Over the Fence Chat - Today - 04/12/02

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Hello everyone! How has your extended week been? As you can probably guess, ours has been VERY busy. Now I'm getting to relax just a bit and enjoy the soft, slow rain that's watering what garden we've got planted so far. Very nice - very nice, indeed!

Before I get into this very far, a contributor here asked me if it would be okay for someone besides myself to start this thread. In answer to that is say, "By all means!" I would appreciate it very much if someone sees that the Over The Fence Chat isn't started when it should be to jump right in. I thought about this Saturday and again Sunday, but we had company and both times I got sidetracked and didn't get back to the computer to get anything done. Thanks for the offer (you know who you are -grin-).

As for our week so far - we had company from Thursday until just yesterday - no, I'm mistaken - my sister went back to Oberlin Saturday after we spent a good deal of time visiting, fishing, and just lounging around and enjoying the time we had together. We hadn't seen each other in a couple years, so it was very nice. There were a couple times I really wanted to get the rest of the garden in because I knew it was going to start raining Sunday, but family is more important and we had a great time.

Took my mom, my sister, and my two daughters fishing at one of our favorite spots and we did pretty good. Didn't get too sunburned, had GREAT weather, and came home with a channel-cat dinner (17 of em' to be exact)! My hands were hurting me something fierce after cleaning all those fish, but I didn't whimper too much ... and they tasted REAL good!

So ... it was a busy few days, but lots of fun! And today (even though it IS raining) it's back to the grind :8). I hope each of you have a wonderful day filled with all you need to make your life full of love and laughter!

-- Phil in KS (cshomestead@planetkc.com), April 08, 2002

Answers

Glad to see this thread got started for the week, too! I always like to hear what other folks have been up to! I worked the weekend, then we had a family funeral today (great-uncle) plus one of Pop's brothers is in the hospital, so I haven't had much time to do anything extra the past couple of days. (Got any of that fish left there, Phil?! Mmmmm!)

I took all the sheets (even the ones in the linen closet!) and quilts to town and washed them on Friday; then came home and hung them all out on the line to dry - they looked so cheerful flapping in the wind and sunshine and now the house smells wonderful!! I'm looking forward to the lilacs blooming, so I can pick some flower stalks and dry them to slip in between the stored linens again; there was just a tiny bit of scent left to the ones from last year - or maybe it was just a memory! Isn't it funny how the sight of something can trigger a memory of the smell? I bought some silk lilacs and wisteria to make a bouquet for Mama's grave, and everyone who came in the house thought they could smell the lilacs until they realized that they were silk!

I did go out during the day Saturday before I had to go in to work that night; and got some work done in the garden. I have been building it as raised beds in a geometric pattern - one 27' x 27' section each year in 2000 and 2001, hopefully finishing up the third (last?) section this year. I put cardboard down in the bottoms of the beds for weed suppression (and the earthworms just LOVE the stuff!); then I dig the good soil out of the pathways, down to about 8", and toss it into the raised beds. I line the dug out pathways with cardboard too, then put down and 12-16" layer of wood chips from the tree service - makes it so much nicer to work out in the garden when it's been wet, and helps keep moisture in the ground in the dry season too. So, anyway; I managed to get cardboard down in one large triangular bed (about 115 sqft) and dug enough soil out of the pathways to cover the cardboard and keep it from blowing away until I can get back to it. I also weeded all the beds that I have in the garden currently; and my perennial beds that surround the house. Then, I hauled 9 wheelbarrow loads of compost to bring one of my 63 sqft beds up to level - only two more of them to go and I'll be finished with the front part of the garden - Yay!

Rain started yesterday (Sunday) early evening and continued off and on through the night and today, so I won't be out digging anything any time soon! Soooo many things I want to get done, but as I was digging slimy, yucky plants (from freezing) out of one of my beds on Saturday, I got a gentle reminder not to get in such a big hurry next time! I need to get some stuff ready for a rummage sale that Pop's friend is having on Friday, so I guess the rain came at a good time - otherwise I would be wanting to be outside when I should be inside working! Hubs finally got the boards cut for the last of the beds, so we will be trying to get them nailed together and out in the garden here soon. I have to work Wed-Thur-Fri nights, and then we are taking off for MO on Saturday afternoon when he gets off work, to go to Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co's open house, getting back in home late on Sunday night - how time flies when you've got a list of things that you want to do! (PS - Is there anyone on here from near Lebanon or Rolla that could give us a tip on a nice place to stay overnight? This is our once a year, belated, anniversary trip; so we're going for nice and comfortable - no tent!)

