Best/Worse/What did I Learn Today? Come sit awhile and share your day..newcomers welcome

Happy Easter all.
It's been my sad experience that i can't count on frost-free spring until Mother's Day. Many times I have jumped the gun & lived to regret it, lost my annul flowers that I planted!

I can relate, Pat.. Have lost numerous annuals, and veggies by planting too soon. Mainly in Illinois (same USDA Zone as you- Zone 5), & in Montana (very challenging, Zone 3).

But have also been caught by surprise here in Zone 9 a few years ago, by an April 4 freeze that killed all my outdoor seedlings except onions, Red Russian kale, & snow peas. That was the second latest recorded freeze of all time, for this county. The absolute latest freeze on record for this county was way back in April 10, 1973.

Fortunately, I had saved back half of every seed packet, just in case of crop failure due to flood, frost, or pests. I re-sowed everything and got crop yields of half normal, because of sowing later than recommended. Better than having no production at all.

Currently soaking yellow Summer squash seeds for sowing outside this evening. I'm going to interplant them with beans, similar to the Native American 3 sisters planting method minus maize. The bean plants help supply nitrogen to the squash plants. My garden is much too small to get a decent maize crop.

Also soaking four o' clock seeds for sowing this evening. Not sure yet where I'll put them.

Morning, overcast and windy, 26°f
Won’t be out raking today for sure.

I would be taking chances for sure planting outdoors before end of May. Can only depend on the perennials that managed to survived the winter

I’d say with the last freeze in 1973 you are safe, we all live in such different climates.

Susan you still have snow, normal for your area right? I will not get to anxious as they are calling for snow Thursday, of course the time I have to be in Orillia to see high blood pressure specialist and mom wants to go to Costco, hoping it’s just a few flurries.as for me there is nothing I need but it will be outing for mom. Tomorrow I go for my injections in midland, that is a bit early for mom so will go, come back and see if she would like to go early afternoon.o

Waving to all

Our sewing cabinets are in WITH the new counter tops! NOW our cabinet guy will finish putting up the bookcases that rest on the base. We are getting closer...

Glad to hear things are progressing for you Pat.
Betty, sounds like you are staying busy. Hope you get some rest.

Our real estate agent just called today. Marie's well water failed health department testing. We will have it treated AGAIN and retested and look for a source of contamination. If I were the potential buyer, I would back out...

Morning, hope you haven’t blown away, it’s cold temps here but with wind uggg

Pat that is wonderful news, can’t wait for you to photo’s, now when will the repair be done to the longarm.

Lindakay, imagine your throws are almost done?

Off to get my injections in neck, here is hoping i can get the one for my hip at same time. Need a few groceries, appt is 9:15 but if Ileave here now I should be able to do groceries before shots as they are calling for torrential rain then snow.

Might call the doctor in Orillia to say if it’s a bad storm that I would cancel tomorrow and rebook.

Oh Pat - good news/bad news! Hope the source of the contamination is found & easily fixed! Has Marie been getting ill while living there?

As for snow, yes we still have it, and ice. Slowly melting though, and we're starting to get temps in the plus now (+6c at 7:30am - that's 43F!). Time to start planting, but I haven't started any seedlings. I'm not sure I will. I may get some tomato plants in patio planters. I just don't have the time to do much other than flowers & shrubs.

We're getting our first ever dart board in our Senior's Centre today! The backboard was put up & I painted it this weekend - a pale yellow, cuz that's the paint I had on hand :) I'm going to get a picture of me throwing the first dart and I'll post it here.

Pat, was she aware the well was contaminated before she bought it?
Susan, sounds like you are staying busy.
Betty, yes, quilts are almost done. About 6 more to finish.

No, the well that is contaminated is the house she is SELLING! We are on public city water here at this house. Their well in Burbank is private, no one else uses/shares it. It's 92 feet deep and they had NO idea there was a problem.

Not sure when we'll get the computer/ tablet part of the longarm back. The cabinet guy is to be back Friday and we should then get the bookcases secured in the longarm room. I hope we are up and running soon. WE NEED to sew, it's a stress reliever for us. Except for when we were struggling to learn the longarm computer program, THAT was AWFUL! I'm hoping our RE-learning process isn't too painful.

