Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Feb. 18

Hi, everybody! The delightful photo above is by a talented lurker:

These are the blooms of Ruby Moon climbing beans with a dragonfly with an obsession. It took 20 minutes to get this photo, due to wind, and dragonfly indifference to its profile. These were commercial beans; the similar beans from Monticello had a delightful pattern of the bottom flowers beginning as pale lilac, deepening towards the tip. They still make delightful cut flowers for an arrangement.

I live in Minnesota, bought these seeds from Park Seeds. I grow it in a pot on my back patio. It would grow to 15 feet + if I made the trellis high enough. It is an annual here.
Thank you for all your work!

That is a lot of growth for an annual vine! Hyacinth beans can be perennial in frost-free locations.

The mature beans from this plant are only edible with care. But the blossoms and other parts of the plant are edible. Eat the Weeds has the details.

Here's a nice Valentine bouquet with colors that go with the blossoms above.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

From Dr_No:

from 2017 at the AgriCenter Farmers Market came these Cherokee Purple Heart tomatoes. Or, using the 'New Orleans'-ism pronuciation, "Cherr-a-KEY Poiple Hawts" (which is usually accompanied by the word 'dawlin'' or 'dawlin' hawt!') at the end of the description. These may - or not - all be genuine Purple Heart tomatoes, 'cos there were Copia, Dixie Boy, Bradley, Carolina Gold, and many more varietals on offer. I have a sinking feeling that this year's Market may not be what it has been in the past. We'll know more when it opens on 01 June. For this purchase, I had to commemorate these before dispatching them to Culinary Glory ... they were, btw, great

Got anything started? Got anything ordered?

From Garden & Gun Magazine: What's the best way to capture how my garden grows?

Garden Clubs

A beautiful Hepatica japonica f. magna flowering now.

This genus of spring woodlanders is sure to make an appearance on the benches at the AGS Show & Plant Fair this Saturday, 18 Feb, at Llanwern High School, Hartridge Farm Road, Newport, NP18 2YE.

Doors open 11am - 3.30pm. pic.twitter.com/3LWIHptgyq
— Alpine Garden Society (@AlpineGardenSoc) February 15, 2023

Nice detail! Want to grow it now?

Travel and Adventure

There’s one question I receive more than any other: “Where, exactly, *is* the South?”

Here’s the definitive answer: The South is where kudzu grows. pic.twitter.com/9Z3OCuEPwc
— Shelby Foote Appreciator⚓️ (@NoJesuitTricks) February 17, 2023

This is in the South. From the Niece Network:

We went on the Silent Cities Cemetery Tour today and Brookgreen Gardens. The cultural differences between death now and then was fascinating to learn and it was in such a beautiful place!

Cemetery gate:

Graves with live oak:

Different styles for different generations from the same family

Original headstones embedded in brick plus modern readable headstone

Backward headstone on grave of unwelcome family member - facing away from the Angel Gabriel.

Beginning of the slave cemetery area - more natural

Sometimes a grave would be marked by a possession or possessions of the deceased (toys in the case of children), then a stone would be added later.

Carved slave headstone

Stones in the slave graveyard also faced east, perhaps toward Africa.

Gardens of The Horde

We have had frost, plus a sandstorm that has left MORE tumbleweeds everywhere. What's going on in your yard and garden?

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden at g mail dot com

Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Did you do anything plant-related for Valentine's Day? Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Feb. 11

Any thoughts or questions?

I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:28 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at February 18, 2023 01:31 PM (xhxe8)

2 Don't think ever saw a backyard headstone.

My Daffodils are up 6 in, no flower buds yet

Posted by: Skip at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (xhxe8)

3 My crocus are late this year.
Probably due to that small layer of beauty bark I put out last fall.

Posted by: Diogenes at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (anj39)

4 If kudzu grew in California it would be protected.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (eQKP7)

5 In Overland Park, Ks., just about 2 blocks from the main town area, is the grave of a little girl who died on the Trail.
Nice folks kept it up all these years. It's in the yard of a small(ish) house now.

Posted by: MkY at February 18, 2023 01:39 PM (cPGH3)

6 Sidestep Adventures has found several slave cemetaries in GA. I like the way is he respectful of any of the cemetaries he visits.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 18, 2023 01:39 PM (6lj/r)

7 I have spent a lot of time in cemeteries. They are sacred places where we lay our loved ones to rest, and they should not be defiled.

