What did you do in the garden today?

[Liz Birdlover]

So yesterday I was outside basically from 6:30am to 8pm. I spent time with my flock & everyone had free range time, rotated of course due to Rooster attitudes. What's cool is they know the routine & round up their hens after 45 min, put themselves back in so I can let the next group free range. The Guineas & Pigeons were out all day, they can fly so I'm not as worried about them with the ground predators. I still keep an eye out for hawks. Only saw 1 big one all day & she kept flying on.

I Pulled A Lot of Weeds! My hands actually hurt today. Lower back, too. Some of those weeds are tough! Anyway...I got a few flowers planted, that were marked down. I look around outside this morning, as I water my seedlings, & I am wishing I could get so much more done. One thing for sure...I am never bored. There's simply to much to do!

Some pics...

Guineas having fun

The pigeon loft


Some flowers

Peonies are going to bloom soon

Lamb's Ear somehow planted itself here

Hosta does well here

This is that Bishops Weed the Swallowtails like

Crepe Myrtle...I think a deer stomped it...half the branches were broken

Daffodils are done, the Black-eyed Susan is coming up

Clematis is climbing

Blueberries are lookin good

Wildflowers are coming up

 

[Molpet]

Blueberries are lookin good

How do you keep the deer from eating? I had 4 blueberry and now I have none

 

[Sally PB]

Black-eyed Susan is coming up

What do they look like when they first sprout? I planted some seeds in the green house, and what's growing in those pots doesn't look like anything I've seen, but I've never seen black-eyed Susans coming up.

How do you keep the deer from eating? I had 4 blueberry and now I have none

I have to fence anything I need to protect from deer.

I can get away with 4' tall welded wire fence around the blueberries because the enclosure is too small for them to land in when they jump. The fence is far enough from the BB that they can't stick their head over and nibble.

 

[Sally PB]

That's how I protect the fruit trees too. The fence is a big ring around the tree, far enough away that the deer can't reach the tips to browse, but they know they can't jump in.

 

[Minanora]

question...why is it when most men cook, do they dirty up every single dish, bowl, pot & pan?

I've never been able to figure this one out myself. Also, why do they always make a huge mess right after you clean the kitchen and/or stove? My DH will go weeks without cooking, then I clean the stove, and he makes bacon or tortilla chips.

he uses up all the dishes as well even when not cooking

Mine is in charge of putting away dinner. He does, but leaves all the dishes/pans out to dry on the counter or stovetop; instead of putting them in the sink or dish washer.

I gave him the boot.

Good for you. That can be a tough spot, glad you could let go and move forward.

.I am never bored. There's simply to much to do!

This. I only have 1/3 of an acre. My front yard looks like I gave up (I didn't, I just failed to apply pre emergent after our rain, so now I'm stuck waiting until I can use my hula hoe to pull the dead weeds out.). My battle with goat head plants is into year 11. I've only seen 6 plants try to emerge this year so far but I still have to look for them, which takes time. Trees need to be sprayed, hunting for cucumber beetles, leaf miners, cabbage moths, etc. Still need to finish drip lines. Need to repaint the pergola, paint the top trim of the coop. Finish the countertop trim. Fertilize everything. The list is long!

I did work on the drip line project a little yesterday. I got a new tool for inserting the 1/4" barbs into the 1/4" lines. My old tool was indeed defective. This has made life much better!

I watered things, tested other drip lines, planted mint next to the coop run, emptied and ran the dish washer, buried the pullet , did laundry, put laundry away, went to the doctor, went to the store, made chili Verde from scratch - used my new 12qt braiser for the first time, I love it. Busy day.

We leave for Disneyland tomorrow afternoon, I have to work today but I will be coming home for lunch to get some stuff done. Supposed to get to 84° today. It's going to be almost 90° tomorrow, 80 Friday, then on Saturday the expected high is 64°. Weather whiplash, again! my plants are going to keep being drama queens for the next few weeks.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

What do they look like when they first sprout? I planted some seeds in the green house, and what's growing in those pots doesn't look like anything I've seen, but I've never seen black-eyed Susans coming up.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

How do you keep the deer from eating? I had 4 blueberry and now I have none

I did use deer netting 2 years ago. I took it back down, but they haven't been back after the blueberries since...so yeah I know I'm flirting with disaster here...

 

[Minanora]

I did use deer netting 2 years ago. I took it back down, but they haven't been back after the blueberries since...so yeah I know I'm flirting with disaster here...

My local deer only visit my front yard because of the dogs. My neighbor saw new fawns in their side yard... So they didn't want to cut the long grass they're eating. They came from the big city. They will learn.

They have a lower voltage battery powered weed whacker and it took the young man two days to get through the tall brome. I heard it struggle through most passes. I had offered to come use my 2stroke stihl whacker when I was going to cut mine down. I got my front and side yards done in about 30 minutes. If I had added their yard it would have taken about 2 hours total. They have half an acre. They are great folks, younger, and had never had a yard at all before. They just got their first all wheel drive car, a suburu Outback. They also have a Prius. The wife is 8 months pregnant. They. Are. Adorable.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I've never been able to figure this one out myself. Also, why do they always make a huge mess right after you clean the kitchen and/or stove? My DH will go weeks without cooking, then I clean the stove, and he makes bacon or tortilla chips.

Yes!!! After scrubbing it to gleaming staus...he boils over the cajun peanuts, oh & the pan also needs sandpaper afterwards, then he will fry something...like ya don't need the heat set at high honey...we can cook & keep the olive oil "Inside" the pan.

Mine is in charge of putting away dinner.

My guy's flaw...never put things away or closed & locked doors or shut lights off...but he is improving. The big phase will be taking all shoes & boots off in the laundry room. I never had shoes inside the house before...omg, can ya see how the carpet looks 50 yrs old now? Yeah...relationships are a work in progress, huh.
My dad always used to say, love is merely a state of tolerance. I tolerate him a lot

Good for you. That can be a tough spot, glad you could let go and move forward

Well, we cared for eachother but priorities just weren't in tune. I tried for 10 years. He just really didn't want the same lifestyle. Said all I do is work. I don't know any folks living any differently. I mean you hear about morons like Kardashians but that crap is just not MY kind of life. Give me chickens, critters & people that are not phony, not revolving existence around trying to impress the Jones's, nor partying their brain cells away. I'm happy just cherishing our earth & the wonderful creatures in nature.

This. I only have 1/3 of an acre. My front yard looks like I gave up

Oh...my front yard...all I can say is I will get to it eventually! Yeah, its kinda sad with Johnsongrass & Nutsedge. I wont use any chemicals so i can only pull so many weeds with sore hands.

We leave for Disneyland tomorrow afternoon,

Travel light, travel safe & by all means...
Have a good time!

I have to work today but I will be coming home for lunch to get some stuff done. Supposed to get to 84° today. It's going to be almost 90° tomorrow, 80 Friday, then on Saturday the expected high is 64°. Weather whiplash, again! my plants are going to keep being drama queens for the next few weekweeks.

I hear ya...very crazy, 40s & 60s then nearly 90, back to 50s. Hope the seedlings do ok!

 

[TJAnonymous]

How do you keep the deer from eating? I had 4 blueberry and now I have none

Weird... The deer don't bother my blueberries at all. Maybe because they are distracted by the blackberries, corn, etc....