The cat/dog combination is still a little tentative. Stanley still stalks the dog occasionally or swats without provocation, but no blood shed so we are counting it as a win.

We have a lead on someone to install the dog door. No one has been willing to do it because the house exterior is stucco.

Glad the well water didn't make you sick.
Glad to hear the animals are getting along.
Praying all your work is done soon.

I cannot find you guys.....

You just did. We are here.

Morning, still snowing, it’s a wonder with all that wind that trees are still standing. anxious for next week as they are calling for temps in high 50’s-low 60’s but for today I’ll watch light snow falling.

Glad you found us Sharon, how are you doing?

Susan, bet you are getting even more excited as the days are nearing for your vacation, sounds like your daughter has a full schedule for you. How did you make out with the 1st dart throw?

Pat, that will be a large expense if you have to put in a new well at Marie’s
Hope it can be fixed with chemicals


Off schedule with mom here, I’ve done more cooking than normal so am keeping it down and putting weight back on which isn’t good.

Wednesday I went for my injections in shoulder and hip, ouchhh take a bit of time to help.

Thursday I had appointment at my high blood specialist, got great reviews, he is above pleased re the numbers, kidneys 1/3 & 1/2 are operating 72% their capacity. NOT pleased with sugar count so am to make appt with my Dr. Lots of luck getting an appointment with him, i hear he is letting 1/2 his patients go. I will have to do some self research as I sure don’t want to end up taking needles… any suggestions
I then took mom to Costco so did a lot of heavy lifting (for me) so had a hard and painful night, just took a gummy lol. We had to be back for mom’s perm appointment so rushed, just got home a lady called, asked if she could bring a bag of batting, then Sharon dropped in, by then young Ari came for class, thank goodness i bought a rotisserie chicken and didn’t have to cook.

Around 10:30 we will go into Midland, have several places I need to go and mom likes to shop so there goes Friday.

Saturday I start my cat watching for Johns sister for a week, hope i don’t screw up the alarm system.I have never seen a more beautiful home, design, furniture, garden room, i will pretend i live there.

So that is what I’m up to

Mom just got up, have coffee and freshen baked muffins so best I get a move on

Oops Marie just came in so will be back in a bit to gab to others

HURRAY, FINALLY my divorce documents are correct - including Dianne & I going to Red Deer for HER service papers to be correct for serving him with the divorce papers. No "hiccups" at all. Now, wait up to 3 months for them to be signed by a judge. At least now I don't have to go back to the Courthouse (this was the 5th time after she served him).
Looking forward to my vacation in Winnipeg, PLUS I'm delivering 3 of the lap quilts to Cecil tomorrow. I just have to print up 3 tags & put them on. Hope to have one more top done, ready to join to the back/batting, so I can take it with me to quilt.
Time to go set up for coffeetime at our Seniors.

btw - Pat, I knew you were talking about Marie's place that she's selling......... I just wondered if she'd been sick because of the water.

Hi ladies, and Welcome Back Sharon!

Sharon, you and I are in the same USDA Zone for gardening.
How awesome is that? :)

Betty, there are quite a few herbs that can significantly lower blood sugar.
These include:
Aloe vera
Berberis (barberry) root
Bitter melon
Fenugreek
Flaxseed
Gymnema sylvestre
Milk thistle
Prickly pear cactus
Turmeric

Here are some supplements that may help lower blood sugar:
Chromium picolinate
Vanadium
Vitamin D

Source of list: "Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention Options for Type 2 Diabetes: Complementary Health Approaches and Integrative Health (Including Natural Products and Mind/Body Practices)"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279062/

Personally, I got an unhealthy high blood sugar reading for the first time in my life back in August, after a cardiac arrest. Immediately began using most of the herbs in List one, and 2 of the 3 supplements in List 2. I don't use Gymnema because it's expensive and I don't use Bitter Melon because I am quite allergic to it. I don't take Vitamin D because my diet is high in it (lacto-ovo vegetarian tends to be high in VitD)

60 days later, not only was my blood sugar level back in a healthy range, but my cholesterol level had gone down into healthy range too! :)

Had a busy few days away from the garden, due to Mom in law turning 82, combined with some health problems of mine.

