Gardening

[cineater]

Not weird if you're doing the same dinner.  I want to eat it now too.   Problem is there probably won't be any leftovers.

I have been on toy distribution since the 80's.  For a while I was also on wrapping.  Volunteers get to do the coolest shit.

Yeah my radar and response kicked in on it's own yesterday.  Thought I shut that down.  That one kid at the shelter who rushed to help, just get in the back seat, you're coming home with me.  I know my kids when I see them.  Felt bad driving away without him.

The Weather Channel is in town.  We're screwed.  Not a problem for me.  I need to be home.  I think we are suppose to get 4 to 5 inches.  The ice is south but might come in later.  None of this is a problem for the gardens.

[soon]

Samesee's dinner it is then! If theres no leftovers then Ill have to make it again!

Thats a nice bit of lifetime being awesome to kids. I cant wrap a gift to save my life. So much tape sometimes people cant get them open 

Im sure that youngster had nothing but positive thoughts of you. And the presence of your kindness will remain with him too.

Oh yikes, you know your in for it when the weather network shows up  Im glad the garden(s) are ready to withstand it. Us Canucks are more prepared for that much snow. You should see our huge snow removal convoys! They use those huge yellow tractors that scrape away the earth, followed by other huge machines that suck up the huge columns left by the first tractor, then into those huge dump trucks. A lineup of dump trucks wait to swap in. The city has made a commitment to faster snow removal on the sidewalks and it makes a huge difference, too!

My mountain bread makes a great flat bread pizza too. Now that Im on a wrap kick, I feel the need to grow cilantro. Cant wait for my seed order to arrive!!!

 

[cineater]

We are barely prepared for snow.  One step above get out the farm equipment.   The moment I got the snow off the driveway, ice pellets came down.  The guys at the Farmers Market said I could use the straight nitrogen for ice melt but I'm a little worried about burning the edges of my yard.  We're getting a lot more snow today but it warms up later in the week. 

I'm just hanging out in the house wrapping gifts.  Might be the year they get real ribbon bows instead of stick on bows.  I can't find the stick on bows.  I seem to remember I threw those out last year instead of saving them for reuse this year.  I have a bunch of wire ribbon because I love that stuff.  I just never have the time to play with it.  And I really don't know what I'm doing.  Hopefully there's youtube instructional videos out there.

The lavender is kind of hanging in there.  It seems to need a lot of water.  The soil is always dry.  And the other plants in the pot seem to be starved for water when they shouldn't need that much right now.  I'm going to try misting it and see if that helps.

[soon]

1 hour ago, cineater said:

We are barely prepared for snow.  One step above get out the farm equipment.   The moment I got the snow off the driveway, ice pellets came down.  The guys at the Farmers Market said I could use the straight nitrogen for ice melt but I'm a little worried about burning the edges of my yard.  We're getting a lot more snow today but it warms up later in the week. 

I'm just hanging out in the house wrapping gifts.  Might be the year they get real ribbon bows instead of stick on bows.  I can't find the stick on bows.  I seem to remember I threw those out last year instead of saving them for reuse this year.  I have a bunch of wire ribbon because I love that stuff.  I just never have the time to play with it.  And I really don't know what I'm doing.  Hopefully there's youtube instructional videos out there.

The lavender is kind of hanging in there.  It seems to need a lot of water.  The soil is always dry.  And the other plants in the pot seem to be starved for water when they shouldn't need that much right now.  I'm going to try misting it and see if that helps.

Or the City asks all the people to get on their hands and knees and breathe on the snow like, "Haaaaaaaaa Huh-Huh-Huh" to make it all melt . We use sand/light dirt to melt the snow. Salt and nitrogen runoff gets into all the wrong places. Like nitrogen eventually goes down the city drains, and once its shot out back into natural waterways it fertilizes the algae. The algae grows on top of the water, thus starving the aquatic fauna below of needed sunlight. When the fauna dies, the eco system collapses. (didnt mean to sound so apocalyptic! )

Sounds like a nice way to spend a day. Oh you got wrapping game!!? Nice. I shoulda figured. 

