land in all the wrong places.

OOPS http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/homebrewing/486913-orange-clove-mead.html

Need to change teeth on the grinder. If customers knew how much they cost and the time to maintain it they wouldn't complain about the cost. Ever. 

In AK mattresses pop up on craigslist all the time. Some are very gently used in a spare room. Furniture in freebies too.


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## katydidagain

#1 is from days ago so not same angle. Garden was planned for center but didn't happen. As you can see it was all grass. I hate digging but had no choice.

#2 is after about 1/2 hour--sandy soil but is not pure sand--easier than clay. (Sun is behind tree--space gets morning sun until about 1 and then only ambient light. Never tried this but who knows?

#3 16' x 10' bed ready for plants

#4 Plants in 9 tomatoes, 6 eggplant, 11 peppers and some mystery winter squash in the back. More to add but at least things are out of pots... Total time including cleanup? Just under 6 minutes shy of 4 hours--not counting some really major breaks--it's hot in FL!

The last is my little banana--see her new leaf?


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## tambo

My okra and crowder peas are coming up. Still no green beans. What is it with those things? They are just about to get on my last nerve! I even planted different seed.
I went out about 8 this morning to check out the garden before it rained. No peas at all. I picked 3 straight neck squash. The okra was coming up. I went back out this evening and the peas were up at least an inch. I tied the tomatoes again. Bermuda is all in the raised beds again. I am going to mulch them with some of those leaves to see if it will mat and deter the grass.


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## viggie

Nice Katy! Pulling that dang sod is the wooooorst and it looks like you sped through it...wow.

Everythings looking good in my own garden. Potatoes are filling in, pole beans are up, and the first little flower buds have showed up on 2 overachieving tomato plants. 

And...baby bunny!!!! I've been spending lots of time cuddling and kissing her and here I'm getting her used to being brushed.


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## katydidagain

vigilant20 said:


> Nice Katy! Pulling that dang sod is the wooooorst and it looks like you sped through it...wow.


Thanks but FL dirt is not like yours or any I've ever encountered--the "sod" wasn't really rooted.

Cute bunny!


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## Tommyice

About the only thing I was up to was to prune the wisteria that hangs over the garden (that has yet to be tilled---hmmmpf). The garden will be tilled tonight or tomorrow morning. We've still got four beefsteak and 6 roma tomatoes that my brother brought me as a "get well" gift. Only other thing I'm going to plant are green beans and maybe cukes. I might throw in a couple of cantaloupe seeds to try since I'll have the room. But that will be the extent of my gardening this year. Not really up to much else with this ---- recovery. Taking too long!!!!!

It's been mighty hot here too. The AC in "my" room at dad's doesn't work so I've been back on the couch until about 3am when I turn it off, turn on the attic fan and go back to my bed. Dad did go get a new AC for it and it's being installed today (wall unit)!!!!!!!

All in all I've been living vicariously through all of your homesteady efforts. LOL Keep up the good work!!!!


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## foxfiredidit

I've got a little over half of the potatoes dug, got 4 quarts of dehydrated, I think that will be enough. Leaving the rest of them in the ground as long as possible. But I don't know how long they will last there, the tops are turning yellow, but I can't store that many at once. Pole beans are getting picked and canned. Did 12 pints yesterday, would have done quarts, but thats too much to open when they won't all get eaten. Summer squash are everywhere, another give-away item along with potatoes, so that is okay. I'm done with pickling squash (with bell peppers, onions).

All the other stuff is growing, blooming, lots of green tomatoes but nothing turning red yet. Peppers are trying their best to put on some little ones. I think I'm going to have to stake those are they're going to fall over. 

Grass and weeds are the never ending struggle. The gas bubble on the weed eater and the little echo mini-tiller both cracked, and the air filters were pretty bad off. The hoe still stands at the end of the row saying, "send me in coach". 

I hope you were successful with the flat tire, Rae, without doing damage to the stud. I have the same problem with my JD tractor oil pan's plug. I can't get it to come loose no matter how I try. Haven't used heat yet, but I may, as my little torch is out of gas. Pull handle with proper socket just rounded off the nut big time. I filed it flat on two sides, tried it again and although it didn't round off, it would not come out. I quit it then, as I didn't want to break it off in the hole. Gonna try the heat next time I get motivated to change the oil. Hoping it ain't in there cross-threaded. 

I found my camera after it stayed a few days out in the rain and weather. It was fine. I snagged the loop on a low limb and it pulled out of my cargo pocket as I was walking to the garden on the woods trail. I was lucky.


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## Tommyice

> I hope you were successful with the flat tire, Rae, without doing damage to the stud.


Ahhh there's a nice dirty joke in there but, alas, I'm too tired to crack it. LMAO!!!!!


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## foxfiredidit

Sometimes it's what you don't say that is funniest of all.


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## SimplerTimez

katydidagain said:


> Thanks but FL dirt is not like yours or any I've ever encountered--the "sod" wasn't really rooted.


Florida 'soil' (being a native of said state) is very, very sandy. Great for drainage, terribly poor for good root development, nutrients or holding water without intense mulching.

Katy, from your photos, you must have amended that soil with something. I've never seen dirt that dark in this state 

~ST


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## SimplerTimez

Tommy - Wisteria? I love that plant, garden thug and tree parasite that it is. I miss GA wisteria. 
Fox - so glad you found your camera! The one I have must be the same as yours, but the batteries are dead. I'll have to get that fixed before I can utilize it. Nice macro pic of that predator bug on the other thread.

No response from the one acre property peeps  I suspect it is the dog that is the problem. Renting with a dog is always problematic. But I did find a place even closer to work (we both are employed at the same company - Nepotism 'R Us) that has a great fenced yard, is available in the proper time frame, and accepts dogs. We'll see.

We had a great 1" slow rain all of last night, so the lettuce sprouts are growing visibly daily. Now I am in stasis mode with the unpacking of stuff from TN while I wait to see where I am going next. So I live in the micro-haus with boxes galore. I need a permanent place to live. This box toting is getting old 

~ST


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## katydidagain

I did absolutely nothing to the dirt; that's the sandy side. I have what looks like black gold in the center where I wanted to plant things. I think it's been covered by oak leaves every year for many years. I don't trust its fertility--not only did I dig instead of just paper and mulch but I'm going to amend with fertilizer (I don't have compost or aged manure) because it is so loose.

ETA: I hope you find your dirt soon, ST.


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## homefire2007

Nothing homesteady this week, just work. My oldest son spent the weekend with us. He was pretty banged up from a bicycle accident. Truthfully, he should have gone to the hospital but he didn't tell me until Saturday, days after the said event. Being the stoic he is...he hadn't even taken an aspirin for the pain. Lots of skin abrasions, burns and the right side of his face swollen with purple bruises. He had two days of watching cable TV and just resting up. He seems depressed. Finally after years of trying to make everything better, I realized there is nothing I can do except provide a soft place to land. Huge, big epiphany for me.

TI, glad you got some AC, hope you are healing up good!


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## tambo

I made homemade yeast rolls from the homemade Bisquick. They are awesome!! Better than any bread I've ever made. These may be trouble. Soft as can be!! Mine got a little dark at 12 min. in the oven.

EASIEST YEAST ROLLS EVER:

1 pack yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dissolve yeast in water. Put Bisquick, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl mix well flour your work surface turn dough out knead for 12-15 minutes shape into rolls place in a greased pan cover with damp towel let rise 1 hour brush with melted butter bake for 12-15 minutes add more butter. Mmmm!


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## homefire2007

Tambo, when will you be having a homestead get-together?  Every time I look at what you have cooked, I get hungry!!!


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## SimplerTimez

lonelytree said:


> Looking for land in all the wrong places
> 
> In AK mattresses pop up on craigslist all the time. Some are very gently used in a spare room. Furniture in freebies too.


Recently FL has had a spate of bedbug issues in hotels and the like. I'm not sure today I'd buy a used bed. I have in the past, and in fact just sold it for what I paid for it in 2006. It was an _awesome_ mattress!

Yep, I plan on furnishing via CL or thrift shops. I really don't need much except bookshelves  I no longer have my truck either, which made picking up things much easier - not much fits in a Honda Fit...lol! But sharing with a 20 something and a 3 year old, they probably require more than I. I'll be trying to teach her about 2nd hand buying instead of buying on credit.

~ST


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## katydidagain

Maybe I don't like those; I could eat 10 in 1 sitting. I did finally make virgin sourdough starter in early May; apparently there is wild yeast in FL. I haven't baked bread in 18 months so this isn't very pretty but I used the strongest rosemary I've ever encountered--1 1/ 2 teaspoons fresh was too much for my tasters. (I have 3 starts I began rooting a few days after Mother's Day in some of the real black gold and already 1 has roots peeking out of a 3" square pot! Would have taken at least a month in MD or Ohio to do that.)


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## Tommyice

ST just for you. I got to enjoy and smell my wisteria for the three days I had between hospital stays. I would have been one po'd mama if I had missed it. LOL This is a pic from last year--it was much more prolific this year.

Homefire the AC was installed just in time for it to cool down outside. My luck. Oh well, it'll get warm again. Healing up good but slowly--I'm used to a much faster pace (you know I live just outside NYC and everything has to happen in a New York minute). Thanks for asking.


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## SimplerTimez

Thanks TI 
When I passed through GA en route to TN and hooked up with one of my two best friends (is that an oxymoron?) this is one visual and olfactory treat that I got to experience.


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## doodlemom

http://www.eattheweeds.com/wisteria-criteria-2/


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## Ramblin Wreck

Wisteria is pretty, but boy is it invasive, like kudzu almost. The old folks used to say that two varieties grew here: D*** Wisteria and GD Wisteria.


