Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We definitely need some rain since I planted that corn. We don't need rain so we can get the smaller hay field cut and baled. Wonder which will win out?

Definitely too hot out. Glad it's going away. I'd prefer a nice blizzard to this.

Went out with the dogs last night. Saw that dang fox right behind my shed having a face off with the three male cats. I chased it off. It didn't run too far. Husband went out with the 22 and shot at it. Doubt it will deter that fox. It's been working at my ducks and large breed chickens. They are free range and the donkeys aren't doing their job anymore. I think the fox is bold enough to go in the shed too. If it keeps it up and I will be out of the free range poultry keeping hobby by winter.

 

[jvls1942]

I have about 200 feet of hose from the house down to the trees by the road. If need be, I can break into it and water the grapes. so far the dirt is not dusty.
I did go outside for a few minutes to check on the root stock. there seems to be a few shoots with leaves on them.
too soon to tell if they are actually growing, but they look hopeful.
apples, plums and elderberries.
it is hard to shoot a fox. their fur is so long it gives the impression of a large target.
the corn should be coming up soon. even without rain.

 

[jvls1942]

today is one of those days. I got up at three AM , it is five AM now. had my coffee already.
today I will force myself to do something outside. summer is flying by too fast.
one of the last year's grapes has blossoms. I think I will let them go. I don't think it will hurt the vine much.
I really just want to see what kind of grape it is.
Yesterday the hedge/grass trunner came. I have the battery charged up.
we want to use it mainly for mowing grass where the lawn mower can't reach. like between the grape vines under the arbor wire. it will cut one inch branches, too. so we can trim low hanging branches for mowing under.
it is 24volt. should be plenty of power.

 

[Callender Girl]

Just stumbled onto this thread and am catching up a bit. Some sounds a lot like my life -- struggling with the heat and weird weather, trying to tame the "jungle" of overgrowth, hoping the grape vines might produce this year. Best wishes on getting done all that you can -- which, in my case, isn't nearly all that you want to get done!

 

[WIchickMama]

@Callender Girl please join us!

Ok. Sorry I have been away so long, lids are home and work has been crazy!

Need to mow today or tomorrow, the heat was a killer but we got an add-on to the chicken run done and cut and stacked 2 truck heads of wood. We have about half of what we need for winter done.

Been watering and weeding every day it seems like. Potatoes are flowering, pea pods, tomatoes and peppers are all on the plants. Carrots are like 7 inches tall and tons of green raspberries and strawberries.

Today we go into MN to the Cities for an allergist appt for my oldest. And then we will go to the farm to work for a couple hours. Gonna be tired tonight.

Looks like another hot one here tomorrow but then decent for a week. Anyone do anything special for July 4th?

 

[jvls1942]

nothing planned for the 4th. but the next week a bunch of us "kids" from the old neighborhood are getting together to swap stories and lies.
we have been talking about doing this for years. The youngest "kid" will be 74. some coming from as far as 150 miles away. haven't seen some of them since jr high school.
should be interesting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was able to finally get some garden lettuce yesterday. Eat the rest today and that's it. I've never had such a poor crop of lettuce. We eat a lot of the stuff, so it was disappointing. Maybe all my seeds will germinate for fall? Never enough nice fall weather to get a decent crop. Strange gardening year.

Nice to hear from others.

Nothing special here for the 4th @WIchickMama .My family has a party for my parents, but I'm not going. I don't do people, and between the heat and my sudden allergies I'm not happy outside for too long.

Nice to have you aboard @Callender Girl .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

today is one of those days. I got up at three AM , it is five AM now. had my coffee already.
today I will force myself to do something outside. summer is flying by too fast.
one of the last year's grapes has blossoms. I think I will let them go. I don't think it will hurt the vine much.
I really just want to see what kind of grape it is.
Yesterday the hedge/grass trunner came. I have the battery charged up.
we want to use it mainly for mowing grass where the lawn mower can't reach. like between the grape vines under the arbor wire. it will cut one inch branches, too. so we can trim low hanging branches for mowing under.
it is 24volt. should be plenty of power.

How's the therapy going? Is it helping?

I refuse to get up that early, though I suppose you had no say in the matter. Funny, I was counting how many more days until fall. I wish summer would go by even faster, but than it only just begun yesterday. Too many bugs. First snake I see, I'm done outside.

 

[jvls1942]

One little snake ? what kind of farm girl are you ? lolol
I am still up . I tried to go back to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep.
took the car to F&F and had a tire remounted. aluminum rim, leaky bead. $28.oo.
I got so far as to drag the tiller out. I want to drain the old gas out. I think it has water in it.
the therapy is working. I have way fewer headaches. I am doing stretch exercises. when I go to therapy, he massages my neck and stretches my head. feels really nice.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One little snake ? what kind of farm girl are you ? lolol
I am still up . I tried to go back to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep.
took the car to F&F and had a tire remounted. aluminum rim, leaky bead. $28.oo.
I got so far as to drag the tiller out. I want to drain the old gas out. I think it has water in it.
the therapy is working. I have way fewer headaches. I am doing stretch exercises. when I go to therapy, he massages my neck and stretches my head. feels really nice.

I'm the kind of farm girl that is extremely terrified of snakes. You should hear the swear words, that turn into outright crying when I see one. Don't know. I think it was my Catholic upbringing. That Madonna stepping on a snake night light that I had as a kid was the worse. No wonder I would sleep walk and trash my room.

I went out and decided to mow lawn. Now I'm back inside choking on allergies. Enough for me for the day.