Im impressed and excited that your lavender is still kicking 

It is freezing here. I was in listening to the radio and its the day that our famous gardener does a call in show for gardening tips.... You should be on the radio like that!!!

[cineater]

I was trying to ignore the run off issue.   I don't mind weeds but I like green grass.  They want to get us on the TV talk shows, er not doing that.

I'm not that great at wrapping but when you're on the team, you get fast.  We did 68 kids, 5 gifts a piece, no bags.  And that was after working all day.  I just wanted to go home.

Where I'm at we are right above the snowline.  St Louis had an inch an hour coming down.  White out on the Arch.   We kind of judge the severity of the weather by whether we can see our landmark or not.

I just dumped the bag of ribbons on the table.  Lily's eyes went wide and it was Christmas fun from there.  There's ribbon all over the house.  

Edited December 17, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Well, we love our garden radio call in show. But yeah, you wouldnt want to be pressured to do it if you dont want to.

Forgive my ignorance I hadnt seen the Arch before. It is beautiful! I love that way of gaging the weather. 

Oh sweet Lily, I bet she had a ton of fun with those ribbons! (my guy bit my leg good and hard just as I typed about Lily. Were his eras burning )

Hope the hostas are happier?

[cineater]

Simone is trying to eat on the fake Christmas tree and play with the ornaments.  She has a bad habit of walking all over the gifts before cleaning off her snow covered paws!  Lily just sits there and eyes the packages and the ribbons.  It's going to be a long week to Christmas.   Proud to say I only have one stick on bow.

Thanks for reminding me about the hostas.  I've had my mind elsewhere.  They took the transplant well and the leaf problem seems to have stopped.  The bigger hostas have stopped coming up from the initial germination.  I'll give them a while longer and still no lantana.  I'm going to get back there and play today.

It was nice having a few snowy days.  They put out a call of any nurse who could make it in last night.  Caleb took my daughter in the 4 wheel drive and I picked her up this morning.  The main roads are clear.  Sun's out and we're melting.  Christmas is back in the 50's so the snow will be gone by then.  We're like that, a hard hit but it goes away quickly.  I'm off to shovel the neighbor's driveway.  I hope to be paid in cookies. 

[cineater]

Turkey soup.  Healthy food choice to go along with the exercise program.

Oh joy to the fucking world. 

Okay who has a snow covered driveway?  I'm in hunt of cookies.

[soon]

Ha Simone! Gotta climb over those gifts before cleaning off her paws!  Thats awesome about tying most of your bows! My guy destroyed my headphones by chewing through the cord yesterday 

Great news about the Hostas. Those Lantana are coming, I just feel it.

Your neighbour didnt pay you on cookies?? Thats against the rules!  I have a peanut butter cookie recipe open here...

I love a good turkey soup. Mmmmmm. Working out isnt my favourite thing either. Mountain bread pizza for breakfast, mountain bread tuna wrap - with chives - for lunch. I might try this Mexican chicken soup sometime, from Canadas favourite chef, Matty Matheson...

 

 

[cineater]

That's one big knife! Notice the shirt?  What the hell is hominy?  I'd buy some verde and put shredded chicken in it.  That's a soup.  He made a stew.

The Hippopotamus hoodie finally came in.  She loves it.

Edited December 18, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Oh no - I just hit play on the video I posted and I cant believe I forgot that video began with a butt plug joke   

He knows whats up with The Dead I wonder if the hominy is a southern thing maybe - I wish he'd explained that? I think the avocados were unnecessary. 

[cineater]

There was an avocado?  Once he chopped up the jalapeno peppers, I was done.  And if you remember I had a bad experience with the tomatillos so when those came out of the oven, I was ready to go back to the butt jokes.  

