Planting Gardens

     Well, I'm nigh ready to seed the last of my eight 6' x 6' raised bed gardens. We're said to be in for today and the next 3 -5 days to be rainy. Today lived up to expectations. I bought 6 bags of compost/manure mix, 6 of topsoil and 2 of potting soil this morning and got the c&m mix dumped. Tomorrow I hope to plant seeds and add the topsoil.
     Some of the older beds have gone to seed already, mostly assorted greens so I'll let the seeds dry then fetch them in for next season. For me, it's not so much as the reaping of the harvest as much as it is getting my fingers and toes in the dirt.

Castor Oiling My Eyeballs

     My brother is being seen by a butt load of Doctors all up, down and across the state of Mississippi. And they can't seem to "agree on the color of shite" as Mel Gibson said of the nobles in Braveheart.
     Either his eyes aren't sending the information or the information from his eyes isn't reaching his brain but to the point, he can't see worth a tinker's damn.

     Our Mom, actually the best computer person in our family at age 78 is always looking up stuff on the computer. It seems she found that not only being an effective laxative, castor oil is said to be good for lubricating the eyeballs, staving off and possibly preventing cataracts. I'm always one for "old school" remedies, myself. At last eye Doctor's visit I was told I "may have the possible beginnings of cataracts" and do have "floaters" in my eyeballs. Floaters are, as best I understand, little pieces of crap and crud that have broken loose from somewhere on the inner eye surface and float around in my eyeball juice. Side note: nowadays, castor oil ain't that easy to find. Anyway, I've been putting a drop in each eye (as Mom does for brother).
     When I wake up, my eyes do feel less scratchy and dry so that's a good thing. If you do decide to try this, only do it right before bed as in my experience, the oil will blur my vision for a while.

     Last note, make 100% sure you use castor oil. Perhaps some other oil would do no harm and possibly even be better but this is the only one my Mom has suggested I use so I'm going with that!

Lots And/Or Little Going On

     Either lots or very little have happened here as of late, I'm not sure which.
The first thing is I've decided to quit complaining about the pain in my knees, feet, back or wherever hurts the most at any given moment. I'm going to start thanking God for my aches and pains. I've worked 57 years to get them and they remind me bot only am I still alive but I've got all my original pieces and parts, save tonsils and adenoids which were removed some 40 years ago.

     The second thing is I've been distributing the truckload of sand to where it is most needed in the front and back yards. It still  hasn't fully dried so some 10 to 12 wheelbarrow loads are about all I can manage in one day.

     I'm still putting seeds in the ground in my raised bed gardens. I almost waited too long to buy okra seeds. I went to at least 3 different stores looking and finally found one packet at where other than the store where I work. I'll make sure to let a few pods of my crop go to seed so I'll have plenty next year.

     One 6' x 6' raised bed is dedicated to herbs this year and hopefully most of the plants will spread, be fruitful and multiply. I'm gonna make another bed of the Native American "Three Sisters"... that is, corn, beans and squash. As I understand, they planted corn first. After it sprouted to give the beans something to climb on, they planted the beans. Lastly, they planted the squash to shade the ground to stop weeds from growing. Hey, I like corn, beans and squash (not all in one pot)!

May 21, 2017

     A lot of nothing some would say has been happening here but I'll post an update anyways.

     Mike and I seem to have been butting heads at work as of late. He had a special needs daughter, some 8 years of age or so. The other day she passed away. While Mike and I had our quarrels, I never wished his daughter any ill. No parent should ever have to bury a child. But God's will always be done. You know? Maybe I finally figured out why God never blessed my with children of my own. He knows I would not be able to handle the loss of one.

     On  happier notes, my baby wrens fledged and flew away the other day.
     Of the herbs I planted in the garden, all survived except the spearmint. I put out a fistful of dill seeds and am hoping they'll sprout.
     I planted tomatoes and peppers in another raised bed and most seem to be faring well enough for now.
     After what seemed a fruitless search I found a packet of okra seeds at (believe it or not) the store where I work. And it was the very last packet!
     Yesterday I got 5 bags of topsoil and 5 bags of compost & manure do I can load up another raised bed garden or 2.