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## SimplerTimez

doodlemom said:


> http://www.eattheweeds.com/wisteria-criteria-2/


Well, then I shall plant wisteria as a famine food wherever I move  It smells heavenly. 
Ever wonder if scent on things like honeysuckle, night blooming jasmine and wisteria are subtle human manipulations to get us not to cut them down? 
I can't wait to be somewhere long enough to plant my "Midniight Candy" seeds. Annie's Annuals has the plants for sale right now. If you're into scent and plants, you must get a whiff one day. It's....decadent.

Thanks Doodle!

~ST


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## lonelytree

I looked at a piece of property. Walked it. I really think it would be awesome. 5 Acres, gentle slope, treetops show little high winds, quiet. Get back and do some searching and find that the GPS location from the realtor is off 1/2 mile. I may still make an offer on the piece that I walked. What a bummer. 

Shop smells awesome with 3 gallon jugs of mead and a 5 gallon carboy of Moscato and Apricot wine perking!

I was gonna go fishing but the bows are still finishing their spawn and I don't mess with them this time of year.


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## SimplerTimez

Well, I am back to NOT sharing with my daughter. Kids. Flighty li'l things. Now I'm trying to determine if I can afford the one acre place by myself AND still work on my debt free plan. I hate getting in a contented place, then having someone get my hopes all jumping around and ignited. Shucks on her :/ 

We are due 12-15" of rain by this weekend. I doubt I'll be driving to work, as my beach neighborhood floods, as does the office complex where I work. Last year several employees lost their cars during the overnight shift. 

LT - Great land!
Katy - That is fantastic dirt then for FL. Are you up in the Northern section?
Tambo - Those rolls, YUM.

~ST


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## katydidagain

I'm right around Jacksonville but I haven't seen other dirt like this around here. It's just weird. I cannot get over how fast things germinate/root in FL. I planted beans and cukes on the 30th or maybe the 31st--they're up! I tucked some beet seeds in spare cells after planting artichokes a day later--they're up! 

Had a nice conversation with a man who works in the garden section at Lowes; he gave me some more hints about growing things here. Nice thing is he's originally from Alexandria, VA (about 20 miles south of where I gardened most of my life) so he has the perspective on both zones. Oh and I found another type of banana tree for $7.98. (He told me they do grow here but you have to toss a sheet over them if it frosts--when it frosts.) There were blueberries for the same price. I resisted--I don't know how but I did.

That's huge storm coming your way, ST. We had something like it the 1st week of May; 10" makes a real mess I know.


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## Terri

Today I made a deal with my youngest "assistant", who is to old to goof off all summer long. It does not matter that summer jobs are hard to find right now: he is not to goof off all summer long and so he has been "assisting" me for a couple of hours a day.

Today I told him that he could avoid the work he disliked, but in exchange he had to work unsupervised. Because there is work involved in supervision, he has needed a good deal of it or he will avoid the work he does not like, and it is hard on me to both supervise him and get my own work done. 

He seemed to think this was a very good idea, and so he did an hour of housework of his choosing and then went in to take a nap. Actually, that is FINE as long as he gives me another hour of unsupervised work when he gets up!

In the mean time, I potted up some plants, washed a couple of pans (that he left as per our new deal), sorted out a bag full of stuff from the washroom to discard, and did most of my workout. This bit about not having to supervise sounds good to me, and I hope he follows through on it! I will be able to work in peace without always telling him "it is too soon for a break", or "keep working, son"!

2 hours a day of work is not a lot for a young adult, so I got him to sign up for 2 classes at the local college. 4 units of college PLUS 2 hours a day of housework PLUS wanting to hang out with friends (both are good guys) should keep him busy enough! Plus I pay him $5 an hour for the housework and so he will have enough cash to both pay his sister what he owes her and also join in on whatever the guys are doing. They all seem to like movies and McDonalds.


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## Raeven

foxfiredidit said:


> I've got a little over half of the potatoes dug, got 4 quarts of dehydrated, I think that will be enough. Leaving the rest of them in the ground as long as possible. But I don't know how long they will last there, the tops are turning yellow, but I can't store that many at once.


The potatoes will remain fine underground long after the tops have died back, Fox. Here, I've dug mine out well into December. Just grab them up before next spring, when they will start to send out foliage again. Unless critters get to them, they should last almost as long as if you kept them in a root cellar. Or if they get too wet. In which case, they will rot in the ground.



foxfiredidit said:


> I hope you were successful with the flat tire, Rae, without doing damage to the stud.


 Well, as to the studs Iâve encountered in my life, Fox, I donât believe Iâve ever damaged one. Iâm quite careful with them. Unless, of course, they asked to be damagedâ¦ in which case, Iâve obliged. But none were ever the worse for wear, I donât believe.

However, the problem with the little lawn tractor now appears to be a tie rod. I must admit Iâve abused my share of rods. Never found them difficult to fix right up, though. I probably just need a stronger one.

Iâm sure Iâll be back in good trim in a jiffy. I appreciate your kind concern.


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## FarmboyBill

Well I got the pto put on the Cub, and the belly mower on under it, and have been mowing around the house for 3hrs. Grass was HIGH, and it took a lot of time to make a decent looking job of it.
Phone guy is/was supposed to be here by 1 30 to see if he could fix a repro phone for me. I have a repro antique wood wall phone with a real wood cabinet. unfortunately, it works by the user opening the front to see and use the push button dial. I am hopeing that someone can take the dial out of it and put it on a cord to where I can put it in a wood box of some sort and either mount it on the wall, or put it on a small table under the phone. Its 2 23 now and he hasn't showed. ill wait till 4, 4 I call the phone company AT&T. Tomorrow, Ill mow around the machinery.


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## FarmboyBill

Welp. He was just here. Couldn't fix it. Didn't have time to see why my house phone don't work either. Said hed turn in a ticket and somebody else would come out for the house phone.


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## foxfiredidit

FBB, I have one of those old phones too. I can't call out on it, but I can answer it and that works okay, but I seldom take the time to stand up and go to the wall when the little modern phone is right there beside me.


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## FarmboyBill

yeah, I hear you. Ive got a candlestick phone that works ok, But, like you, I hate standing by it. IF I had a telephone desk like mom had, a small desk for the phone with a chair bilt in/onto it. That would be fine.


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## homefire2007

Have you ever had one of those days where a little glitch seems to throw everything off track? Perfect pleasant, busy day at work until my relief came in and said she had asked me to trade shifts the tenth....huh? No, I didn't remember because I really don't think she asked me. She said we had agreed on it weeks before...possible. I know I'm getting older and do forget things  Okay, no problem, I'll be happy to do it.

Ran to the grocery store after work and before picking up my son. Shopped carefully....20.96....? Didn't quite sound right but I was in a hurry. Got home and looked at the receipt...overcharged by 4.06  Twenty mile round trip later, I have my 4.06 

Okay now....two pounds of cherries need to be pitted and dehydrated...can't find cherry pitter... I think I'll start over tomorrow:help:


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## katydidagain

Got new sneakers on the truck this morning and purchased wiper blades; she has new shocks, gas tank and replacement rear end. Engine is strong (131, 263 K in 1998 S=10) as is tranny in this northern ruster. Roomie is checking fluids when he finishes eating his dinner. Taking off to VA in the early AM to pick up the rest of my belongings. Apparently I'm committing to residing in FL which is not an entirely bad thing--gardening is amazing here!


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## Tommyice

Katy glad you finally found someplace to rest yourself. And GARDEN!!!!!


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## tambo

I charged the chainsaw battery last night. I cut the limb that fell out of the tree last week while I was mowing. I'm glad it waited until after I mowed there because if it hit me in the head it probably would've killed me. I cut a little bit more on the dreaded tree also while I had the chainsaw out.

I tried my hand at some scones made out of the home made Bisquick. They aren't to pretty but they were good. Lightly sweet to knock the craving for something sweet. I put some sugar and cinnamon on them while they baked then drizzled honey on them afterwards.


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## katydidagain

Tommyice said:


> Katy glad you finally found someplace to rest yourself. And GARDEN!!!!!


Resting is the operative word; I like FL but not this area I don't think. However I've been having a blast introducing gardening to natives who had no idea you could spend maybe $10 on a few cell packs and a couple of dollar store seed packs to make food. Want a giggle? Summer squash and beans are and have been in season but cheapest prices I've seen are $1.29/lb. I have never seen such expensive produce prices in all my years living in the north. Okay, Asheville prices on everything make you gulp or did me.


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## katydidagain

tambo said:


> I tried my hand at some scones made out of the home made Bisquick. They aren't to pretty but they were good. Lightly sweet to knock the craving for something sweet. I put some sugar and cinnamon on them while they baked then drizzled honey on them afterwards.


Drop a scant cup of blueberries in next time....not muffins...better.


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## tambo

katydidagain said:


> Drop a scant cup of blueberries in next time....not muffins...better.


I have a bag of dehydrated blueberries I got as a free gift when I bought something (can't remember what). I know this is probably a stupid question but do I have to hydrate them before adding them? Anyone know?


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## katydidagain

I don't think so. I have an untried recipe in a jar for lemon blueberry scones that uses dried berries. I haven't tried it because nobody gave me any. (I can post it if anyone is interested..) Yield is 12 to 16. It calls for an egg and 1 cup of dried berries.


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## no1cowboy

Been raining here for the past several days, I have several small jobs on the go.
my main generator needs to be fixed along with the snow blower (waiting on parts) brought home a riding lawnmower seems to run ok just needs a battery and a brake in the rain.


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## Tommyice

katydidagain said:


> Drop a scant cup of blueberries in next time....not muffins...better.


Or raspberries. Or chocolate chips!


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## Tommyice

tambo said:


> I have a bag of dehydrated blueberries I got as a free gift when I bought something (can't remember what). I know this is probably a stupid question but do I have to hydrate them before adding them? Anyone know?


I don't think so either Tambo. It will be like using dried cranberries (which are also good in scones)


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## Jenstc2003

Guess who has 5 ACTUAL TOMATOES coming on her plants that she was worried about! This gal!!!! And the funny thing is that the biggest one at this moment is on the sick little roma in the right side bed. *proud gardener* I had to come and brag to people who would appreciate it.