[soon]

Oh man, I feel like such a jerk. Spicy peppers and tomatillo - neither of which you enjoy. I dont know what I was thinking.  Wait, you did say that you bought sales verde for chilli since that tomatillos event? He just made salsa verde. Spicy peppers are always optional... well now Im just giving excuses 

Well, thank goodness for the saving grace of those butt jokes at least 

[cineater]

I do like verde sauce but the mild one.

Wow, your cat picture, you have a row of windows!  I love your apartment.  Freezing my ass off in it but those are cool.  And you have one empty pot, lol.  So reminds me of an apartment I had.  Very old place, no insulation in the walls but windows lined up everywhere and heat from a radiator.  I'm not so concerned with the view out the windows as letting in the light.  It has to get very cold before you see me drop the shades on the windows.  I only have one window in my house with a curtain and that's in the bedroom otherwise, don't block the light with those.

[soon]

Oh thanks, I feel very blessed to have those windows. Beaker loves them! It sure is cold in this old place, so I layer up. But I love all the light coming in too! I just wish all my heaters worked. I sleep in that room (I use the bedroom for my grow room/ work room) so if I'm not up before sunrise I get greeted with sun on my face to wake me up. I love it. Fun to see all the birds too.

You caught me with an empty pot!  It is full of soil and ready to go though! Hopefully the Lambs ear will go there once its mature, so I can use it to blow my nose when I wake up sneezing. The pot is sitting on an old guitar amp - seems I have blended my passions with my physical infrastructure.  I have to confess that I have another larger pot empty in the kitchen, but thats for placing ferments and cultures on so that they are right in front of the heater.

[cineater]

I don't like it but staple up some clear plastic over the windows.  Two layers if you can.  I use to put up an old quilt over mine in the worst part of winter during the evening hours.  Those old places sure get cold.  Called multifunctional.  I like it when something has more than one purpose. 

Christmas has got to get here quick.  I keep buying shit for people.   Tomorrow is my grandson's birthday.  I'm taking him to the arcade for pizza and laser tag.  After that I have a feeling I'm going to have a credit card hangover that lasts till spring.

Fuck, Jarmo is putting of pictures of Richard.  I swear that guy is carved out of solid rock.  I need to get back to some kind of workout.  I miss not being active too.  What are you doing over the winter months?

[soon]

Some dude made off with my staple gun. Is there like 'window plastic?' I do have some old quilts though. Does the moisture wear on the quilts at all?

You are too generous!  Dont forget, its Orthodox Christmas again on Jan 7, lol. Oh, that sounds like a blast - hope you two have a great time! You play laser tag too? Youre a whirlwind! How old will he be?

Richard was fairly scrawny when he joined Guns. Pretty impressive feat what he's done. Ive been doing push ups for a minute now. I do most of my errands on foot, and the snow and ice makes for a decent work out. Also when I do coop affairs I take advantage of the large building our office is in and do some laps and stair climbing. Then theres some physio exercises that are low impact. Not much though now that I list it, is it? Oh, and on the weekends I workout my forearms with repetitions of pint glasses. I mean to get a membership at the pool, but it aint cheap and I prefer swimming in lakes. But I really should.

You should get a rowing machine to work out when you watch the Boat Travels!!

[cineater]

Yeah they have kits you can buy for window plastic.  They don't work very well hence the quilts.  My quilts were pretty old so it's hard to say where the stains came from and then they had staple holes.

I have never payed laser tag but I'm going to (and lose to the birthday boy).  One Christmas is enough for me.  I'm a little bummed.  This is the first year ever that I haven't opened gifts with someone or a bunch of people in the place I was living.

Richard was a runner when he first showed up.  Not sure if he still does that.  I'll probably go back to my video workouts.  My friend is teaching swimming classes to get her free membership at the pool.  I'm trying to get the kid to workout with me.  They have a bowflex they are setting up.

[cineater]

Wow did you see the fat content on that slider recipe?  Not a healthy choice.  Good thing it's Christmas.