     There is no better mental therapy for me than getting may bare toes in the dirt and digging my hands in, feeling the miracle of life that God has given us.

Vlad & His Toys, Wrens & Too Many Irons In The Fire

     I've concluded Vlad, my son, my boy dog loves and hates his toys. Not long before I got him I found a stuffed tiger. Not long after I called it "Poor, poor Tiger". First Vlad ripped off his nose, then tail, ears and eyes. I actually felt sorry for a stuffed toy animal. Then Gail, my friend gave us a stuffed toy duck that quacked when squeezed. A few weeks later I woke in the middle of the night and stepped on something that was hard, plastic feeling and made a queer noise. It startled the crap out of me. It was the quacker that Vlad had ripped out of the aptly now named "Poor, poor duck".
     When we moved into our house I found a football which Vlad loved to run after, shake violently and finally "kill". Ditto with a soccer ball and a frisbee. Last week I found another soccer ball in the neighbor's trash. It only took Vlad "The Impaler" to kill that soccer ball.
     The boy is hard on his toys!

     A family of wrens has built a nest in the ledge of my office bathroom window. Bug eating wee birds, they are most welcome additions to our family. It sounds as if the bairns are nearing time to fledge. The last brood didn't survive the fledging stage so I'm guardedly optimistic about these.

     I've come to realize the main reason that I'm getting so little done as of late is that I'm trying to do too many things at once. I need to step back, take a deep breath and prioritize things. Then I need to tackle one project at a time. I can't be the only person who tries to do everything at once but I (we?) must realize there is only so much we can do solo at a time. My greenhouse project was a 2 man project with a few stages that would have been easy with 3 men. I did it all by myself. Let's take a reality check, okay? If we ask our neighbors for help in something it is not failure or weakness on our part. It is success and strength to admit and accept our limitations.
     I thank God every day for His help in everything I do and ask His help when I see I need it. When I see my neighbor trying to do anything they can do but struggle with, I run over and offer my help.
Right now I need a bit of assistance in getting my priorities right, tackling one project at a time.
I'm trying to take on at least a dozen projects now so it's at least 12 against 1  for me getting anything done. I'll take on one smaller project first and cross it off my list. There are larger projects that I know will take some time to get done so once I complete a small, I'll chip at a large then move on to another small. All the while, more projects will come along.

     One day at a time.

Mothers' Day 2017

Sunday was officially Mothers' Day here in the USA, I don't know about other countries. Anyway, I work Sundays so Mom and I usually do her day on one of my days off. This year it was yesterday.

     I've mentioned that my brother has Alzheimer's or dementia or something else that the doctors can't seem to agree what it is nor how to best treat. But yesterday I had a couple of errands to run before taking Mom out for lunch and brother came along for the ride and to get him out of the house for a little while. First we stopped by one store to exchange some sheets I had bought that were total crap. They ripped as I was pulling them out of the handy little zipper bag they came in. I paid an extra $6.00 and some change for 2 new sets of Queen size sheets. I know many of you will find them quite tacky but I opted for leopard print sheets. My favorite colors are camouflage followed by earth tones then animal prints. I figure the leopard prints will blend good enough with my camo.
     Next stop was to buy some britches for work. Mom said she needed a new shredder as hers had crapped out on her and Wally World had britches and shredders. Perhaps not the most traditional Mothers' Day gift but something Mom needed and I could afford so I paid for her new shredder.
     Lastly, we went to the Chinese buffet and chowed down. Mom and I got all we needed and brother got out of the house which he needed. All got fed so it was a blessed day. The only hitch was when we went to WW, brother said he'd wait for us by the door while Mom and I did out 5 minutes of shopping. When she and I got back to our rendezvous point, he was nowhere to be found. It took us about another 5 minutes to find him as he'd wandered off. For a moment, I must admit I was getting a bit irritated at him but then God told me that he can't help it. Thankfully, he no longer walks fast so he didn't wander far and at least remembered where we were to meet back up.

