This Weeks Gotta Do List

Most will be quick and easy

I just need to get off my rear and get them done & tell the sewing machine no when it calls my name…but the colors just suck me in.  I head for the laundry room and the next thing I know I’m sewing…which means everything else has fallen way behind. ***Like blog posts!

*Plant flowers on patio-My Mothers Day haul!  Every year after a big family breakfast they take me plant shopping.I’ll have the serial flower picker give me a hand for this job…**Done!  I potted up all the annuals this evening & cleaned the patio while I was at it. 

*Finish knitting a romper –An adorable “Small Things Romper” for a little mans Baptism.**Just the sleeves let to go

*Plant a few more rows of salad greens - Don’t know what I was thinking, what’s in the garden now won’t last more than a week or 2! 

*Chives repotted-  They are nearly busting out the pot and are more than ready for the first hair cut of the season ** Done, part sectioned off to give to a friend who will swap me for some garlic chives woot!

*Leeks in the garden- Late last summer I bought a bunch of babies and stuck them in a pot till I could plant them……I think its way past time (insert sarcasm here)

*Peas planted- Totally forgot the bag in the house when I put the rest in so they will go in tomorrow.  Hopefully not to late to have a small harvest

*House cleaned - It’s a mess nuff said **Part way

*Quilts listed –Quite a few are made and are waiting for photos.  The weather looks to be clear for the week so I need to get-er-done

*Thrift store run-Cleaning out a bit more **Done but I picked up a few shirts to repurpose for quilts

*Change out Easter decorations – Yes the bunnies and decorations are still out on the buffet.

*Turn the compost – I’ve really slacked off in my composting.  Winter, to cold/lazy to get out there? I don’t know but it needs turned and I need to build/create another section.  To much is going in the trash and it’s driving me crazy

Flower beds weeded.- The darn weeks are taking over.  I had one section clear enough for mulch but didn’t get it down so, I get to start over

*Laundry caught up.  *** Most of it,  at least I stopped it from breeding!

*Finish sorting baby clothes – Tubs of clothes the kids had stored here need to be sorted.  Our friends have a new grand daughter & we’ll pass a bunch on to them .  I think most of Alix clothes will be perfect for season/sizing & know they will be put to good use. **3/4 of the way, 2-3 boxes worth ready to mail

*Physical therapy – we have a love hate relationship.  I’ve come so far but the backward rotation is.. slow in coming.   **Done for the week.   Good news is the muscles have released and I can now fully extend/raise my arm…backward extension is still sketchy but I’m confident in my Dr. abilities for a full recovery.

*Get back in the rhythm of blogging!

Have a wonderful week ***Or, what’s left of it!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katids,healing,gotta do,random stuff

Where did the week go?!?!

Guess I blinked and it was GONE!

Mr. Fix-It ran the tiller back through the garden for me, (yes he’s feeling much better) on Monday.  We tilled last week and had rain rain rain.  To wet to plant but the wire grass took off like crazy!   It came in like gang busters and those roots were pretty darn deep.

Tuesday I raked it out and started planting.  Blue lake green beans took up 2 rows, Italian green beans took another 2.  Beets (late going in) took up half a row.  I plan to plant turnips in the other half.  This is my first year planting turnips.  I honestly don’t remember eating them but, we need to grow more of what we can eat so, they are going in.  I’ve heard in recipe's you can mix them in with potato's?    Feel free to toss your favorite tried and true turnip recipes this way!  Scalloped , zucchini, & spaghetti squashes went in next.  By this time Isaiah was home from school and came out to lend a hand (YES child labor) 

Did I tell you how good & freeing it felt to be out in the garden again???  My arm has healed well enough I could do anything I needed.  I admit I was a tad sore after I was done for the day but, I think that was just as much needing to burn winter off my back side

I had a blueberry replacement plant ready to be set, I talked Isaiah through how to do it and he went to town digging.  It was really hard to walk away and turn him loose. The dead plant was pulled out and replaced in a wink.  He did a great job and was so proud he was trusted to do it all on his own.  Level and nice and straight.  Of course he thinks that bush will produce the most fruit because he planted it.   Gah, it starts early LOL!

Isaiah & I were clearing all the weeds from the dirt mound at the end of the garden…it was left over soil from filling the raised beds….weeds have gone to town on it and looks nasty.  we were weeding away, Isaiah was in front of me reaching for the next hand full… when I looked up and saw this

We left it alone as I don’t think its one we have to worry about biting but, we decided it could play by its own slithery self.

Guess I should have posted this earlier as I started it Wednesday & it’s now Sunday PM!!

Since then its been raining off and on. 

Just enough to keep everything wet and mucky.  That’s ok, its less water I have to haul

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,gardening,creepy crawlies

April Showers?

Come on! It’s May already!

The dogwood are in full bloom. some of my iris are blooming…

The beautiful sunny skies we’ve enjoyed this past week gave way to wet, cold, drizzly rain. At least it washed all the green pollen off the cars.  Our temps dropped 20-30 degrees.with the rain.  Between the pollen (which caused a major allergy problem) and the temp drop Mr. Fix-it spent the weekend coughing and hacking.  The sneezing and coughing has now turned in to a full blown chest cold with chills and fever. 