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## viggie

The last garden bed was just planted. It's late enough in the season that I actually had to weedwack it before I could turn it over. That was a first! This cold rainy season has me way behind schedule, but still plugging along.










]The "tea garden" I established last year is filling in nicely. Lemon balm in front, with echinacea middle, and comfrey in the back.


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## newfieannie

I went out to the country around 6. mowed and brushcut several acres. spread some more soil around my blueberries,cleaned out the barn. had a mug-up by the pond. came back in and I have been weeding ever since. I see my lemon balm is spreading everywhere. I've never seen it do that before. it might have been all the rain we are having. lemon thyme is my favorite and that is also doing well. ~Georgia.


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## newfieannie

took a few pics of my fence wall today. got my wagon wheel put up. you can see to the left I have it chained to a brick and also tied to the fence.not in the best of shape but i have had that thing a long time. I might hang my old cow bell on it yet. last pic I think is of the clematis. pink fantasy. hard to see .the sun was so bright but it is covered in buds for the first time and several are in bloom. I got to figure out what to plant down the lower end where you can see it is sparse. there is very little room there between the fence and the driveway. I have impatients trying to grow there now. ~Georgia


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## newfieannie

ok I got 2the same. don't know how to get rid of one. G


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## SimplerTimez

katydidagain said:


> Resting is the operative word; I like FL but not this area I don't think. However I've been having a blast introducing gardening to natives who had no idea you could spend maybe $10 on a few cell packs and a couple of dollar store seed packs to make food. Want a giggle? Summer squash and beans are and have been in season but cheapest prices I've seen are $1.29/lb. I have never seen such expensive produce prices in all my years living in the north. Okay, Asheville prices on everything make you gulp or did me.


Are you sure they are actually 'natives'? There are darn few of us here anymore. Primarily populated by transplant retirees or transient visitors these days.

Most natives garden November - May, unless they are desperate like me and fling lettuce seeds out in June, knowing full well what's coming in July- Sept. We only have two seasons here, heat stroke and tourist (maybe three, hurricane season too). But since you're north and I am smack dab Central, your temps will be a bit milder there. You may actually get three real seasons if you're far enough north, and a freeze or two 

~ST


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## SimplerTimez

Well, after careful consideration on the one acre place, I've decided to either stay here in the micro-haus, or _maybe_, if I can find a mite larger micro-haus a bit closer to work with some outside space, make a move there. 

I have a plan to go debt-free, so that I can then pay cash for my own place if I end up still being alone. Or at least have more choices on what I'd like to do for the rest of my life. The cost to have an acre to putter in now just isn't worth putting that whole goal aside, as much as I would LOVE to be gardening and have more than six feet of total floor space. And bookshelves. I miss bookshelves  And a bedroom with a door. But...it's only temporary. And it's en route to something, somewhere, better. 

And that's what I keep telling myself every time I jam my pinkie toes in this place and drool over y'alls beautiful gardens 

My area here floods, so I've stocked up, gassed up the Fit, charged all my batteries, etc. And received the clearance to work from home if the rains they are predicting actually show up.

~ST


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## katydidagain

SimplerTimez said:


> Are you sure they are actually 'natives'? There are darn few of us here anymore. Primarily populated by transplant retirees or transient visitors these days.
> 
> Most natives garden November - May, unless they are desperate like me and fling lettuce seeds out in June, knowing full well what's coming in July- Sept. We only have two seasons here, heat stroke and tourist (maybe three, hurricane season too). But since you're north and I am smack dab Central, your temps will be a bit milder there. You may actually get three real seasons if you're far enough north, and a freeze or two
> 
> ~ST


Both were born and raised in Jville; neither have been more than 50 miles from here though they're 34 and 45ish respectively. Boggles my mind. I'm not kidding that they hadn't a clue what the plants were--I've heard about people who believe their food comes from the supermarket--never believed it possible but apparently I now know 2. 

I get to Cocoa every so often--nearby?


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## SimplerTimez

katydidagain said:


> Both were born and raised in Jville; neither have been more than 50 miles from here though they're 34 and 45ish respectively. Boggles my mind. I'm not kidding that they hadn't a clue what the plants were--I've heard about people who believe their food comes from the supermarket--never believed it possible but apparently I now know 2.
> 
> I get to Cocoa every so often--nearby?


That's just scary...lol. I know many of the Crackers in the NE section have never traveled far, but they garden like mad people! That's okay, I've traveled enough to make up for at least a dozen natives 

No, I'm near St. Petersburg, by the Skyway. But we might could plan a meet sometime if it's on a weekend. I haven't been to Cocoa in a ****'s age, got really crowded (wait, everything here is) there since I was young. Might be nice to do a lunch or late afternoon thing sometime though. Drop me a PM in advance and we'll see!

~ST


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## Raeven

Lessee... the pigs found a loose spot in the fencing and had themselves a high ol' time down in the bottom pasture, frolicking and scaring the llamas. Fortunately, it was an easy fix, so today they spent their day back where they belong. The llamas were sticking their tongues out at the pigs today, I could swear it.

Apples, plums, pears and berries all look on course for a great harvest. Strawberries are about two weeks early!!

In other news, my small engine guy promises to come tomorrow to help ascertain what parts are required to repair the tie rod on the little lawn tractor. Hopefully we can finish up repairs by the end of the week. Good thing, because the grass is crazy long and will take a lot of coaxing to look pretty again.

Had to run into town today, the weather seems to have turned for good in the PNW. So gleaming clear and beautiful, I could see all the way from the West Willamette to Broken Top.


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## Tommyice

Raeven said:


> Apples, plums, pears and berries all look on course for a great harvest. Strawberries are about two weeks early!!


Tease!


----------



## Raeven

Tommyice said:


> Tease!


Funny; I've heard that before.


----------



## littlejoe

Things are slow here...waiting on hay season to start. There was no winter moisture at all to get things happening earlier than when most ditches come in Mar 15. and some ditches have already ran all they get, unless we start getting rain? Light drizzle today...I was getting scared and thinking I might need a boat? It's a sad looking country!

Yesterday I replaced a couple shade trees and a couple ornamental trees that never woke up from winter. Then finished mulching all the rest of the fruit and nut trees with hay and bark. Today I gathered supplies and sand for a stucco man to do the south end of the casa, as well as attend a ditch meeting.

Dang, I wished we would start getting some heavy rains. We've been in this drought since the last century! 2 or 3 years we had enough to get by on, but no excess. Some people are losing hope.


----------



## foxfiredidit

I'm wishing I had taken that envelope with only 22 squash seed and threw it all away with the exception of 3 seeds. Never seen so many squash...I can't keep up with them all. Pole bean canning is going good, but about reached my limit on that project. One more case of pints and its over. Okara is blooming, peas are too, tomatoes are loaded but still green, and the bell peppers are the same. I may never eat another cucumber after this year. I found an old one in my cargo pocket I forgot about. 

A twelve day drought is hindering things. I didn't mind as I thought it would be just slowing things down to a more managable level, but I see signs of real distress, so I went ahead and watered this afternoon. Still shootin' to be done before the end of June. 

A cow, a llama, and a pig are all eating. The cow and the llama are involved, the pig is committed...thats me right now.


----------



## Tommyice

foxfiredidit said:


> A cow, a llama, and a pig are all eating. The cow and the llama are involved, the pig is committed...thats me right now.


If one of them is dressed as a nun and walks into a bar with a parrot, you might have the makings of a really sick (but incredibly funny) joke.


----------



## Raeven

Pigs are always committed to eating, Fox. Not much of a stretch, there. You always struck me as more of a llama. A non-drama llama.  A Fox llama?

My head hurts.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Checking in from TS Andrea. Working on a generator with a solar camping light all morning. NO COFFEE as we blew a transformer early on. Tornado hit two blocks from me, and destroyed the ice cream place  No injuries reported except on trees and buildings. I recorded 5" of rain on my patio since this morning. Yup, it's flooding here. 

http://gulfport.patch.com/articles/radar-shows-tornado-near-gulfport#photo-14723090

Katy, it's heading your way chica. I'll have some quiet until the backside comes 'round. Power should be restored soon, and I'll charge everything up again.


My motto: Be Prepared 

~ST


----------



## SimplerTimez

littlejoe said:


> Things are slow here...waiting on hay season to start. There was no winter moisture at all to get things happening earlier than when most ditches come in Mar 15. and some ditches have already ran all they get, unless we start getting rain? Light drizzle today...I was getting scared and thinking I might need a boat? It's a sad looking country!
> 
> Yesterday I replaced a couple shade trees and a couple ornamental trees that never woke up from winter. Then finished mulching all the rest of the fruit and nut trees with hay and bark. Today I gathered supplies and sand for a stucco man to do the south end of the casa, as well as attend a ditch meeting.
> 
> Dang, I wished we would start getting some heavy rains. We've been in this drought since the last century! 2 or 3 years we had enough to get by on, but no excess. Some people are losing hope.


Want me to send you some of my rain?? My lettuce seedlings got hammered 

~ST


----------



## Tommyice

ST get a little percolator coffee pot. Use it on the grill. Do you have an electric or gas stove?


----------



## Terri in WV

Most everyone's going gung-ho and I'm stagnating. The house we were planning on getting looks like a no go now. I can't find a company that will loan on a rural property that has a suite. No comparable properties to get an actual value . The company that I was working with kept assuring me that they'd be able to do it. I wish they hadn't strung me along, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. The kids are royally ticked though.

I found another house that I'm going to see Monday that has great potential and, depending on the overall condition, will be a much better deal then the one we wanted. It's not move in ready(the other one was), but it has 25 acres(mostly hill/wooded:dance, a metal roof and an in-ground pool. The kids don't even want to go look at it! I figured the pool would help convince them. Finicky critters! And I just got off the phone with the lender to make sure there wouldn't be any issues because of the rural location, pool or acreage and it looks like there'd be no problem with this one. We shall see......