     It's been hard on Mom taking care of a 60 year old son who can't do for himself. I pitch in when and where I can but what we can't do, GOD does.

Taking Time Off From Work Perhaps

     At my full time job I have 80 hours (10 days) vacation time and 16 hours (2 days) "personal holiday".
     I've mentioned before the neurologists aren't sure if my brother has Alzheimer's, dementia or something else. Anyway, I'm thinking of taking my personal days off  for  3 day weekends so he and I can take a little road trip up to the old homestead where our Dad grew up.  While there, I'd love to dig up a couple sassafras trees, native persimmon trees, blueberry bushes and maybe huckleberry bushes for my garden. Maybe getting his ass off the sofa and working a shovel will help work his brain as well as his muscles.
     I know I'll never own any acres of the old place but I'm thinking if we filled the bed of his truck (it's bigger than mine) with plants and dirt from there at least I would have a truck bed full.

     Many times when we were young, Dad drove us up to the old place via the Natchez Trace. It's always been a relaxing drive or ride for me depending where I sat. Thinking back, we've never gone past the Jackson to French Camp part of the road.  I'd love o some day take the whole road. I think it runs North to South from Nashville to Natchez. I don't think Kenny, my brother has ever taken the whole road either. I am quite the history buff so it would be a peachy time for me to take the old road from top to bottom. That could be something he'd enjoy as well. I'm thinking get on the Trace in Jackson and take pictures at every historical marker on the right (Northbound) side to Nashville then Southbound markers on the way back. From Jackson to Natchez take photos of markers Southbound then catch the rest on the Northbound trip home.
    Even if he never regains his memory, it would be something I could share with our family as a brother road trip, eh?

Neighbor's Chickens Are Gone

     After having to give up my ducks and geese, I really looked forward to hearing my neighbor's rooster crow each day.  Now, I had never met these people nor seen their crop of birds. All I did was hear the cock crow. If I couldn't have my birds I was so happy to hear theirs raising Hell and singing their songs.
     Well, it seems somebody complained about the "noise" and I haven't heard to chickens for a while. You know, it's funny in a way. I'd gotten so used to hearing them that it took a while to notice that I wasn't hearing them.

    I'm sure them that had the chickens are in a sour mood over having to be shed of them as I was over "the Quack Pack". Perhaps I can locate them and see can we join together to get our birds back or maybe raise quieter birds such as quail.

Snap Traps V Sticky Traps & Our Apple Tree

     All who (at least claim to) know me know I like the old fashioned, simple things the best. Also, I prefer the most humane way of dispatching pests, except maybe cockroaches, skeeters and other noxious insects.
     To wit, my mouse problem. Some would say snapping their little necks is mean and/or cruel. I personally feel it's more humane than letting them get stuck to a glue trap. Certainly better than poison which induces a shutdown of their organs along with internal bleeding. Not to mention one or both of my canine kids could eat a poisoned mouse and fall ill if not die.

     Well, my problem is field mice. Larger than a house mouse but not more than a weanling rat. Snap type mouse traps are too small to whack more than 1 in 10 . Rat snappers are too big to be set off. Therefore, I am forced to resort to glue boards. I'm using the approximately 5" x 10" boards.
     I chucked out a pair of boards last week with a total of 5 mice on them. Sooner or later I'll be shed of the mice I have but remain ever vigilant.
     I put all my dog and cat food in an insulated ice chest. No, I don't have a cat but Rupert, th hedgehog and wee Elsa, the ferret eat it.

