Gardening

[cineater]

Never got into poetry.  I'm more of a reader of stories, take me away.

That much snow is cool to look at but I would probably freak out.

My next presenter is starting to freak out.   Can't help ya.  I can't do what you're going to do.  I'm doing my best to be supportive.  The rest of the group have done this many times so it's not going to phase them.

[soon]

13 minutes ago, cineater said:

Never got into poetry.  I'm more of a reader of stories, take me away.

That much snow is cool to look at but I would probably freak out.

My next presenter is starting to freak out.   Can't help ya.  I can't do what you're going to do.  I'm doing my best to be supportive.  The rest of the group have done this many times so it's not going to phase them.

Im not really into poetry much either, but Frost is part of the fabric of the nation. He writes about winter. I can only bring the satirical versions of it to mind, where a comedian will clear their throat and read "Its is winter...." Followed by a dirty limerick. 

Id be freaked out if I was walled into my house by 10 feet of snow too! Newfoundland and Labrador are some of are most badd ass and good humoured folks. Take good care of one another. 

Maybe they expected a smaller audience? I get a touch of stage fright myself. Once they get their sea legs they'll be fine, Im sure. 

Hows that Josephs Coat?

[cineater]

The stems are good and a few of the leaves.  Don't know how I missed that guy but he's getting my loving on him now.

The flooding is not that bad at the garden.  We're surrounded again but it's not in the beds.  The first to go under is the cottage garden, also known as the hole, lol.  It is in the grass there so all the plantings around the creek edge are under.  The water is about two feet away from the daylily walk and barely in the grass next to the greenhouse.  The beekeepers have been here all day and say it's been running at that level.  No more rain and it will go down from there.  We're probably going to lose a few hostas due to bulb rot.  My gage tree is still out there in the middle of the flood water so we haven't lost that chunk of property, yet.  That poor little tree.  It has survived all these floods and is probably going to be taken out when they put in the retaining rocks.  I can't look.

[soon]

23 minutes ago, cineater said:

The stems are good and a few of the leaves.  Don't know how I missed that guy but he's getting my loving on him now.

The flooding is not that bad at the garden.  We're surrounded again but it's not in the beds.  The first to go under is the cottage garden, also known as the hole, lol.  It is in the grass there so all the plantings around the creek edge are under.  The water is about two feet away from the daylily walk and barely in the grass next to the greenhouse.  The beekeepers have been here all day and say it's been running at that level.  No more rain and it will go down from there.  We're probably going to lose a few hostas due to bulb rot.  My gage tree is still out there in the middle of the flood water so we haven't lost that chunk of property, yet.  That poor little tree.  It has survived all these floods and is probably going to be taken out when they put in the retaining rocks.  I can't look.

Thats great, youll get him back to full health.

The cottage garden aka "the hole"  I hope you dont loose anymore shore.

Do your bees produce honey year round?

 

[cineater]

I don't know what bees do.  The beekeepers are another group on our property and maintain the bee hives.  I like the bees but I keep my distance.  They come out anytime the temp is over 50.  They were out the other day and I assume doing what bees do.  We have a plant that flowers this time of year.  I'm not all that familiar with it.  It's called a Christmas Rose, Helleborus.

Your getting my nics for the different gardens.  The Cottage Garden is the hole and Daylily is the problem child.  The native prairie area is Chiggerville.  Some of the other nics are Oh and Damn It.  Don't want to say who those are.  I don't say it out loud but they feel my pain. 

[soon]

I dont really know bees either, but my guess is that the bee keepers don't take anything from them over the winter when they produce less honey comb? That would stress the hive. Thats incredible that you have a plant that flowers in the winter! Im gonna look that up.

Is Daylily called the Problem Child in part from Lily being playful too?  Oh has got to be Kevins?  And the Todd "Damn it" Kerns garden, (Damn It is his clothing business and nickname), Im sure he'd be honoured!

