Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Outdoor Adventure Thread

Tips for Valentines Day

Valentines Day comes right after next weekend. It pays to be prepared:

Forget the dozen roses that will be faded and wilted in days. Instead, thrill your gardening Valentine with one or a dozen red, pink, or white blooming flowers and shrubs. For this romantic holiday, give flowers that will bloom throughout the summer -- or even for years to come.
If plants are in short supply, consider ordering a bouquet of seed packets for colorful flowers. For Valentine colors, choose cosmos, hollyhock, Jupiter's beard, larkspur, zinnia, and whirling butterfly. With a bit of planning, perhaps you can place an order for Lady Jane tulip bulbs.
Your choices could include packets of seeds, small plants, or even a gift certificate for a spring gardening shopping spree. Choose your blooms from these desert-garden-friendly annuals, perennials, shrubs, and bulbs. . .

Some nice recommendations for New Mexico and beyond are included.

* * *

Here's a thought for people who are sheltering in place, away from the garden and others. Perhaps this is not the best way to combine puttering and romance:

The most sacrosanct thread at AoSHQ?

I learned from a comment last week that this is the most sacrosanct thread at AoSHQ. The original Valentine was a saint, so I thought that we might discuss this sainthood and sanctity thing as we approach Valentine's Day. I didn't think the first definition quite fit this thread. Here's the second:

Sacrosanct

2. treated as if holy : immune from criticism or violation

Synonyms:

hallowed, holy, inviolable, sacred, unassailable, untouchable

Did you know?

That which is sacrosanct is doubly sacred. Sacrosanct is derived from the Latin sacrosanctus, which is probably from the phrase sacro sanctus ("hallowed by a sacred rite"). The first element of this phrase, sacro, is the ablative case of sacrum ("a sacred rite") and means "by a sacred rite" (sacrum lives on in English anatomy as the name for our pelvic vertebrae--a shortening of os sacrum, which literally means "holy bone"). The second element, sanctus, is the past participle of the Latin sancire, which means "to make sacred." Sanctus has also given English the words saint, sanctimony, sanctify, and sanctuary.

So, is it true? Is this the most sacrosanct thread at AoSHQ? And what does that mean?

Outdoor Adventure

A friend of mine was in a group of 9 middle school girls who called themselves the "Friday Night Gang" because they got together for Friday night activities. It helped that their parents trusted them. They kept in touch all the way until they were near or into retirement age, and last October the 6 who were still close enough to travel met for a sleepover and a trip to Zion National Park. Here are some photos from their visit:

A natural seep:

Time for a little puttering:

What they saw on a hike:

What some of those symbols meant:

There is not room today for photos from the drive two of them took home to Arizona.

Advice from an Old Farmer

h/t an esteemed delivery boy at Signature Magazine.

Most of the stuff people worry about,
ain't never gonna happen anyway.

Gardens of The Horde

badgerwx sent us some photos at the end of January. Brrrrr. . . :

Not much to show outside while I'm in the deep freeze. But once it warms up enough for some outside puttering, I'll have to remove this unlucky arbor vitae. It seems AVs don't like to be crowded by structures or other plants.
This one had all the branches on the back side die back over the years & the sudden weight of 8" of snow on just one side was too much for the root ball. I got the snow in just a couple of hours in early Jan & it went over before I could broom it off.
Nature always wins in the end. I'm going to replace it with a non-evergreen native shrub with flowers for the pollinators - maybe a dwarf buttonbush (Cephalanthus).

I had an unwelcome visitor hanging around my bird feeder yesterday.
A friend with a bird ID app says it's a red-shouldered hawk. This picture is a little blurry because I zoomed in on it thru my glass patio door & porch screen.

And here is some indoor color. This is 1 of 2 descendants of a holiday cactus I inherited from my Mom (not found in stores!). This one started blooming the 2nd week in Jan & just finished a few days ago - the buds open 1 or 2 at a time. #2 still has about a half dozen buds that should see me thru the 1st half of Feb.

Such welcome color this time of year!

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at that g mail dot com place

Include the nic by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ,
unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:15 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs and Snowmen

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 01:16 PM (2JoB8)

2 As it's to cold out for much, and I have wood to burn I have a new hobby idea and want to make charcoal.
Just need a container with sealed lid that can be in a fire or in my case just above.