----------



## katydidagain

SimplerTimez said:


> Katy, it's heading your way chica. I'll have some quiet until the backside comes 'round. Power should be restored soon, and I'll charge everything up again.


I just drove through part of it--the beginning. The minute I hit GA it started raining. Sometimes really heavy and sometimes not. Crossed into FL and the sun was trying to shine. Yes, I know that's a "come on" meant to trick you but, again, I got my hopes up that Andrea is just a bad dream.. I don't think it will be bad here but who knows? Local forecasters in the Florence area are suggesting Myrtle Beach is doomed; I seriously doubt that.

Terri, I am not going gung ho at all. I don't like where I am but don't know where else I should be. You'll find your real place long before I will.


----------



## Raeven

Terri in WV said:


> Most everyone's going gung-ho and I'm stagnating. The house we were planning on getting looks like a no go now. I can't find a company that will loan on a rural property that has a suite. No comparable properties to get an actual value . The company that I was working with kept assuring me that they'd be able to do it. I wish they hadn't strung me along, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. The kids are royally ticked though.
> 
> I found another house that I'm going to see Monday that has great potential and, depending on the overall condition, will be a much better deal then the one we wanted. It's not move in ready(the other one was), but it has 25 acres(mostly hill/wooded:dance, a metal roof and an in-ground pool. The kids don't even want to go look at it! I figured the pool would help convince them. Finicky critters! And I just got off the phone with the lender to make sure there wouldn't be any issues because of the rural location, pool or acreage and it looks like there'd be no problem with this one. We shall see......


Aww, Terri, that's awful! I'm so sorry it didn't work out. All I can say is, often times it works out better the next time. Hope that's the case for you!


----------



## Raeven

First rose bouquet of the season. The house smells glorious.


----------



## Terri in WV

Rae, that pale purple rose is gorgeous!

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Things will work out the way they're supposed to.  I just wish that for once it'd work out a little early so that I could get things done and not have to rush and get moved because of school. 

My last 2 houses were a rushed move and I didn't get the things I wanted done before moving. We all know how easy it is to do home improvements after you move in! :teehee:

And Katy, at least you're getting a few things planted! I held off, being assured that we'd be getting that place and now I have nothing growing.  I do have a good farmer's market and auction very near though.  And you'll know where you're supposed to be when you get there and until then, you are blooming where you're planted!


----------



## SimplerTimez

Tommyice said:


> ST get a little percolator coffee pot. Use it on the grill. Do you have an electric or gas stove?


I have an electric stove. I actually have a camp percolator; however, it's currently packed in the little shed, and my 'grill' here is one of those 5.00 WalMart ones 

Thankfully, there was a McD's less than a mile down the road and no flooding yet. Some days, urban livin' ain't quite so bad :hysterical:

~ST


----------



## SimplerTimez

Terri in WV said:


> <snip>
> 
> I found another house that I'm going to see Monday that has great potential and, depending on the overall condition, will be a much better deal then the one we wanted. It's not move in ready(the other one was), but it has 25 acres(mostly hill/wooded:dance, a metal roof and an in-ground pool. The kids don't even want to go look at it! I figured the pool would help convince them. Finicky critters! And I just got off the phone with the lender to make sure there wouldn't be any issues because of the rural location, pool or acreage and it looks like there'd be no problem with this one. We shall see......


Good luck on this next one  And I don't know that I'm gung ho; my mood is more....resigned. Hah.

~ST


----------



## Raeven

Terri in WV said:


> Rae, that pale purple rose is gorgeous!


Thanks, Terri.  It's a Sterling Silver. I always pick roses for fragrance because I love them in the house. But sometimes they're very pretty, too. :thumb:


----------



## newfieannie

yes indeed it is lovely! not one I have ever seen though. ~Georgia.


----------



## Raeven

Coming from you, Georgia, with your fabulous sense of style, that is high praise indeed! Thank you. 

It's an old one... was introduced the year I was born, 1957. Considered an 'heirloom,' now. :shocked:

Like the car show I went to last weekend... everything I remembered from my young 'n wild days is now considered 'vintage.' :Bawling:

Oh, well. At least I'm still on the right side of the dirt.


----------



## mickm

Yep, the crazy, party time rock of my youth is now "oldies"


----------



## katydidagain

I have 12 out of 45 artichoke seeds up! They're supposed to take 10 to 21 days; I didn't keep track of when I planted them but it was between 5/31 and 6/2. I cannot believe how fast things grow here in the semi-tropics! Now if I can only trick them into producing--those "perfect excuse for ingesting copious amounts of butter" are $3 each in the store!


----------



## ldc

KDA, artichokes like cool weather to produce; think coastal fog areas of northern Calif! Here in Louisiana, we start plants in early fall, and they produce from roughly the next Jan/Feb until May, by which time it is too hot for them. If yours do well and grow, try to cut off the buds til the New Year, to let the plants get established! Best regards, ldc


----------



## katydidagain

ldc said:


> KDA, artichokes like cool weather to produce; think coastal fog areas of northern Calif! Here in Louisiana, we start plants in early fall, and they produce from roughly the next Jan/Feb until May, by which time it is too hot for them. If yours do well and grow, try to cut off the buds til the New Year, to let the plants get established! Best regards, ldc


I know I started these early but I have the luxury of shading them so they'll be a bit bigger come fall. I am hoping to have some flowers after Christmas but who knows? I have another 200 seeds I'll start later. I've grown them in MD but not in FL. Very different gardening here but what a nice challenge.


----------



## wyld thang

After being gone three weeks it was interesting to see what survived the abandonment of me and the onslaught of perfect slug weather. The slugs chowed on the parsley, marigolds and peppers, but pretty much left everything else alone. Cool...I can deal with sacrificial marigolds ha. I do have parsley in a wine barrel that is safe(so far) from slugs.

I did plant some tomatos but was iffy about enough sunlight, sure enough they looked very unhappy so I ripped them out and planted cabbage and acorn squash starts I had potted up in quart pots instead. Also volunteer potatoes are coming up in that bed so we'll see how they duke it out.

SO the tomatos. I bought three plastic tubs and pounded holes in the bottom with a nail them made it bigger with a punch. I filled the tubs halfway with wilted chopped weeds which will compost under the dirt I put on top. I put these tubs on the soouth side of the house, where the landscaping is that lava rock. I dont' want to dig up that rock so it's cool to try the tubs. So seeing if the house will radiate more heat and bounce more light on the tomatos. Cost for each tub was 5$ plus 3$ bag of dirt plus say a dollar of steer manure, so 9$ each. I planted "two" tomatos in each one which when I buy tomatos I always look for doubles(two plants in a pot). Buried em. added a few nasturtium and sunflower seeds for friends. 

My garden area (fenced, raised beds) is kinda short on light (about 4-5 hours). so I'm watching what digs that light, so far it's the kale, chard, cabbage, raspberries, green onions, strawberries. The only other goodplace for light is on top of the drain field. I will eventually go the tub route on top I think.

I have three big ol blueberry bushes but the maples have completely shaded them out, so have to start over with blueberries. On the other hand huckleberries are in the woods everywhere 

A scattering of cherries, I think it was too cool when it was time to pollenate.

I want to plant a few apple trees along the road, more sunlight there, warmer, and also a seep comes under the road and would give them water--alders grow there already, which means there is good water in the ground.

My lettuce bolted, wah! On the other hand, tons of miner's lettuce in the woods!


----------



## Our Little Farm

You are making me miss my old farm even more! 
Sometimes though, the price is not worth paying. 
Am happy to be single and where I am for now.


----------



## wyld thang

Our Little Farm said:


> You are making me miss my old farm even more!
> Sometimes though, the price is not worth paying.
> Am happy to be single and where I am for now.


What you truly need will come around to you again. Glad you are happy!


----------



## viggie

Took a pic of the freshly planted back yard this week. Now I get the joy of watching it all spring to life. And I get to do tons of weeding of course 










Although it was cool and rainy most of the week, I still saw some action from the most eager of the California Wonder Peppers and Jersey Giant Tomatoes.


















Also getting in on the blooming action is the lavender (they were just established last year so this is their first time) and the chamomile.


----------



## FarmboyBill

looks great.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Vigilant, those are simply beautiful photos. Your place is lovely. Thanks so much for sharing it with us 

~ST


----------



## katydidagain

Wow! Your garden looks great, vigilant! I'm so out of touch with northern gardening I was sure you were still buried in snow.

17 artichoke seedlings up now. Andrea did a number on my bed; the drainage isn't good. I'm hoping to locate where the free compost is located in Jacksonville so I can amend my weird dirt.


----------



## lonelytree

[YOUTUBE]ahvSgFHzJIc[/YOUTUBE]

Lake is still froze, phone is on fire. Gotta take it when I can get it!

Worked on a fence yesterday, had to remove the old one..... nasty job. People really need to have dog poop cleaned up before June. Got the holes in and 3 posts set. Had to hand dig rocks out. I'm sore. 2-3 grinding jobs today and a big one tomorrow. 3 weeks pay in 3 days...... love it!

Tomatoes are doing fine and radishes are an inch tall. No sign of onions yet.

Anyone know how to kill cows parsley?


----------



## SimplerTimez

lonelytree said:


> [YOUTUBE]ahvSgFHzJIc[/YOUTUBE]
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Anyone know how to kill cows parsley?


Why do you want to kill Queen Anne's Lace? 

