A deadly encounter

January 31, 2013August 16, 201468 Comments

It is 6:27 in the morning and I just got a call from Bob on his way to work. This is very unusual. He was very upset; I could hear it in his voice.

He said he was traveling through a local wooded area and saw two deer on the side of the road. At the very last possible moment one of them bolted.

He just walked through the door. He is OK, but his spirit is damaged.

I am sad for both of them.

Dimples must be related to a TIMEX. She takes a licken’ and keeps on ticken’.

Over the past five years:

Rear end collision (not at fault (NAF)
Rear end collision – second in one week! (NAF)
Golf ball and Tangerine sized hail damage!!! (Car is named Dimples after that.)
Hit a telephone pole hydroplaning at Dead Man’s Curve!
Hit a deer. 😦

How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Your Insurance? (allstate.com)

Photo Friday: I couldn’t help myself

November 16, 2012November 17, 201235 Comments

This fall has been particularly lovely. I can’t tell you if it is only my perception of the season, or if in fact it is truly better this year, but I find that I can’t help but add just one more view…

I stand looking out my window and see that the rain has washed away the dust from the far-reaching windstorms generated in Hurricane Sandy’s fury. This wet and overcast view enriches the fall color. It is an enigma to me that with all the rich, warming, color of the season, I should have to bundle up to go outside, but I want an unfiltered view for my portrait.

Thus bundled and standing on the front porch I set up my camera and try to capture that warmth, saving it for this winter when it will be truly frigid and seemingly bereft of life.

Finding what I’m looking for, I capture the moment.

CLICK…

I study the treeline trying to decide on another suitable view, when suddenly the cloud cover breaks allowing a single shaft of light to fall in the center of the trees.

There in the middle of all this loveliness burns the heart of fall, and I think to myself,

“This will do.”

NOTE: Today’s images are best viewed full size. Please click the photos for best color and clarity.

~*~

UPDATE: For those who can’t get enough fall color you can find plenty more from all over the US on Growing the Home Garden’s website ~ www.growingthehomegarden.com/2012/09/the-fall-color-project-2012.html

The Blue Plate Special

October 18, 2012October 19, 201232 Comments

After several seasons of fighting legions of weeds in this humid climate I have finally come to my senses and begun installing raised beds! Trying to grow food in this weed infested place is insanity without using RoundUp.

And you know how I feel about Monsanto.

So the logical and more safe solution for us is raised beds. Bob has been helping me in the garden every Sunday for weeks now. He has rototilled, and scorched baby weeds with the Red Dragon.

(this is not Bob) 😉

Please click the photo above to be taken directly to the Red Dragon site.

This is NOT a paid endorsement! We have had our RD weed burner for many years and just love how well it works. Unfortunately, we can’t use it in and amongst the veggies… Hence the new garden plan.

So, here is the layout.

Notations in blue show changes and planned additions. We have the center and right side construction completed and half planted. NOTE: The rotation plan I am utilizing is to help with insect and disease control. You can see the plan HERE

Want more? Here is the Garden Organic website: http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/index.php

There is still so much more to be done here. I have to add more soil, and lay down the wood mulch around the beds.

The strawberries have been moved and replanted, and the asparagus arrives with the new orchard trees next month!

GOODBY WEEDS!

Hello beautiful!

**~*~**

What plans do you have for your garden(s)? What strategies do you use to help you with chores and upkeep?

PLEASE DON’T BE SHY!

SHARE WITH US!

Monsanto Allowed to Put Genetically Modified Food on Your Plate (blogs.lawyers.com)
Raised Beds Advantage. (florafocus.wordpress.com)
Be your own cheap labor: Turn your lawn into a garden (bangordailynews.com)

Improvement all around

May 30, 2012June 1, 201223 Comments

Lately it would seem that if it could go wrong it did. There were broken glasses, dryers, teeth, and sick animals too! However, things are getting better here on the Farmlet.

The geese are improving, growing, and need to be OUTSIDE! Their bills and feet should be turning a bit to the orange, but without daily sunlight this is not happening.

They are long overdue!

(Click the photo to see how much they have grown!)

~*~

Then there are the toxic fumes from their ~~diapers~~ towels (which need changing a minimum of 8 times a day)…

(Please click to be taken to Desktop Nexus and this screen saver)

and are smelling worse than a diaper pail!

!!! 😦 !!!

Under normal circumstances the Gosling Boys would have already been outside. However, being sick they have needed special care and a more controlled environment. Recently, I have been taking them out to eat grass and get more exercise and sun. I’ve gradually increased the time they spend outside, and their time alone as well. I’ve been going in and coming back out at varying intervals, and they don’t seem to like it much! I can hear them crying at the back door as I type.

They have become overly dependent upon my presence.

While we are out I let the Mommas over into the back yard to visit. The goslings want to play with them, but every time they run over to greet them the Ladies all pull up their skirt-feathers and run away! It is simply too funny to see grownup geese run away from the babies! Well, one can only hope that the boys will gain finesse and a better standing with them as they continue to grow.

Interestingly, there is a bond, of sorts, that I didn’t know existed between them. Today when I went to catch the goslings, the Momma’s came up honking, hissing and threatening me within an inch of my life. I really thought that Polly was going to take a bite out of me! You see it’s the screaming they boys make. It is ear-piercing and quite pitiful sounding. In fact, if you could hear it you would think that something more along the lines of a life and death situation was going on. It has come to this because of having to administer all the medications. They have now become so strong that it is a fight every morning and evening. Thankfully, we are almost done with medications!

Meanwhile, I have Polly and the Hister Sisters to contend with.