.
And such a gorgeous time of year, too!
I have been photographing a little bit with my son's camera, but it really lacks that VROOM of my SLR.
Usually as fall and winter come in, I am glad for the break in work. I tend to let things all go. But this year is different. Vive la différence! We do not want to be buried in work in the spring and summer the way we have been for the last couple of years, so while Michael does his school work, I am planning on and hoping to work outside every day on some sort of major project so that they are all done and ready to go in the spring.
The weather has been so beautiful lately, and he is often able to do his school work outdoors, making it easier for me to help him with tough spots. And late in the day, it is not uncommon for Michael to come and help me with things I've not been able to finish.
We've gotten quite a few things done so far. We are just getting the gardens weeded and mulched thickly. It's been a little odd, as the weather has stayed warm. But the beds are nearly empty of growth, so they are getting blanket anyhow. A few things are still growing, so some leftover bales of straw are standing by.
We really scrimped and saved to invest in 110 bales. It was a lot of green, rectangular papers with presidents for us, but when we compared it to the work we would save next year, we decided it was worth it. See ya' Andrew Jackson!
We've been doing a lot of practice with cuttings and rootings. Many failures mean we are that much closer to figuring it all out. We are learning all the ways NOT to do things. (Fist pump and tap dancing. Odd looking... but cheery.)
The next two huge projects are resetting the pool, which ended up being slightly oval in shape; and building the greenhouse. I truly hope to accomplish these two things in the next few weeks. We have free wood from a friend's scrap pile and trimmings from the neighbor's mill, so we are very excited about getting the greenhouse going.
Michael's hard work has paid off greatly. He finished an entire school year in 5 months, working double hours right through summer. He has graduated his freshmen year and is moving on to his sophomore year this week. No break from Algebra 1 to Algebra 2, but then again, sometimes it's better to not let your mind go mush in between.
Looks like we are going to have peak color, right around the end of the month. It came so late this year.
It's going to be a really nice winter!
~Faith
.
Showing posts with label Swimming Pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swimming Pool. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Aw, Heck, I'm On A Roll! July 24, 2010
.
Let's see how many posts I can do until I get tired of wrestling with this browser hanging up on me.
Michael, spending some time cleaning debris from the pool after our little tornado. We still have a yard full of logs we need to deal with. We sure have been enjoying this pool during this Long, Hot Summer.
Our Ladies group has been working on a quilt project, I believe I mentioned that before. There were about 10 of us at that time, and the goal was for each of us to make a secret square. We were supposed to have a big reveal when it was time to put them together. It did not work out that way.
I did finish mine, but to encourage the rest to get on with theirs I did a little prodding by bringing mine out. It worked and the next week there were several squares done. But now I can show my humble little quilt square.
I'm not a quilter, but I've seen them on TV. And this looks nothing like what they do. I took some pieces of fabric that make me feel happy when I look at them, and I made them into a scene that I love; a picnic.
I found apple blossom sprig clip art, traced it onto some fabric, then (being too impatient to wait for embroidery floss) proceeded to edge it with plain old white and two shades of green threads over the course of a couple of evenings.
Then I added a blanket and napkin to the scene. I guess you would call it a mix of piecing and applique.
The other ladies used my idea as a springboard for some really amazing work that puts this to shame. I'm looking forward to putting the whole thing together!
~Faith
.
Let's see how many posts I can do until I get tired of wrestling with this browser hanging up on me.
Michael, spending some time cleaning debris from the pool after our little tornado. We still have a yard full of logs we need to deal with. We sure have been enjoying this pool during this Long, Hot Summer.
Our Ladies group has been working on a quilt project, I believe I mentioned that before. There were about 10 of us at that time, and the goal was for each of us to make a secret square. We were supposed to have a big reveal when it was time to put them together. It did not work out that way.
I did finish mine, but to encourage the rest to get on with theirs I did a little prodding by bringing mine out. It worked and the next week there were several squares done. But now I can show my humble little quilt square.