I transplanted, trimmed and reorganized the lights on my kale and anise hyssop. They seem happy. I think I can start harvesting meals worth of kale later this week!

[cineater]

Looking forward to that kale meal?

Clark told me last week he had just put up 50 gallons of honey.  Not sure what all that entails or when he collected it.  Or what he's going to do with that. 

I forgot to mention I saw life in the sedum I planted along the edge of the green path.  All that I just threw on the ground and piled leaf mulch on it too late in the season.  Then the flood waters cover it.  But there it was, a live sprig sticking through the leaf mulch after the water went down.  The leaf mulch is still there so I assume the sedum sprigs are still safely underneath there and have took.  We'll see in the spring.  I'm going to impress their socks off if that path comes up like I'm thinking.

I give up on that book.  The writing style is losing me and putting me to sleep.  Or maybe I just wanted to hop on the bike with Neil and go look around.

Edited January 19, 2020 by cineater

[soon]

3 hours ago, cineater said:

Looking forward to that kale meal?

Clark told me last week he had just put up 50 gallons of honey.  Not sure what all that entails or when he collected it.  Or what he's going to do with that. 

I forgot to mention I saw life in the sedum I planted along the edge of the green path.  All that I just threw on the ground and piled leaf mulch on it too late in the season.  Then the flood waters cover it.  But there it was, a live sprig sticking through the leaf mulch after the water went down.  The leaf mulch is still there so I assume the sedum sprigs are still safely underneath there and have took.  We'll see in the spring.  I'm going to impress their socks off if that path comes up like I'm thinking.

I give up on that book.  The writing style is losing me and putting me to sleep.  Or maybe I just wanted to hop on the bike with Neil and go look around.

At least this kale will be fresh 

Thats a lot of honey! Wow! Maybe they do take from the bees year round then. That honey could make a lot of money for the property? 

What a journey that sedum one through. I cant believe its growing now! 

I thought you needed something to put you too sleep? You can still read it at 2am . You do have that couch travel bug though.

Sweet Cornbread is mad that theres no chives. He used to call me to stop him from eating it, but now he calls me to where it was so he can bite me . I got laughed at when I came running out of the grow room with a cat wrapped around my fist, with every sharp claw and tooth stuck into my forearm, as I run for my spray bottling yelling "Fuuuuuuuuckkkkkkk you, Im the alpha!!!!" 

[cineater]

lmao, you have a cat with a personality.

That's his honey from his personal hives.  Don't know what he does with it.

I did not totally suck at pinball.  It's our first time after a two month break.  No news on the GNR pinball machine.

[soon]

13 hours ago, cineater said:

lmao, you have a cat with a personality.

That's his honey from his personal hives.  Don't know what he does with it.

I did not totally suck at pinball.  It's our first time after a two month break.  No news on the GNR pinball machine.

He sure does have a personality . Speaking of him, he started whimpering really quietly at around 4am. I got up, gave him some food and a pet but it didn't help. He's still kinda needy and disoriented now. I cant figure it out?

I love the beekeepers vibe; he tells you theyve produced 40 gallons and doesnt give you even one of those little breakfast restaurant sized, single serving jar to try some.  Thats actually like me with my harvest I guess though.

You'll get your mojo back on the in ball machines. I bet the Guns one will be good to you. You should try covering your eyes and ears when you play - I have it on good authority that this can lead to pinball wizardry.

[cineater]

He might be sick.  I'd call the vet.  He's a boy, make sure he's peeing.  They get urinary issues.

I have honey.  Remember what happen to me when I ask for some apple juice?    "Sure if you help make it."  3 days of hard labor later.  Not going down that road again.

It's AC/DC Who Made Who when it comes to pinball.  Those machines took for me for all my quarters.  League results show I'm in the middle of the pack.  Told Greg his brother Marcus was cooler than him.  He replied he only thinks so.  I, of course, said no that was my assessment.   I did tell him he was a better dresser.  Just looked at Marcus and wondered how in the hell he put that outfit together.