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 01:19 PM (2JoB8)

3 So, is it true? Is this the most sacrosanct thread at AoSHQ? And what does that mean?

It means this is the thread where morons are least likely to discuss a certain subject that I won't name so that I don't violate the sanctity of the thread.

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:21 PM (6RgRK)

4 Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:21 PM

Heh.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:23 PM (0ghg2)

5 Moron tip: when I last had a water heater in an accessible closet, I used to germinate tomato seeds by putting the containers near the top of the water heater. I have a similar setup in my new house and I can hardly wait to try this again to see if it works as well as I remember.

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM (6RgRK)

6 This thread agrees there's no wrong way. What ever makes you happy.

Posted by: Golfman at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM (XWHbj)

7 Sacrosanct. I like that. I do find this to be a very peaceful place.

Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM (Vf4Y7)

8 This thread is being recorded for quality purposes.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM (vuisn)

9 KT, I'm glad you posted that tulip picture. I had forgotten about those and they would look so pretty in front of my new house!

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:28 PM (6RgRK)

10 Still snow in back yard. Planning though. Guy coming out on Friday to look at the tiers, steps, whatever around the back patio. Old railroad ties planted by the same outfit 47 years ago that are a mess. I would like some block and fresh dirt for planting tomatoes, etc. Dad had covered it in the late 90's with weed barrier and plastic plants.

Posted by: Infidel at February 05, 2022 01:29 PM (qpolg)

11 Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM

Nice idea. When ovens had pilot lights, similar arrangements could be worked out.

The tops of some refrigerators are warm, but not ours.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:29 PM (0ghg2)

12 I have a similar setup in my new house and I can hardly wait to try this again to see if it works as well as I remember.
Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:26 PM (6RgRK)

Great idea.

Except mine is under the house.

Posted by: Golfman at February 05, 2022 01:29 PM (XWHbj)

13 This morning I was greeted by an unexpected happy surprise - my amaryllis that I was gifted last Christmas FINALLY is sending up a new shoot.

It just sat there for three whole months after I chopped down the leaves. Doing nothing. I would feel the bulb to see if it was rotting, but no, it felt firm, so I kept watering the pot when it felt dry.

So this a.m. I was thrilled to see a little green point popping up out of the bulb! YAY

(I think I may have waited too long to prune back the long leaves, so all the energy was going there instead of regrouping in the bulb to create a new flower.)

Posted by: kallisto at February 05, 2022 01:30 PM (DJFLF)

14 I would like some block and fresh dirt for planting tomatoes, etc. Dad had covered it in the late 90's with weed barrier and plastic plants.
Posted by: Infidel at February 05, 2022 01:29 PM (qpolg)

Oooh! Please take "before" and "after" photos!

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:30 PM (6RgRK)

15 That hawk is definitely a red-shouldered hawk. There are a few that hang out in the old home neighborhood. Dad doesn't mind them, but they and the local Cooper Hawks are bird hunters. Dad wishes they would try for the chipmunks and squirrels a little more.

Posted by: exdem13 at February 05, 2022 01:32 PM (W+kMI)

16 Great idea.

Except mine is under the house.
Posted by: Golfman at February 05, 2022 01:29 PM (XWHbj)

That's been my situation for the last 21 years. I've tried other arrangements to supply heat from the bottom, but none have been outstanding successes. And I've stubbornly avoided buying a special germination heat mat.

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:32 PM (6RgRK)

17 I think the Hawk was hanging around the bird feeder looking for tasty meals to stop by, I know my Broad Wing Hawks prefer other birds.

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 01:34 PM (2JoB8)

18 Emmie, those tulips naturalize in favorable locations a lot better than most fancy tulips. Tulips like it kind of dry in the summer.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:35 PM (0ghg2)

19 Tulips like it kind of dry in the summer.
Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:35 PM (0ghg2)

Urgh. I hope I can find some way to help them survive the summer rains.

