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Too much

Category: Yard work! | Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:23 am

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I think I have too much to do. I wanted a herb garden. Then, I wanted a greenhouse so I could use a gift certificate from a garden catalog to buy herb seeds so I wouldn't have to buy so many. Well, I got a greenhouse and DR bought peat pots and potting soil so I planted lots and lots and lots of seeds. Now, all of the seeds are coming up. ALL of them. I planted a lot of seeds because generally about a quarter of them come up. Now, I have all of these little plants and I have to get places ready to put them. I spent two days digging the garden space. DR bought packaged steer manure for me to mix in the garden when I rake it down tomorrow. We bought bark mulch to go around the apple trees and some of the little trees and vines. I want to gather up all my pots from last year and sift the dirt into a big tub and mix compost with it and refill some of the pots. I have to fix the little furrows to put my soaker hose down in the garden. Then, I have to dig up the area in the herb garden place so when the herbs get big enough I will have a place for them. That's where the tulips are growing. I now have to find my herb book and decide which herbs need sun and which need shade or mostly shade. Our sun here is really intense here in the summer so I usually try to plant things so they have some shade. I have hollyhocks growing in the garden that I had to dig around. I moved about twenty last week but some are just too big to move. I can't pull them out because DR likes hollyhocks. We had one last year that was taller than the eaves of the house. They just grow wild around here. I didn't plant any. I have some morning glories coming up by the fence where I had them last year. I have a wheelbarrow that I had petunias growing in last year. I planted a salad mix in it last week. I saw green coming up and thought it was the lettuce. It was more morning glories. It's just been the last year or two that you could legally grow morning glories in Arizona. They were considered a noxious weed. Arizona grows a lot of cotton and the morning glories got so bad they choked out the cotton so the outlawed it. I don't know why but you can buy the seeds again. I know why they were outlawed though. Morning glories are coming up all over the place. I keep digging the up and moving them to a place by a fence where they can grow. I suppose next year I will have so many I'll just pull them up and dispose of them. I hate to throw away anything that is growing. I told my neighbor I would give him some of the herbs when they are big enough to put into pots. Since all of the squash plants have come up, I guess we will have an abundant amount of squash. It's zucchini, butterstick and yellow crookneck. I have 42 plants. Last year I planted a lot and they either didn't come up or the earwigs ate them. We had to buy squash. DR says he could eat squash two meals a day. I cook it with peppers, onions and sometimes mushrooms. Sort of just stirfry it until its hot. Grate cheese over it. Yum!!
I still have to try to find time to finish the plans for the library summer reading program. It needs to be done by May 1st so Dan can run it by the library board. They really don't have to approve them, but they like to know what's going on. It will be two hours a morning every Tuesday in June and July, except July 4th. That's a holiday. It's theme is animals and I've decided to do it about animals that are pets. I've arranged for a vet to come and talk about care and feeding of pets. Also, suitable animals for pets. I've put in a call to an wild animal refuge (a place that takes abandoned and sick wild animals for rehab). I'd like them to talk to the kids about animals that don't make good pets. I also am trying to arrange for an animal rescue place to come talk to the kids about abandoned cats and dogs and the neccesity of getting them neutered or spayed. Dan is going to do one program on snakes and lizards. So, I have lots of things to do. I guess I will just have to make time to get it all done. The days are shorter now than they used to be. I'm not sure why. When I was young school years were very long. Now, the kids seem to be off all the time. I can't figure it. Oh, well! I guess I should make time to sleep too. Dooley

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New Garden area

Category: Yard work! | Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:49 am

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I worked in the new garden area this morning. I watered the long flower bed and spread the seeds. I put the compost/potting soil over the seeds and watered it again. I fed the trees and watered them. DR put the inside fence up and put wire around the trees. Then I moved rocks along the fence and around the trees.


By the time I was finished it was noon and it was very windy so I quit. That big mulberry tree in the front yard is full of pollen and it gets my eyes by nightfall. I hate taking allergy medication so try not to take it unless it gets really bad. So, this afternoon I put the pictures to photobucket and did some computer stuff that needed done. Dooley

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Another busy day!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:35 am