Edited to add: Management: To prevent cow parsley setting seed, mow hay early and cut plants down in pasture. In roadside verges, increased cutting frequency reduced the incidence of cow parsley. The cutting of immature stems delays flowering and depletes food reserves in the roots but stimulates the production of flowering shoots from axillary buds. Cutting plants down at flowering induces side shoot production but no secondary flower stems develop. Repeated cutting, 3-6 times per year, may give short-term control. Spring grazing will decrease cow parsley populations. The plant is also sensitive to trampling. (*Aren't we all???)*

~ST


----------



## SimplerTimez

Well, I learned that using boxes for lettuce table alternatives works fine right up until you have a tropical storm dump five inches of rain on you in one day. Boxes don't hold up too well under such duress. Trying to figure out what to do now with my mass of lettuce seedlings all jumbled up in the rumpled box :/

My 'baby' turns 21 today, so I'm taking her family on an overnight outing, and watching the bambino while she and her man get out and about.

I still haven't found a larger micro-haus within budget range that has all the options I have here, so for now it looks like I'm staying another year unless something pops up that I can't ignore. 

The Pinata rose is covered in buds, so I am waiting with delicious anticipation for my first real rose bush bloom in over....twenty-five years!
And the baby frogs lived, they chirrup every night for me now.

Some wildlife photos from post storm at my place and at work, and my grandson visiting at my office helping with important Network Ops duties 

~ST


----------



## newfieannie

yeah why do you want to kill it LT. I have been transplanting some of mine from the country to grow in the city. ~Georgia.


----------



## lonelytree

newfieannie said:


> yeah why do you want to kill it LT. I have been transplanting some of mine from the country to grow in the city. ~Georgia.


Let me get some pics. This stuff is nasty. Maybe I misIDed it.


----------



## Raeven

Queen Ann's Lace can and will cross-pollinate with your carrots, and it will ruin them. It is edible but easily confused with another very poisonous plant (can't recall the name, but they look very close), so unless you know exactly for sure, don't eat it.

I kill it everywhere I find it.


----------



## Echoesechos

I agree Raeven. I can't for the life remembr the name either but I do (somewhere) have a picture with the explanation about it saved on my computer. Will also look.


----------



## katydidagain

Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)?


----------



## Raeven

It's Poison Hemlock. Just remembered.  Also known as Water Hemlock... I figure if "Hemlock" is in the name, it's a good one from which to stay well away.


----------



## FarmboyBill

Im gardens been wet/muddy for a couple weeks thereabouts. in that time and maybe for a couple weeks before that I hadn't been tending it as due to rains. Well the lambs quarter was taking over. Today, starting at 9 30 and finishing at noon, I cleaned it out, picking around 2 to 3 bu of it and other grass and weeds. My legs were starting to tremble from so much stooping when I wasn't on my knees that Ive give up running a push plow through it. At least that's my thinking now at 1 00. Might change by 6.


----------



## newfieannie

no wonder Bill! take it easy for a bit by. a new word for seniors is "Exhaustipated" which I can't explain here but is certainly how I feel today after working in the pouring down rain with my crowbar trying to get some large roots out of my perennial bed. ~Georgia.


----------



## Echoesechos

Not the one I was thinking I had saved but one that came up in a search. The one I have saved somewhere had a great picture with it... Good information here though. Short bio...

http://eol.org/pages/584996/details


----------



## FarmboyBill

Well, I got 2 of the sickles in the horse mowers with one to go in the tractor mower. I weeded out around the 3 pear tomatoes next to the house.
Sure seems/feels like I did more than that?? lol


----------



## FarmboyBill

O put new screen in screen frame. That was a bit of a bear.


----------



## lonelytree

Anyone know what this is? 

How to kill it?


----------



## katydidagain

Haven't a clue but I think you need to stop watering it.


----------



## Raeven

Echoesechos said:


> Not the one I was thinking I had saved but one that came up in a search. The one I have saved somewhere had a great picture with it... Good information here though. Short bio...
> 
> http://eol.org/pages/584996/details


Echoes, correct me if I'm wrong, of course, but I think Cow Parsley, while it can be mistaken for Queen Ann's Lace, is not poisonous. Care should be taken to not confuse either Cow's Parsley OR Queen Ann's Lace with Water Hemlock. Wild Parsnip, too, katy... Water Hemlock is noted to be the most poisonous plant in North America, can kill within hours and there is no known antidote.


----------



## Raeven

LOL, LT... it's NOT Queen Ann's Lace.  That's for sure!


----------



## lonelytree

katydidagain said:


> Haven't a clue but I think you need to stop watering it.


The hose goes to my boat and mini garden.


----------



## lonelytree

After a day of grinding stumps, next on my agenda.....

http://www.thealaskalife.com/featured/alaskansmoked-salmon-dip/

And a beer. 

Early day tomorrow. Sweet job!


----------



## katydidagain

I'm eating a peach from SC; it's not salmon but very good---very good.


----------



## Tommyice

If my garden doesn't get tilled soon, I'll be posting pics of my weeds. LOL


----------



## doodlemom

Raeven said:


> Queen Ann's Lace can and will cross-pollinate with your carrots, and it will ruin them. It is edible but easily confused with another very poisonous plant (can't recall the name, but they look very close), so unless you know exactly for sure, don't eat it.
> 
> I kill it everywhere I find it.


Read the fine print. It's an aphrodisiac lol.
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Daucus+carota


----------



## Raeven

doodlemom said:


> Read the fine print. It's an aphrodisiac lol.
> http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Daucus+carota


Oh, like I need THAT.


----------



## Raeven

LT... katy had it. It's Cow Parsnip:

http://www.laurieconstantino.com/wild-edibles-how-to-harvest-and-cook-cow-parsnip-greens/


----------



## lonelytree

Raeven said:


> LT... katy had it. It's Cow Parsnip:
> 
> http://www.laurieconstantino.com/wild-edibles-how-to-harvest-and-cook-cow-parsnip-greens/


Parsnip/Parsley.... oops. 

I want it dead. I can get all I want out of the ditches.


----------



## FarmboyBill

I remembered that I also finished mowing around the machinery.


----------



## SimplerTimez

lonelytree said:


> After a day of grinding stumps, next on my agenda.....
> 
> http://www.thealaskalife.com/featured/alaskansmoked-salmon-dip/
> 
> And a beer.
> 
> Early day tomorrow. Sweet job!


Terrific recipe, I love salmon dip. Thanks for sharing.

~ST


----------



## lonelytree

SimplerTimez said:


> Terrific recipe, I love salmon dip. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> ~ST


It was good but needs some celery.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Y'all bear with me here, as I've not been able to grow roses at home for over 20 years. Silly to expend the money here when I'll likely not be able to tote the JD half barrel when I leave, but I couldn't do without them any longer. Please humor me as I track their bloom progress 

It's a Pinata rose; multi-colored bloom climber, with that deep, old fashioned rose scent. I fell in love with it a few months ago, and finally got it from my mom's and transplanted it. It has about 9 buds right now...I can hardly stand it. 

So here's a macro photo of my first bud, still holding the morning dew.

The cake, prior to decimation and breakfast consumption 

Plus, my beautiful no-so-baby baby at Kobe's, with her hat, chopsticks and Panda glass (with the boys goofing off in the background, lol)

And my cookie powered grandson experiencing his first high rise hotel stay. Most favorite activity? Pushing the buttons on the elevator, and examining how high up he was from the full wall window 

~ST


----------



## newfieannie

a few flowers that are booming or about to in my garden right now. the best are yet to come though. like peonies roses etc. ~Georgia.


----------



## newfieannie

a couple more. I do like the last one. ladys mantle(alchemilla) when it rains and the drops pool up in the leaves although the flowers get ratty after a little while. ~Georgia.


----------



## katydidagain

I miss my centaurea! Great pics, Georgia.


----------



## Raeven

Ok, my feeble efforts from yesterday evening...


Foxgloves are in bloom:







Vera Wang always looks so happy when she's nursing:




Diablo the Llama says hello!




Little (or not so little anymore!) Foxfire says, "When's dinner??"




His runty twin, Pigglesworth, says, "Ain't I purdy?"




I love roses in the woods...


----------



## lonelytree

My 4-6 hour day ended up being 8 hours..... and then when the owner added work, I broke a tooth pocket on my machine. Now I have to drive to Anchorage to get parts.... Day 3..... Then the home owner calls tonight and tells me what he is willing to pay for more work. F M L.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Well, I'm covering another employee plus my own job this week. I am plumb tuckered out  But, I did get my first ROSE finally...yay!

Georgia - centaurea, bleeding hearts and solomon's seal all in one photo run...loved it!
Rae - your roses are just gorgeous

Love the photos everyone posts, thank you for sharing 

Here's my one li'l baby rose.

Everyone have a lovely, productive day 

~ST


----------



## d'vash

Some pictures from the garden for y'all to enjoy!

Hydrangeas









Roses

































Goutweed - am I the only one who thinks this stuff is pretty? 

















Young Raspberries









Rhubarb


----------



## katydidagain

Day 12 of artichoke sprouting and I have 30 peeking out. I found the seed I "lost" when planting them; there are 2 in 1 cell! So I have 16 more candidates who have 9 days to pop. They'll go into larger pots while I try to figure out space for 30 or more plants that want to be 3' wide!


----------



## d'vash

newfieannie said:


> ~Georgia.


Georgia, what are these called? I have some which have spread in 'bunches' all around my garden - but don't look nearly as nice as yours do. They started to flower, and then they [flowers] shribled up and died. It's looking a lot like an ugly invasive weed at the moment.


----------



## newfieannie

that's Solomon's seal. yours must be finished because they do go like that. I just cut them off and the leaves are still quite interesting for the rest of the summer. are you on PEI now or in Ontario? because you seem to be far ahead of me with the other flowers you posted. we've had a lot of rain. my roses are only just in bud. ~Georgia.


----------



## newfieannie

oh I see .you said they started to flower and then shrivelled up. I don't know unless you had scorching days. they do better in the shade although I have had no problems with them either way. i have too many and have been giving them away. ~Georgia.


----------



## FarmboyBill

I planted 6 of my drouth resistant tomato plants, I put into those 72 cell plastic thingies. They were the biggest of around 14. They been in there for around 4 mos. Those I planted were around 8in tall.
Don't know what ill do with the others.