     One last note, I did buy us a Granny Smith apple tree Saturday. It was a bit over $26.00 after taxes but as Vlad and I enjoy the fruits better than any other apple it was money well spent. I did look at all the trees there also. Not at height but rather at the diameter of the trunk at the base. Yes, indeed I picked the fattest one!
     I dug out a hole a few days in advance. It came a gully washer rain which filled the hole near to the brim with water. Anyway, I slopped most of it out, added the tree and back filled the hole with a mix of sand,potting soil and a bit of  coffee grounds and tea leaves from work. Hopefully in the next few years Vlad and I will enjoy our own home "growed" Granny Smith apples.

One Greenhouse Up

     It took Plan C to get it up but I finally got one greenhouse completed. I told my friend, Robert that I'm so happy I bought two of them. When he asked, "Why" I told him now that I know how best for me to do it I can redeem myself. Between wind, rain, piss poor instructions and trying to do a 2 or 3 man job by myself the first took about a week to erect. I'm sure the second will take closer to as many hours as the first took days.
     Knowledge is a most powerful thing, kids!
     Shelves and/or racks will soon be in the works.

     By the way, I've been harvesting catnip from my yard. It was originally a bed plant before I moved but I brought it with, set it out and it has now become a free growing and spreading plant in my back yard, doing quite well. I'll look and see how much it sells for at the grocery and/or pet stores and see can I sell some here on the online local sales.

Another Attempt At Greenhouse

     I went out this morning and tried again to get the greenhouse up,  this time with "Plan B" . Once again the wind started kicking up and I was forced to shut down. Never one to quit I'm now working on Plan C. I'm gonna  waller out the holes in the corner connectors a bit more, then run a stiff wire through the sleeves on the covering and try pushing the rods through.

     Satan is doing his best (or worst) to piss me off but he's just a pinheaded butt nugget. Sooner or later I'll get this 1st greenhouse together and I'll know all the wrong things not to do so #2 will be a piece of cake to assemble.

     I already feel the spark of Plan C coming to my mind.
     I'll keep you all posted.

Old Enough?

     Yesterday I was out on a shopping spree (for me anyways).
I stopped by one store to buy some new sheets. This store has a 10% senior discount for us over 55 years of age. The cashier never even asked my age, just said, "With your discount..."
     Later I stopped to buy some beers. Seems this location had been tagged for underage beer sales and had to have video of all ID being checked.

     In the morning I get a senior discount without being checked to show I am over age 55. In the afternoon I have to show proof I am at least 21.

Stormy Weather

     Well, it's been a while since I've posted on here once again. The main thing I can report on is the weather here. It seems almost every week we have severe thunderstorms, warnings of hail and possible tornadoes. This past Sunday we had over a dozen tornadoes in the area but by the grace of God my family and I were spared the wrath of the storms.
   
     I mentioned a while back that I received my greenhouses. It seems whoever wrote the assembly instructions A: did not speak English as his or her native language and B: had never actually put one together. Just as a lower case c: note.... they could have mentioned assembly is at least (best) a 2 person job.
     I'm muddling through as best I can solo but again the weather is not helping whatsoever. Seems every other day it's either raining or we have wind gusts around 20 miles per hour. But God willing I'll get them up and sprouting plants soon.

     I have a nectarine tree in the front yard that suffered a bit of damage over the Winter. That is, almost all of the tree froze except the roots so the tree is starting over with new shoots from the ground up. The major malfunction is when Mom gave the tree there was a volunteer muscadine grape vine along with it. The grape vine is growing like a weed but hasn't enough tree to support it so some of the tendrils are reaching back the the ground. I went to 3 different stores yesterday to possibly purchase another tree for support. The good news is I found a Granny Smith apple tree at store #3. Bad news is it cost $45.00... Good news is every Saturday they have a 1/2 off sale so I'll go back then and fetch one home for $22.50! Still more than I wanted to pay for any tree but Vlad (my Jack Russell terrier) and I do love Granny Smith apples. Some of the trees already have fruits on them but I've read I should toss them and trim the branches to force root growth.