[soon]

47 minutes ago, cineater said:

He might be sick.  I'd call the vet.  He's a boy, make sure he's peeing.  They get urinary issues.

I have honey.  Remember what happen to me when I ask for some apple juice?    "Sure if you help make it."  3 days of hard labor later.  Not going down that road again.

It's AC/DC Who Made Who when it comes to pinball.  Those machines took for me for all my quarters.  League results show I'm in the middle of the pack.  Told Greg his brother Marcus was cooler than him.  He replied he only thinks so.  I, of course, said no that was my assessment.   I did tell him he was a better dresser.  Just looked at Marcus and wondered how in the hell he put that outfit together.

Oh, okay. Thanks for info. Shoot. Well, I did luck out and saw him pee just after reading this but I will monitor that and call the vet either way. Poor guy. He's still really needy.

Thats true about the apple juice! 

I think you said you werent really looking to date necessarily, but it does kinda sound like you and Marcus might date?  

-27 here currently and y'all have flowering plants and growing sedum. Jealous again.

[cineater]

I don't see that happening.  I was just giving Greg shit.

We're pretty cold here.  My daughter was sick at that second Christmas and I've been feeling off all day.  Can't warm up unless I'm in the car.  We warm up tomorrow.

Is Beaker feeling better?  You know I'm worried.

[soon]

26 minutes ago, cineater said:

I don't see that happening.  I was just giving Greg shit.

We're pretty cold here.  My daughter was sick at that second Christmas and I've been feeling off all day.  Can't warm up unless I'm in the car.  We warm up tomorrow.

Is Beaker feeling better?  You know I'm worried.

Im really sorry to hear that you are under the weather. I hate that feeling when you cant warm up. For me, if Im able, I go with Cambells alphabet soup and an electric blanket. Even then sometimes it just doesnt work though, does it? I hope the bug is passing quick. Is your daughter feeling better? My other cure is double layered socks - normal tube socks underneath thick, fluffy, winter socks. That with a toque. Winter socks and toques might not really be a thing there though I guess. I hope tomorrows warm weather will get you set if you're not already feeling better.

I got Beaker to play finally - chewing a package from the mail, his favourite. He'd been up and interacting a bit earlier but had two snoozes in his hiding place, instead of one. When he asked to be held, he didnt even swat any of the Nativity figures which is his second favourite pastime. The vet didnt have much to say beyond what you already mentioned, said to monitor everything. I half think he might have gotten used to me being laid out and now feels ignored?? I dunno.

I think he peed twice. I feel like a terrible owner because I cant seem to recall how many times he normally pees. I swapped out the litter so I can be sure about each pee.

Thanks for asking. He's on the table next to my desk now, hanging out with me. 

I hope you feel better  

 

[cineater]

We may have created a monster.  He may expected you to clean out his litter box every time he pees now.   He may just have a little bug and is off his game.

They are bring the St Louis trainees out to me for a day with us.  I may take ours over there.  It's a good opportunity for everybody to connect to the large group.  Each county has its own group but we are part of the state group.  Working all the angles, lol.

[soon]

WE?!?!?!?! Id blame you!!  j/k . If he starts demanding that I will just have to open the window and let the outdoor cats in. Only one is the friend he thinks they all are, lol.

I think he did have a bug. Neither of us slept well over night, but he's napping extra anyways. Seems to be a bit better today.

I hope that no MG turf wars break out!  That sounds fun and like a big undertaking. It definitely positions you to have some clout. Tell them about the outdoor classroom!

Im gonna try mixing diced fresh anise hyssop into my burgers today. Might even top it with kale. 

[cineater]

Mr Kitty showed up this morning!  He looks like he's been fighting.