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 01:40 PM (MF3yS)

8 That line about Valentine made me think we haven't had a post-Valentine thread, possibly with tales of absent mindness, woe, etc.
-- back to gardening ......

Posted by: Ciampino - shit, shitted, shat but not shot at February 18, 2023 01:42 PM (qfLjt)

9 On another note, Purple Peacock beans are beautiful both in bloom and bean. The bloom is of course beautiful purple, and the bean pod is about 8-10" long and yes it's purple. But...when you cook them....they turn green and delicious. They are a climbing bean and grow quite well in ETEX. We ordered them from a catalog place in Oregon? Memory fails.

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 01:45 PM (MF3yS)

10 I've been by ordering tomato seeds and sorting through seeds I saved from last year's crop.

It's taken great restraint to not start seedlings too early.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at February 18, 2023 01:46 PM (sD8zi)

11 Here in Bourbon Country the Daffodils are up and in bloom. Tulips and Lillis are poking up. No Crocus. I think the cats dug them all up.

Been seeing a lot (a LOT) of Sand Cranes heading north over the last couple weeks. Seem a bit early for them to be heading back up that way. Maybe they know something?

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 18, 2023 01:49 PM (Q4IgG)

12 Still too cold for anything here.

Posted by: Infidel at February 18, 2023 01:51 PM (tITEI)

13 Dr. No's tomato pic looks like a painting. Love it!

Posted by: kallisto at February 18, 2023 01:51 PM (dCxaZ)

14 Did you run a photo through a filter to get that look, Dr. No?

Posted by: kallisto at February 18, 2023 01:52 PM (dCxaZ)

15 Good afternoon everyone. There is a abandoned very small cemetery a short walk from our house. A number of flu epidemic death dates but also a few from the 40's and the 60's. Mostly children. A local gardening group has a sign up that they care for it but, alas, they do not. After it dries out a bit this spring I think I'll try to cut back some of the vegetation just so the place is not lost and forgotten forever.

Posted by: Tonypete at February 18, 2023 01:53 PM (qoGsy)

16 Still have leaves, some in sort of piles around, soon as can should gather up

Posted by: Skip at February 18, 2023 01:55 PM (xhxe8)

17 We have many aloe plants, scads of them. Many are sending up flower spikes right now. I want to take a bunch of them out and plant a Texas Laurel, but no, I have to wait until all the flowers are spent. Of course they will not be spent until it's warm enough to melt iron and that's when I'll be digging the hole.
Sigh.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 18, 2023 01:56 PM (i94ir)

18 hiya

Posted by: JT at February 18, 2023 02:01 PM (T4tVD)

19 Aloe are only indoor plants here I think

Posted by: Skip at February 18, 2023 02:04 PM (xhxe8)

20 Backyard cemeteries remind me of old churches. And old churches remind me of Society Hill in Philadelphia, where this particular old church is slated to be converted into a single family home for the developer Mark Travis, and seven apartments.

This may sound crazy or even sacrilegious, but I actually lived in a bi-level condo that was in a converted synagogue.

https://tinyurl.com/mr3mh6m6
(probably behind a paywall but some of you morons know how to get around that)

St Andrew's Byzantine Ukrainian Church

Posted by: kallisto at February 18, 2023 02:04 PM (dCxaZ)

21 4 If kudzu grew in California it would be protected.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (eQKP7)

"It's a bee"--California Fish and Wildlife

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at February 18, 2023 02:05 PM (ynpvh)

22 Just discovered I bought a few bags of the wrong soil for my large planters. In ground use soil only. It must have been mixed on the pallet with the other container soil.

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:05 PM (wX56x)

23 I hope I haven't jinxed it, but I just accessed the tinyurl and it looks like that software defeats the paywall

Posted by: kallisto at February 18, 2023 02:07 PM (dCxaZ)

24 7 I have spent a lot of time in cemeteries. They are sacred places where we lay our loved ones to rest, and they should not be defiled.