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:37 PM (6RgRK)

20 I was out in the woods looking at downed trees, on one rootball I found a bunch of feathers and some clean picked bird bones, femurs I am pretty sure, about two inches long. It looked like some smaller raptor caught lunch there.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 05, 2022 01:37 PM (ZMraq)

21 My garden is currently under 2 inches of snow & ice, as it should be. The ivy got out of hand last year, so this spring I am gonna cut it way back. A couple of the volunteer redbud trees are also going, especially the ones that don't shade the computer room. This one strange plant grew up through my normally robust rose bush and hurt it some before I noticed it and got rid of it. Will keep an eye on it this spring, and also trim up the rose bush so it goes back to being its roughly spherical healthy self. (It'll bloom from May to October given the chance.)

Posted by: exdem13 at February 05, 2022 01:38 PM (W+kMI)

22 Badgerwx has great ideas for plant varieties. I'm going to have to remember Dwarf Buttonbush.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:40 PM (0ghg2)

23 I love Valentine's Day, not because my SO is super-romantic or anything. I just enjoy seeing heart shapes everywhere...they're so happy making. And baking heart shape cookies and cakes and decorating them with pink and red.

So it's on par with Christmas for me.

Posted by: kallisto at February 05, 2022 01:40 PM (DJFLF)

24 20 I was out in the woods looking at downed trees, on one rootball I found a bunch of feathers and some clean picked bird bones, femurs I am pretty sure, about two inches long. It looked like some smaller raptor caught lunch there.
------
Yes, that would be the case. I've found a couple of such leavings at the old home, and Dad has many times. They've had many of the relatively larger birds come to the feeder, especially blue jays, so the red-shoulders and Coopers ought to be making some flybys.

Posted by: exdem13 at February 05, 2022 01:42 PM (W+kMI)

25 Beautiful pictures of Zion NP. I have it on my list of places to visit.

Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at February 05, 2022 01:44 PM (Vf4Y7)

26 If this is the general puttering thread - then I'm on my puttering lunchbreak at the moment. It's 21'F and iced up outside but the garage heater is cranked. Currently working on an easy wiring solution for the Hummer that allows me to add aftermarket lights easily. Essentially I'm pre-wiring the switches, fuses, relays so all I have to do is plug the lights in to a box and it's ready to go.

Posted by: Defenestratus at February 05, 2022 01:46 PM (lEdnP)

27 Emmie, just took one, although into the bright sun. That will be feb. Maybe I can post feb, march, april, when I hope to be done. Plant in May, depending on weather, in the good old days I could plant in April.

Posted by: Infidel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (qpolg)

28 23
Valentine's Day will be interesting this year because I am having my students do a (hopefully) fun project for Hamlet. They will make Valentine's Day cards from Hamlet to Ophelia, Claudius to Gertrude, the ghost to Gertrude, heck even Rosencrantz to Guildenstern. Valentines have to be true to the character giving and receiving. Good study tool and fun (like I said, hopefully). Hamlet is so dreary I thought we could use a break from all of the gloom.

Posted by: jmel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (bVhJi)

29 As it's to cold out for much, and I have wood to burn I have a new hobby idea and want to make charcoal.
skip

And would that involve salt peter also?

Great pics. Wish I had something to contribute. Am redoing coarse cast iron into fine, smooth cast iron. We're playing with best oils (Avacado looks like the winner so far) and temps and methods

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (cPGH3)

30 27 Emmie, just took one, although into the bright sun. That will be feb. Maybe I can post feb, march, april, when I hope to be done. Plant in May, depending on weather, in the good old days I could plant in April.
Posted by: Infidel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (qpolg)

Cool, Infidel! I'd love to see them if you'd like to text them to me or send them in to the Gardening Thread!

Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:48 PM (6RgRK)

31 MkY yes that's step 2

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 01:49 PM (2JoB8)

32 Hamlet is so dreary I thought we could use a break from all of the gloom.
Posted by: jmel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (bVhJi)

Could you take a quick overview of Troilus and Cressida, or Coriolanus to make Hamlet seem cheery?

Posted by: Kindltot at February 05, 2022 01:49 PM (ZMraq)

33 Skip, then that was probably you that posted the link to the videos. I saved them. Haven't done anything with them, but I saved them. Never know.
Like me learning charcuterie for long term storage. One never knows, do one?

