June 1-3, 2012

We had a half inch of rain in the gauge and received another tenth of an inch right after arriving, whoppie!

Plants to Farm

We brought plants out for the wedding. We also brought two cars as Sally did not want to spend the entire weekend out. These pictures were taken in the Sam's parking lot where Tender and I waited while she grabbed a few things. I am hoping people will take a plant home with them.

The blower was to blow out the barn and to blow out the chips that got embedded in the firewood stack. The chainsaw I had used to cut a slice from a dead fir tree in the neighboorhood, for possible use as a cake stand. (That one we decided against.)

Baking Mix

Since it was too wet to mow, we decided to go ahead and mix up some of the baking mix that will be provided our guests as favors. I thought I had enough for four batches, which we could make and then judge how much more was needed. But we rain short of 7-Grain flour and could only mix up three batches. This made 11 of the coffee type bags, and we figured we needed 4 more batches, which we would do the following weekend.

Clean Windows

After that, with the ground still wet, I cleaned the windows. I thought they looked really good until the end of the day when looking through them into the glare of the setting sun and noticed lots of streaks. Oh well.

Log Cake Stand

So we were having trouble coming up with a log large enough and in good enough shape for a cake stand. This one has set just inside the garage for about 5 years. I have used it to set my chain saws on as I sharpen them -- kind of a work bench. Since it has been basically out of the weather and was cut green, the bark was still adhering well. To get a clean straight cut I knew I would need to use my cross-cut saw. I told Sally it would take me an hour, and I was pretty much right. I did get impatient near the end and cut from one side and then the other. That was a mistake as it left an uneven triangle there.

Sally was anxious to get this project finished though, and accepted my flawed product. She put 2 coats of polyurethane on it that afternoon. (With the help of a bottle of wine.)

Wren Nest

A wren had built a nest right on top of my pile of gloves just inside the garage door. It has been there several weeks, with the momma flying off as I would enter. This week there were four eggs. I've been careful not to disturb the nest.

Barn

I moved my un-split logs around again and spent lots of time trying to blow out all the chips that were driven in between the logs in the firewood stack. I now wish I had draped a tarp over the stack. The stack did prevent the chips from blowing everywhere, which was good, but I will never get all the chips out without removing and re-stacking the logs. Sally was pleased in the end, and my arm was sore from holding up the blower. We also raked more of the chips around, still leaving the east end to be covered. Last, I loaded the truck with the trash we had stashed in the trailer (to be brought home and disposed of).

Pond

I had picked up more Cutrine Plus on the way out, and so Saturday morning I went down and made two more applications. The grass and algae was spotty, so I know I was doing good but hadn't yet licked the problem. I am hopeful that things will be looking up the next weekend.

Sunday I brought my high wheel string trimmer down and cut all the high grass around the south and east sides. The grass and algae was already looking better. I wish I had had my camera after finishing this effort.

While at the pond I checked the blue bird house. It looked like another nest had been built on top of the previous, and there were 4 more eggs. This will be the third set of eggs in this house this year (though the first babies were robbed).

Thistle

Coming back from the pond the last time I noticed a patch of thistle, so I returned with a bag and a shovel. I needed at least two bags. I kept spotting more and then more. After I bagged what I could, I just made a pile and using the shovel carried it back to the truck. I barely made it as my arms were about to give out. This was on the same spit of land that juts out between the two creeks where I have found thistle the last several years.

Move Bird Feeder

Sally didn't want the bird feeder next to the wedding site, so I dug it up and moved it up to behind the house. It will be easier to fill there.

Spray

Sally purchased some kind of green spray for ticks, three bottles. I sprayed one out front where the tent and reception will be. We will use the other two the next weekend.

Weed Eat

Using the brush whacker I did some weed eating on the hill behind the house, under the big oak in front of the barn, and then along the road up toward the house.