While the gardener was away, mice/voles sure did play! I didn't even know we had rodents in that area until now. They ate up nearly all my Brassica seedlings and left tunnels and entrance holes as evidence.

I may lay out some sticky traps to try and catch them. We already have 3 cats trying to catch them, but apparently it's a Tom & Jerry cartoon around here: our mice are very smart & fast.

Going to Plant more of the following Rodent resistant crops:

Sweet potatoes (already have some growing)
Leeks (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Onions (sowed some, considering buying onion sets for Fall planting)
Garlic - May try planting some cloves from the grocer
Shallots (Plan to grow these in Fall/Winter)
Peppermint & spearmint - Will try rooting some from the grocer
Holy Basil/ African Cinnamon Basil
Lavender (sowed some. Too early to tell if they are growing,
or if that row is now populated by wildflowers)
Alyssum
Cleome
English pot marigold- Sowed some; waiting to see how they do
Four o Clock- Going to sow these today
Globe thistle
Lemongrass or Citronella Geranium
Tagetes Marigold: Considering Mexican Mint Marigold
Milkweed
Nasturtium (have several of them growing)
Poppy (sowed some California poppy seeds; they seem to be sprouting)
Salvia farinacea
Snapdragon (I have seeds, but they are best sown in Fall/Winter here.)

Also going to try these tips:
essential oils, such as eucalyptus, citronella, and lavender, can repel
rodents. Ammonia-soaked cotton balls can also be used as a deterrent.
Rodents dislike the smell of ammonia and will avoid areas where it is present.

Place, or plant, an onion or a mint plant where you suspect the mice are eating.

Sprinkle Instant Potatoes

Instant potatoes are cheap, and they are surprisingly effective at eliminating rodents.
Simply sprinkle a few tablespoons of the powder wherever you suspect a mouse infestation.
The mice will eat them (obviously), and after they do, the flakes will expand in their stomachs.
Since their stomachs are so small, the mice will die before the potatoes can be digested.

Any other anti-mouse tips y'all know of, which are not listed above? Please do share. Thank you.

@NewLeafTX - I didn't know that about instant potatoes - good to know! Of course, I'm talking about in the house and don't have a cat. I do, however, have a lot of cats that visit my yard. I've been feeding them, and am thinking that the cats are having their way with the mice! I sure hope so..........!!

Ivy, the instant potato trick sounds awesome. When you use poison to kill a mouse you run the risk of your pet finding the still living mouse and eating it, getting the poison 2nd hand. Potatoes don't pose that risk!!

Susan, I hope that ends the divorce misery soon. It sure has taken a LONG time!

AAAccckkk... it seems my new Visa joint account with my sister has been hacked and now I have to get a new card AND reorder anytthing I just ordered. Sooo frustrating.

oh Pat - that's terrible! Her account is fine though? Do you have to get refunded any funds that were taken out?

Yes, it's been a long haul, but the end is in sight. Now, it's jut to wait for the certificate to come in the mail and get the restraining order in place.

Had to share this lol

Afternoon all, gorgeous day after having 3 day storm

Iris that is very interesting about the mashed potatoes, as for list #1, i will go to the health store and see if they carry any of them. I am trying to get my mind around all you plant, must be wonderful to see all once grown… a tremendous amount of work for sure. Cardiac arrest, Lordy you are one lucky lady to still be with us.

Susan, you will feel so free once the divorce is all behind you, sounds like that department has no clue about papers required so hope it goes through without a hitch. Maybe Bob will contest so if he is not single the witch can’t pressure him to marry. I’m excited about your trip.

Dianne are you getting this weather

Sharon know you are deep in the gardens.

Deb, is Luca home? Did I mention Sharon went to fFinger Lakes NY and nobody showed, Costner a mint for registration, gas, hotel and to not even compete for points..has that ever happened to you?

Lindakay, is there any gardening you can do where you are?