I'm not a quilter, but I've seen them on TV. And this looks nothing like what they do. I took some pieces of fabric that make me feel happy when I look at them, and I made them into a scene that I love; a picnic.
I found apple blossom sprig clip art, traced it onto some fabric, then (being too impatient to wait for embroidery floss) proceeded to edge it with plain old white and two shades of green threads over the course of a couple of evenings.
Then I added a blanket and napkin to the scene. I guess you would call it a mix of piecing and applique.
The other ladies used my idea as a springboard for some really amazing work that puts this to shame. I'm looking forward to putting the whole thing together!
~Faith
.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Interludes and Fear Factors. May 28, 2010
.
Interludes first.
Mikka found the catnip! We'd never seen this before, so it was kind of funny.
What is the world coming to? First the Japanese Beetles and now the cat.
We got some much needed rain.
And found that the French drains we put in work great!
This one above the greenhouse has gravel over the end of it.
Now on to the scary part of putting the pool together. The part you can NOT take back if you mess up. Cutting the holes for the new filtering system. The pool is half full at this point.
We have had two cordless drills over the years, but the batteries are all shot now. We are loving this old drill. Yup, it has a cord, but it's faithful!
This is the return jet hole. We began by cutting a small opening into the liner where the return would go. This was to stuff wet paper towels inside to absorb any metal filings that might want to fall between the wall and the liner while we work, damaging the liner at a later time.
Then we pulled the liner away and drilled a starter hole in the center of the hole we needed to cut out. I used the gasket as the template for the hole.
The tin snips were used to cut out the circle, while we held the paper towels against the area from the other side.
Pulling the towels out, now that the cut is finished.
We put the return through the hole.
So we could trim away the excess liner.
A razor blade works perfectly.
Put the jet together. Simple, just follow instructions with box.
And fasten it permanently to the wall, using the gaskets and some marine grease if you have it. You should get some.
Ours did not come with instructions, the box had been broken into. The gaskets were a little confusing. We had two rubber gaskets and one cork. I looked up many places online, and they all said something different. Just make sure you've got your two rubber gaskets on there, inside and outside, and do what you want with the cork. We put it outside next to the nut that tightens the whole assembly on. I don't think it's doing anything there anyhow.
The next one was harder. The skimmer hole. We used the gasket for a template again, and had to cut out the square hole and 10 screw holes. We used the paper towel trick, which worked great.
It took a long time, being careful not to drill my hand (Michael got me once), cut or poke a hole in the liner, lose any metal shavings inside the liner, or get the drill bit wound up in the paper towels. But at long last, it was done.
Then came screwing it all together and trimming away excess liner.
I would like to tell you we completed it by ourselves, but we did not. We really needed some muscle to get those screws tight on the skimmer. My dad came over and loaned that to us, along with the marine grease.
After this, it was just a matter of filling it and seeing what leaks! There will ALWAYS be leaks. We just have to be ready to fix them.
~Faith
.
Interludes first.
Mikka found the catnip! We'd never seen this before, so it was kind of funny.
What is the world coming to? First the Japanese Beetles and now the cat.
We got some much needed rain.
And found that the French drains we put in work great!
This one above the greenhouse has gravel over the end of it.
Now on to the scary part of putting the pool together. The part you can NOT take back if you mess up. Cutting the holes for the new filtering system. The pool is half full at this point.
We have had two cordless drills over the years, but the batteries are all shot now. We are loving this old drill. Yup, it has a cord, but it's faithful!
This is the return jet hole. We began by cutting a small opening into the liner where the return would go. This was to stuff wet paper towels inside to absorb any metal filings that might want to fall between the wall and the liner while we work, damaging the liner at a later time.
Then we pulled the liner away and drilled a starter hole in the center of the hole we needed to cut out. I used the gasket as the template for the hole.
The tin snips were used to cut out the circle, while we held the paper towels against the area from the other side.
Pulling the towels out, now that the cut is finished.