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 01:40 PM (MF3yS)

When cities grow, sometimes cemeteries are moved, but not all the bodies get taken. There's a city part in the greater St. Louis area where those that paid for their graves to be taken care of "in perpetuity" got their graves and markers moved, while others were left behind. Some of those grave markers are there today.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at February 18, 2023 02:09 PM (ynpvh)

25 part = park. damn fingers.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at February 18, 2023 02:09 PM (ynpvh)

26 Pretty flowers

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at February 18, 2023 02:10 PM (Xlnez)

27 21 4 If kudzu grew in California it would be protected.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (eQKP7)

"It's a bee"--California Fish and Wildlife

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at February 18, 2023 02:05 PM (ynpvh)
----
Bumbling around?

Posted by: Ciampino - shit, shitted, shat but not shot! at February 18, 2023 02:10 PM (qfLjt)

28 there used to be a south but the guv even fucked that up

Posted by: REDACTED at February 18, 2023 02:10 PM (us2H3)

29 I bought a few bags of the wrong soil for my large planters. In ground use soil only. It must have been mixed on the pallet with the other container soil.
Posted by: polynikes

I haven't really figured out how the sellers differentiate... it's still soil.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 18, 2023 02:11 PM (UWdXW)

30 29 I bought a few bags of the wrong soil for my large planters. In ground use soil only. It must have been mixed on the pallet with the other container soil.
Posted by: polynikes

that's why they mix it up

now you have to buy more

Posted by: REDACTED at February 18, 2023 02:13 PM (us2H3)

31 From Boise area: Snow Monday evening! Lows 21-27 F, highs 36-48.

Husband has been pruning and spraying our fruit trees. I've raked and trashed leaves. I've been watching our crocus and hyacinths put up tiny sprouts.

Indoors, I stuck 3 sprouting garlic cloves into small pots, and Husband put the grow light on them - the sprouts are definitely growing.

Posted by: Pat* at February 18, 2023 02:13 PM (WAYaX)

32 4 If kudzu grew in California it would be protected.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (eQKP7)
----
But you wouldn't be allowed to water it.

Posted by: Ciampino - There's shat, shit, shot, shut but no SHET at February 18, 2023 02:14 PM (qfLjt)

33 We just lost a State Park in Texas . Fairfield Lake State park between Dallas and Houston was bought by a developer. Formerly leased to the State for free by the energy company owner where they once had a coal plant. Now that the plant was closed they were looking to sell but the Park couldn't come up with the money so they sold it in a private sale. Of course the Park then came up with the money but it was too late. Closing permanently Feb 28.

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:16 PM (wX56x)

34 32 4 If kudzu grew in California it would be protected.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 01:36 PM (eQKP7)
----
But you wouldn't be allowed to water it.

Posted by: Ciampino - There's shat, shit, shot, shut but no SHET at February 18, 2023 02:14 PM (qfLjt)

but all the mob bodies would be buried under it.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at February 18, 2023 02:16 PM (ynpvh)

35 There's a stretch of KY 25E (Cumberland Gap Pkwy) that has Kudzu growing over everything. It's wild looking in the summer. Eerie. Its even grown up old power poles, cliffs, covered old shacks, etc.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 18, 2023 02:17 PM (Q4IgG)

36 Posted by: REDACTED at February 18, 2023 02:13 PM (us2H3)

Sneaky bastages

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:17 PM (wX56x)

37 OK, I mapped out the property and located the places where I can plant some trees.

Thinking that in the shadier areas to plant a couple dogwoods near the road; fig trees between the road the shop, and then a couple pear trees closer to the house.

I was talked out of the red bud trees because they aren't as nice looking as the dogwood.

Posted by: Reuben Hick at February 18, 2023 02:20 PM (l7lsb)

38 Kudzu is at least edible; take note for the burning times, heh.

Anyone here have or grow any Veronica/speedwell? A flowering herb, usually blue but sometimes white or purple, hundreds of varieties. I ordered some seeds for it on Etsy and was thinking where to plant it. Then I can dry some.

Posted by: skywch at February 18, 2023 02:21 PM (uqhmb)

39 I've been watching the local Facebook group where folks post citrus to be harvested, or even boxes full for folks to take. There are also trees in my park where I know the owners don't have the moxie to pick; I'll post a note in the park list offering to pick and split the harvest.

I had to buy another scuffle hoe, because the cursed ex-roommate somehow managed to steal or lose mine. We've had rain, and the weeds took off like crazy.

