rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Jun 8, 2020 6:25:24 GMT -8
Downright chilly this morning. My thermometer claims an overnight low of 46... 53 now. That will change, but it certainly gives us a nice respite.
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Post by autumnmist on Jun 8, 2020 11:27:37 GMT -8
echo , I hope your family is now safe from stinging insects. Still, as you've observed, their handiwork is admirable - there's so much precision in the styling and creation of their nests. Yesterday was one of those very good days, the kind that creates relaxation and the desire to be able to continue the day infinitely without becoming tired. Since my garden has made the determination to go native, every year I face an outcrop of some known and some new volunteers. I haven't quite figured this out, b/c according to a now deceased neighbor, the side of the street on which I live was once swampland back in 1950 when the house was built, and when the yard was filled in and developed. When double digging one area decades ago, I could smell that fragrance of water, the scent that fills the air when you walk into a park with a lake. Fortunately, I haven't yet sunk into the soil, although a few stones and a big concrete slab have. But what's curious is that even though the soil was amended when the house was built, yet there still are wild remnants of meadow plants which are fighting a more aggressive battle with the vegetable plants I want to thrive. In the past their intent to dominate has forced a lot of hard work to remove them so I could plant vegetables; the ground was so hard that sometimes it was really tough to loosen it. They grew so fast, up more than a few feet in just a few weeks. They've now grown to record heights, expanded, and proliferated, so I expected a lot of resistance, a strong backache, and frustration when I tried to weed. Yet for reasons I can't identify, the ground was more soft yesterday and I could even scuffle hoe them loose. Going a step farther, I could even hand weed! What a pleasure to do that again, after so many years of using power tools to fight these tenacious unwanted visitors. I had forgotten how relaxing it is to pull weeds and be so close to the earth while doing so, instead of removing them with a power tool. I again enjoyed that wonderful fragrance of fresh earth mingled with scents of various leaves. The white trilliums had leaves larger than ever, some about 6 - 7" long. And a few friends visited as well, a black swallowtail butterfly visiting the white and violet wild phlox in bloom, also the peonies, fully open and resplendent. There was also a much smaller butterfly, more the size of a moth, which appeared to have a set of wings on top of the base wings. It was colored somewhat like a Monarch, but I didn't dare to get closer for fear it would quickly fly away. The resident rabbit didn't appear, but a robin was resting at the base of another group of small shrubs, apparently just sitting and watching the garden. Something had been napping in another area, as there was a well patted down pile of what used to be lunaria. It was a good day, warm but not uncomfortable, refreshing and relaxing, and exciting. Now I can't wait to get back out and dig out all those unwanted Virginia Creepers and other uninvited visitors. It was such a good day that I was even able to ignore the steady stream of cottonwood puffs falling like snowflakes, albeit not as refreshing or desirable. Today they're so steadily falling they're like snowflakes.
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mk
Trail Wise!
North Texas
Posts: 1,217
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Post by mk on Jun 9, 2020 10:58:34 GMT -8
autumnmist - What a challenge gardening is for you. I'm a wimp - I would give up in favor of raised beds and containers. It's hot and humid here, but a "cold front" is coming through today, which will drop tomorrow's temp to 90. woo hoo. But on the plus side, our business is picking up so I am doing a lot more pet sitting than I was a couple of weeks ago.
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Post by autumnmist on Jun 9, 2020 11:35:27 GMT -8
mk, I've been thinking a lot more about raised beds and may create some this year. In fact, you just gave me an idea for recycling all the unwanted foliage that I'm generating now. It's a better way than packing it in a few dozen yard bags. I used to use containers but every single one of them was stolen, including some lovely Grecian style urns that I had filled with Ostrich ferns. The only thing I might try is something so heavy no one could lift it, like another half whiskey barrel which I once used. A cold front with a high of 90? That must be challenging! But I'm glad to learn that your business is becoming more active; that's always a good sign, especially after the extensive closures during the pandemic.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jun 10, 2020 7:58:34 GMT -8
I had forgotten how relaxing it is to pull weeds and be so close to the earth while doing so, instead of removing them with a power tool. See my post on the previous page. Pure satisfaction! :-)
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jun 10, 2020 8:11:32 GMT -8
The clan is starting to gather. We’re working out how to socially distance and mask up as needed, It’s good to finally have more of the family around, and a good distraction to have more people to interact with.