We put the return through the hole.
So we could trim away the excess liner.
A razor blade works perfectly.
Put the jet together. Simple, just follow instructions with box.
And fasten it permanently to the wall, using the gaskets and some marine grease if you have it. You should get some.
Ours did not come with instructions, the box had been broken into. The gaskets were a little confusing. We had two rubber gaskets and one cork. I looked up many places online, and they all said something different. Just make sure you've got your two rubber gaskets on there, inside and outside, and do what you want with the cork. We put it outside next to the nut that tightens the whole assembly on. I don't think it's doing anything there anyhow.
The next one was harder. The skimmer hole. We used the gasket for a template again, and had to cut out the square hole and 10 screw holes. We used the paper towel trick, which worked great.
It took a long time, being careful not to drill my hand (Michael got me once), cut or poke a hole in the liner, lose any metal shavings inside the liner, or get the drill bit wound up in the paper towels. But at long last, it was done.
Then came screwing it all together and trimming away excess liner.
I would like to tell you we completed it by ourselves, but we did not. We really needed some muscle to get those screws tight on the skimmer. My dad came over and loaned that to us, along with the marine grease.
After this, it was just a matter of filling it and seeing what leaks! There will ALWAYS be leaks. We just have to be ready to fix them.
~Faith
.
Bright and Early ~~ May 26, 2010
.
The plan is to get out there and get it all done before ten am, when the sun hits. That never happens. But we got out fairly early anyhow, and began unloading the blocks we would need to set under the joints of the track that the pool wall sits inside.
There Michael is, holding up the door and seeing that the tire is flat, yet again.
We dig down in the sand bed to see how much we've got to work with; about 4 inches in the center and 2 inches around the perimeter.
We begin placing stones. They have to be level, both from front to back, and from side to side. Not only that, but the pool must be completely level in it's circumference. So you find the lowest spot and place the stone level, then you dig the rest down to meet it. Never build up to level what you are constructing. The soil will move away from the point of pressure.
By the time we'd worked for a while, we began wishing we had more sand. It would reduce our time out there a lot. I asked Michael how much he felt would be worth. We both came up with the amount of 50 dollars.
Within an hour we had this sand, delivered, for just over 50 dollars. What a great thing!
But putting it in the center was a bad idea. If I had a surveyor's site to find level, we'd have been OK, but I didn't think it through. I usually level the whole place by driving a center post, attaching a straight board to it with a level riding on top, and taking it around and around, leveling as we go. Now that was impossible.
Leveling them all was now rather tedious. We began from the lowest block and worked our way out from each side of it, measuring for level from the block previous, and hoped it would come out well by the time we were through.
I'm so thankful that it did.
And friends arrived just in time to help us with the last pavers and then put the wall into the track. We could not have done it without them. Well, I suppose we could have, but it would have added another week to the project.
Here's how the wall goes into the tracks which are placed on the leveled pavers.
Beginning to spread the sand. This was too much. The guy had been very kind and given us extra sand for free. I wish he hadn't. With the sand we already had down, I think 1.5 scoops would have been plenty, and he brought 2.5 scoops.
Water..... water...... gasp.... water....
Bolting the ends together was difficult. Being a used pool, the pieces were rusty and some of them bent. Getting them to move and slide into position took a lot of muscle. WD-40 became our very best friend.
This is one of those cheap WalMart pools they used to sell. It comes with one hole and a very limited filtering system. We will not use it, but install the better filtering system we already had that you see behind the pool. Better, but more work.
There I am, taking more photos of the beautiful sky the Lord has given us.
Extra sand went outside.
It was really hot in there.
Make sure you cover the bolts with duct tape to protect the liner.
We took breaks. We are fans of fans.
When we could take it no longer, we went in for relaxing, dinner, games, and just visiting. Ahhhhhhhhh....
~Faith
.