Posted by: Gordon Scott at February 18, 2023 02:22 PM (u4hqC)

40 all merchandisers see you as a mark

buy accordingly

Posted by: REDACTED at February 18, 2023 02:25 PM (us2H3)

41 I recently discovered that I have a great * N grandfather buried about thirty miles away courtesy of ancestry.com First name is Ebenezer.

Posted by: Levin at February 18, 2023 02:25 PM (MGkPg)

42 It was a frosty morning on Friday up in N Illinois, but hearing a chickadee warmed my cold heart.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 18, 2023 02:29 PM (jeMoB)

43 They have some fancy mausoleums in Chicago thanks to the mobsters.

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:30 PM (wX56x)

44 Developers across the street from me just uprooted three or four big , at least 75 year old oak trees. I hope they aren't building another apartment complex but I think they are.

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:32 PM (wX56x)

45 Levin @ 41-
You Great GrandFather was an *N? What's an *N?

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 02:34 PM (MF3yS)

46 Count me as one who likes redbud trees! I love the heart shaped leaves, I think they're every bit as attractive as the dogwoods, and about the same size. They're usually one of the first things to bloom each spring.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 18, 2023 02:34 PM (RqCTJ)

47 Near one of the Lake Huron lighthouses (Michigan side), workers cutting back brush for a waterside project found the forgotten grave of a little girl. There's now a path and a picket fence maintained by locals and "summer people." It's both sad and sweet.

I took down another garbage bin of the neighbor's illegal fence (minus nail-less sections for the firepit). Wow, his backyard is even worse than the "sneakpeeks" through gaps!

Plant preparations don't start until later this month, when the local guide says to start seeds. Whenever the weather stays above 40 a few days and I'm home before dark, I'll finish transplanting daylilies from the front yard to the back.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at February 18, 2023 02:38 PM (/+bwe)

48 I miss fresh citrus - I grew up in a subdivision of Phoenix that was built in an old grapefruit orchard, you could go out and pick your breakfast off the tree in the morning.

Posted by: Tom Servo at February 18, 2023 02:39 PM (RqCTJ)

49 Our neighbor has several dogwoods and redbuds in a cluster off to one side of his driveway. Very pretty in the spring. Various perennials too.

Looks really good for about 2-3 weeks.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 18, 2023 02:40 PM (Q4IgG)

50 Do almond trees have almond blossoms like my favorite Van Gogh painting or was he painting something else with a similar name?

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:41 PM (wX56x)

51 cemeteries. They are sacred places where we lay our loved ones to rest, and they should not be defiled.

"Hollywood Forever" doubles as amusement park, with movies, picnics, tours, etc.
But there is some spectacular architecture.

Trivia: before the current owners, there was repeated vandalism. Turned out to be the security company fishing for a contract.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at February 18, 2023 02:43 PM (4GDhE)

52 Stones were originally facing East to face the morning of the day of resurrection. The older cemeteries were all set up to face east.
The one south of town, here, got into a quandry because they ran out of the east facing hillside, and being set on a hill, the only easy land to be had was a western exposure, and risked having the interred "in the shadow" of the ridge line.
Dad joked that it was also a concern that the interned would await resurrection slid down on their heads but that was his sort of joke.

this was late enough so the plots would face west instead

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 02:44 PM (xhaym)

53 Kinda garden-like, we're having chili with only one fresh thing, onion. All the other stuff is what we'd frozen or canned. But no carrots. Wouldn't be kosher.

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 02:46 PM (MF3yS)

54 Do almond trees have almond blossoms like my favorite Van Gogh painting or was he painting something else with a similar name?
Posted by: polynikes

I remember white and pink blossoms on the almonds when we lived in Merced CA (7 trees in the yard).

When you're on I5 in the San Joaquin valley of CA the ground in the almond orchards when they're in bloom look like there has been a snowfall.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 18, 2023 02:48 PM (UWdXW)

55 I spent a good part of yesterday trimming back my oceanspray bush, it is twenty feet tall and far too big. This led to cutting back the blackberries near it, and that led to pulling out the blackberries further back into the feral boxwood hedge that has to be trimmed back before I can take out the volunteer walnuts. I have a pile of blackberry vines the size of a Fiat.