----------



## Terri

My daughter has a lizard, she named him Gregory. When she finds bugs eating her potted plants, she feed them to her pet.:croc:

He came from who-knows-where on a shipment of plants: it took a month for her fellow employees to catch him and he was HUUUNGRY! So she bought him freeze-dried meal worms, which he does eat!:trollface

It took a week to look him up, because little brown lizards are EVERYWHERE, and he potentially came from ANYWHERE. She did find him online: she has a Common Sagebrush lizard who is.....oops.... a GIRL!:blossom:

So, my daughter now has a Common Sagebrush lizard named Lamia!!!!!!! :cute:


----------



## newfieannie

my bridalwreath spirea by the deck. only bloomed yesterday. they don't last long. my pics are awful dull but it's halfways raining and I wanted to get it before it's gone. I was away most of the day and the neighbors had a tree taken down. broke 4 of my birdhouses and didn't clean up after them. not their yard. mine. took me 2 hours of sweeping and whatnot. the guys I had were professionals and cleaned up everything that might have fallen on the neighbors yard. course I paid them close to 4 to 5 thousand . these weren't professionals~Georgia


----------



## katydidagain

I'm taking 2 threads....

My banana has doing very well; she's grown 3 leaves. Today I noticed one and stepped over to investigate.


----------



## katydidagain

It didn't look like a normal leaf so I touched it. And it moved! Little froggie spent the day curled up in perfect camouflage. He/she left just a little while ago.


----------



## FarmboyBill

I think 18 mater plants oughta be enough


----------



## FarmboyBill

That pic of spirea sure brings back memories. My grandmom planted it along one side of her yard fence. it was going strong when she died and mom and dad moved there, and I came along in 47


----------



## newfieannie

I think this is old also. it was here when I came. there were 4. I had to google it to find out what it was called because the only ones I had were red. ~Georgia


----------



## wyld thang

golly, rhubarb is like gold here, super hard to find plants, ugh. gotta have the sixth sense to know when they show up at the market, then be there before the doors open to snatch em up.


----------



## FarmboyBill

Never see it here. I grew it here 30yrs ago. it lived for a few years and died out, People say everybody nearly around here had a RB patch. Nobody hardly does anymore.


----------



## tambo

Nothing but work going on in my life and I don't mean homestead work either. I saw a little glimmer of hope when I saw some light at the end of the tunnel but it was the train. We finally got someone to replace the guy that quit in April but another coworker took a leave of absence. So we are down a man and a half now because the guy that replaced the first guy has restriction until who knows when. This isn't fun any more.:awh:


----------



## viggie

I thought the late freeze we had killed the blossoms on my fruit cocktail tree, but today I realized it's fruiting for the first time in it's life. It looks like the way it grew I ended up with mostly peaches and maybe 1/4 of the tree is nectarines? I guess we'll see what they grow into 










Beans look happy in the new little bed along the fence, and you can see I mixed in some sunflowers. These are Hidatsa #1 which have a bunch of smaller heads which will be perfect to save for rabbit snackies.










Strawberries are coming in!










Last night I picked some rhubarb to go with them for a pie










Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Pie

FILLING
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
your favorite pie shell

TOPPING
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

Line pie plate with pie shell. Combine filling ingredients and pour into shell. Mix dry topping ingredients and cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie and bake at 375 for 50 minutes.


----------



## FarmboyBill

My Gad it was hot today, Likely over 100. I finally got the shaft shortened 1 1/2in in my Butt
er churn Screwed it on Lehmans churn jar, and alls fine. I have to get a dremel tool to grind down the weld and shine it up. Otherwise. Ive been sweating since 8 this morning.


----------



## no1cowboy

just been fixing (gen, snowthrower, riding lawnmower) seems everything wanted to brake down this year, and too wet to do anything else.


----------



## Studhauler

no1cowboy, if I was to trade homemade maple syrup for honey what would be a fair trade? Before I approach my local bee keeper I should have sum idea.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Caught this on my dog walk the other night. These have been little puffy, cottony things hanging off cacti for a few weeks. Looked it up, they are night blooming cereus. I went back in daylight to try to photo better, and they were all shriveled up and gone  But they are very cool looking. I might try to snag a cutting.

~ST


----------



## Jenstc2003

I have a garden report- imagine me smiling like a proud mama here. I have about 25 Romas (and counting!) coming on one of my tomato plants. The other Roma has a couple- and the one German Queen has two or three on it ATM. Thinking I'm going to be doing some canning later this summer!


----------



## foxfiredidit

Too hot here to be outside in my delicate condition; got sweaty early. But it looks like the no-rain and all day sunshine is knocking back garden production. Boy am I glad. No way to be finished by the end of June, but it may be close. So far, 5 1/2 gals. of chopped onions frozen, 32 pints of Kentucky Blue Wonder pole beans canned, 100 +- lbs. of potatoes dug, 6 qts. of those dehydrated, 5 qts. of peas canned, 5 qts. in the freezer (ran out of jars), 12 pints of pickled squash (w/bell pepper & onions), 14 pints of dill-pickle cucumbers. Gave 50 lbs. potatoes, big bucket of squash, 1 bushel of pole beans, big basket of cucumbers to local food bank. Still have potatoes to dig, speckled butter-beans are just beginning to bloom, tomatoes are there but they're all green, okra is just beginning to make pods, and I'm going after the bell peppers to freeze on Monday, and hanging with the pink-eyed peas until my thumbs and patience wear out from late night shelling binges. 

Other than that, I ride the bush-hog, drink a little drink, and take a regular swim in the swimming hole. When this garden is done, no work until hunting season...Yay!!!


----------



## Echoesechos

Took these on my last days off... Some just pictures of my flower beds some of my projects to date.. Doing pretty good on getting them done...

Flower Beds Front Yard:

Without Polly

With Polly - at lesat she's cute


I wish I could say the Christmas lights are down now buuuuuttt it wouldn't be the truth.

Dry small pond. It's off because we've been working on my arctic porch.... Birds haven't been real happy about this.


The back yard and chicken run area.....



Cabin a friend made for me. He hand carved all the accessories. The handle on the hand pump even moves up and down... You can't see but there is a wood stove inside, bed etc... Going to take it to my office.


Next will be some projects I've been working on. Part of my summer project list.


----------



## Echoesechos

So my projects:

Arctic Porch. Not totally done, waiting on another window for the north side... Tore out the wall, framed up the new all and thenenclosed the outside. I've filled the screw holes and now need to sand them down and paint the new boards. I have to say I'm loving it so far. I already see this will be a great place to start seeds and hold plants to be planted.... Very happy.

Before we started.










So that is where we are so far. Thankfully my neighbor is helping out.

So now my back gazebo. Some years back I had purchased a metal framed gazebo with the cloth top. Well the top finally gave up the ghost so I had to think of a different way to provide shade. My work place has tons of metal roofing so I went through the pile and low and behold there was grey colored metal roofing. My house has grey roofing - so a match made in heaven.... So here is the after product. The holes are filled with clear sealant... Haven't hung the chandelier back up yet but maybe this week.... The snow will slide right off and I can have this for winter and BBQ fairly comfotably underneath.



Hard to get a distance shot because the stupid posts to nowhere interfer. Haven't decided what to do about them yet.... Well I have had several involving cutting them off but son has talked me out of it - so far!

Have painted the wall boards to close off the shed but haven't taken any pictures of that yet. So we've been cruising right along so far this year.


----------



## lonelytree

Saw some baby bous and their mommas swimming the lake. They are so small right now. 

Helped on a generator shed. Packed moving boxes. I even caught a fish! 12 lb laker. No pic though. Too small. Stacked firewood. Cooked burgers for dinner.


----------



## katydidagain

Apparently I'm being courted. Turns out this is not a poisonous frog; people capture tree frogs and keep them as pets. Me? I'm just enjoying his visits; he only shows up on a fresh leaf that matches his color and when it darkens he scoots off. So about once a week he'll be hunkered down eating flies, mosquitoes and such with a silly grin on his little face. Be still my heart....


----------



## foxfiredidit

I'm diggin' that photo Katy...great shot!!!


----------



## Raeven

Agreed, that is an amazing photograph, katy -- love the smiling froggie!!


----------



## Tommyice

Any plans on finding out if he's a prince? LOL

He is adorable. Name him yet?


----------



## lonelytree

Mid-Night Sun


----------



## viggie

The strawberries are pouring in now. It's berries for breakfast and a fruit cup for lunch...I'm LOVING it!










The parsley has thus far refused to sprout in its own bed, apparently only a sidewalk crack will do.










Also spent father's day weekend out on the lake with my Dad on our first fishing trip of the year. I explained that I'd like to supplement my food supply with fresh caught fish and he was excited to plan some trips and teach me to fillet.


----------



## d'vash

My roses, and a visit from Mr. Chipmunk


----------



## newfieannie

out in the garden early today. had my tea and took a few pics. no 4 is the spot some of you will remember where I was digging out bricks. still see one of the bricks for support. the plants I brought from the country. got big plans for all along that side of the fence.just takes time. the peonies are just about ready to bloom. I do like them in bud form though. picked my first rose. not sure of the name but has a marvelous fragrance. ~Georgia


----------



## Tommyice

Georgia is that last one a peony?


----------



## newfieannie

yes it is Leslie. I have 5 now. supposedly they are hard to transplant but I brought this one from the country and put it through a lot of stress on the way but it came right back the same year. I think though you can transplant almost anything if you have a big enough clump of earth with it. ~Georgia.


----------



## tambo

I have bought 2 new pistols this week. I bought a Ruger LC380 and a Kel-Tec PF9 9MM.
I think I would rather have a yarn addiction!!


----------



## Tommyice

Got 8 rows of that funky bean seed planted. Hope it's the Tendergreen--prolific, me likey. Four cabbages. The cucumbers dad picked out last week just didn't look right to me and they weren't. He bought zucchini. 16 zucchini. LOL Ripped some out and replaced with actual cucumbers. Tomorrow I'll be throwing in some beet seeds and I'm done planting.


