What did you do in the garden today?

[NewBoots]

Yup that’s where I got mine . Sometimes they’re $1 sometimes 3. Also I’m finding people want to give me theirs as long as I paint one for them. It’s fun.

What kind of paint do you use and do you top it with an exterior varathane?

 

[BReeder!]

I got netting and wire up finally to keep the ducks in the duck run. My drake isn't getting any more corn seedlings.
I also added a new gate to the duck run. I've been meaning to get that done and today I finally did.

The only other thing I did our there was water the garden. I didn't think I would be needing to do that much but this forecast is so screwy. We had 8 consecutive days of rain forecasted. Now it's just 2 or 3 separated days over the next 10. Everyday the forecast is completely different.

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have been dry like 6 days very unusual not unheard of though okay went to Sunbirds where I get all my starts and open bathrooms well BF used the mens room I bought two flowers and a second 4 pack of brussle sprouts will try to plant more next few days

 

[chickinlittles]

What kind of paint do you use and do you top it with an exterior varathane?

I use acrylic paint and put 3 coats of acrylic varnish medium on after they are dry . It’s how I do out door murals and they last a long time. If the surface is still very slick I’ll sand them a little to rough them up. The ones I had had been in the weather and sun for years so they were good. I have one that split apart after years in the sun so I suppose that could happen too, after several years. The varnish will keep the paint from fading and cracking but they can still be scratched relative easily. You probably don’t want to be weed wacking around them or put out in a chicken run.

 

[Sally PB]

I have almost all the grass out of the edge of the squash and potato beds now. Lots to do with planting/beginning to harden off/starting more seeds.

I'll see what I can get done today; our dog, Mara, is not doing well. She had what we think is a petit mal seizure last night on our walk, and again this morning after breakfast. I'll be calling a new vet to find out if I can bring her in, or maybe going to the emergency vet.

 

[Sueby]

Oh @Sally PB I hope she's ok.

Morning all. I have a lot of running around to do today.

Yesterday I got the soaker hoses in the beds. I had hoped to have the drip irrigation in this year, but it's going to have to wait till next year. I hadn't expected to add 2 more raised beds this year so that ate up my garden money & then we put in 2 mini split air conditioners so I'm broke.

I'm very excited - the milkweed I started from seed last year is popping up. It's a long process from stratification to flowers - I hope I might see some this year, they say it takes a few years but I'm feeling lucky.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm very excited - the milkweed I started from seed last year is popping up.

You can have mine! It keeps coming up in the garden. Out in the field, I let it be; I like it out there. In the garden, it's a battle.

 

[Sueby]

You can have mine! It keeps coming up in the garden. Out in the field, I let it be; I like it out there. In the garden, it's a battle.

Ha! I picked a specific native variety for CT to attract bees, I don't even think the Monarchs eat this variety. It's very hard to propagate so it shouldn't take over, but if it does it's easy to get rid of. But I'd gladly take yours for my bee garden! It can spread wherever it wants!

 

[BullChick]

On another note, my mother passed away in her sleep Sunday morning.

 

[littledog]

definitely not. apparently you don't get cicadas in your area or you are young and don't know what they look like yet. When they come out they are thumb sized aliens that are EVERYWHERE.

Haha, I'm definitely not young (except compared to a rock) but I've never seen the thumb-sized alien-looking insects you describe. The "Cicada Mania" website claims we do get some species here in Western Washington, but apparently not the huge populations popping out of the ground all at once, like some of you folks in the South and the East Coast are getting.

But our cicadas are COLORFUL. Yes, these are my photos. LOL. We call them tickle bugs.

Thank you, now I know what they look like!

I'll see what I can get done today; our dog, Mara, is not doing well. She had what we think is a petit mal seizure last night on our walk, and again this morning after breakfast. I'll be calling a new vet to find out if I can bring her in, or maybe going to the emergency vet.

Our foster dog Lily (she belongs to my sister who lives in Canada and the border is still closed) has had a seizure disorder for 3 or 4 years now, that's managed with medication.

She's 13 now, and apparently they started when she was 9 or 10, with "focal" seizures (she would look a bit out-of-it, jerk her head slightly, and briefly lose her balance) then after she had a grand-mal seizure (really scary!) the vet put her on 100mg of zonisimide 2x day. This worked well for a few years, she would only have maybe one or two grand-mals per year.

We've had her since last August, and saw nothing but very slight focal seizures that lasted no more than a couple seconds, but then in February she had a grand mal, then another one 3 weeks later, so we were really worried.

The vet said that her zonisimide prescription was very minimal, and increased it to 300 mg 2x day. This seemed like a dramatic increase, and when we first started giving it, poor Lily was really lethargic for 2 or 3 days - but she acclimated to it, and now after several weeks, she's doing fantastically! Like, a huge change for the better with her balance, activity level and alertness, and even the small focal seizures have decreased to almost none.

So based on our experience, a good vet should be able to help your Mara. Our vet said there are several other anti-seizure medications we could try. We tried Keppra (sp?) for a couple days, but Lily was extremely lethargic on it, she slept all day and night and didn't even get up for her food. So then we chose to just increase the zonisimide she was already taking, and she's been doing so well. It's not super expensive, either - about $35.00 per month.

Sorry to go on and on - what I'm trying to say is that seizure disorders in dogs can often be managed very well with medication - I know how scary it is when your dog has a seizure, it's pretty horrible, but it doesn't mean the end of their life. Finding the right medication and giving it some time to work, can give your dog a normal life.