It is a good spring, the blackcap raspberries I planted are putting out leavee (they are almost evergreens) and the Indian plum is about to put out the blossoms.
We might get some snow next week, and I plan on broadforking a few of the beds next weekend to help them break up and dry a bit before I till in March,
I have a sweet potato in a jar of water hoping to get some slips by the time it is warm enough to plant sweet potato slips

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 02:53 PM (xhaym)

56 Do almond trees have almond blossoms like my favorite Van Gogh painting or was he painting something else with a similar name?
Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 02:41 PM (wX56x)

The almonds I have seen have flowers like peaches.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 02:54 PM (xhaym)

57 Polynikes, that is so sad about the park.

Our township managed to acquire some riverfront land owned by developers who lost their interest (if not their shirts) during consecutive years of flooding. It will be nice when it's done, if the plans are followed.

All the communities north along the river have statuary, so people have joked about acquiring some "problematic" statues that are in the news.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at February 18, 2023 02:56 PM (/+bwe)

58 And I may be wrong, the local cemeteries were set up facing east, they were started in the 1850's

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 02:57 PM (xhaym)

59 How well does a broadfork work? I am tempted to buy one but don' have a lot of physical strength. But Steve Solomon still gardens in his 80s so I am hopeful.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 18, 2023 02:59 PM (6lj/r)

60 Graves in Christian countries face east, because that is the direction from which Jesus will come at his second coming.

Posted by: Flyover at February 18, 2023 02:59 PM (Rbu5d)

61 NaughtyPine @ 57-
There's a park/river walk on the Louisiana bank of the Sabine crossing to the East from Joacquin Texas. It floods.

Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 03:01 PM (MF3yS)

62 Its not warm out thar.

Don't let the sunshine fool ya.

Posted by: JT at February 18, 2023 03:07 PM (T4tVD)

63 Our chives are coming up, definitely need to dry some end of year

Posted by: Skip at February 18, 2023 03:09 PM (xhxe8)

64 Houston has a 10 year project to renovate/expand Memorial Park ( one of largest urban parks in the country) . They just had a grand opening of one of the completed designs that connected the North and South side of the park with a green space over memorial drive which separates the north and south part of the park. They did a great job but to keep with Houston tradition they just discovered a decomposing body in the wooded area of the park. Yay Houston !!

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 03:13 PM (wX56x)

65 There's a park/river walk on the Louisiana bank of the Sabine crossing to the East from Joacquin Texas. It floods.
Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 03:01 PM (MF3yS

Lots of gators in Sabine Pass. Good bass fishing though.

Posted by: polynikes at February 18, 2023 03:14 PM (wX56x)

66 How well does a broadfork work? I am tempted to buy one but don' have a lot of physical strength. But Steve Solomon still gardens in his 80s so I am hopeful.
Posted by: Notsothoreau

Can ya use a cultivator ? Its like a hoe, but with 4 prongs .

Posted by: JT at February 18, 2023 03:21 PM (T4tVD)

67 Nood Pets.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 18, 2023 03:24 PM (i94ir)

68 NaughtyPine @ 57-
There's a park/river walk on the Louisiana bank of the Sabine crossing to the East from Joacquin Texas. It floods.
Posted by: Eromero at February 18, 2023 03:01 PM

I grew up with parks that flooded - just the nature of rivers. But developers never got the memo.

My hometown would have had an underwater city building, but after the city council didn't listen to the warning, the old local commissioner made it his personal project to build up the site. As a result, the building has been on an "island" several times, but never flooded - unlike the riverwalk and a fancy hotel/restaurant built closer to the water than any historical building.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at February 18, 2023 03:24 PM (/+bwe)

69 Polynikes, yikes!

Posted by: NaughtyPine at February 18, 2023 03:25 PM (/+bwe)

70 How well does a broadfork work? I am tempted to buy one but don' have a lot of physical strength. But Steve Solomon still gardens in his 80s so I am hopeful.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 18, 2023 02:59 PM (6lj/r)

If you have heavy roots or hardpan the boradfork is a pain, I broke a tine on Dad's one year. If it is just regular yard it should be OK to use, mostly you are stepping it into the ground, then standing on it and leaning backwards.
Of course the first couple of digs are a real struggle because you have no where to start with, so you might first dig a perpendicular trench like you were double digging,
It is a workout, and I am out of shape. The real struggle is that you do it every 4-8 inches to get a good till and that means horsing it around. .

