Thursday, June 30, 2011

Here's an update on the peonies.  The one is still blooming.  I can't believe it...usually it's done in a week, maybe the weather has been just right for it, maybe it is because I did indeed tie a string around it to keep it all standing up. 
See the dead blossoms?  I can't recall ever it having both blooms and dead...unusual, but I like it.

Did I ever post pics of the wheelbarrow?

The old tray and handles.  The last several times I used it, I put the recycle bin in there to hold the stuff.

complete.  I do plan to take a litttle better care of it now.  For example, instead of letting it sit for weeks with a load of crap in it, I dumped it out right away and stood it up so rain can't collect in it.  I may even cover it in the winter. You probably can't really tell that I had to modify the bend in those front supports.  And I guess I should have painted the rim black.  Oh well...

still need to pick up a bunch of that wood mulch stuff for around the hostas under the lilac bushes.  I'd have done it already, but it's clear across town!  Probably 9 miles away!  (I know lots of you folks drive all around, all the time...as I do with the motorcycle, but for some reason, I get cheap when I'm driving the pickup.)  The pickup needs gas...and I'm only getting about one day of work per week.  I plan to go early on Friday, so I only make one trip to that end of town. 

and about now I can hear you:  "where's the funny stuff, I didn't sign up for this wheelbarrow crap!"  I could lie to you and say I'm working on one, but...I'll think of something.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Apparently, I can only type blogs when I'm also driving school bus.  Right now, I've got more time than ever....but....do you see any blogs being posted?  Nope.Maybe I'll do some ride reports with pics. 

comments welcome....what do you want to read about?  what do you want to know my opinion of?

Friday, June 17, 2011

I know you've been dying to know what I've been drinking...tea-wise, that is.  Val picked up a couple boxes of Luzianne iced tea bags, so I put 2 of those in a coffee filter and throw in a single bag of mint tea or pumpkin spice.  I doubt that the mint is actually tea, but I don't really care...I'm not a tea purist.  It tastes good.  So....I run a pot thru, and then another pot, and pour it all into a pitcher.  Of course, not all of fits into a pitcher, so I drink all of that straight away. 

In other news, the birthday weekend has arrived...Val's sister and family are here, the brother is on the way, along with the rain.  It'll be a great time, I'm sure of it.  Bring on the beer, ok?  Kind of frustrating...no one has a plan, no one is taking charge, ownership, responsibility; no one knows who is coming, how many are coming, if anyone is coming.  Has someone thought to go get some ice?  No one mowed the yard, so there will be lots of bugs.  Yep, I'm looking forward to this.  I guess it could be worse...original plan included me hauling my grill to the farm and grilling brats, hotdogs and burgers.  Now we just have to collect all the various crap (cake, ham, cream puffs, etc) and haul it to the farm.  Plus our chairs, plus whatever we want to drink, yep, what a PIA.  Come on over, the distraction would be wonderful.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

More stepmonster bashing.  Hey, tis the season, right?  I figger I should relate the stories as I remember them.

On a Christmas eve long long ago, Jill procured a pair of slippers as a gift for Grandpa.  He picked up the package, shook it, said:  "I'm not going to even open this, there's nothing in it."  Jill insisted:  "there is, there is, you should open it!"  But he didn't!  She was very disappointed.  My gift to Grandpa?  a hitchpin.  He was very happy with it.  Grandpa was a practical sort of guy, and liked practical things.  I wish I was more like him.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Ah, Saturday.  I don't know what you did, but I worked off a small portion of my substantial ass.  Val took her folks to a graduation thing, so they sat around all day.  I unplanted a rotted off post, which means I dug out the concrete that was holding it steady, then planted a new post which I whittled out of a sequoia tree.  The park ranger was mad as hell about that...even though the post was a mere splinter off that tree.  2 bags of concrete will hold it up, hopefully this one won't rot off anytime soon.   I divided all the hostas that we got from Val's coworker and Val's mom, which were a surprise.  She needs to divide those a little more often, I think.  When I dug out the post, I dug up a Hosta that we had, don't remember that one being there, so I divided it up, I think we have a surplus of the things! 
 
Remember to call before you dig!  It's the LAW!
 
I never do, don't see the point, really.  The only utilities buried in my yard are water, sewer and gas.  If I dig thru those, they needed replaced before I got there.
 
Cut some dead limbs off some trees, unplanted the locust tree, transplanted a maple tree right next to the plum tree.  The plum tree's days are numbered....couple years, probably.  I should start practicing with the lathe now, because that plum wood is purty.  Maple is not looking happy, we'll see if he makes it.  I also dug out the bird bath and set it up.  It's Val's job this year to water the flowers, esp since her mom bought petunias and planted a basket especially for her.
 
Thanks AlGore for creating spell check, letting me know that purty is not really a word. 
 
So, I planted 10 hostas today, there's probably 20 more in the bucket to plant tomorrow.  The website I looked at said to not plant them where they'll be subjected to full afternoon sun, so right in front of the garage is out.  (faces west)...but under the lilacs is going to be filled with them.  That's where we planted Duke and Alison, you know, so I won't want to dig too deep.  I also planted the 3 rabbits that George killed there, very shallow graves, have to be really careful there!  Since I planted a new post for the swing, I need to stain it and restain the others before putting the swing back in.  Need also to load up some buckets and tubs and boxes to take to the tree place to get some bulk wood mulch.....it's a lot cheaper, and I won't have a bunch of sacks to dispose of.  reduce, reuse, recycle, you know.  The mulch stuff will keep down weeds, keep in water,  hide the dirty old dirt.
 
Since I illegally dug in the yard, I illegally burned a pile of leaves, sticks, weeds, etc in the yard as well.  What a smoky stinky event.  I'm glad the neighbor had his A/C on, because I'm sure it would have smoked up his house! 
 
Yes, we have neglected the yard work for the last 3 years, thanks very much for asking....pretty much all we did was mow and trim the low branches off the trees so they didn't pull off our hats. 

In other news:  June 4 marks Val's 10th anniversary working at the Mayo clinic. 
 
Our peony plants have achieved mammoth size this year...in an attempt to keep them from sprawling all over the yard, I've tied a string around each one.  I'll let you know how it works, if I remember.  Up here in the northland, they don't bloom till June 8 or 10, instead of Memorial Day, like in SW IA.  I should post pics, these are quite impressive.  Much larger than that row of peonies were on the farm on the corner.  Huge, in fact. 
 
Hot enough for you?  Holy crap, if this keeps up, we'll have to turn off the furnace.