Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[jvls1942]

today I got the box trap all tuned up. i think the chuck will not steal the bait next time.
then i watered all of the beds. i didn't realize how dry they all were. we have pretty good rains, but the foilage is so dense, no water is reaching the roots,.
i got finished just in time to have a piece of raspberry pie. my sister showed up at the same time. we visited for a couple of hours.

 

[Callender Girl]

I didn't need to look at the U.S. Drought Monitor to know that my part of the state is no longer in a drought. Rain is becoming a part of almost every day. It's 72 degrees with humidity at 90 percent.

I need to mow, but it's too wet to run the mower. Last night, I realized that something I saw moving in the grass was a rabbit; only the very tips of its ears stuck up above the lawn.

Raspberry pie sounds good. But only if someone else baked it!

 

[jvls1942]

good Sunday morning, cool 65F and sunny\
Annie bakes a corn flake crust, then dumps raw berries in and tops it with real whipped cream. she likes picking berries of all kinds. has permanent scars on her legs from the blackberries.
the trap did not go off last night. the light went on before ten
did not check if the peach is gone.
all of the tomatoes reached the top of the poles, that is about four feet. i tied them all up for the last time. lots of tomatoes setting.
they had a heck of a thunderstorm just about six miles north of us. it hit Merrill pretty hard. hail broke windows on houses and windshields on cars. many trees down from the wind. no tornado reported. we didn't get a drop of rain.
this was all on Friday night.
Annie is keeping up with the lawn mowing. I am surprised at how she has become so proud of how the lawn looks.
at first it was a scary chore to run the lawn mower.
from now on I am not going to depend on the rain to water the raised beds. I will water them even if rain is forecast.
the squash is getting taller, yes, taller. the four plants seem to be holding each other up, there are tons of blossoms.
Barb, I hope that is not a Jack rabbit's ears.
Lisa, by now the baby geese must be about full grown?
Are you going to cut a second crop of hay soon?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lisa, by now the baby geese must be about full grown?
Are you going to cut a second crop of hay soon?

All are nearly adult size. We just lost a runt that hadn't grown very much at all. Held on for a lot longer than I expected.

We squeezed in second crop last week. Cut last Sunday and baled on Tuesday. We should be set now. I don't think many people are able to get their hay off this year.

My garden is a jungle. Finally getting a few cucumbers, green beans, and cherry tomatoes.

Had to put down my oldest dog last week Friday, the 11th. She wasn't doing well. Still hard to accept.

 

[jvls1942]

sorry to hear that about your dog, Lisa.
after we put our female down, the one in my avatar, I said no more dogs. too painful ,. it's like killing a dear friend.
our farmer neighbor cuts green hay. i haven't checked to see if he is stockpiling round bales, yet.
i had raspberry pie for breakfast,. had a glazer donut for dessert. I'll take an extra Jardience and do a little dance later on.
the bait was gone from the trap. it wasn't set off.
next time I will wire the bait to the lever. it might be a chipmunk stealing the bait ? I think the cat has eliminated all of the red squirrels,,,for now.
Annie is off to pick some more black raspberries
she has plans to pick 2o pounds of red raspberries and 2o pounds of black berries for 2 batches of wine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

sorry to hear that about your dog, Lisa.
after we put our female down, the one in my avatar, I said no more dogs. too painful ,. it's like killing a dear friend.

It does get harder and harder. As hard as it is, I've started to understand why people saying no more, I cannot image a life without dogs. That will be a really sad day for me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

 

[Cebarmlds]

Beautiful gardens!

 

[Callender Girl]

I am so sorry about your beloved dog, Lisa, and I completely understand that while it's heartbreaking to say goodbye (and, it never gets easier, no matter how many times you have to do it), life without dogs is unimaginable for me, too.

I have no doubt that you gave her a great life and, ultimately, you loved her enough to put an end to her suffering. Will you memorialize her in some way? All my dogs are cremated and the ashes put into urns with their photos on the front. It's like seeing a gallery of unconditional acceptance and love. Though, in truth, one of my pet sitters found it creepy -- but that's before he had his own dog and had to say goodbye.

But I also understand loving a dog so much that you can't imagine "replacing" them (which is impossible!) and opening yourself up to more heartbreak. Love -- whether it's animals or humans -- always has the ability to hurt.

To totally change the subject, what a great way to use duck decoys! I bought a box of well-used decoys at an auction and have always intended to float them in the clawfoot bathtub my real ducks refuse to use --even after I built a nice, wide ramp for their convenience. Maybe I'll get my plastic flock out of the garage and onto the water. And, maybe my runners will get jealous and hop in?

Raspberry pie and a glazed donut? Are you on a health food kick, Jim ? I shouldn't talk about anyone's dietary choices, I guess. Yesterday, although there were splits in the first two ripe, full-sized tomatoes, I managed to save enough of the Pink Beefsteak to make a sort of BLT for breakfast. But with plant-based bacon (I don't eat meat).

I used the last of the bread for the BLT and ended up having a blueberry and banana smoothie for lunch. Bananas weren't going to last much longer anyway and a chilled lunch was perfect on a hot, humid day. Humidity this morning is over 90 percent again.

My green beans are doing great, best I've ever had and I can't keep up with the cherry tomatoes. Or the weeds.

There was more than another inch of rain yesterday and more on the way today and tomorrow. Yes, the years-long drought is no more.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I am so sorry about your beloved dog, Lisa, and I completely understand that while it's heartbreaking to say goodbye (and, it never gets easier, no matter how many times you have to do it), life without dogs is unimaginable for me, too.

I have no doubt that you gave her a great life and, ultimately, you loved her enough to put an end to her suffering. Will you memorialize her in some way? All my dogs are cremated and the ashes put into urns with their photos on the front. It's like seeing a gallery of unconditional acceptance and love. Though, in truth, one of my pet sitters found it creepy -- but that's before he had his own dog and had to say goodbye.

But I also understand loving a dog so much that you can't imagine "replacing" them (which is impossible!) and opening yourself up to more heartbreak. Love -- whether it's animals or humans -- always has the ability to hurt.

To totally change the subject, what a great way to use duck decoys! I bought a box of well-used decoys at an auction and have always intended to float them in the clawfoot bathtub my real ducks refuse to use --even after I built a nice, wide ramp for their convenience. Maybe I'll get my plastic flock out of the garage and onto the water. And, maybe my runners will get jealous and hop in?

Thank you Barb. She is upstairs on a shelf with a bunch of boxes of ashes from some of my dogs. I told my husband if i go first to mix my ashes with all my dogs so we can all be together again.

I've always loved duck decoys, and I got tired of trying to keep plants in the pond for cover, so I started buying some cheap decoys. I enjoy tossing them on the pond. The paint has come off some of them, but they still float. Fish appreciate the cover.