Last year I broadforked one part of the garden and the tiller made far finer tillage than the section that I didn't use the broadfork on.

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 03:40 PM (xhaym)

71 The Basques have two half-pair broadforks called "layas" they have used since they stopped making them out of cow shoulder blades. They are related to the Irish Loy which is my favorite ethnic cultivation tool

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 03:42 PM (xhaym)

72 Can ya use a cultivator ? Its like a hoe, but with 4 prongs .
Posted by: JT at February 18, 2023 03:21 PM (T4tVD)

A broadfork is a tillage tool, it will get you down a good 10" in till. It is like double digging without actually double digging. It opens up the soil and breaks up the plow-pan, and allows heavier soil to drain a bit.

https://meadowcreature.com/

Posted by: Kindltot at February 18, 2023 03:45 PM (xhaym)

73 I love to tour cemeteries.

One favorite of mine is Woodlawn National Cemetery, a National Cemetery within Woodlawn Cemetery, the city of Elmira, New York. It began with the interment of Confederate prisoners from the nearby Elmira Prison (dubbed "Hellmira" by its inmates) during the Civil War. Further, notable of Woodland Cemetery of include Mark Twain & his family Heisman trophy winner Ernie Davis. So much history, a great place to visit.

In Pittsburgh, Andy Walhol's grave is quite the public tourist site. Leaving a little memento is recommended.

Thanks, as always, for this delightful thread. I'm looking forward to visiting Silent Cities Cemetery & Brookgreen Gardens someday soon.

Posted by: Lola at February 18, 2023 03:48 PM (Wxlzw)

74 The ground was baked hard when I moved in but serms to have loosened up with the rain and snow. No trees in the area I want to use, but I am considering putting the garden at the back of the place and putting irrigation line back there. I want some shrubs for the birds back there and there is a small tree where I feed them.

I learned why they hang out in the rolled up fencing back there. I had a hawk take down a small bird. Noticed him on the ground eating his catch.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 18, 2023 04:00 PM (6lj/r)

75 The Meadow Creature is an excellent broadfork which will outlive your grandchildren. Mine was the 14" model. I broke Minnesota sod with it, but it was some work. The hardest work you would do is lifting it to move it to the next spot, but that's not that difficult since you can lift with your legs.

I always loved the comments from the guy who builds them. "Should I clean off the dirt and oil it for winter storage?" "No, not really." "Can I dig rocks out with it?" "Well, you're not supposed to, but people do."

Posted by: Gordon Scott at February 18, 2023 04:16 PM (u4hqC)

76 And I just discovered that love birds are now native to the Valley of the Sun. A breeder had an escape some decades back and now this is the only place outside South Africa where they flock in the wild. It seems that they are quite fond of cakes made of black oil sunflowers and some suet or melted fat, and will show up in numbers after a while.

Posted by: Gordon Scott at February 18, 2023 04:24 PM (u4hqC)

77 I have indeed seen the lovebirds here.

I am doing some heavy-duty puttering. Had an old oak desktop, looks like 5/4" solid oak, tongue and groove, glued up. Because it was in the weather and got warped, I have taken it apart. Currently engaged in sanding both sides with a flap wheel on an angle grinder. If I hit the glue line, I get a stench like burnt hair, so I am sure it was glued up with hide glue. It is slated to become the top of a machine table that I am going to build out of an old washing machine cabinet. It will be used for a bench grinder and a small bandsaw.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 18, 2023 05:09 PM (tkR6S)

78 Love the story about Chief

Posted by: PointyHairedBoss at February 18, 2023 06:06 PM (NfW4d)

79 Oops, wrong thread.
But you get it

Posted by: PointyHairedBoss at February 18, 2023 06:07 PM (NfW4d)

80 In the green house is last years lemon tree with blooms starting. I live in SW Idaho zone 6. Also have bok choi, red and yellow onions, shallots and celery coming up. planted tomato and habanada seeds. I try and push the envelope every year with seed starting but te greenhouse really helps.

Posted by: S.Lynn at February 18, 2023 08:56 PM (e3HXg)

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