----------



## Raeven

LOL, I liked the look of those beans! They looked magical. 

Maybe you'll get a beanstalk and a chance to meet a giant and luck into a bag of gold!


----------



## Tommyice

Ooooo Ooooo a bag of gold. I could surely use that right now.


----------



## doodlemom

I killed a woodchuck yesterday and killed a woodchuck today. Stupid newbie woodchucks that went for the apple cores and peels in the live traps. That's phase 1 lol. I had one under entrenched under the shed once make it past the smoker sticks.


----------



## FarmboyBill

Been working on my hay loader all week. Will paint it tomorrow. 2 coats. Signs right. hopeing that the slickness of the paint job makes the hay travel up the loader as it should. had a kid 37 and his wife and girl come out here around 8 tonight to look at my bailer. Get it timed, and see why it don't make ties. All he got done was to familiarize himself with one that old 1960. Hes supposed to come out Sat.
I usaually nget a land real estate report on Fri, so maybe hopefully between paint jobs I can go look at some prospective place,


----------



## Terri in WV

I love all of the pics! I hope that by next year I'll have a bunch of stuff growing at a new place. I'm going to look at 3 possibles tomorrow. 

Bill, I hope you and I can both find our places soon.


----------



## FarmboyBill

Ill hope with ya


----------



## d'vash

I'm pretty sure this flax.










And all I know about this beauty is that she's an annual. I think. And that for some reason, my camera can't seem to focus properly on red-coloured objects.


----------



## Jenstc2003

LOL! A yarn addiction can get expensive QUICKLY, too. Says she with a ton of yarn hanging out. 



tambo said:


> I have bought 2 new pistols this week. I bought a Ruger LC380 and a Kel-Tec PF9 9MM.
> I think I would rather have a yarn addiction!!


----------



## homefire2007

Jenstc2003 said:


> LOL! A yarn addiction can get expensive QUICKLY, too. Says she with a ton of yarn hanging out.


Ditto! More yarn coming next week.....eep:


----------



## tambo

My purchases.


----------



## Tommyice

Jenstc2003 said:


> LOL! A yarn addiction can get expensive QUICKLY, too. Says she with a ton of yarn hanging out.





homefire2007 said:


> Ditto! More yarn coming next week.....eep:


Only thing worse, ladies, might just be a fabric addiction.

Hello. My name is Leslie and I'm a fabriyarnaholic.


----------



## Tommyice

tambo said:


> My purchases.


What? You couldn't get pink?


----------



## tambo

Tommyice said:


> What? You couldn't get pink?


:umno:Heck NO! Never!


----------



## Ramblin Wreck

Hope you can shoot with both hands Tambo!!! I have to practice for a week to hit the side of a barn with a handgun. 

Good luck with the bailer FBB. Those things can make you lose your religion, especially the knotters. But you are right about "slickening up" the loader. We rehabbed an old New Holland round baler last year, and that darn thing just refused to cooperate. The neighbor who had done some welding and other repairs on it for us said that as soon as the rust was beaten off the inside, the hay would quit "sticking" and baling would commence. He was right. After a couple of fits and starts and digging hay out of the machine, it started working fine once that surface rust coat beaten off.


----------



## foxfiredidit

Some random shots from the garden. Looks like it won't be over until its over. 


First of the Banana Pepper
View attachment 11245


First picking of Bell Pepper
View attachment 11246


A friend 
View attachment 11247


A company of enemies 
View attachment 11248


These Tomatoes need to be red
View attachment 11249

View attachment 11250


Leave squash for a day and they are grown too big
View attachment 11251


Some canning
View attachment 11252


----------



## tambo

You better watch it Fox one of these ladies may try to set a trap to catch you!!


----------



## SimplerTimez

katydidagain said:


> Apparently I'm being courted. Turns out this is not a poisonous frog; people capture tree frogs and keep them as pets. Me? I'm just enjoying his visits; he only shows up on a fresh leaf that matches his color and when it darkens he scoots off. So about once a week he'll be hunkered down eating flies, mosquitoes and such with a silly grin on his little face. Be still my heart....


Quick...KISS HIM! 

~ST


----------



## foxfiredidit

tambo said:


> You better watch it Fox one of these ladies may try to set a trap to catch you!!


All I have to offer them are;

Peas !!

View attachment 11261


----------



## SimplerTimez

So everyone mind their Peas and Queues (puns fully intended)

0_0

~ST


----------



## foxfiredidit

Eating a peach is far more fun than a pun.


----------



## viggie

You can tell summer has arrived. Spinach is bolting










Scapes are emerging









Lavender is budding









And potatoes are flowering.










The grapes are coming in too, but what I was obviously more interested in here was baby robins on the way


----------



## newfieannie

this will give you an idea of what I have been doing or trying to do since 6:30. we had so much rain I couldn't get on the land and now that I can it's too high. I put quite a dent in it . when it's high like this it has to be gone over several times.6 hours was enough in this heat. i'll get at it again on Wednesday. ~Georgia


----------



## Tommyice

Nothing outside going on. Garden's all planted. Did find a bunny nest in the lawn about 70 ft away from what will eventually be an "all you can eat" buffet for them (garden). Mama bunny no where to be seen. Do them things raise themselves?

I'm spending my time getting my apartment back into shape. When I came home from the hospital and made my first trip up here, I realized I had been sick a lot longer than I care to admit. My place was a disorganized mess--even the kitchen. So I'm going through all the stuff that's been neglected. Well I tried on an I-Spy style raincoat I had started to sew and stopped because the sleeves were too tight. It's fine now. No alterations necessary!:banana:

It should fit now--I've lost close to 30 pounds since the first stay in the hospital.


----------



## tambo

Georgia your mower looks like the little JD I have. ( I am lawn mower poor) My little STX38. You can't tear them up. I bought it in 97 and mistreated a lot and it is still going. It is squealing now and I'm thinking it is a drive belt. Best mower ever.


----------



## SimplerTimez

Georgia, I always love your tea table set ups  Are those clematis? If so, they are lovely, and the foxglove (?) and iris too. I've tried to grow clematis a couple of times in different places without much luck ...boo.

Vigi, your lavender and strawberries look lovely!

Tambo - I'm coming to your house if I am every back in TN and need defending...LOL!

My pinata rose in the multi-color stages.

~ST


----------



## SimplerTimez

The tea olive in full flush
View attachment 11273

Garden thugs playing well together
View attachment 11274


~ST


----------



## SimplerTimez

Lettuces still growing in the salad table box
View attachment 11276


And butterflies and roses, two of my favorite things!
View attachment 11277


~ST


----------



## tambo

Dug potatoes today. Thank God for farm equipment. I dug the first row with a shovel. It was just a few plants. It was tough enough I took the mower off the tractor and put the middle buster on to do the second row.
One basket of Kennbecs. 4 Red Pontiac
View attachment 11283


This is the row the Red Pontiacs were in.
View attachment 11284


----------



## newfieannie

yes they are clematis. I have around 15 or so. they all do well except for the first year where they look like death warmed over. Tambo do you have a market garden where you sell your produce? anyone want a slice of jelly roll and/or some carrot cake? I made this along with a potato salad after I came back today. I still have some rolls to make before the party i'm having tomorrow. my sister bought a tshirt at wallmart with energy,energy,energy. i'd like to find one. ~Georgia.


----------



## foxfiredidit

Tambo, I don't have a middle buster, but I'm going to get one. I've had to put off digging potatoes a couple of times because the ground is dry and too hard to get a shovel into. Your potatoes came out great. 

So many nice flower photos on here. Makes me wish (sometimes) I had...well, maybe not (a flower garden). What I call my flowers are what most folks call weeds. I seem to let them get high enough to bloom and then take a close up shot. Not like regular flowers I don't guess. Here's a big bushy leafy weed with some nice blooms growing in the edge of the wood line. I usually bush hog it away but have been too busy with other things lately. 

View attachment 11295


----------



## newfieannie

those flowers are growing along the edge of my woods also. I like them. never did know the name.

a few new flowers blooming this morning. I just love this pale pink oriental poppy. a couple peonies blooming on the small plant I set in last summer. only has 5 on it altogether. goes so well with the yarrow. I had some bugs on my Asiatic lilies that look so like lady bugs but they're not. didn't get to them in time and the leaves are unsightly. ~Georgia.


----------



## doodlemom

Newfieannie. If that's a bench in the tall grass I'm sure we'd get along just fine


----------



## doodlemom




----------



## doodlemom

I saw this mushroom in my yard. Is it a morel? Sometimes I get morels that are obviously morels. This one makes me go hmmm...I'll pass.


----------



## Tommyice

That looks like a morel on magic, dare I say, mushrooms. LOL


----------



## vicker

No mistake, that is a nice morel.


----------



## katydidagain

foxfiredidit said:


> Here's a big bushy leafy weed with some nice blooms growing in the edge of the wood line. I usually bush hog it away but have been too busy with other things lately.


Shrub? Possibly a viburnum?


----------



## doodlemom

It's arrow wood. Viburnum dentatum. Useless in an edible landscape, but a great ornamental.


----------



## katydidagain

doodlemom said:


> It's arrow wood. Viburnum dentatum. Useless in an edible landscape, but a great ornamental.


Heck, he's bushwhacking it so who cares if it's edible? (And, yes, I am into plants that make food besides being pretty--in Ohio there are Bradford pears that produce a big enough fruit to be edible--I've nibbled on quite a few 1" pears.)


----------



## doodlemom

Here's a very common weed from my yard from early June. Great for making sweet sausage.

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Osmorhiza+longistylis


----------



## foxfiredidit

Well, this one isn't exactly a weed, but it is wild, and I thought it was a Touch-Me-Not, but that's probably wrong...well I don't know what it is, but it grows on a vine, is about the size of a quarter, and the leaves resemble a mimosa tree's leaf.