Marsha is starting the turf war.  She sent a long email about naming the gardens after people/companies who donate to the save the creek fund.  I discussed that with her months ago and she blew me off as I shouldn't think it was a problem.  Too late now Marsha, that's been out there for months and we've taken in the money.  And quiet truthfully, I'm the lead of the gardens, you should have sent your concerns to me and I pass them up.  Not go directly to the top.  It's a volunteer group, no big deal, we'll just blow her off, lol.  I will point out all the times I've been in contact with the top and didn't bring it up because she blew me off in the first place, lol.

I actually slept well.  I've been dealing with a long standing personal issue and put it out there yesterday.  It's not going to go away but 'lit that power charge and blew that silver mine'.  I'm in the clear.  You won't understand that but I'm sleeping well.  And I kicked whatever was making me feel like I was getting sick.

Speaking of sick, Lily just threw up all over the carpet.  Guess I better put carpet cleaning on the do it this week list.  Thanks for the motivation Lily.

[cineater]

Calmed that whole response down to Marsha.  Instead of saying you broke the chain of command and blew me off, I told her she was on point and clued her in on where we can take this, ie get on board with my plans.  I swear I'm just a bug in people's ears.  Months after I say something, people present it as their idea.  Come on, give me a little credit to keep me going.  A "building off what she said" or a "I thought about what she brought up".  Just something to acknowledge I exist.   Of course, that leads to more responsibility so maybe it's good I'm invisible to these folks. 

[soon]

1 hour ago, cineater said:

Mr Kitty showed up this morning!  He looks like he's been fighting.

Marsha is starting the turf war.  She sent a long email about naming the gardens after people/companies who donate to the save the creek fund.  I discussed that with her months ago and she blew me off as I shouldn't think it was a problem.  Too late now Marsha, that's been out there for months and we've taken in the money.  And quiet truthfully, I'm the lead of the gardens, you should have sent your concerns to me and I pass them up.  Not go directly to the top.  It's a volunteer group, no big deal, we'll just blow her off, lol.  I will point out all the times I've been in contact with the top and didn't bring it up because she blew me off in the first place, lol.

I actually slept well.  I've been dealing with a long standing personal issue and put it out there yesterday.  It's not going to go away but 'lit that power charge and blew that silver mine'.  I'm in the clear.  You won't understand that but I'm sleeping well.  And I kicked whatever was making me feel like I was getting sick.

Speaking of sick, Lily just threw up all over the carpet.  Guess I better put carpet cleaning on the do it this week list.  Thanks for the motivation Lily.

Yay to Mr Kittys return. I cant imagine seeing him roughed up though. 

I still hope there wont be a "Rose Garden, brought to you by Hungry Man Microwave Dinners." But Im glad you all get that money.

Im so happy to hear that you got whatever that longstanding issue was, off or your chest. And that it let you rest and feel better. 

Very grateful for no carpeting here. 

17 minutes ago, cineater said:

Calmed that whole response down to Marsha.  Instead of saying you broke the chain of command and blew me off, I told her she was on point and clued her in on where we can take this, ie get on board with my plans.  I swear I'm just a bug in people's ears.  Months after I say something, people present it as their idea.  Come on, give me a little credit to keep me going.  A "building off what she said" or a "I thought about what she brought up".  Just something to acknowledge I exist.   Of course, that leads to more responsibility so maybe it's good I'm invisible to these folks. 

Good, I was really sad to read that you two were at odds. She sounds a bit pushy and you sound more even keeled. 

That happens to me all the time too - people printing my ideas as there own! Ahhhhhhhh! I hate that. Just like you say, a bit of credit is all one asks. Plus since its your great idea you should be consulted to make it as cool as your vision.

Im learning to micro green and sprout today. Its gardening for quitters basically 

[cineater]

I need to cut back the coleus and make some more.

Yeah, Marsha is a tricky person.  Mostly, it's a don't piss her off approach, lol.  When she pisses me off I use it as an exercise in how not to respond in anger.  

There is real value in just giving people a credit.  I think we overlook that way too much.  We seem to only speak up to bitch and then wonder why people walk away.

[soon]

1 hour ago, cineater said:

I need to cut back the coleus and make some more.