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 01:52 PM (cPGH3)

34 Posted by: jmel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM (bVhJi)

what a great idea...creative!

which grade do you teach?

Posted by: kallisto at February 05, 2022 01:52 PM (DJFLF)

35 I find I have very set ideas on how to deal with cast iron, and fortunately I have decided that I am tired of telling people my opinion since it means I stop listening.

MkY, tell me what you find out about smoothing out that coarse-finished cast iron, I might like to try that too.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 05, 2022 01:52 PM (ZMraq)

36 From Boise area: Another quiet week. Last lumps of snow still on the edges of the lawn where I'd piled it off the driveway. Lows 15-25, highs 30-35 F. I still see the tips of hyacinths (in ground) and tulips (in pots) poking up, but won't expect any more than that for a while.

We bottled up our 2nd batch of hard cider. I think the plan is to do a batch of beer next, then more hard cider.

About the hawk - why call it unwelcome? It's a bird. You feed birds. Hawks gotta eat, too, ya know.

Posted by: Pat* at February 05, 2022 01:53 PM (2pX/F)

37 This one had all the branches on the back side die back over the years & the sudden weight of 8" of snow on just one side was too much for the root ball. I got the snow in just a couple of hours in early Jan & it went over before I could broom it off.

reminds me of last year, after a snow storm, I heard all this noise on the left side of my house, sort of a crackling and scraping and crinkling.

Turned out the neighbor's arborvitae had broken from weight of snow/ice, and scraped against my outside wall. He's a trooper though. He came right out with his chainsaw and everything was cleared within two hours. And there really was no damage to anything of mine.

Posted by: kallisto at February 05, 2022 01:54 PM (DJFLF)

38 MkY at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM

Nice project.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 01:54 PM (0ghg2)

39 {{{Emmie}}}

Posted by: Infidel at February 05, 2022 01:56 PM (qpolg)

40 Skip, did you mention that you thought you had over cooked your wood and wound up with ash?

If you did, I was going to suggest looking up making biochar, it generally uses less equipment that charcoal. Some guys just dig a hole in the ground to limit inflow of air as they burn it.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 05, 2022 01:56 PM (ZMraq)

41 I think it's kind of unusual that my friend has a group of 9 friends who have remained friends since middle school. Do you think that is likely to happen with kids today?

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 02:03 PM (0ghg2)

42 I tried at first without a sealed container, so looking for something to use.
Watched yesterday a video how to make a large pile covered in dirt from Hopewell Village a colonial period furnace in Berks Co, they made cannon in revolutionary and civil war.

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 02:04 PM (2JoB8)

43 40 Skip, did you mention that you thought you had over cooked your wood and wound up with ash?

sounds like a sad letter to the penthouse forum

Posted by: Kulak Anachronda, behind the Newsom curtain at February 05, 2022 02:04 PM (edU/H)

44 I have many new catalogs this week!

Has anyone had luck with the arbor day society plants? I am leaning to a purchase of nut trees to replace the dying oaks that come down next week.

The grandsons and I grew, and ate, pea shoots this week.
Spendy at the grocery store, they are cheap to grom in the kitchen.

Posted by: CN The First at February 05, 2022 02:05 PM (ONvIw)

45 MkY, tell me what you find out about smoothing out that coarse-finished cast iron, I might like to try that too.
Posted by: Kindltot at February 05, 2022 01:52 PM (ZMraq)

Well, I quickly found that it involves power tools and varying grades of grit. 4" angle grinder seems to be the winner right now, with 80 grit beginning.
Second thing, Dutch ovens will NOT let angle grinders down in the bottom. What a pain!
There's a reason a smooth skillet costs $140, and a Lodge costs $18.

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:05 PM (cPGH3)

46 Test

Posted by: NativeNH at February 05, 2022 02:05 PM (dtRY5)

47 Nope. Sorry. With all due respect to the gardening thread, the prayer request thread is the most sacrosanct on Ace. My gardens don't answer my prayers, although when something actually sprouts, thrives and bears fruit that is usually an answer to prayer, rather than a credit to my brown thumb and desert climate!