We had a slow Sunday staying between our house and Erika’s dodging rain drops. In keeping with his theory of “ignore it and it will go away”  he assembled a pre made desk for Erika & changed out flickering light fixture over my kitchen sink. A break waiting for muffins, some cuddle time and Vegie Tales with Grandpa

He also hooked up a internet signal booster which will reach to Erika’s and allow me to have computer time with my morning coffee on the patio. . So much for keeping a good man down!

He wore out late afternoon with a fever again and settled in to watch the end of the races with supper served in his chair (never happens)  He dozed off and on and was treated with (my crust totally flopped)

a ugly but yummy strawberry rhubarb pie….or so he said.

Derby weekend came and went, attendance was way down with the weather.  Security measures were increases but all the after parties continued.  Saturday morning running errands we had to wait for a line of limos to pass to pull off of our road.  Seems there were many private jets diverted from Louisville International to our little airport.  Since (as the crow flies) its only a few miles away we heard them come in.  All I could think of is the money spent on those flights would more than cover the cost of a green house, hoops for the raised beds & gutters on the little house.

Guess its all a matter of priorities.

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Random stuff

Spring Has Sprung!

In our little part of the world any way

Every stinkin year I plant rhubarb starts, and they dye.  So this year I caved and bought 2nd year plants.  I know this raised bed may not be quite big enough for all 6 plants but I figure odds are at least one will die and there will be room…if not I’ll transplant half to another bed.  Mr. Fix-It LOVEs rhubarb nearly as much as he loves his blackberries so this is a very exciting addition for us

Before our last frost I started putting in various lettuce, kale and carrots.  We covered the bed with straw when we had a surprise snow but, now I see green peeking through. I’ve been planting additional rows every week hoping to keep our plates full of yummy salads this summer.  Kale will be new to our diets.  I’ve heard so much about Kale chips I really want to try them.  We’ve both had cooked kale in “southern greens” but neither of us cared much for the slimy texture.  I’m hoping to use it in salads and dehydrate for the chips.

The broccoli went in earlier than usual also and is doing wonderful.  I’m hoping to harvest early enough to avoid those darn moths this year. I’d like to make some type of hoop covers to protect them but it’s out of the budget this year

The strawberries are going like gang busters.  As recommended by Mama Pea the strawberry queen (Thank you for the tips) I clipped the plants way back and covered them with straw this winter…The straw mulched in and the plants are stronger and more healthy as ever before. Since this is the 3rd year I’m setting one section aside to let send out runners & start another/ larger bed next year.

 

This year I intend to plant by the lunar cycles & the farmers almanac. I want to try and follow it as close as I can anyway. I tracked rows I planted in the lunar cycle last year and they proved to be the strongest plants with a largest harvest.  I don’t know weather wise if I’ll be able to plant the entire garden this way but I’m sure going to give it a shot.

Last year we added more top soil to a few low sections.  It’s been loaded with good rich rabbit poo & straw all winter. The garden is tilled, raked and weeded.  By the cycle, beets, turnips and carrots will go in today .the rest is.just waiting for seed next week.

Any green poking through in your neck of the woods?

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,garden,gardening,Farmers Almanac

Moving Day!

Things are moving along in the little house.

  Mr. Fix-It & Isaiah pulled up the bathroom floor tonight for the new linoleum.  Who puts laminate in a bathroom?  The cut ends were against the tub with nearly a 3/4 inch unsealed gap.  The floor was buckled under the toilet.  Instead of adding a spacer they added a 2nd wax ring, over tightened and cracked the ring thingy.  Lord knows how long the toilet had been leaking but, from the look of the sub floor quite a while.  The bathroom sink (and tub) faucet was so caked with lime build up it wouldn’t shut off all the way.  Geeesh, a bit of vinegar once in a while would have kept it clean.  

We’ve had lots of rain the past 24 hours. So there is a hold on furniture moving to the little house. Isaiah just cracked me up he wants to move in so bad & kept saying “just give me a pillow and my sleeping bag and I’m good!”   We’re catching the edge of the mid-west storms and the yard is greening up quickly. 

*************************************************

Nothing like a week long post!

The bathroom is being water tested…we ended up buying a new toilet and sink top.   After cleaning them we found the crud was so  built up on the suface’s it had eaten though the finish.  I think they were pouring drain cleaner in and leaving it in standing water.  It’s the only way the sink finish would be eaten up like that.  The drains had been connected in a way which blocked the water flow.  Erika painted and it’s like a whole new room.

Move in day is today,  It will be quick work as she only has a few dressers, crib and a bed left to move…aside from clothing.  We’ve family coming to help & and it should be done in no time at all. We’ll need to make a run to replace mattresses and a few odds and ends and it will be ready for them to stay. 

The 2 little ones are having a bit of a hard time with the move.  Since most of their things were destroyed in the flood, everything is new (new to them).  18 mo just walks around with big eyes, fussing and wanting to be held a lot more than normal.  Evie, at 3 is really struggling & acting out. Poor thing just finally adjusted to living at Danielle’s & wants to stay there.  We’ve had her at the new house as much as possible, had  meals and included her in moving a few of her toys etc. over.  She likes being there in the day time by us but although it is in a good way this time, she again has had her world turned upside down.  I told Erika Evie will take her cues from her,  it may take a while but to stay positive about the new home & include her in as much of “creating a nest” as possible.

Any thoughts or ideas PRAYERS to help the little's adjust  would be greatly appreciated.

Off to start the move

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Moving Day,Family,property