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I wonder when we will stop have such short days. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. We started to breakfast this morning and had to stop for gas and with this and that we ended up back at home for breakfast. Yesterday we went to the flea market and coming home we stopped at WalMart and bought 10 forty pound bags of potting soil. Brian bought another 200 peat pots. So, this morning I thought that I have the seeds and the potting soil and the pots so I should start doing something with them. I potted up all the peat pots with vegetable and flower seeds and them when and got the 6 pak planters that I saved when I bought plants last year. I filled all of them that I had too. You should see that greenhouse. It is full. Brian took some pictures without me seeing him so you will see the greenhouse---tomorrow. I didn't have time to get them to photobucket today. There is also one of some tulips in the herb garden area and some hummingbird photos. Just don't look at the weeds and grass that I haven't had time to do anything about.It took me two and one half hours to get all the seeds planted. Then, I took a glass of tea down to the swing and sat for a few minutes. Chance kept me company. Brian came and said he wanted to go to the hardware store in Prescott Valley because they had plant food on sale and the sale ended today. We bought food for flowers and vegetables and food for trees and shrubs. Then, we went up to the mall on the hill and had a
Subway sandwich and a Dairy Queen Blizzard for lunch.
When we got home, I decided to work on the yard behind the big shed. That has been an on-going project. Last year the neighbor was putting in concrete between his workshop and his house and needed somewhere to pile the dirt. Since I was cutting horehound out he ask if he could pile it there for awhile. It stayed there all summer and finally he came and leveled it. Mean time I had sifted a lot of dirt and rock and made flower beds and rock paths. So now it was level and we raked it down and sloped the bank. We wanted to put up a fence and plant flowers and grass there. We could open it up and let Chance have a larger area to run. With so many other projects going on we didn't get to it. Last week, we finally got the outside fence and gate up. This morning Brian pounded in the short posts for the inner fence.
When we came home from Prescott Valley I went out and raked and shoveled until I thought it was pretty level. Then I carried 5 bags of the potting soil out and poured it along the fence. There is 55 feet about three feet wide. I raked the potting soil along the fence. Brian came and brought me an extra bag so it took six bags altogether. I mixed the seed but it was so windy I thought I would wait until morning when it isn't so windy to scatter the seed. I hauled the hose out to wet it down good. I have a mix of cosmos, California poppies, Corieopsis?, and Mexican primrose to scatter in the space. I have some compost for covering seed that I will sprinkle over it. The seeds are small so I won't need much. Ha! I always need more than I think before I start.
Then,our neighbor Frank (not our Gnome) came over for a tour and to see the greenhouse. I was hauling around a watering can because I needed to water some of the pots of seeds in the greenhouse before I closed the vent to keep the heat inside for the night. Then, I hurried into the house and put a pork roast into the Nesco Cooker so we would have something to eat for supper. I cut up two oranges and scattered them in the new flower bed so the cats wouldn't dig it up during the night. I put our all of the trash for the trashmen to pick up tomorrow. We have to leave the dumpster inside the fence until morning or the javalina tip it out and scatter it everywhere. Then, I had to come in and finish up the supper. I got the dishes washed and came to load the pictures from the camera to the computer and that is as far as I have gotten today. It's now after ten-thirty and I should think about going to bed. Tomorrow after I plant those seeds I have to make a start on digging the garden area because the squash seeds have started coming up and soon they will need the garden. I planted cucumbers, sweet peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and hot peppers, cantaloupe and lots of flowers. I have a wheelbarrow that I have planted with petunias in the summer. I sowed a package of salad mix in it this morning. I think by the time I'm ready for petunias the lettuces will have been eaten or nearly so that I can fit in the petunias. I noticed the morning glories are coming up by the fence. Dooley

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Hard work!

Category: Yard work! | Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:12 am

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We got the fence up across the back of the yard behind the big shed. Yesterday, we planted the apple trees. They like being in the ground. They were bareroot so they were in little plastic bags with soaked sawdust. We had to soak them in water for several hours. Dan and I went to Phoenix while we waited. When we got home Brian and I planted them. Brian put in three posts in a triangle around the trees. Then, he took a piece of clear plastic tubing and threaded a wire through it and put it around the tree trunk. Then, he attached a wire to each post and the the wire coming out of the tubing. It will keep the tree straight while it grows. The trees have some very small leaves coming out already. They just needed the water, I guess. I'll need to buy something to feed them, I guess.
Today, I put rocks along the outer fence and we moved a piece of flagstone to put under the gate that goes to the alley. I started to level the area that we are going to fence along the back fence so Chance can't run along the fence to bark at the neighbor. She'll just run along the inside fence instead. Anyway, I'm going to put potting soil and compost between the two fences and plant flowers.
It was warm so I didn't work at it too long. There is always tomorrow. Need to go check on the greenhouse and see if it's time to close the vent. Dooley