Posted by: anon at February 05, 2022 02:06 PM (QCdaU)

48 Has anyone had luck with the arbor day society plants? I am leaning to a purchase of nut trees to replace the dying oaks that come down next week.
CN The First

If you mean the Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City Nebraska, they have become pariahs in the tree world. I wouldn't deal with them if they gave away their trees (which they do, BTW, with a "membership").

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:07 PM (cPGH3)

49 48. thanks

Posted by: CN The First at February 05, 2022 02:08 PM (ONvIw)

50 Stark's Bros sells nut trees, as so many nurseries. Forrest Keeling outside ST. Louis has been a real innovator in growing great bare root stuff, which is gonna be what you buy if you want nut trees.

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:10 PM (cPGH3)

51 MkY a smaller tool like a Dremel with a 1/2" grinding stone.

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 02:12 PM (2JoB8)

52 I also use the grinding stones for a drill though now have a new cordless Dremel.

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 02:14 PM (2JoB8)

53 I watched a hawk take a squirrel in my yard.

Posted by: JT at February 05, 2022 02:17 PM (arJlL)

54 Ha been looking forward to buying bare root trees and shrubs. Checked the local nursery website that carried them and it's been scrubbed. Not sure if they closed up in the off season or were purchased and I may see a new website for the new nursery. Otherwise back to the expensive nursery that sell potted stuff.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at February 05, 2022 02:21 PM (2NHgQ)

55 CN The First at February 05, 2022 02:05 PM

Trees are a big investment. Don't plant seedling nut trees from Arbor Day. Get named varieties.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 02:22 PM (0ghg2)

56 anon at February 05, 2022 02:06 PM

Agreed.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 02:23 PM (0ghg2)

57 I've got a hawk (red-tailed, I think) that hangs around my house. I've got a blurry pic of him in my backyard with a snake that he caught.

Posted by: Bert G at February 05, 2022 02:24 PM (skBlI)

58 MkY a smaller tool like a Dremel with a 1/2" grinding stone.
Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 02:12 PM (2JoB

Yeah, I have a dremel. Just can't imagine getting it smooth with a stone. I need a cast off to play with, eh?
The angle grinder, I used one of those sanding disks with, not the stone.
https://tinyurl.com/bdmasf3x

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:24 PM (cPGH3)

59 55 Thanks, KT. I haven't ordered, so I'm glad I didn't throw away money.

Posted by: CN The First at February 05, 2022 02:26 PM (ONvIw)

60 Bare root can be mailed successfully.

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:28 PM (cPGH3)

61 You can get sanding disks and drums with Dremel tools

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 02:30 PM (2JoB8)

62 Hamlet is so dreary I thought we could use a break from all of the gloom.
Posted by: jmel at February 05, 2022 01:47 PM

Have them read King Lear, then Hamlet won't seem as gloomy.

Posted by: Chuck C at February 05, 2022 02:30 PM (EughT)

63 Also honking.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Wrecker. Hoarder. Honker. at February 05, 2022 02:33 PM (lR7Oz)

64 MkY, I think I'd use a random orbit sander. I', thinking the mesh type discs and then making slurry of abrasive powder and a touch of mineral oil to recharge the mesh. Easier to keep the bottom of the pan flat.

I might also try an extra coarse diamond stone by hand first to get a quick head start on things.

One point here is to use flat against flat.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:33 PM (8C7+r)

65 34
I teach seniors. They were bonkers excited when I mentioned the project. They are picking up on the nuances of the characters, so the project is not as simple as it seems. Like I said, anything to make this gloomy play a little fun for them.

Posted by: jmel at February 05, 2022 02:34 PM (bVhJi)

66 Try to buy from someone in your own zone, or close to it.
I wouldn't plant Georgia trees in Missouri, for instance, but wouldn't hesitate to plant Michigan trees here.

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:34 PM (cPGH3)

67 MkY, I think I'd use a random orbit sander. I', thinking the mesh type discs and then making slurry of abrasive powder and a touch of mineral oil to recharge the mesh. Easier to keep the bottom of the pan flat.

I might also try an extra coarse diamond stone by hand first to get a quick head start on things.

One point here is to use flat against flat.

Thanks, Mike.. I finish with the ROS, but even the 60 grit will just polish. The diamond stone is a great idea!

