elainegrey: Inspired by Grypping/gripping beast styles from Nordic cultures (Default)
Wednesday, January 15th, 2020 09:34 am
How did i ever get through the day? Especially when more people were writing here? I keep being surprised by finding entries i missed reading when i thought i read. I feel like my "morning quick tasks" and catch up reading take ALL MORNING.

Happy notes:

* i have not developed a lingering cough from the cold i have (still experiencing drainage). Yay for my desultory use of the lung steroid.

* i have identified where i will plant the ten bare root saplings that are arriving soon. I have a little clearing to do for some, and one i am planting deeper in the woods near the one rock outcropping we have. It's an American Linden which will be the core of some future Swedish woodland garden. I did get haresbell seeds too. Anyhow that will begin a deer exclusion test because apparently deer like lindens.

* i'm beginning to have hope that winter rye might grow enough in the woods to fight stilt grass? It's too soon, but i am hoping. There's also a plant called hogs peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata). I've found a selected variety that is supposed to have high yields, and Lee Ritch of NY state says, "Even non-native, invasive Japanese stilt grass and garlic mustard can’t hold their own against hog peanuts." I assume that deer can obliterate it, though, although most documents refer to voles as the harvester of the peas. (That's what was distracting me earlier this week.)


Perplexed notes: i can't find documentation of what nurseries have to do to get the certification. I am in a invasive fire ant quarantine county and i can find how one treats the soil used in potting plants and -- wow, that looks non trivial. There's also record keeping (i have the records of most all of my purchases and plantings, so that is not a worry immediately), but other than the records outlined in the fire ant quarantine documentation ... whut to do? Fortunately there are three resources we can avail ourselves of. I may leave this as an assignment for L.

Impatient notes: i can't wait for Friday and visit with L. There's a Feb 11 convention at the county convention center for landscapers and plant professionals. I wonder about attending or sending L. Or waiting A WHOLE YEAR for next years.

Perplexed notes - more: now back to thinking the lumps on my forearm are from some inflammation from Marlowe grabbing me with her claws.


Administrivia: so, i don't see tags in exported journal entries. I'm going to duplicate tags in titles. My regrets for the annoyance.
elainegrey: Inspired by Grypping/gripping beast styles from Nordic cultures (Default)
Tuesday, January 14th, 2020 10:54 am
MONDAY, mid morning:

Far too distracted by Oikos Tree Crops' selections. I went to verify something about sunchokes and then found their nuts and plums and strawberry selections far more extensive than when i last checked. Stop stop stop.

Christine is at the vet with the boyos, and Carrie wanted out (in the rain). Kitten Marlowe, too. I decided to just go ahead and fix the fence. It was a quick job of weaving wire in the gap (which i had probably caused with the powerful string trimmer. While i was out, i noticed the 500 gallon barrel is full. So, i went and run a hose down the hill past the garden and have opened the port. Meanwhile, Marlowe has had plenty of time to explore the yard and now sit at the double gate gazing at the meadow. I am on the back porch and keep hopping up to check on her. She's just sitting there. Given how promptly she passed through the gap the last two times we were monitoring her, i feel comfortable to assume it's secure now.

It finally rained hard enough for Marlow to want to go in. The input to the tank started exceeding the output.

TUESDAY MORNING:

Turned out there was a kink in the hose and the tank wasn't draining at all. I let the tank drain in the afternoon (maybe 100 gallons) and it was spilling over this morning. I'm not sure how quickly it drains so i didn't want to drain it overnight. I'll watch as i drain it today. It may have also stopped raining for a few hours.

Yesterday, during my last work meeting, i had myself convinced it was Friday afternoon. That was odd.

Procrastination self-destruction at work with a bit of difficulty with Christine's elephants. My own overwhelm makes the second-hand overwhelm that comes from managing elephants harder.

I've often joked about having to work and never being able to retire. I wonder though. Assuming a gift that will come close to paying off this property, i hope that i could manage to retire and -- could this place be a showcase of skill? Could my photography, plant propagation, and botanical skills be solid enough that i could hang out a shingle? Advise you on the qualities of your "weeds" and how to (re) deploy them in your landscape. Propagate sedges and woodland plants for sale. Keep on top of excellent sources for plants. "Weeds to wonders landscaping." I think my sister is interested in doing something similar. I've proposed we talk about it.

Meanwhile, Luigi needs $1k of dental work.

Also, i seem to have encountered some poison ivy. That, or Marlowe grabbed my arm with her claws and somehow injected me with something i am reacting to. Initially i thought it was Marlowe, but i'm gonna go with poison ivy.