Did You See That? Me Either!

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Whoosh! That was life, speeding by, leaving me spinning like those old cartoons.

We spent a half day today cleaning a large house for extra money. The owners are arriving in town today and wanted it ready for them. That will be helpful!

I did not pick up my camera and document much. We have been busy, but nothing seemed noteworthy, really. I suspect because I've about hit burnout from spring gardening madness and now it's getting a little tedious. I'm ready to move on now... THANKS!

There were a few things we took pics of. Here we are continuing to add on to the potato boxes. A lovely evening provided the backdrop, though I do wish we'd have been gnat free.





Ta-DAAaaaaa!





And Michael came back down from his project on the hill. He is not only clearing the hillside, but has decided to liven up the tree house by building another platform on a tree some distance away and creating a cable for a zip line.

Michael is currently over at the potato boxes when I snapped this picture of the tools of his trade.





So, we were replanting the corn. AGAIN! Michael was working on another hill for our Giant Pumpkin project, and he says, "Do you hear those bees?"

"No." Me standing to ease my aching back and swish the gnats away from my face.

"Do you hear the sound like wind down in the trees in the horse pasture?"

"No," says his rapidly-going-deaf mother.

After a few more exchanges we decide this could be a cool picture taking event, so off we scamper.

We found the swarm behind the blackberry pit near the round pen and took a lot of fun shots. Michael took most of the cool ones. He likes to play with the camera settings, I've just gotten to busy to care beyond point and shoot lately.

Here's where they were at...













It was at this point that I hoped beyond all reason I could get our old hive out and coax this new hive in, but upon running to the feed and tack room, I realized fully what I already knew. It needs work first. Another thing on our list...





Here they are clustering around the newly crowned queen.





Yes, I'm on my third planting of corn. I have one hill that behaved itself. Only one sprout didn't come up.





But most look more like this one. Only one sprout DID come up.





We have spent a couple of days in the vineyard. Pruning, tying up, and spraying with the most obnoxious chemical I have ever used. We have used Sevin for the bugs that are coming, and a fungicide for the Black Rot that has begun already. Needless to say, we won't be eating any grapes this year, but I hope to get the black rot under control enough to use a milder fungicide next year.





Here is the beginning of Black Rot, otherwise known as Mummy Berry.





More problems. Cane borers, or girdlers. Judicious pruning and hopefully Sevin will take care of that.





Honestly, grapes have taken up a lot of our last few days. We had to burn all the trimmings. That took gas to get the greenery up in flames.

I talked with a vineyard owner today. He invited us to come and see his operation and learn from him, so I hope we can do that in the next couple of weeks.

I know we've done other things, but my brain is currently going into shut down. So here is where I'll quit.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Faith

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