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:36 PM (cPGH3)

68 MkY, these

tinyurl.com/3c55eswv

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:37 PM (8C7+r)

69 maybe a dwarf buttonbush (Cephalanthus).

Sounds fishy. I would think that if any fantasy race would be growing their buttons, it would be the elves.

Dwarves would invent zippers or something.

Posted by: mikeski at February 05, 2022 02:41 PM (P1f+c)

70
The irony of the pro-govt pro-mandate "counter-protesters" protesting with Muzzles on their mouth...

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at February 05, 2022 02:42 PM (mLFWt)

71 69 maybe a dwarf buttonbush (Cephalanthus).

Sounds fishy. I would think that if any fantasy race would be growing their buttons, it would be the elves.

Dwarves would invent zippers or something.
Posted by: mikeski at February 05, 2022 02:41 PM (P1f+c)

And tell bawdy jokes about the massive one-eyed monster it holds back.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Wrecker. Hoarder. Honker. at February 05, 2022 02:42 PM (lR7Oz)

72 tinyurl.com/3c55eswv

Heh. Yep. What I gots. They don't do steel very well. But i like your idea of an abrasive slurry. That will improve it maybe enough.

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:45 PM (cPGH3)

73 I don't have much room (townhouse) but do a little container gardening. I am trying three cherry tomatoes this year: Potted Cocoa hybrid, Indigo Kumquat hybrid, and Sweet n Neat Scarlet improved, from a company new to me, Totally Tomatoes. I basically just picked them because cherry, good for containers, and interesting colors.

My small potted Red Lime didn't do well after I brought it inside, thought it died--but green shoots on a few branches. Maybe it will make it until I can put it outside again!

Posted by: Lirio100 at February 05, 2022 02:46 PM (uFOGo)

74 Lirio100

Good luck! Cherry maters seem to be the first and the easiest. With 3, I bet you end up drying some. Nothing like your own tomatoes in the winter!

Posted by: MkY at February 05, 2022 02:50 PM (cPGH3)

75 Here in Kenosha, our temps are in the low teens, and my garden is frozen solid. However, I'm thumbing through seed catalogues and planning what will be planted in which space. In the meantime, I stare out the window and wait for spring.

Thank you, K.T., for the photos of Zion National Park. I hiked The Narrows back in 2016. It was wonderful - or at least the first 2/3rds of it was. Near the end of the hike, I stepped into a deep pool and lost my glasses, so the final leg of the hike is a blur. Still: such beauty! Especially for a flatlander like me.

Posted by: Nemo at February 05, 2022 02:52 PM (S6ArX)

76 MkY, it might. I think you want a real rigid platen for grinding and most sanding systems have rubber or foam backing. I'd think along the lines of a diamond stone, round the corners, drill a hole through it and then a countersunk machine screw through the center. Then, chuck that in a drill and run it real slow (bench drill press, if you have that would be better). Touch up the edge corners by hand.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:53 PM (8C7+r)

77 I have a fine crop of icicles coming along.

Does that count for gardening?

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:54 PM (8C7+r)

78 Tulips are very frustrating. For about twenty four hours, they look absolutely gorgeous. But then all the petals fall off, and for the next couple months you have a bunch of green, grungy foliage with a green stick standing in the middle of it. At least daffodils flowers last several days.

Last fall, I planted some crocus bulbs in my front yard. I hadn't planted any before because I always had dogs I could count on to trample them down. I had planted a lot of them in the side yard at my bookstore. I always enjoyed seeing them pop up at the start of the flower season. I just hope the damn squirrels and bunnies didn't eat the bulbs. Without the dogs, the squirrels and bunnies are now romping through the yard.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at February 05, 2022 02:54 PM (vMM2s)

79 Added benefit to the cherry tomatoes--my grandchildren will actually eat them off the bush, easiest way to get vegetables into them (yes, a fruit but they eat them happily anyway).