Yeah, Marsha is a tricky person.  Mostly, it's a don't piss her off approach, lol.  When she pisses me off I use it as an exercise in how not to respond in anger.  

There is real value in just giving people a credit.  I think we overlook that way too much.  We seem to only speak up to bitch and then wonder why people walk away.

Sounds like your grow room is set up and running smoothly now then? This is the 3rd round of coleus cuttings, already?

You are wise. You could also poke her in the broken rib as needed j/k

My anise hyssop burger was delicious. It also added the illusion of spiciness, which was neat. No kale though 

[cineater]

Remind me this summer when we have that up to make one of those burgers.  Might use that in my luncheon for straight from the gardens.  I'm not butchering a cow although I could get a donation from the 4H group.

I'm still pretty tight in that grow room and crawling around on the floor.  My own fault for having so much.

Marsha is giving me a chuckle today.  Another email on another subject, problems, problems, problems.  It's okay, I like people who trouble shoot.  It's just I know she's being a little know it all with it.  I'll just redirect her back to solutions.  You can bitch but you better have a solution, this is happening.  Not wise, just a pushy bitch, lol.

The composting class went super well with 38 people.  He's a great speaker and even had little compost samples for them.  He had props too and built them a mini compost pile in a bucket and then had buckets in various stages of decomposing.  One of the best classes I have been to.

Edited January 22, 2020 by cineater

[soon]

16 hours ago, cineater said:

Remind me this summer when we have that up to make one of those burgers.  Might use that in my luncheon for straight from the gardens.  I'm not butchering a cow although I could get a donation from the 4H group.

I'm still pretty tight in that grow room and crawling around on the floor.  My own fault for having so much.

Marsha is giving me a chuckle today.  Another email on another subject, problems, problems, problems.  It's okay, I like people who trouble shoot.  It's just I know she's being a little know it all with it.  I'll just redirect her back to solutions.  You can bitch but you better have a solution, this is happening.  Not wise, just a pushy bitch, lol.

The composting class went super well with 38 people.  He's a great speaker and even had little compost samples for them.  He had props too and built them a mini compost pile in a bucket and then had buckets in various stages of decomposing.  One of the best classes I have been to.

Whats the 4H group?

Crawling around on the floor is pretty extreme! Thats commitment 

You and Marsha make a good team. You have different temperaments and styles but you share a vision and care about the garden. And you're both pushy b.... never mind j/k

The class are happening so fast, I cant keep up. Sounds like an incredible class! He'll have to come do it again sometime? You and him just got 38 people composting 

One really great thing about sprouting is that all the equipment is reusable in the long term and there is no additional lights required - they require the dark as far as Ive learned so far. All you do is rinse the seeds twice a day. I could save the run off and flush the toilet with it. And Ill look into if I can water plants with it too.

[cineater]

4H is a kids program usually around farming.  

I'm getting my shit together for the demo garden year.  Sent out an email to the leads for our February meeting dates and included a great idea from one of the leads.  Kevin responds and loves the idea.  Wants to make sure I share it with the other leads.  Er, you're on a group email with all the other leads.  I sent that to him last month and discussed it at steering committee. 

Reusing that water sounds like a good idea but something is telling me it's not.  Some kind of transferring something you don't want to risk.  I'd research it.  Weird shit grows in the dark.

[soon]

Classic Kevin!  Good thing his on the committee!

Good point about the sprouting water, Ill just use it to flush the toilet then.

I liked your idea about selling them too. Im used to offering a CSA model and if I sell to individuals rather than business it might be easier to use reusable jars to sell them in, with a deposit on the jars. I could try both businesses and households and see if ones more sustainable than the other. Makes me once again revisit my mushroom aspirations. They also dont need grow lights or much water and with more effort can be zero waste. So theres almost a theme to tie together a CSA box. Maybe brand it as "In The Dark" with a mushroom and Grateful Dead reference on the logo??