The plan is to get out there and get it all done before ten am, when the sun hits. That never happens. But we got out fairly early anyhow, and began unloading the blocks we would need to set under the joints of the track that the pool wall sits inside.
There Michael is, holding up the door and seeing that the tire is flat, yet again.
We dig down in the sand bed to see how much we've got to work with; about 4 inches in the center and 2 inches around the perimeter.
We begin placing stones. They have to be level, both from front to back, and from side to side. Not only that, but the pool must be completely level in it's circumference. So you find the lowest spot and place the stone level, then you dig the rest down to meet it. Never build up to level what you are constructing. The soil will move away from the point of pressure.
By the time we'd worked for a while, we began wishing we had more sand. It would reduce our time out there a lot. I asked Michael how much he felt would be worth. We both came up with the amount of 50 dollars.
Within an hour we had this sand, delivered, for just over 50 dollars. What a great thing!
But putting it in the center was a bad idea. If I had a surveyor's site to find level, we'd have been OK, but I didn't think it through. I usually level the whole place by driving a center post, attaching a straight board to it with a level riding on top, and taking it around and around, leveling as we go. Now that was impossible.
Leveling them all was now rather tedious. We began from the lowest block and worked our way out from each side of it, measuring for level from the block previous, and hoped it would come out well by the time we were through.
I'm so thankful that it did.
And friends arrived just in time to help us with the last pavers and then put the wall into the track. We could not have done it without them. Well, I suppose we could have, but it would have added another week to the project.
Here's how the wall goes into the tracks which are placed on the leveled pavers.
Beginning to spread the sand. This was too much. The guy had been very kind and given us extra sand for free. I wish he hadn't. With the sand we already had down, I think 1.5 scoops would have been plenty, and he brought 2.5 scoops.
Water..... water...... gasp.... water....
Bolting the ends together was difficult. Being a used pool, the pieces were rusty and some of them bent. Getting them to move and slide into position took a lot of muscle. WD-40 became our very best friend.
This is one of those cheap WalMart pools they used to sell. It comes with one hole and a very limited filtering system. We will not use it, but install the better filtering system we already had that you see behind the pool. Better, but more work.
There I am, taking more photos of the beautiful sky the Lord has given us.
Extra sand went outside.
It was really hot in there.
Make sure you cover the bolts with duct tape to protect the liner.
We took breaks. We are fans of fans.
When we could take it no longer, we went in for relaxing, dinner, games, and just visiting. Ahhhhhhhhh....
~Faith
.
Has It Been Nine Days? ~~ May 24, 2010
.
I've honestly been so tired I have not felt like blogging.
Also, I don't know how many of those who read my little-blog-of-grand-adventures watch the news, but so much has been going on that it's a little overwhelming. I am a firm follower of Jesus Christ, and I believe what the Bible says about the coming end of days.
For years I have been watching, paying attention to things to see when they line up with what the Bible says. For the last few years events have been happening so rapidly that I always said my head was spinning. Well, I had no idea what I was talking about. The last couple of years of head spinning have been a cake walk compared to the last couple of months, and I don't see things slowing, but instead increasing.
I have unsaved family members, including the man who is still my husband yet refused to take his place as one, and my heart is burdened for them greatly. This could all be drug out for some time, or it could happen very quickly. But what is coming for those reject Yeshua Messiah as Lord in their life is terrifying.
How's that for an opener?
This pool wore me out! As of today's entry, it is up and operating, though not completely finished. I'm seriously getting old, here! I do not remember being this physically tired before. I guess I should not be surprised, what with menopause and lupus, but it is strange to see yourself decline, you know? We are so glad it's up!
I wish I'd had time and energy to document everything we did, like a very detailed pool construction tutorial, but being so tired and planning so poorly got in the way. I will share some of it, and hope that it will be useful to anyone who wants to set a pool up. Including Michael and I at any later date.
This is the third steel-walled pool I've set up. The very first one I did myself. I was very young then. I can't believe I did it alone! LOL But the place was level, easy to prepare, and the weather not quite so much like a sauna.