The coleus have grown back into the lights again.   Really have to get in there and give them a haircut.

[soon]

Has laser tag happened yet? How was it?

No I didnt notice the fat content. Treat ourselves for Christmas! 

Those coleus are vigorous growers! My gal already seems to be slowing down in growth. I knew they wouldnt get full size, but Im surprised that they are tiny still.

I just gifted someone some herbs I grew and gave them specifically for their needs. They seemed to really like it. Made me happy.

[cineater]

Today is the birthday party.  I'm going to die. 

Great idea with the herbs.  I see people getting them for their kitchens and wonder how they do that since herbs like a lot of sun.  You can make salad containers like that too so they can cut ingredients for a salad anytime they want.  You typed kale as my gal, lol.  Do we need to talk?  Are you going places you shouldn't with that stuff? 

Stopped by the greenhouse.  Nice and warm in there.  We have some new kind of growing mix, something about bark.  Says good for root production so I'm thinking it's the seedling mixture.  Says not good for plugs.  We get some plugs for the lantana and geraniums.  Interesting when I look out the back door at the green path.  I can see in the snow the outline where the leaf mulch is underneath.  We got enough snow that the whole yard show have been a level surface.  I'm wondering if that little bit of dark matter is helping to melt the snow faster.  There's not enough leaf mulch to create heat on it's own or I don't think so.  Curious.  Should have looked at the leaf pile.  Bet there's no snow on that.

[soon]

49 minutes ago, cineater said:

Today is the birthday party.  I'm going to die. 

Great idea with the herbs.  I see people getting them for their kitchens and wonder how they do that since herbs like a lot of sun.  You can make salad containers like that too so they can cut ingredients for a salad anytime they want.  You typed kale as my gal, lol.  Do we need to talk?  Are you going places you shouldn't with that stuff? 

Stopped by the greenhouse.  Nice and warm in there.  We have some new kind of growing mix, something about bark.  Says good for root production so I'm thinking it's the seedling mixture.  Says not good for plugs.  We get some plugs for the lantana and geraniums.  Interesting when I look out the back door at the green path.  I can see in the snow the outline where the leaf mulch is underneath.  We got enough snow that the whole yard show have been a level surface.  I'm wondering if that little bit of dark matter is helping to melt the snow faster.  There's not enough leaf mulch to create heat on it's own or I don't think so.  Curious.  Should have looked at the leaf pile.  Bet there's no snow on that.

Do you know where you are? You're at a kids laser tag party! You're gonna Diiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!  

I want one of those salad things!! Wish I could gift you some herbs too. So you're saying I cant grow gals?  Lord love a duck! 

I would adore being in a warm greenhouse. Happy for you. I love the thought of all your work, including on the path, peaking up like that. Interesting point about the dark matter. I dunno. Its -31 Celsius here today, so Im confident that my winter savoury has finally bitten the dust.

Cooking some chicken wth my dried oregano from the garden. Smells great 

[cineater]

OMG that's almost 24 below zero.  Is that normal for you?

https://balconygardenweb.com/how-to-start-a-salad-bowl-garden/

We skipped laser tag.  He wanted to play the arcade games so he could win tickets for prises.  He had a good time.

[soon]

Its not normal but tends to happen once or twice a winter. That polar vortex is strong this year so we might see lots of days this cold. -22c currently. Brrrrrrrrrrrr.

I cant see the pic unfortunately, but I read the link and saw pics there. Thanks! I will try this out!

Oh that sounds so fun too! Glad he had a good time and prizes 

[cineater]

Polar Vortex alone is enough to scare the shit out of you but then they come along and give names to the winter storms.

The salad bowl is a cute sales idea but I'm not sure it works very well.

We're having lunch with our former boss today.  She's almost ready to retire.  What can I say?  My friend isn't even 6 months out and took a part time job.  I'm not employed but then there's the garden.   Yeah it ain't over just because you retire.