Posted by: Lirio100 at February 05, 2022 02:57 PM (uFOGo)

80 "Four Directions"

So, Indians are Nazis. Got it.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:59 PM (8C7+r)

81 Lirio100 at February 05, 2022 02:46 PM

Good luck with the 'maters. The Indigo varieties are really different. 'Cocoa' sounds good and so does the little compact red one.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 02:59 PM (0ghg2)

82 Tulips: after the petals fall off, I mow 'em.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 03:00 PM (8C7+r)

83 mikeski at February 05, 2022 02:41 PM

They are extraterrestrials. The blossoms only look like buttons from afar.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 03:01 PM (0ghg2)

84 PET NOOD

Posted by: Skip guy who says NOOD at February 05, 2022 03:02 PM (2JoB8)

85 Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at February 05, 2022 02:54 PM

Some of the Kaufmanniana tulips, low to the ground, seemed to stay in bloom longer when I was growing up.

About the crocuses and squirrels: Crocus tommasinianus, such as Barr's Purple, is supposed to be squirrel resistant.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 03:06 PM (0ghg2)

86 Captain Josepha Sabin

Otherwise, you can try putting fine wire bird netting over the bulbs.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 03:07 PM (0ghg2)

87 Iron Mike Golf at February 05, 2022 02:54 PM

They count as long as you admire them.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 03:08 PM (0ghg2)

88 My Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus was spectacular this year - it's getting enormous like beach ball size. The blossoms last for quite a while, always sad to see them go. My orchids (Phalaenopsis) are of course all blooming and just amazing - I've gotten comments on them. I'll send some pics of my humble little greenhouse window. My biggest orchid is blooming - but I don't think it's going to be as amazing this year as I just transplanted it about 3 months ago. The flowers - not kidding - have bloomed for 5-6 months for 3 years, another spike starts when the old one begins to fade. Crazy. I've got a couple that are blooming and already sending up new spikes. Wish I knew what I was doing right.

Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at February 05, 2022 03:08 PM (wAnMi)

89 >>>[2] I have a new hobby idea and want to make charcoal. Just need a container with sealed lid that can be in a fire or in my case just above. Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 01:19 PM
=========
Greetings, Skip ... Many years ago, I made biochar for our vegetable garden using 1-gallon lidded steel paint cans into which I punched holes for creating the right draft (TLUD, top lit up draft) ... The setup also included a section of furnace vent pipe (maybe 2-feet long IIRC) which sat above the paint cans during the burns (all of which were done on the base of our outdoor firepit).

Anyway, when I guessed the wood had burned long enough (watching* to avoid it all going to ashes), I removed the paint can and placed it in the 5-gallon metal container we use during the winter to collect ashes from our indoor fireplace.

Lots of info and videos can be found online by typing BIOCHAR and TLUD in the search fields ... New empty steel paint cans can be found at McMaster.com/paint-cans/

Posted by: Kathy at February 05, 2022 03:11 PM (h3RRP)

90 It means this is the thread where morons are least likely to discuss a certain subject that I won't name so that I don't violate the sanctity of the thread.
Posted by: Emmie is unacceptable, eh at February 05, 2022 01:21 PM (6RgRK)

*nods sagely*

Pro-----us.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Wrecker. Hoarder. Honker. at February 05, 2022 03:15 PM (lR7Oz)

91 clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at February 05, 2022

Sounds great!

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 03:21 PM (0ghg2)

92 Going to scrounge at work for a steel can first

Posted by: Skip at February 05, 2022 03:27 PM (2JoB8)

93 Kt

Late to the thread. It was my comment that said this was the most sacrosanct thread at AoSHQ.

Because this is the most focused thread. And I prefer to think you can call down a holy ban hammer on any nasty trolls that show up unbidden.

Plus you preach and show Gaia at her most beautiful.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at February 05, 2022 04:38 PM (u82oZ)

94 Love the pics, KT! Thank you.

Mom and Dad had plentiful birds in their yard. One day, Dad was headed out with a coffee can (full of birdseed)...

Mom: What are you doing with that? Where are you going?

Dad: To feed the hawks.

LOL

Posted by: JQ at February 05, 2022 05:41 PM (dB4Iz)

95 NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at February 05, 2022 04:38 PM

Thanks. Interestingly, we don't seem to get many really ugly trolls on this thread. Some salesmen, sometimes.

Posted by: KT at February 05, 2022 07:10 PM (0ghg2)

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