Pat, what a nuisance re your joint account, hope there were no charges on the account. Will it be difficult to remember what you ordered? lol

i got to play outside for a few hours and now i can’t move, my fault, i know the shoulders can’t rake. I did put some solar lights on a shrub and on the obelisk out front, hoping i set the timer correctly for the chandelier lights to come on at correct time. This morning i was at Home Depot at 8:00 and bought 12 thread carpets for the stairs, set them out and looks great looking down but when downstairs looking up 3 runners have flaws where carpet fibre didn’t take so another trip to Home Depot later as mom has my car so she could go visit Sharon,if not when she gets home then tomorrow morning I’ll exchange and be able to get them put on. Had 1/2 a rotiserie chicken left so made a soup and it cooked while the kids were sewing from 10-2 pm.

Also got the pump in the pond emptying so leaves can dry and i can get it up and running, it’s the biggest of the garden chores, not a wonder I am starting to feel tired.
Moving the wheel barrel kills me, waiting to ask Greg if it’s too cold to put the battery in my riding lawnmower so I can attach the little trailer which would help me.

This is the week I took on feeding 2 cats twice a day for John’s sister Diana, she left this morning so tonight is my 1st time playing with the alarm system, wish me luck.

Betty, I can't imagine that the alarm system would have played friendly with me. Technology is NOT my friend! LOL I am not sure I understand. Sharon paid the entry fees and still did NOT get to compete? How does THAT happen?

Susan, I LIKE that sentiment! YES, I am a HERO!!!

Ivy, I used to have a cat that was an excellent mouser and that was all the help I needed.

Bookcases got installed in the longarm room and the last of the sewing room. We still need the extra lights and electrical, that happens Tuesday. Unfortunately, I will have to reorder the fans since that order got cancelled with the cc jacking.

Marie & her son Matt just left to go out to dinner, I stayed here to eat & I will enjoy some reading & relaxing. This afternoon Marie & I did several hours of sorting thru her fabric. We have identified several boxes worth she will be donating to various organizations like Lynus project, a local church that sews for a needy group and other charities. We'll NEVER get all our fabric sewn up in our lifetime. I told her every quilt she makes with fabric she is NOT excited about is less time for the ones she loves. She surprised me by being rather ruthless!

Susan, praying your paper work is all done properly now.
Pat, sounds like you are getting closer to getting your new home fixed the way you want.
Betty, hard to believe she drove all that way, paid her fees, then couldn't enter. Did they give her an excuse?
Yes, we can garden here. Everything is in containers or raised beds. Because we have 3 cane corso dogs here, things planted in the ground aren't safe. I will take photos, once things start blooming.

What a glorious day, sunshine and tomorrow we could have a high of 64.

Lindakay I will so enjoy photo’s of your planters. Todd’s rose bush seems to be flourishing, i will have to read up on the care as I don’t do roses well.

Sharon and I took mom out for breakfast, they dropped me off and I raked 3 of the front gardens front gardens now about 10 wheel barrels of leaves to empty into back ravine, doubt my shoulders are up to get that much done. The pond is l most empty and hopefully leaves will be dry enough that I can get them out of the pond to the back ravine, seems once that is done I feel more in control of yard work.

I had made a list for today and I am getting there, managed while I was suppose to be napping to do 8 stair thread rugs down, ran out of 2 sided tape for last 4 which I will pick up after chiropractor tomorrow and finish the job, feels safer…

I am happy your stair thread rugs make it safer for you Betty.

Betty - Bob can't contest the divorce. He had his chance by Nov 15th, 2023.
Yes, Pat - the paperwork is FINALLY done correctly and stamped by the courts, so it's just "up to 3 months" for the judge to sign it. Once he's signed it, then Bob & I will get a copy in the mail (I had to provide stamped envelopes for both of us). Either of us can get re-married 31 days after the signing, so his girlfriend will have to wait LOL

As promised, here are the pictures of the first 3 lap quilts. Remember - funky material, and hand quilted.........

This message was edited Apr 7, 2024 2:01 PM

Nicely done Susan, I hope your recipients truly appreciate the love and effort you have put into each of these.

Moved us over

https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1564893/