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A nice sunny day

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:30 am

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It was a nice sunny day and for once I didn't have a million and one things that I needed to do. Well, I did but I ignore some of them. I went outside. Brian and Dan both beat me out. Brian was working on the greenhouse and Dan was sanding the old finish off of the inside of the travel trailer. We're refurbishing it so he can live in it for a while. He's going to be saving his money for a down payment on his own house.
Anyway, I decided that it was time to clean out under the rose bushes and give them some food. I did 10 rose bushes and two honeysuckle bushes. I had piles of leaves and debris all over. I thought it was break time so went in and made cold drinks for all. Before I could get them outside, Brian came in so he carried his out. I carried mine and Dan's out and discovered he'd disappeared. So, I drank mine and his. I cleaned out behind the travel trailer so he would have a place for his lawn chairs and his copper firepit thingy. He came back just as I was finishing it. He finished all the walls today. He is coming back tomorrow to do the cupboards in the kitchen area. That's more detail work than the walls. Tomorrow, I have to finish up the rose bushes. I probably have another 10 to do. They are all on the row of bushes that hide the messy work area from the herb garden area. When we moved here the climbing roses were sort of just rambling across the lawn because they only had a three foot fence and no one had trained them on it. We added another three feet of fence atop the first three feet so there is six feet. I want to add another two foot section when we have time because it's drooping and catches us when we walk by it.
Brian is going to work on the greenhouse door. It's looking good. Then, he wants to add a brace here and there and some trim. After that we need to start work on the back fence so we can get those trees planted. We have room for three trees and we only bought two so we need to get one more. Brian is going to ask our neighbor to dig three holes with his backhoe so we won't have to do so much digging. It will still be work but not so much. Brian said that after he gets the three holes dug, we can put up fence # 1. Then, fence # 2 will be four or five feet inside of that one. I'll put vines and flowers in between the two fences. That way, Chance can't run up and down the fence. Brian says maybe we'll do that with the other yard too. Poor Chance, we'll cut down on some of her fun. She runs up and down the fence and barks at our neighbor's visitors. He has a big workshop and fixes things for people. All sorts of things. He welds.
We also have to finish the exercise room, put up the screen section. I haven't even been using it, shame on me. I'm supposed to but it's been so cold, I haven't wanted to go out there.
There is never an end to things to do. I have that big pond tub to bury. Well, I have to dig a hole to hold it so we can get on with the waterfall.
I have to dig out all the grass and weeds that have been coming up where they aren't wanted. I need to take some more pictures of the daffodils and I want a picture of the hummingbirds. There were at least eight of them today, chasing each other between my feeder and our neighbor Frank's feeder. This Frank is 75 and is from Germany.
Dooley

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One things leads to another

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:43 pm

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I can't seem to get anything finished because it seems like lately I can't start anything without needing to do six things before I can get to it. Our son has been having some problems finding a place to live because in winter time there just isn't anything to rent here.
So, we told him he could put a small trailer in our lower driveway. Except there is already a very small out of date trailer parked there. It's where Brian stores the things we take to the flea market when we go. So, we will move it back to the side of the big shed. But, we need to move a fence first. The neighbor who can move the little trailer is out of town for the weekend. We can't plant the apple trees, because where we want to plant them is where the neighbor needs to bring his endloader through to move the little trailer. The little trailer has no wheels is why he moves it with the endloader. He just moved it forward last fall so we could fill the holes where it was parked. We, also, need to put the fence across the backyard so the javalina won't eat the apple trees. They come down the alley. Most of the yard is fenced except that piece behind the big shed. so, right now, we are waiting for Monday when the neighbor gets back. Tuesday they are supposed to bring Dan's small trailer. He's only using it for a bedroom and get-away place because he won't have plumbing in it.
One good thing is that he has cable internet and he is having it transferred to here and he says I can hook up to it if we buy a router and cable moden and then, we'll share the cost. Maybe that will happen next week or the week after or the week after. It depends on how many things we have to do before we can get it hooked up for him.
This morning we were going to the flea market but the weather wasn't great. So Brian decided to work on the greenhouse. We've been so busy that we were wondering if we were even going to get it up. He was working on the frame when it started snowballing. He didn't need my help so I was trying to clean the garden shed. I had moved everything out. We switched some shelves around because we wanted some shelves to put in the greenhouse that were in the garden shed and I had some others to put in the garden shed. I sorted and tossed things and has just finished putting things back when it started to snowball. Not rain, not sleet, not hail or snow. Little hard snowballs is the closest I could come to it. Brian put his things away. The snow/rain or whatever is supposed to last through tomorrow and then hopefully we will have some sunny warm days and we can get something done. Tuesday is out because that is supposed to be the trailer moving day, maybe!
I did get the pansies planted. The hummingbirds weren't too happy about it because it was too close to the feeder. I kept getting divebombed. I tried to get their picture but didn't manage it yesterday. I'll try again when I see them out there. They are ruby throated and when the sun shines on them they are just beautiful. Guess I should go see if there is anything I need to be doing. Not outside right now. I'm not fond of snowballs. Dooley

