What have you done today in the Garden?

Not much today as I had shopping and laundry to do. Then I had to take my car back to the main dealer as the nearside wing mirror wasn't closing when I locked the car. This was in March. I sent them a video of it and they ordered a new one.

In the meantime, I'd been on the Honda Jazz owner's message board, where other owners had posted about similar problems. But one said he'd fixed by going into the settings and he'd re-set, "doors and windows." I did the same and it cured it.

A few weeks later I had the same problem with the driver's door, a re-set fixed that too.
Both mirrors had been behaving perfectly for three months. But as they'd offered to change it under warranty, I had it done. It took less than an hour whilst I waited, drinking their coffee. They couldn't tell me what was wrong with the mirror, if anything.
I think it was a software problem, there's a lot of it in this car. Much of it beyond the knowledge of mere motor mechanics (and me).

When I came home, I cleared a wood pigeon's nest in our big acer tree in the front garden. They try to build one in there every year. But I check daily, as they can build one (of sorts) in two days. I make sure they don't get to the "egg in nest" stage.

 

Pigeons are a knightmare for us this year, one got run over today, it was soon ate up by the magpies and gulls.

Not much today i had to wash my hair, later did some watering and picked some blueberries.

 

Nothing as I've been out for most of the day, just going out to water a few pots that hubs didn't see.

Yes @Logan I agree that pigeons can be a pesky nightmare at times. When the plums were in the early stages of development the pigeons would sit high up in the tree eating them. That I could handle but not when they all suddenly took off together flying low and almost dive bombing us!! I use to forget that they were up there and would jump out my skin!!!!

 

Same here with the birds… and vultures always around due to all the ground critters & bobcats due to the quail. The big birds and pigeons are soooo messy. Don’t even dare to park a car in the driveway. Especially the huge hawk that drops bombs like no other right on the drivers door handle. I swear it’s a conspiracy.


Sooo… had a wicked start to today’s morning.….started at 5am my daily routine mowing the pastures and after a few rows the front wheel almost fell off the rider tractor. So I am outta commission for another week or more unless I need to use the big tractor with the front scooper. That tractor uses diesel and I can’t carry the heavy 5 gal fuel to fill the tank. Where as the rider mower uses gas and I have 3 55gal tanks ready to pull up the rider and fill with a gas hose / nozzle set up and no lifting.

Has been a long repair season putting 206 miles on the mower new rider in a year. I think I have worn the mower rider out. First it was a tune up and flat tire. I can change the oil and stuff but I couldn’t get the oil filter off…it was picked up & delivered back home. Then the next day the belt on the mower broke , so back into the shop and Returned home and today the front tire fell off. I think this tractor is jinkxed… It’s sitting out in the front pasture til after the July 4th holiday and scheduled back to the shop July 8th. Exhausting predicament …


Saw a vulture in the pasture and holly moley ..yikes … they are huge. Very scary like a huge owl out during the day. Lots of predators around this time of year. That’s a good reason to carry an air gun with me while out walking inspecting the pastures at sundown. Keeps those pesky deer away…

 

That must be scary for you Pacnorwest and sorry about your tractor, it's so annoying when things keep breaking down.

 

@Pacnorwest Vulchers habitually rest on the high peak of my roof at the front of the house. No tellin' how much poop is up there !!

 

@Orieti thank you for wrapping up the annoying tractor issue. I like the way you always are supportive of everyone.


@Anniekay Since your the shovel kicker of this thread , you may need to use that shovel to scoop up after the birds. Sounds like there’s a whole other issue up on the roof from sitting birds… And by the way I love that trim on your house and beautifully painted and gingerbread trim with a long history from the Victorian era of architecture .

 

Today I deadheaded about 1/2 of the roses in the rose garden. They'll get a burst of water soon. I might give a bit of bloom booster too. I pruned the really talk ones back to about 4' tall.

I feel really encouraged - the ones I dug and moved to better spots, because they were near dead, seem to be doing very well.

The limpy duck seems to be getting better. I tried to find the cause - inspected her leg, hip, feet. There were no thorns, no sores, and nothing was tender. But she was limping badly and quit laying eggs. She didn't appear to be suffering, and sometimes I'm limpy but I get better. So I let her be. She laid an egg today, too.

I tied up the Red Kuri squash vines, onto their trellis. I use sewing selvages or other fabric scraps, which I think caress the vines better than string would.





Oh, @Melody Mc. , my Canadian Crookneck are NOT THRIVING. I don't know why. Maybe just taking their time.

Here's a Red Kuri squash starting to grow.


I harvested a zucchini. The variety is considered parthenocarpic - not needing males - but the unpollinated squashes shrivel. The pollinated ones are great.

I hand pollinate all of my squashes, as long as there are male flowers of the same species to use. I cut off the male blossom, remove the petals, then lightly brush the anthers against the stigmas of the female flowers. I find this gives 100% fruit set, and the fruits develop fully and large.

 

@Anniekay Since your the shovel kicker of this thread , you may need to use that shovel to scoop up after the birds. Sounds like there’s a whole other issue up on the roof from sitting birds… And by the way I love that trim on your house and beautifully painted and gingerbread trim with a long history from the Victorian era of architecture . [/QUOTE]

@Pacnorwest
That pic was from before I got it painted. I had a trim color
added, the brown, which is a historic color from the time period the house was built, 1898, called Decorous Amber to tie the house into the foundation. The painter also rebuilt the damaged gingerbread that the old owners broke by setting a ladder on it.


And, to stay on topic, I mowed the yard until the mower ran out of battery. Got over half finished and if it doesn't rain tomorrow I can get the rest done.

 

Lovely Victorian home so much character, color and historic importance. You have updated the home as well as maintaining the importance of that era. Good job

 

I took this a few years ago, when I was running around with a friend. The barn belongs to one of her neighbors and the friend is now deceased. This barn always has a lot of vultures hanging around it.

It was very hot and sunny today. A friend took me for some errands to get pet food and soaps and supplies. After that, I got out and mowed 2 more sections of my yard. By then, I had had enough heat and it was late. Not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I have my yard divided into 9 sections for mowing purposes. They are different sizes. I have 4 more sections and the pond path to mow. They are calling for rain on sunday. I hope they are wrong, and we can wait another week for more rain. We had about 10" of rain over the weekend, so it will be okay to wait. The new mower has a bag which needs emptied often. Now I have to find another spot for a new compost heap. It does not have a side discharge like I am used to. I have been giving the clippings to Horsey, and to my chickens, and I have 2 large tubs full of clippings, plus I started a compost heap for DS's garden when he makes his own garden. I also dumped some in the bushes because I am running out of places for all of those clippings.

The pumpkin vines in my compost heap are going crazy and have gotten HUGE. They have a lot of flower buds, so maybe I will get some pumpkins? I also have some pumpkins or other melons in my compost barrels that are doing very well. When I get caught up on the mowing, and tidying up my garden, then I will take some pictures to share. Right now my garden is a royal mess because our mowers have been down for 2 months.

The scarlet runner beans look great and have flowers on them. The tomatoes look pretty good, but none are ripe yet. Two potato patches are soon ready to harvest. I will have to think of something to put in their places. My bell peppers are beginning to bloom, maybe I will get some. I have lots of seeds to choose from. Maybe some corn? I have peaches and cream sweet corn seed, and I think the internet said 60 days for them? It is early July, and we won't have frost before mid October or even later. (28+31+20 or more days before fall...)

Everything needs weeded, but I refuse to kneel in the long grasses around my beds until the paths are MOWED and short. Then I will get at my weeding again.