Here's Michael, trimming the replacement deck boards for the three that were so tweaked.
It's really not the best job. But I am sacrificing looks for the budget. We bought only what we had to for making the deck safe and comfortable, four boards and some screws. We actually had to rip one of the boards to make it narrow enough to fit here. That means we ran the saw all along the length of it, lowering the resting plate on the saw to adjust the depth enough not to cut through the joists below.
Still, somehow, the ends did not line up. We lined up the curved ends and found that shrinkage over the years had affected length as well, something that surprised me, considering these were all screwed down quite tightly. So we used a board to guide the line I scratched with a screw tip.
The ends had nails in them, from the little duck barrier we'd installed years ago. They could not be pulled so trimming the deck had to wait until we could get a diamond tipped saw blade.
It was very hot, so we temporarily used plumber's tape and some screws...
to affix this nifty shade umbrella we found at the dollar store. Wouldn't a dollar been a great price? It was 20 dollars. I almost got 4 for twenty dollars, but then they found the price was labeled wrong. Too bad!
And we laid down the guide rails to get an idea where we needed to level the ground a bit better.
After that I wimped out. Standing there with the heat reflecting up from that dirt did me in. What's with aging, anyway!
~Faith
.
I've honestly been so tired I have not felt like blogging.
Also, I don't know how many of those who read my little-blog-of-grand-adventures watch the news, but so much has been going on that it's a little overwhelming. I am a firm follower of Jesus Christ, and I believe what the Bible says about the coming end of days.
For years I have been watching, paying attention to things to see when they line up with what the Bible says. For the last few years events have been happening so rapidly that I always said my head was spinning. Well, I had no idea what I was talking about. The last couple of years of head spinning have been a cake walk compared to the last couple of months, and I don't see things slowing, but instead increasing.
I have unsaved family members, including the man who is still my husband yet refused to take his place as one, and my heart is burdened for them greatly. This could all be drug out for some time, or it could happen very quickly. But what is coming for those reject Yeshua Messiah as Lord in their life is terrifying.
How's that for an opener?
This pool wore me out! As of today's entry, it is up and operating, though not completely finished. I'm seriously getting old, here! I do not remember being this physically tired before. I guess I should not be surprised, what with menopause and lupus, but it is strange to see yourself decline, you know? We are so glad it's up!
I wish I'd had time and energy to document everything we did, like a very detailed pool construction tutorial, but being so tired and planning so poorly got in the way. I will share some of it, and hope that it will be useful to anyone who wants to set a pool up. Including Michael and I at any later date.
This is the third steel-walled pool I've set up. The very first one I did myself. I was very young then. I can't believe I did it alone! LOL But the place was level, easy to prepare, and the weather not quite so much like a sauna.
Here's Michael, trimming the replacement deck boards for the three that were so tweaked.
It's really not the best job. But I am sacrificing looks for the budget. We bought only what we had to for making the deck safe and comfortable, four boards and some screws. We actually had to rip one of the boards to make it narrow enough to fit here. That means we ran the saw all along the length of it, lowering the resting plate on the saw to adjust the depth enough not to cut through the joists below.
Still, somehow, the ends did not line up. We lined up the curved ends and found that shrinkage over the years had affected length as well, something that surprised me, considering these were all screwed down quite tightly. So we used a board to guide the line I scratched with a screw tip.
The ends had nails in them, from the little duck barrier we'd installed years ago. They could not be pulled so trimming the deck had to wait until we could get a diamond tipped saw blade.
It was very hot, so we temporarily used plumber's tape and some screws...
to affix this nifty shade umbrella we found at the dollar store. Wouldn't a dollar been a great price? It was 20 dollars. I almost got 4 for twenty dollars, but then they found the price was labeled wrong. Too bad!
And we laid down the guide rails to get an idea where we needed to level the ground a bit better.
After that I wimped out. Standing there with the heat reflecting up from that dirt did me in. What's with aging, anyway!