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Cold, snowy day

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:33 am

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We got up to a cold, snowy day. I thought it was still snowing, but it was just the wind blowing snow out of the trees. We had 10 inches, at least. It is hard to settle on an accurate amount as it was mixed with rain at times and it was warm enough to melt it at times. There was so much snow in and on the trees that the branches were bending on the fir trees. I used my broom to knock some of the snow off so they could spring back into a semblance of trees.
At 10:30 no one had gone out out street. The snow still had no tire prints. It was really beautiful out. By eleven-thirty, the sun had warmed things enough that the street was empty of snow and water was running down it like a river. Up the block, the paved street was clean and dry. The daffodils now have no snow to peek through. If I have to have snow, this is the kind I like. It took a day and a half to get it built up to the 10 inches and in a day and a half it will be gone with the exception of the shady spots and that may take an additional day.
Dan went up to Camp Verde this morning. He came over here this afternoon. He said people from the valley were bringing their kids up to see the snow. The valley had mainly rain. (l to 2 inches) He said they were stopping their car where ever there was a space to do so. The kids piles out and played in the snow. Dan said up and down the highway were snowmen. There are people living down in Phoenix who never get snow. When it gets close they take their kids to see it. This is the most snow I've seen since we moved to Arizona 17 years ago. My sister has lived in Arizona since 1967. Her kids have never experienced shoveling snow. Some of her grandchildren have never seen snow until this week. When someone says, "Snow, what's the big deal?" they don't realize this is the desert and it doesn't generally snow. The snow is usually reserved for the 6,000 and above in altitude.
So, after 143 days without measurable rain or snow everyone was very excited when it started to rain and snow. It was a good storm in that respect. I grumble about the snow, but it's good for the ground.
I saw something else grumbling about the snow yesterday and this morning. There was a little hummingbird trying to get nectar out of the apricot blossems and it kept getting dusted with the snow as it disturbed the branches. Definitely not a happy hummingbird. dooley

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Bad weather coming?

Category: Herb Garden | Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:42 pm

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The weather forecast for the next three days is rain, rain mixed with snow and/or snow. Yavapai County, which is our county, is included. We live in the southern part of the county but we still are above 3,500 feet which is supposed to be the snow line. I guess I will bring my plants inside for the weekend. Brian said he will set up a table for me. I should do it before it gets dark. The rain, etc. isn't supposed to start before tomorrow but the temperature will start to go down. I want to go take a picture of my daffodils too. I was waiting for more of them to bloom before taking a picture. It is windy today but the sun is coming out part of the time and it was 48F when I last looked. I work at the library from 1 to 5 pm tomorrow so I hope any snow waits until after I get home. The worst day is supposed to be Saturday. Brian washed all of the clothes today. Laundry is his job around the house. Mine is dishes. I would trade with him but he hates doing dishes. The rest of the housework is mine too. He hauls in the wood and tends the fire. Sometimes he cooks. Usually he has supper started when I get home on Friday. I'll find something for the slow cooker tomorrow. He bought me a new set of pots and pans last week. He said he thought it was time I had a new set. It's been awhile I guess. I have a lot of pieces of different sets that I've had over the years. Now, I have to clean the cupboards to find room for them. The bits and pieces have to go, I guess.
After moving our son, seeing how much he had accumulated in a few years, we've been eyeing our stuff. We are thinking of making a list of things we can live without. Or maybe making a list of the things we can't live without. At our age, we can do without a lot of the things that we really needed at a much younger age. I, also, need to go through the box we keep for when the grandchildren come. They are older now and I'm sure some things are much too young for them. Maybe I need to find some things for older kids. They don't come all that often anyway. They would rather send us tickets and let us do the traveling. I don't mind but someone else doesn't like the hassle. He says we'll drive ourselves next time. Not in winter though. The only part about traveling in summer is getting someone to water everything. One summer Dan watered everything, but he didn't pick anything so it was messy when I got back. Oh, well! You can't have everything. I could choose not to have a garden, but I like having a garden. We give quite a lot away to neighbors. They don't seem to mind it. I'd better go bring things inside before it's time to start evening things, like supper, then dishes.

