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

[jvls1942]

Our company from Minn just left.
We sat outside and talked. had to move with the shade of the tree about four times.
He was our babysitter when we lived in town. more than fifty years ago.
I said that he is a grandfather, now. today he informs us that he is a great grandfather.
my old to do list included cleaning the garage. there were many attempts at that. Never really get it done.

 

[Callender Girl]

The severe thunderstorm watch just expired. Don't know how much rain came down, but there was quite a thunder-and-lightning show that started at 4 a.m. Luckily, the dogs got outside to do their business minutes before the storm.

Last week, I realized one of the driveway trees had seemingly died overnight. Three of us are planning to take it down this week, while my sister is visiting. The same friend of Jim's who took over the pathetic building of my newest coop (Carolyn and I tried our best, but Frank is much more skilled) is bringing over his big chain saw. The tree is too close to some of my coops and my propane tank.

It will be nice not to have to water everything today, but I'm expecting plenty of mud in the duck area.

Good news: I noticed last night that another green bean had evaded the squirrels that have been digging in my garden. I rewarded the little plant's efforts with a protective chicken wire cage. So, out of two rows of beans, I now have seven plants. Lone chili pepper plant has been going crazy in the heat.

A great-grandfather, huh? Isn't it surprising that we are all still surprised at our and others' ages? I was sent a recent photo of a friend -- I remembered a young, dark-haired rock guitarist -- who is still a musician. He now wears glasses, has silver hair and performs the blues, but he's still out there making music.

I had hopes of cleaning out the garage this year; they are fading as fast as summer is racing by.

Hope everybody has a good week!

 

[jvls1942]

Last summer Annie, Dan and I got together and cleaned the garage pretty good. At least now we can park the car in it. there are still a lot of tools that need sorting. I have wrenches and socket wrenches in buckets. Not the best when searching for a certain size.
I usually remove unwanted trees, but a large pine tree that was close to the house and chicken coop died.
I hired a guy to cut it down for me.
$1oo.oo , delimbed and cut into chunks.
I assume your chainsaw friend knows what he is doing .. Too many guys own chainsaws but don't know the proper way to cut down a tree.

 

[jvls1942]

Had neck therapy today. Next one will be on Wednesday.
This lawn mower tune up is getting way out of hand. I originally said that if it got too involved, I would give up and park it. Well, now I feel challenged. I have parts taken off and lying all around. It looks like the darned thing exploded. I want to adjust the intake and exhaust valves. That requires some more disassembly. I sat and debated this part for a long time. finally decided to go ahead and do it.
today I even bought a special feeler gauge for setting the gap.
buying that gauge was an adventure in itself. The clerk at O'Riely's didn't know what it was. Told me they didn't have one. I know they do, but I didn't feel like educating him. He started looking at the dial gauges like oil pressure and ampmeters etc. Asked me what kind of car was it for ? I told him it was a lawn mower. That really threw him.
So I went to Menard's
The first guy I talked to didn't know what it was. I flagged down another guy. He also did not have a clue. I looked up the part number on my phone for him and then he went searching and came back with one. In the meantime I asked a passing girl if she knew where they were. Not a clue. Where do they find these people ?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Things aren't like they used to be Jim. Hopefully your adventure is worth it and you get your mower running. My husband is trying to fix our older mower. Needed a new front steering bar. He started it on fire last weekend using the cutting torch. Thankfully no real damage. I tell him to get rid of it or keep it for parts, but he's determined to get it going so it can pull the lawn sweeper with it.

 

[Callender Girl]

I applaud you, Jim, for your persistence. I shop at Menards regularly, my Jim even used to work part time there, but I have certainly dealt with some frustrating staff there. Once, I was in the area where they sell doors, locks, screens, all that. I couldn't find a sweep to install under my kitchen door. I asked two employees; they didn't even know what a sweep was.
They suggested I talk to someone in Building Materials so I could MAKE one. Uh, no.

Hope everybody's mower plays nicely. I need to get a new nozzle for the compressor so I can blow out the air filter in my mower. Until recently, I had never used the compressor and didn't know the mower even had an air filter. I'm learning new skills out here all the time.

My very generous sister came up to belatedly celebrate my birthday, and among my favorite presents were a Kreg jig, some bolt cutters and a solar weather radio. That's sure a different list than I would have appreciated several years ago!

