Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[lazy gardener]

Is he ailing? Losing his mind?
Come visit, I'll let you use my garden tractor to mow my lawn. 54" deck.

Well, actually, he was ailing. He was having a low blood sugar, and I convinced him that he needed to take it easy. So, I got to finish the lawn. But, yeah... 54" deck You already know that I have tractor envy... Does it have a cup holder? And do you have a golf course quality lawn? A large deck would be wasted here, b/c riding our mower is like riding a bucking bronco!!! Gave me a good core work out.

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you have a liner in your pond?


Have you ever wondered why you don't always see both hands of the weather reporter on TV.
View attachment 1498270

If I'm guessing correctly, Bruce's pond liner is called clay!

Yeah, I want to be a meteorologist when I grow up. What other line of work lets you be wrong half the time, and you still don't get fired?

 

[bruceha2000]

Do you have a liner in your pond?

Nope. It is just an old farm pond. There is a LOT of ledge here and at least the southern end and eastern side is ledge once you get down through the crud. And yes there is a lot of shiny black clay under the deep layer of crud and on top of the ledge. I made a "road" into the south end of the pond (left side of first picture) and dug out all the cattails, stopped for the day yesterday, then it rained some last night so there is some water in the low spot I was working on (left picture, up to the disgusting green/gray stuff). No idea how deep the sludge is in the part I've not dug, and may not be able to depending on if there is ledge. Not sinking the tractor into the muck!). This is what it looks like today. I first dug a hole in the NE corner (second picture) so what few fish that seem to be hanging on have some chance at survival.


This is what that dug out area looked like when I started yesterday


That same area this morning


Guy down the road that I get hay from (and cord wood until this year) is nearly 70, other than when he was in Nam has lived on this road his entire life (so far). His great uncle owned this property, the road is named after him and Al's grandfather owned the adjoining property back in the early 1900s. Al and his wife live there now. This property got sold to someone else in the 50's but Al and his dad hayed it for many years after. Al does not remember the pond being made so my guess is it was done before 1950.

Well, actually, he was ailing. He was having a low blood sugar, and I convinced him that he needed to take it easy. So, I got to finish the lawn. But, yeah... 54" deck You already know that I have tractor envy... Does it have a cup holder? And do you have a golf course quality lawn? A large deck would be wasted here, b/c riding our mower is like riding a bucking bronco!!! Gave me a good core work out.

Glad he was man enough to let a GIRL use his riding mower
Yes it has a cup holder. Fool that designed the tractor put it on the same side as the deck ejects so if there is any wind from the right side, some of the grass ends up in the top of the no spill mug Wipe before you drink!

Hardly a golf course lawn. Really lumpy, drive slow! When we have dry weather you can see where there must be ledge just below the surface, that grass dies first.

 

[lazy gardener]

The guy that decided where to put the cup holder on your tractor must gave been the same guy who designs pre-fab doll house chicken coops.

 

[R2elk]

I found this the other day and assume it is a weed. It is not from anything that I have planted.

 

[bruceha2000]

Very pretty. If you don't mind where it is, it isn't a weed, it is a flower.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I found this the other day and assume it is a weed. It is not from anything that I have planted.

Looks like a dianthus of some sort to me. They come in annual, biannual, and perennial. Does it smell good? Carnations are in the dianthus family if you are familiar with their smell.

 

[R2elk]

Looks like a dianthus of some sort to me. They come in annual, biannual, and perennial. Does it smell good? Carnations are in the dianthus family if you are familiar with their smell.

It does not have the leaves or the bloom of dianthus that I have had in the past. That does not mean that it isn't a different type of dianthus. Due to the number of allergies that I have, I try not to get close enough to things to smell them. Of course there is no need to get close to some things such as Crandall Clove currants, Russian Olives, lilacs, sagebrush and of course dill to get a good whiff of them.

 

[R2elk]

The Rocky Mountain Bee plant is in full bloom. I have not seen any other blossoms that attract so many flying insects. One patch is directly in front of the door to the coop so I have to go right through the 6' tall plants to access the coop. It is loaded with various bumblebees, honeybees, sweat bees, wasps, cabbage white butterflies and many kinds of flies.
Honeybee on Rocky Mountain Bee plant

 

[sharron]

The guy that decided where to put the cup holder on your tractor must gave been the same guy who designs pre-fab doll house chicken coops.