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Moving!!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:56 am

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No, not me! My son is moving. But, he can't move into the new place until April lst but he needs to be out of the old place as soon as possible. So, most of his belongings are being stored in our big shed. He packs boxes, Brian and I load them in our truck and transport them to our place and store them. I think maybe we have the harder job. He is going to stay with friends for the rest of the month. He doesn't think our spare room is big enough for him and his lizard. The lizard is in a 100 gallon tank and it's big. The tank, not the lizard. It's a spiny lizard and is about a foot long. He has special lights etc. for it.
This morning we went to Prescott to buy peat pots and plastic for the greenhouse. We decided on the 6 mil because though we have wire to keep the wind from tearing it, the sun can burn the plants too. Brian is making a vent that will open on nice days to let the heat buildup out.
My herb seeds arrived. I have twenty-two packs. Three are squash but the rest are herbs. My son was leaving his rosemary bush so today while we were waiting for boxes, I dug it up and put it in a pot. He said rosemary doesn't survive moving but I moved mine and it did fine. So, if it grows in the pot, I will give it back to him after he gets moved. He is moving to a small place so he won't have much room for in-ground plants anyway.
We should have him moved out by tomorrow. I hope so anyway. Our landlord died last July and his son is selling places. He says it for tax purposes but if he sold Dan's place, he could sell ours. We are thinking that we will keep that in mind. I might put some of my herbs in pots instead of in the ground. He said he isn't selling but two but you never know.
It is one of the bad parts about renting. We just don't want the upkeep of our own place. When something needs fixed we fix it and send him the bills. I do like having a garden though so no apartment.
I have five daffodils blooming and more that will bloom in the next day or two. The pansies that I planted are doing well too. The tulips are all coming up and the apricot trees have started to bloom. Maybe it won't be cold anymore. HaHaHa!


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Phoenix

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:10 am

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We went to Phoenix today. Another 100 miles on the truck. We've been putting a lot of miles on it this week. We drove over 500 miles so far. The week started on Wednesday for this milage. Brian has been going up and down in altitude too much. It has affected his ears so I guess we will stay home now. It was warmer in Phoenix but I didn't think it was overly warm. I didn't take off my sweater. My sister's grandchildren were wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts and no shoes. My niece has a baby 3 months old. He is very small as he was several weeks premature. I got to hold him until he started crying because he needed fed. I gave him back to mama. He's a cutie though. My sister from California was there with her three boys. She is 17 years younger than I am so her oldest is in college and her youngest is only 13. Those boys are tall and skinny. Thin they said. They all play in marching bands. Clarinet and tuba and french horn. The oldest travels in summer with a drum corp. He's the one with the tuba. Her husband was in Iraq for a year. He may have to go back but she said not before November. She will have two in college then and one at home. They all have cell phones and are having some problems with them. She has a family plan and sometimes the signals get crossed. The one who is 17 has voice mail with his. Lately when he calls to check his mail, his 13 year old brother's phone rings and he can listen to all the voice mail for his 17 year old brother, including the ones from the girl friend. That does lead to problems because the 13 year old has not learned discretion. He tells what he hears. The oldest is 20 and was complaining about text messaging on his phone. She told him to cancel the service and get his own plan. I'm happy that they didn't have cell phones when my boys were that age. Even with a family plan their phone bills must be huge. They also have a home land line phone for their computer because they do not have cable where they live. We came home early so we could come up the mountain before it got dark. It's bad enough coming up the winding curves in daylight. Traffic was really bad today. I don't know where everyone was going. But, it's President's Day on Monday so everyone or some have a three day weekend. There is no snow on the ski hills in Arizona so they aren't going skiing. I did hear there might be some snow tonight in the high country. That's above 6,000 feet. Maybe we will get some rain, but probably not. Oh, well! I will have to water things tomorrow. Today, I just watered the things in pots. My spinach is still growing.
We bought some paint to repair the bridge. maybe I will get a picture of it. My daffodils have buds on them. They aren't very high yet though. Maybe they will still grow some before they bloom. Some tulips are about six inches high. some haven't come up yet. They must be confused by the weather, too. I received another seed catalog in the mail and a postcard from a local nursery. Someone must think spring is coming. My herb seeds still haven't come. Brian wanted to buy potting soil today but I told him not until the seeds come. I looked at vegetable and flower seeds in the store but I didn't buy any. Regardless of the warm days it isn't time to plant a garden. But, I could start things in pots if the seeds would arrive. No mail until Tuesday though. It's still too windy to do things outside anyway. Maybe I'll make a bear tomorrow. That will keep me out of trouble. Dooley

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