She also brought her chain saw, so we will see if she and Frank can SAFELY remove that tree. At the first sign of danger to anybody or anything, I will panic and call them off. Frank is an old farm boy who, at least usually, knows what he's doing. Jim once dropped half a tree on my deck railing; I was relieved there was no damage and furious that he didn't listen when I told him it was a bad idea.

 

[WIchickMama]

We love cutting down trees here. Husband cuts and I haul, we make a good team.

I have a broody hen, a Leghorn. I thought it was impossible! I just shake my head. I doubt she will make it the full 21 days but I put 5 fertilized eggs under her. She has sat for 2 nights on the nest and never moved at all yesterday. She is already small but mighty. I gave her some water on the nest, tried some scratch and boiled egg but she wouldn't eat either but she drank. Time will tell. I should probably borrow a cheap incubator from someone. I just can't believe she is sitting. She is flat as a pancake, growls and has the turkey tail.

I feel like I need a nap already. I must have slept wrong as my neck is a tad sore on one side.

Made sweet pickle relish yesterday and today I will pick and maybe can some tart cherries. Tomatoes are finally turning!

Lots of desk work today, which makes me sad but it pays the Bill's, lol. Enjoy the day all.

 

[jvls1942]

Things aren't like they used to be Jim. Hopefully your adventure is worth it and you get your mower running. My husband is trying to fix our older mower. Needed a new front steering bar. He started it on fire last weekend using the cutting torch. Thankfully no real damage. I tell him to get rid of it or keep it for parts, but he's determined to get it going so it can pull the lawn sweeper with it.

It's not a bad idea until something goes wrong.
Here, hold my beer.

 

[jvls1942]

We love cutting down trees here. Husband cuts and I haul, we make a good team.

I have a broody hen, a Leghorn. I thought it was impossible! I just shake my head. I doubt she will make it the full 21 days but I put 5 fertilized eggs under her. She has sat for 2 nights on the nest and never moved at all yesterday. She is already small but mighty. I gave her some water on the nest, tried some scratch and boiled egg but she wouldn't eat either but she drank. Time will tell. I should probably borrow a cheap incubator from someone. I just can't believe she is sitting. She is flat as a pancake, growls and has the turkey tail.

I feel like I need a nap already. I must have slept wrong as my neck is a tad sore on one side.

Made sweet pickle relish yesterday and today I will pick and maybe can some tart cherries. Tomatoes are finally turning!

Lots of desk work today, which makes me sad but it pays the Bill's, lol. Enjoy the day all.

sounds like you are at the fun stage of gardening.
I hope your broody goes the distance.

 

[jvls1942]

I applaud you, Jim, for your persistence. I shop at Menards regularly, my Jim even used to work part time there, but I have certainly dealt with some frustrating staff there. Once, I was in the area where they sell doors, locks, screens, all that. I couldn't find a sweep to install under my kitchen door. I asked two employees; they didn't even know what a sweep was.
They suggested I talk to someone in Building Materials so I could MAKE one. Uh, no.

Hope everybody's mower plays nicely. I need to get a new nozzle for the compressor so I can blow out the air filter in my mower. Until recently, I had never used the compressor and didn't know the mower even had an air filter. I'm learning new skills out here all the time.

My very generous sister came up to belatedly celebrate my birthday, and among my favorite presents were a Kreg jig, some bolt cutters and a solar weather radio. That's sure a different list than I would have appreciated several years ago!

She also brought her chain saw, so we will see if she and Frank can SAFELY remove that tree. At the first sign of danger to anybody or anything, I will panic and call them off. Frank is an old farm boy who, at least usually, knows what he's doing. Jim once dropped half a tree on my deck railing; I was relieved there was no damage and furious that he didn't listen when I told him it was a bad idea.

It is funny how tastes change when the need changes, eh?
If you decide to cut the tree.
after you cut the wedge and go to make the falling cut, do not cut all the way through to the wedge cut.
leave a hinge. that will prevent the tree from twisting and falling any which way.
when the tree starts to fall, RUN away perpendicular to it. never stand directly behind the tree in the opposite side of where it is falling.
Sometimes the tree will split and kick straight back over the stump.
If the tree is dead, watch out for falling branches when you are sawing.