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A nice sunny day

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:30 am

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It was a nice sunny day and for once I didn't have a million and one things that I needed to do. Well, I did but I ignore some of them. I went outside. Brian and Dan both beat me out. Brian was working on the greenhouse and Dan was sanding the old finish off of the inside of the travel trailer. We're refurbishing it so he can live in it for a while. He's going to be saving his money for a down payment on his own house.
Anyway, I decided that it was time to clean out under the rose bushes and give them some food. I did 10 rose bushes and two honeysuckle bushes. I had piles of leaves and debris all over. I thought it was break time so went in and made cold drinks for all. Before I could get them outside, Brian came in so he carried his out. I carried mine and Dan's out and discovered he'd disappeared. So, I drank mine and his. I cleaned out behind the travel trailer so he would have a place for his lawn chairs and his copper firepit thingy. He came back just as I was finishing it. He finished all the walls today. He is coming back tomorrow to do the cupboards in the kitchen area. That's more detail work than the walls. Tomorrow, I have to finish up the rose bushes. I probably have another 10 to do. They are all on the row of bushes that hide the messy work area from the herb garden area. When we moved here the climbing roses were sort of just rambling across the lawn because they only had a three foot fence and no one had trained them on it. We added another three feet of fence atop the first three feet so there is six feet. I want to add another two foot section when we have time because it's drooping and catches us when we walk by it.
Brian is going to work on the greenhouse door. It's looking good. Then, he wants to add a brace here and there and some trim. After that we need to start work on the back fence so we can get those trees planted. We have room for three trees and we only bought two so we need to get one more. Brian is going to ask our neighbor to dig three holes with his backhoe so we won't have to do so much digging. It will still be work but not so much. Brian said that after he gets the three holes dug, we can put up fence # 1. Then, fence # 2 will be four or five feet inside of that one. I'll put vines and flowers in between the two fences. That way, Chance can't run up and down the fence. Brian says maybe we'll do that with the other yard too. Poor Chance, we'll cut down on some of her fun. She runs up and down the fence and barks at our neighbor's visitors. He has a big workshop and fixes things for people. All sorts of things. He welds.
We also have to finish the exercise room, put up the screen section. I haven't even been using it, shame on me. I'm supposed to but it's been so cold, I haven't wanted to go out there.
There is never an end to things to do. I have that big pond tub to bury. Well, I have to dig a hole to hold it so we can get on with the waterfall.
I have to dig out all the grass and weeds that have been coming up where they aren't wanted. I need to take some more pictures of the daffodils and I want a picture of the hummingbirds. There were at least eight of them today, chasing each other between my feeder and our neighbor Frank's feeder. This Frank is 75 and is from Germany.
Dooley

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One things leads to another

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:43 pm

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I can't seem to get anything finished because it seems like lately I can't start anything without needing to do six things before I can get to it. Our son has been having some problems finding a place to live because in winter time there just isn't anything to rent here.
So, we told him he could put a small trailer in our lower driveway. Except there is already a very small out of date trailer parked there. It's where Brian stores the things we take to the flea market when we go. So, we will move it back to the side of the big shed. But, we need to move a fence first. The neighbor who can move the little trailer is out of town for the weekend. We can't plant the apple trees, because where we want to plant them is where the neighbor needs to bring his endloader through to move the little trailer. The little trailer has no wheels is why he moves it with the endloader. He just moved it forward last fall so we could fill the holes where it was parked. We, also, need to put the fence across the backyard so the javalina won't eat the apple trees. They come down the alley. Most of the yard is fenced except that piece behind the big shed. so, right now, we are waiting for Monday when the neighbor gets back. Tuesday they are supposed to bring Dan's small trailer. He's only using it for a bedroom and get-away place because he won't have plumbing in it.
One good thing is that he has cable internet and he is having it transferred to here and he says I can hook up to it if we buy a router and cable moden and then, we'll share the cost. Maybe that will happen next week or the week after or the week after. It depends on how many things we have to do before we can get it hooked up for him.
This morning we were going to the flea market but the weather wasn't great. So Brian decided to work on the greenhouse. We've been so busy that we were wondering if we were even going to get it up. He was working on the frame when it started snowballing. He didn't need my help so I was trying to clean the garden shed. I had moved everything out. We switched some shelves around because we wanted some shelves to put in the greenhouse that were in the garden shed and I had some others to put in the garden shed. I sorted and tossed things and has just finished putting things back when it started to snowball. Not rain, not sleet, not hail or snow. Little hard snowballs is the closest I could come to it. Brian put his things away. The snow/rain or whatever is supposed to last through tomorrow and then hopefully we will have some sunny warm days and we can get something done. Tuesday is out because that is supposed to be the trailer moving day, maybe!
I did get the pansies planted. The hummingbirds weren't too happy about it because it was too close to the feeder. I kept getting divebombed. I tried to get their picture but didn't manage it yesterday. I'll try again when I see them out there. They are ruby throated and when the sun shines on them they are just beautiful. Guess I should go see if there is anything I need to be doing. Not outside right now. I'm not fond of snowballs. Dooley