I've had my garden drawn out on big sheets of graph paper and had it laid out on a spare table in the dining room since the Monday after Easter. I'm still trying to figure out where I want to put everything! Pop and Hubs have been "helping" me with my garden plan this year - lots of advice on where and what and how much to plant; mostly to the tune of "not so darn much!" Men! What can you do with them!? Now what did I do with that wish list for Baker Creek Seeds again!? Blue speckled pole limas and some heirloom green beans, maybe a melon or two......

I got "green fever" and stopped by the nursery on Friday as I was on the way home from the laundry. Luckily, they were just starting to open and didn't have hardly anything yet! I did buy some magenta and white pansies for my planter on the porch, and some creeping phlox in a cheerful bright pink that I have NO idea where I am going to plant it! I also bought our sweet corn seed for the year - 5# of Honey and Pearl bicolor corn - $42 - OUCH!! Let's see, $42 would buy 84 cans of DelMonte corn on sale....it's not even a contest, is it?! The lady also talked me into a 1/2# of a new 70 day bicolor called Jumpstart by promising me sweet corn a week earlier! As if I won't be sick to death of the stuff by season's end; now I want to start it a week earlier! No sense, I've got no sense at all!

A neighbor lady called me this evening and wanted to know if the asparagus was up yet, so I wandered out in the drizzle to check; had to report back with a "No". The strawberry blossoms are just beginning to form, so it looks like it will be a late year for them as well - not that I mind. I'm not hungry for them - yet! Still have a couple of cartons hidden back in the freezer for when the family starts hollering for shortcake a couple of weeks before they ripen! I checked the peach blossoms and all the ones I checked are still viable, didn't seem to get killed off in the lousy weather we had a couple of weeks ago; though the plum blossoms did - go figure!

Well, even though I got a bit of sleep today, I'm about ready to crash out for the night already. I think I'll go set the coffee pot for tomorrow's coffee and tuck myself in. You folks have a great week - watch those back muscles, now!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), April 08, 2002.


Hi everyone! Sounds like you all have been busy. It's that time of year! And to think, we were looking forward to it! :)

I finally got the garden edged and all the grass clumps away from it. I've got the toughest and thickest grass. yuck. At first, I tried to cover some of the grass up with the beds of dirt, but it just grew right through it, so I had to bite the bullet and get the maddox out. I would have tried cardboard or plastic, but the garden is on a steep slope and I figured me or the mulch would be sliding to the bottom! While digging, I kept telling myself that I'd rather be doing this while it's only 70 degrees, than this summer when it's 95. My back was thinking different!

I took my MIL to have her taxes filed this morning and run some errands, so got a late start getting out in the yard. Needed to do some laundry, but it was so nice and since we've got rain coming in tonight, changed into my old clothes and headed outside. Clipped off some old growth from the russian sage and then built a teepee out of wooden stakes for some morning glories to grow up on later. After I got done piddling around, noticed I had forgotten a few more clumps of grass at the top of the garden. Our satellite dish is out in the corner of the front yard and the cable runs right along beside the garden, not buried too deep. Yep, I sliced right through the cable with the maddox. And I knew it was there!!! Messed around trying to fix it and figured out I needed to go into town to get the right connectors to do the job. Picked them up at Radio Shack and decided to run over to Lowe's to see if the blueberry bushes were in yet. No blueberries yet, but browsed around and saw the most pitiful herbs. I wish these people would water the plants. It breaks my heart. Found a couple rosemary plants that weren't in bad shape and rescued them. Think I'll give them a new home in one of the flower beds.

We're suppose to have rain until Wednesday morning, so I guess I'm destined to get my laundry finished and the house staightened up in the next few days. Dave's taking Thursday off to help me get compost for the garden and beds, and that should take care of them until the fun time.....planting! I can't hardly wait until it's time to put everything out. My peppers that I started inside have already started to flower. They're needing to get out in the garden soon, along with the tomatoes. I'm planting strictly by the moon this year and if the peppers are any indication, it's working great so far. Keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Well, it's getting late, so I better climb into bed and get rested up for the thrilling job of doing laundry tomorrow! :) (can ya tell I just love doing laundry). Y'all have a great week and Polly, try to control yourself at the plant sale! :)

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), April 08, 2002.


Polly, I was reading your post and you said you were going to nail you boards for your beds together. We found using (L) brackets and screws, the boards hold so much better and don't pull apart. We use two sets on each side. We don't use treated boards. The ones my husband made first, he used nails and they are pulling apart. He is fixing them with the brackets soon. Hope this helps and saves you work.

-- Jo in Central Wa. (countryjo16@hotmail.com), April 09, 2002.

Must come back and actually read this thread and see what people are up to. I am frantically kidding and just wanted to say hi. 10 kids and one more doe to go. Only two doelings so far this year.........this is sure the year of the buck for us. Hugs and hello. Must run!!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 12, 2002.

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