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echo
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Post by echo on Jun 12, 2020 9:35:54 GMT -8
We are officially done with school for the summer here, with the batch of Drive through graduations this week. The granddaughter handled it gracefully, even though it was difficult knowing the other cars were filled with the friends she hasn’t been able to see in three months. Our county Covid stats were 3 cases once, then 44 a few weeks later, now all recovered and no active cases. So a bunch of stage three things will open today. But also CA is easing travel restrictions so we will have that impacting it I'm sure. Looking at our cases by age though is about backward from what we had been told to expect.
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echo
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Post by echo on Jun 16, 2020 11:09:19 GMT -8
Good morning
I hope everyone is doing ok? It’s like an echo chamber in here “hello. . . “
Anyway, I’m ok, hurting and still dealing with having a heart like a racehorse while moving like a turtle, but I’ve got a long (seven hour) neurology appointment with a Parkinson’s specialist on July 7th, so answers may finally be getting near. I signed up the kid for swimming lessons, first other child included activity since a March 13. Yesterday was the first day, 3:45 in the afternoon. So at 6am she started with, “look at the clock grandma. GRANDMA LOOK AT THE CLOCK! Shouldn’t we be going?” And all day until I was ready to scream. But after the lesson, peace reigned
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walkswithblackflies
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Resident terrorist-supporting eco-freak bootlicker
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jun 18, 2020 8:50:44 GMT -8
Is everyone else overrun with chipmunks this year, or am I the only "lucky" one? The Baltimore Orioles are back at the feeder... now with their young ones! I found their nest in a maple tree. A marvel of engineering. Photo not mine:
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mk
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North Texas
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Post by mk on Jun 18, 2020 12:21:02 GMT -8
So at 6am she started with, “look at the clock grandma. GRANDMA LOOK AT THE CLOCK! I had to chuckle at this. I sort of remember those days - I'm grandparent age now, but my girls aren't so interested in babies at this point. Ah well. Hope you get some answers, echo, and maybe some treatments along the way that make life easier. We don't have chipmunks, but we do have lots of squirrels. The two pecan trees are a big draw. I just finished with a pet sitting job where one of the pets was a squirrel. It stayed in the cage, but I had to reach in to drop off food and water. That little guy was fast! I had to distract him with peanuts so he wouldn't run out the cage door. Apparently, he fell out of the nest and the people rescued him from the pool. He's pretty darn cute, but I'm not sure I'd want an inside squirrel.
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echo
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Post by echo on Jun 19, 2020 10:45:14 GMT -8
Maybe I have found the blood pressure answer for now. After dealing with a couple years of high readings, I’ve changed meds and had three days in the green zone. 100/75 this morning is much improved over 183/116 Plus I’m a bit sunburned from being out and that feels really great After three months of social distancing, I’ve been depressed like most of the world it seems, but I’m also pretty much healed by getting to the river and redwoods and it is finally that season. I’m hoping that some of the peace I’m feeling this morning, can make its way to you too. Oh, and my street, we’ve been fighting the county to keep them from cutting the redwoods and just won. They decided to leave it alone.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jun 19, 2020 15:56:36 GMT -8
walkswithblackflies, I don't have chipmunks. I do have squirrels, but they don't seem to be a big problem. It's blue jays I'm overrun with, and we are locked in mortal combat over the blueberries and fruit trees. I need a hawk.
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mk
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North Texas
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Post by mk on Jun 20, 2020 8:25:19 GMT -8
we’ve been fighting the county to keep them from cutting the redwoods and just won. That's an awesome victory - it would be criminal to take down those beautiful trees. I love the pictures. Our 10-20% chance of rain coverage happened to hit last night, with high winds, lightning and some rain. Just as we noticed the wind pick up and I said, "do you think we should put the umbrella down," the wind picked it up, took it out of the table, and slammed it against the kitchen windows. Nothing damaged - good thing we don't have a glass table. But it made for a few crazy minutes of getting the umbrella contracted (?) and put back in the table. Not easy to handle in the wind! Hope you all have a great weekend!
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Jun 20, 2020 9:02:33 GMT -8
Looking at several days of weather so hot that even heading up to the mountains won’t help. This is a weekend I’d as soon skip.
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echo
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Post by echo on Jun 27, 2020 10:21:36 GMT -8
Good Morning,
I hope everyone is doing ok, and getting some breathing time away from the news and computers.
I’m mostly doing ok, I’ve been getting rid of some big stressors, like pets. Once I had 12 parrots living in my living room, but this week I got the last two moved into what I think will be a good home. I’ve enjoyed them and loved them for 31 years, but as I get stiffer and less able to be on my feet they were getting sadly neglected. I’m also getting close to my neurologist assessment. I’m so hopeful that some of the more effective Parkinson’s treatments might be considered.
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