----------



## FarmboyBill

I finally got my hay loader painted as high as I can reach. Don't know if it will work or not. Thought painting the areas where the hay slid by might make it work better, then went nuts and painted all I could reach.
Been working on the bailer Fri Sat an d today. Ive poured a hundred into it, and don't know yet if it can be made to tie again. Finally got the engine to fire off and it sounds great Then canvas table that the forks put the hay on that heads into the chamber with the help of an overhead auger shrunk, so I had a piece made as a splice. Got one side put together, but the other sides not right. Gonna try to stretch it tomorrow and take out the splice and see if I can get it laced together. I think I spent too much time in the sun last week. I get pooped easy now. I bought some protean replacement powder. See if that does any good. Finally found a company in Tulsa that sells belting. I need a new belt going from engine to bailer flywheel. They said they may have to order it from Tex. Bought 2 Zuchinnia plants today. Ill put them out towards the end of the week.


----------



## WhyNot

Still working on acquiring my homestead, of course. However I just got back from 9 days of being on an off grid homestead in the backwoods of eastern Tennessee. It was ludicrously wonderful. Me and about 16 long time (and some not so long time) internet forum friends. 

There was a young man there, 21, who came just because we are all friends, the homestead part was an aside, I don't think he's ever given thought about living that way. Some of us were walking through the woods and I was pointing out to him (after he asked) some of the wild edibles and medicinal plants I knew and he was amazed. The lady who lives there and obviously knows the plants that we don't have where I am from pointed out some more. He was floored.

I think we created one new homesteader this week! whoohoo!

A wonderful time of laughing, sharing, learning, teaching, bathing in the solstice moon and splashing in the creek. I did not want to leave.


----------



## Tommyice

Fox as usual, your photography is outstanding! I always look forward to your photo essays!


----------



## newfieannie

my white peonies are blooming. this is the one I planted for my husband and he got to see it bloom before he passed. we are expecting rain so they wont last long. probably tomorrow they will have dropped so I cut one for display. the rose is new this year called apple blossom. ~Georgia


----------



## katydidagain

I am going against everything I believe when it comes to gardening here in FL. The bugs are eating my plants; apparently there are no beneficials anywhere nearby and that garlic/hot pepper/soap spray doesn't seem to have chased anything away so I'm buying some Sevin or something like it. I have black sand; it looks good but apparently it's not very fertile so I broke down and bought liquid fertilizer since I cannot seem to locate anything resembling compost nearby. 

I'm not beat yet.

The heavy rains that keep uncovering roots and covering the leaves with dirty sand thus choking them has been handled. The next door neighbor didn't mow his little lawn for over a month but did tonight so I raked up a packed trash can full of clippings and spread it on my pitiful little garden. I have a lead on cow manure. A trash can of that tucked strategically under the grass clippings just might help.

I'd think I'd lost all my gardening abilities but my pomegranate and banana are doing great as is the dead gardenia I picked up at WM on sale.


----------



## frogmammy

katydidagain said:


> ....I'd think I'd lost all my gardening abilities but my pomegranate and banana are doing great as is the dead gardenia I picked up at WM on sale.


If you can keep a gardenia alive, you are GOOD!

BTW, handsome frog!

Mon


----------



## katydidagain

frogmammy said:


> If you can keep a gardenia alive, you are GOOD!
> 
> BTW, handsome frog!
> 
> Mon


Well, the gardenia hasn't bloomed yet for me but it was just twigs when I bought it a week ago or so; it's leafed out totally.

Frog is Jack as in Jack in the Banana Plant. He shows up once a week and sits for a day until a new leaf no longer matches his color thus no birds scarf up his 1" being. When he's there, I see no flies; when he isn't, there are always several. .Apparently there are relationships between tree frogs (which supposedly are nocturnal), the flies they find quite yummy and banana plants.


----------



## frogmammy

My gardenias come into the property WITH leaves and then disperse them all over the place  Get a plant every year thinking I will finally find the RIGHT spot for it. MAY have gotten it right this year...at least, it's not dead YET.

Mon PS...Lo Jack!


----------



## Tommyice

Gathered these this morning. Not too much going on here other than trying to keep the garden watered and me and the dog cool--it's been hot and humid here. 

Normally I take them to the cemetery and put them on my mother's and brother's grave. This year--given the circumstances--I thought Mom wouldn't mind if I keep them for myself.


----------



## doodlemom

Eat the petals!


----------



## d'vash

Lavender

























Roses


















Flax Seeds & Quinoa









Raspberries









Can't remember their names...


----------



## newfieannie

those are lovely Leslie! I never thought to use daylilies in a bouquet because of the one day bloom period. mine are just ready to bud. think i'll gather a few. ~Georgia.


----------



## Tommyice

Georgia each stem has about 4 or 5 buds. Once one blooms and closes, the next day or so one of the other ones open. I just pinch off the shriveled one and keep on enjoying.

I'll use anything in a bouquet--rose of sharon, azalea, you name it.


----------



## wyld thang

Yesterday I roughed out a trail through the woods towards the river. I wanted to make a trail to get at the huckleberries, and a "backdoor" dogleg into the feral orchard. Got halfway to the river  I just kinda meandered the path of least resistence through the forest, this is knee to waist high and more stuff under the thick firs, through shrubs--no deer trails to follow even. A friend suggested I use a weed eater instead of clippers(and tossing slash) I said hahaha! and also said this is red neck stealth work...don't want to give away a good huckleberry trail and sneaky fenceline access across fallow land to the river. Besides the extention cord wouldn't reach to the trailhead even ha!


----------



## viggie

Flowers picked fresh from the yard for a lovely chamomile viola lavender tea.










Seeing lots of pinks in the borage this year.










The beans in the new bed along the lot line have started their race up the fence.










And I harvested and dried my very first batch of lavender buds. I'll be working on embroidering some sachets this weekend in hopes of listing them on etsy.


----------



## foxfiredidit

I did a walk through of the kitchen garden and rounded up some stray tomatoes, squash, peppers that got by me on the last trip. 

Then I found this blue dragon fly who wasn't shy at all. I think because I had on a blue shirt and he was blue too, he thought I was a big bug too. I wanted a shot of his big green eyes, but he wouldn't allow me in front, but from the side and back, I got in pretty close. A nice friendly bug.


----------



## Tommyice

Friendly and handsome too! Love his gossamer wings.

Again, Fox your photos don't disappoint.


----------



## littlejoe

Been crazy busy! Slower than a good year, but unbelievable for the drought we are in. Glad work is not backed up hard, but it's getting there fast. Might not be much work soon? We're 3 weeks behind schedule, and some are only producing 50% of what they had last year, and last year was tough. I had been running current until this week. Now I'm 2 days behind at the least! Client base just continues to grow, and I'm trying to decide what to do in for coming years? Glad people know me, might not all be good, but some of it must be?

Mom had emergency gall bladder removal last Saturday. I'm thankful I had a niece and SIL that have been able to help out...A LOT! 
Mom is doing good, but there are some different spots to work through???Like a lot of them! Maybe no more assisted living, and she is in extended care now, and told me she wouldn't be able to go back to assisted living. She's tougher than barbed wire, but knows her limits. At 94, she's sharper than a tack, and still able to joke and laugh, even now...though I can tell she's hurting, especially from PT. Her hips are bad! One replaced a few years ago with the other broken shortly after. She just keeps on tickin! 

If you're a praying sort, we would appreciate to be included. Wisdom and guidance is always elusive for me. Thankfully, I'm not alone!


----------



## frogmammy

Looking at that dragonfly, I am NEVER going to think ahout hairy legs the same way again! YIKES!

Mon


----------



## Jenstc2003

Have to do another brag- got my first beautiful green beans from my garden yesterday!!! Sadly there were only four of them ready, but lots are coming on right behind them.


----------



## tambo

I harvested my garlic today. Approx. 110 bulbs from 1 lb of bulbs.


----------



## PermaAMP

That garlic looks great. I feel like such a city girl I've never seen garlic on the stalk.


----------



## Tommyice

All I did was wash, hull and freeze 5 quarts of strawberries that my brother sent me. Boy he's getting chintzy with the produce. Pfhhhht. All because I wouldn't go upstate after the last surgery and make their jam for them. 

The next surgery is not supposed to be as difficult as the last and the recoup time I'm told is easier--we'll see. If so, I might try and get myself upstate before I return to work. Right now I'm scheduled to go back July 29. The first week will be part time though.


----------



## Jenstc2003

Color me impressed!! Next year I am hoping to try some potatoes, onions and garlic along with all the rest I have this year. 



tambo said:


> I harvested my garlic today. Approx. 110 bulbs from 1 lb of bulbs.


----------



## Ramblin Wreck

Neat drying rack Tambo...and that's a lot of garlic!


----------



## tambo

I had to work today so no homesteady stuff. The only thing I have to offer on the last day of this thread are some homemade rolls. I may have shown them before. 
It is 2.5 c bisquick 1 cup water 1 packet yeast 1-3 TBS. sugar. Mix warm water and yeast,then mix with bisquick, knead ,roll in to balls put in a pan let rise Bake at 350-400 12-15 mins.
I put a tsp. sugar in with the yeast and water but forgot to add the rest . They were still good. Just like the ones we use to have at school.


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## elkhound

them rolls look great.....pass the butter please !!!!!!!!!


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## tambo

Yesterday after I dug my garlic I tilled the garden and planted 4 rows of green beans and 2 rows of purple hull peas. I need to put this here in case I need to remember when I planted them.


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## WhyNot

I am disliking everyone that is harvesting right now lol :grump: It all looks so beautiful. But on the bright side...three more months and I will be debt free...............again.:spinsmiley:

Looked at yet another place in AR on my way to TN couple of weeks ago...needs work and there are "special disclosures". Looked at it without an agent....next time I go up if it's still listed I'll go with an agent and find out more. It needs mucho work but the price is right. It just may be the place.


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