~Faith
.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Yawn....... Update request?
.
UPDATE - I would like to add some comfrey and Echinacea to my herb garden. Does anyone have some roots and/or dried flower heads they would be willing to send to me, if I pay postage?
Back to the original post! :o) ~~~
Sorry, that was the best title I could come up with this morning.
It was a big weekend, despite there being two Shabbats to enjoy, they were busy ones spent in our very favorite way, with friends. I wish I had lots of photos to show you, but honestly, I was too busy just sitting around talking and I missed most of the adventures.
However, there was a little work to be done before it all began. Friday morning we really tried to get to get the pool deck done, but we hit a snag.
First thing we did was screw down the outermost deck boards, flush with the joists underneath.
The reason we wanted them flush is because we hope to put umbrella holders on the sides, and deck boards sticking past would get in the way.
Then we had to find the center point and mark it, as well as having the boards lined up straight on their ends.
Here, this board is screwed down right up to the center line. Spacing can be a little intimidating, so I usually lay them out and get an idea for how much spacing to go for.
Screwing them in is both fun and aggravating. Fun ~~ who doesn't like to operate power tools? Aggravating ~~ the boards are rarely perfectly straight, and have to be pushed or pulled in various areas as you screw them down so they line up neatly.
In this photo, you can see the garden tool we used as a spacer to hold the boards apart while I shoved on this end and Michael screwed it down quickly.
That ax head makes a nice wedge spacer as well, anything you can find is handy. Oh, and don't you love the numbers on the boards? LOL Michael did not hear me say "pencil" and instead used permanent marker....
Here is one side of the deck where we did not get the spacing right. The old board just would not give enough. At a distance it is not that noticeable...
But up close you can see the end just would not get over enough. We are trying to economize and not buy new boards, so we let this one go.
But at the other end we had three boards that were excessively tweaked as you can see here. There was no amount of pushing and pulling that I could do, feet braced against the poles, that would do the job.
So we had to call it quits and get some new boards when we went to town for office cleaning, gymnastics, and some grocery shopping for the Big War the next day.
Saturday morning, amidst a bit of house cleaning, I quickly planted some Dwarf Grey Sugar Peas, some Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, and a couple of cucumbers.
I don't know how well the peas will do, but I really wanted to try a second crop. I'm hoping with the mulch the beds will be cool enough to see something come of them. This variety is a low bush type, that trellising is not supposed to be necessary for. I will transplant them closely so they support one another.
The lettuce variety is a hot weather resistant type, and is going to be my attempt to grow in the summer, out in the garden area. I may plant them underneath another crop to shade them.
The cucumber plan for the year is to not harvest a bushel a day, like we did last year! So I want to plant just one or two a week, to have a slow but steady supply of salad cukes.
The eggplants are doing great, so far! At least a lot better than I expected. They are withstanding the flea beetles. I believe the mulch is helping. They all have flowers, though they are still on the small side. This is quite an accomplishment here. Usually flea beetles completely prevent the growing of eggplant.
Then we were blessed to have a good supply of friends over for the afternoon and night. Michael had been planning an airsoft war for months, and about 10 young people came to participate, bringing along parents as well.
I wish I'd taken lots of photos, it was a wonderful time, but I was too busy visiting and being spoiled rotten by help!
This brought tears to my eyes. 10 heads out there, all picking strawberries for us. What would have taken over an hour for the two of us, they all swooped in and got done very quickly. I hope they enjoyed a lot of berries while picking, they are so good when fresh.
They brought in 3 large bowls of berries, and we ladies enjoyed chatting and processing them. Then we went out and picked a salad with all sorts of things from the herb garden thrown in. It was fun to pick and choose what flavors to add.
The young people came back from war for dinner, promptly ushered me out of the kitchen, and proceeded to finish fixing dinner for me. I'm so spoiled!
I did manage to snap a couple of shots of only a small portion of the battle paraphernalia strewn about the house and front porch.
