The Gardeners Dilemma

Picking out seeds is the best way to pass dreary winter days. I can spend weeks pouring over seed catalogs, building carts, changing my mind, and starting all over again. It’s a grand time. Baker Creek, Sow True Seeds, Urban Farmer, all are worthy of a visit.

Hello Bumble.
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Twist ‘N Shout

Fence mending, compared to fence building, is a piece of cake. Week old stale birthday cake, but cake nonetheless.

Its time for summer storms to start up in earnest in our part of the world, and a week ago from yesterday did not disappoint. The National Weather Service may be in denial, but we are convinced we had a tornado roll through town.

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DR Power needs a Doctor

I’m not saying I married my husband because he’s a mechanic, I’m just saying it’s come in handy. A lot. The DR power mower that we bought used many years ago has lived a hard, rough-and-tumble life on the farm. Oil changes, sometimes, chain lubes, I’m better with. But the amount of things that simply break… surely can’t be my fault.

When we first moved in, we rented a billy goat bush hog from Home Depot, and let’s just say I’m glad we bought the insurance. something about a stick stuck in the belt system, I’ve blocked out the rest. After renting the machine for a couple of times, it was clear one needed to live here.

Craigslist should require an adult to log me in and supervise my transactions. Same for marketplace. That is how we found ourselves traveling a couple hours from the house to view a walk behind bushhog of my very own.

The seller was a mechanic by training, my husband is a mechanic, they spoke in their own language for a bit that sounded like well oiled gears turning, and soon the monster was on its way home with us. I’ve cleared a lot of the same land time and again with DR, and it gets easier every time, the trees a bit smaller, the stumps a bit more friable. But, it has come at a dear price that the mower had to pay. Here, I proudly (or not so much) present a photographic journey of just a few of our “events.”

I cannot in good conscience recommend the DR Power brand, but I can say, they are easy to work on. But even for all the hell and back trips we’ve taken together, I wouldn’t give it up. Except, maybe for one with power steering.

And this gem, I will 100% take credit as my fault.

Down with the Wax Moths

We lost yet another hive last fall. If anyone off keeping count, that’s 3 that have absconded. I promise, animals usually like us!!

This hive fell to a new for us issue, so at least it stays interesting. I bought a complete hive in the spring of 2021 to complement the wild hive we had already. Sorry to say, tame bees just may not be destined to thrive here. Late summer, there started being fewer and fewer bees at the entrance, and when I took the lid off, it was all over with.

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