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Cold, snowy day

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:33 am

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We got up to a cold, snowy day. I thought it was still snowing, but it was just the wind blowing snow out of the trees. We had 10 inches, at least. It is hard to settle on an accurate amount as it was mixed with rain at times and it was warm enough to melt it at times. There was so much snow in and on the trees that the branches were bending on the fir trees. I used my broom to knock some of the snow off so they could spring back into a semblance of trees.
At 10:30 no one had gone out out street. The snow still had no tire prints. It was really beautiful out. By eleven-thirty, the sun had warmed things enough that the street was empty of snow and water was running down it like a river. Up the block, the paved street was clean and dry. The daffodils now have no snow to peek through. If I have to have snow, this is the kind I like. It took a day and a half to get it built up to the 10 inches and in a day and a half it will be gone with the exception of the shady spots and that may take an additional day.
Dan went up to Camp Verde this morning. He came over here this afternoon. He said people from the valley were bringing their kids up to see the snow. The valley had mainly rain. (l to 2 inches) He said they were stopping their car where ever there was a space to do so. The kids piles out and played in the snow. Dan said up and down the highway were snowmen. There are people living down in Phoenix who never get snow. When it gets close they take their kids to see it. This is the most snow I've seen since we moved to Arizona 17 years ago. My sister has lived in Arizona since 1967. Her kids have never experienced shoveling snow. Some of her grandchildren have never seen snow until this week. When someone says, "Snow, what's the big deal?" they don't realize this is the desert and it doesn't generally snow. The snow is usually reserved for the 6,000 and above in altitude.
So, after 143 days without measurable rain or snow everyone was very excited when it started to rain and snow. It was a good storm in that respect. I grumble about the snow, but it's good for the ground.
I saw something else grumbling about the snow yesterday and this morning. There was a little hummingbird trying to get nectar out of the apricot blossems and it kept getting dusted with the snow as it disturbed the branches. Definitely not a happy hummingbird. dooley

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Bad weather coming?

Category: Herb Garden | Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:42 pm

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The weather forecast for the next three days is rain, rain mixed with snow and/or snow. Yavapai County, which is our county, is included. We live in the southern part of the county but we still are above 3,500 feet which is supposed to be the snow line. I guess I will bring my plants inside for the weekend. Brian said he will set up a table for me. I should do it before it gets dark. The rain, etc. isn't supposed to start before tomorrow but the temperature will start to go down. I want to go take a picture of my daffodils too. I was waiting for more of them to bloom before taking a picture. It is windy today but the sun is coming out part of the time and it was 48F when I last looked. I work at the library from 1 to 5 pm tomorrow so I hope any snow waits until after I get home. The worst day is supposed to be Saturday. Brian washed all of the clothes today. Laundry is his job around the house. Mine is dishes. I would trade with him but he hates doing dishes. The rest of the housework is mine too. He hauls in the wood and tends the fire. Sometimes he cooks. Usually he has supper started when I get home on Friday. I'll find something for the slow cooker tomorrow. He bought me a new set of pots and pans last week. He said he thought it was time I had a new set. It's been awhile I guess. I have a lot of pieces of different sets that I've had over the years. Now, I have to clean the cupboards to find room for them. The bits and pieces have to go, I guess.
After moving our son, seeing how much he had accumulated in a few years, we've been eyeing our stuff. We are thinking of making a list of things we can live without. Or maybe making a list of the things we can't live without. At our age, we can do without a lot of the things that we really needed at a much younger age. I, also, need to go through the box we keep for when the grandchildren come. They are older now and I'm sure some things are much too young for them. Maybe I need to find some things for older kids. They don't come all that often anyway. They would rather send us tickets and let us do the traveling. I don't mind but someone else doesn't like the hassle. He says we'll drive ourselves next time. Not in winter though. The only part about traveling in summer is getting someone to water everything. One summer Dan watered everything, but he didn't pick anything so it was messy when I got back. Oh, well! You can't have everything. I could choose not to have a garden, but I like having a garden. We give quite a lot away to neighbors. They don't seem to mind it. I'd better go bring things inside before it's time to start evening things, like supper, then dishes.

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Moving!!

Category: Daily Happenings | Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:56 am

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No, not me! My son is moving. But, he can't move into the new place until April lst but he needs to be out of the old place as soon as possible. So, most of his belongings are being stored in our big shed. He packs boxes, Brian and I load them in our truck and transport them to our place and store them. I think maybe we have the harder job. He is going to stay with friends for the rest of the month. He doesn't think our spare room is big enough for him and his lizard. The lizard is in a 100 gallon tank and it's big. The tank, not the lizard. It's a spiny lizard and is about a foot long. He has special lights etc. for it.
This morning we went to Prescott to buy peat pots and plastic for the greenhouse. We decided on the 6 mil because though we have wire to keep the wind from tearing it, the sun can burn the plants too. Brian is making a vent that will open on nice days to let the heat buildup out.
My herb seeds arrived. I have twenty-two packs. Three are squash but the rest are herbs. My son was leaving his rosemary bush so today while we were waiting for boxes, I dug it up and put it in a pot. He said rosemary doesn't survive moving but I moved mine and it did fine. So, if it grows in the pot, I will give it back to him after he gets moved. He is moving to a small place so he won't have much room for in-ground plants anyway.
We should have him moved out by tomorrow. I hope so anyway. Our landlord died last July and his son is selling places. He says it for tax purposes but if he sold Dan's place, he could sell ours. We are thinking that we will keep that in mind. I might put some of my herbs in pots instead of in the ground. He said he isn't selling but two but you never know.
It is one of the bad parts about renting. We just don't want the upkeep of our own place. When something needs fixed we fix it and send him the bills. I do like having a garden though so no apartment.
I have five daffodils blooming and more that will bloom in the next day or two. The pansies that I planted are doing well too. The tulips are all coming up and the apricot trees have started to bloom. Maybe it won't be cold anymore. HaHaHa!


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