Good times!
~Faith
.
UPDATE - I would like to add some comfrey and Echinacea to my herb garden. Does anyone have some roots and/or dried flower heads they would be willing to send to me, if I pay postage?
Back to the original post! :o) ~~~
Sorry, that was the best title I could come up with this morning.
It was a big weekend, despite there being two Shabbats to enjoy, they were busy ones spent in our very favorite way, with friends. I wish I had lots of photos to show you, but honestly, I was too busy just sitting around talking and I missed most of the adventures.
However, there was a little work to be done before it all began. Friday morning we really tried to get to get the pool deck done, but we hit a snag.
First thing we did was screw down the outermost deck boards, flush with the joists underneath.
The reason we wanted them flush is because we hope to put umbrella holders on the sides, and deck boards sticking past would get in the way.
Then we had to find the center point and mark it, as well as having the boards lined up straight on their ends.
Here, this board is screwed down right up to the center line. Spacing can be a little intimidating, so I usually lay them out and get an idea for how much spacing to go for.
Screwing them in is both fun and aggravating. Fun ~~ who doesn't like to operate power tools? Aggravating ~~ the boards are rarely perfectly straight, and have to be pushed or pulled in various areas as you screw them down so they line up neatly.
In this photo, you can see the garden tool we used as a spacer to hold the boards apart while I shoved on this end and Michael screwed it down quickly.
That ax head makes a nice wedge spacer as well, anything you can find is handy. Oh, and don't you love the numbers on the boards? LOL Michael did not hear me say "pencil" and instead used permanent marker....
Here is one side of the deck where we did not get the spacing right. The old board just would not give enough. At a distance it is not that noticeable...
But up close you can see the end just would not get over enough. We are trying to economize and not buy new boards, so we let this one go.
But at the other end we had three boards that were excessively tweaked as you can see here. There was no amount of pushing and pulling that I could do, feet braced against the poles, that would do the job.
So we had to call it quits and get some new boards when we went to town for office cleaning, gymnastics, and some grocery shopping for the Big War the next day.
Saturday morning, amidst a bit of house cleaning, I quickly planted some Dwarf Grey Sugar Peas, some Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, and a couple of cucumbers.
I don't know how well the peas will do, but I really wanted to try a second crop. I'm hoping with the mulch the beds will be cool enough to see something come of them. This variety is a low bush type, that trellising is not supposed to be necessary for. I will transplant them closely so they support one another.
The lettuce variety is a hot weather resistant type, and is going to be my attempt to grow in the summer, out in the garden area. I may plant them underneath another crop to shade them.
The cucumber plan for the year is to not harvest a bushel a day, like we did last year! So I want to plant just one or two a week, to have a slow but steady supply of salad cukes.
The eggplants are doing great, so far! At least a lot better than I expected. They are withstanding the flea beetles. I believe the mulch is helping. They all have flowers, though they are still on the small side. This is quite an accomplishment here. Usually flea beetles completely prevent the growing of eggplant.
Then we were blessed to have a good supply of friends over for the afternoon and night. Michael had been planning an airsoft war for months, and about 10 young people came to participate, bringing along parents as well.
I wish I'd taken lots of photos, it was a wonderful time, but I was too busy visiting and being spoiled rotten by help!
This brought tears to my eyes. 10 heads out there, all picking strawberries for us. What would have taken over an hour for the two of us, they all swooped in and got done very quickly. I hope they enjoyed a lot of berries while picking, they are so good when fresh.
They brought in 3 large bowls of berries, and we ladies enjoyed chatting and processing them. Then we went out and picked a salad with all sorts of things from the herb garden thrown in. It was fun to pick and choose what flavors to add.
The young people came back from war for dinner, promptly ushered me out of the kitchen, and proceeded to finish fixing dinner for me. I'm so spoiled!
I did manage to snap a couple of shots of only a small portion of the battle paraphernalia strewn about the house and front porch.
Good times!
~Faith
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