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

[Callender Girl]

Gee, if only you could find a market for that "great hatch"!

Not many mosquitos here this summer, either. But PLENTY of flies!!!

And, I just spotted a cicada crawling out of the ground. Unfortunately, for the cicada, Jan -- one the runner ducks -- also saw it. She gobbled it up immediately.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Got another inch of rain last night, so we are slowly catching up. Heard a frog again last night too. Bet they are happy for some rain too. Hopefully it's not enough for mosquitoes. We haven't seen many this year.

 

[jvls1942]

I emptied all of the rain barrels.
going to tweak them. making a larger fill tube.
adding overflow tubes. moving one barre; to the other
side of the porch to catch the water from the roof
valley on that side. can't put gutters over there because
the snow sliding off takes the gutters off, too.

 

[jvls1942]

I have the rain barrels finished on the east side.
just have to position a barrel on the west side
and run a drain hose from it.
time to eat my left over shrimp primavira .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I see I have to go back to daily watering already. Was hoping I was off the hook for a while, but we didn't get as much rain, so back to work here.

 

[Callender Girl]

Same here with the watering. I MAY have triggered some rainfall for tomorrow, however. None was predicted until I made arrangements yesterday to pick up hay Wednesday. Now, the forecast shows morning-long showers. We'll see.

I will be resuming work on my new chicken run. My friend's son came up with a good, basic build but is not a chicken owner. He STAPLED the hardware cloth to the wooden frame. I am now going back over everywhere it's stapled, sandwiching the HC under 1-by-2's and screwing it down. Also, attaching HC aprons and covering those with Menards' square concrete stepping stones.

 

[jvls1942]

Same here with the watering. I MAY have triggered some rainfall for tomorrow, however. None was predicted until I made arrangements yesterday to pick up hay Wednesday. Now, the forecast shows morning-long showers. We'll see.

I will be resuming work on my new chicken run. My friend's son came up with a good, basic build but is not a chicken owner. He STAPLED the hardware cloth to the wooden frame. I am now going back over everywhere it's stapled, sandwiching the HC under 1-by-2's and screwing it down. Also, attaching HC aprons and covering those with Menards' square concrete stepping stones.

Barb, you might want to put some plastic under those
stepping stones. I use contractor bags and garbage bags.
I cut them so I can use them single layered. helps to keep
the weeds down..
I am all finished reworking the rain barrels.
I increased the fill tube to a 2'' instead of 1''.
added an overflow tube. eliminated the 3rd
barrel. it is going to the other side of the porch
to catch the water from that side of the roof valley.

 

[jvls1942]

I made a kettle of chili. it smelled so good,
I had to have a bowl for breakfast. Annie
did, also..
I put only 2 beef boulion cubes in it this time.
used seasoned V8 for most of the liquid.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Smart move using V8 Jim. We heat it up and use it as soup. Be easy to make chili with it. May have to try it next time.

Sounds like a lot of work Barb, but worth it for a secure run.

 

[jvls1942]

3 AM , can't sleep.
I got the rain barrel set up on the west side of the porch.
Now all we need is some rain.