Sunday, February 7, 2010

Dust

It's 30 degrees and sunny. It's going to be a beautiful day. There was a light frost.

I woke up this morning with an urge to clean the rest of the house. The kitchen, as far as it can be done, is spotless. I've spent the morning dusting, mopping, sweeping, and am about to start laundry. There's a lot of dust.



This afternoon, once the neighbors have risen, I'll be back outside splitting the last of the usable wood from the oak tree. My dad is coming to get his chainsaw. There are three trees he knows of back home that need to come down. He's going to have help doing it Friday. On Saturday, they plan to bring the wood to me. I guess I'll have a nice stack somewhere all summer long. I wonder where I can hide it.

I've got plans to head down to the basement in the meantime. I still need to take cuttings from my overwintering pineapple sage and stick them in the cloner. I've got to do something about all the dirt in the basement. Half of it is on the floor, the other half is still sitting in penny pansy containers. Some of them will be tossed into the two lower veggie beds and tilled in, whenever the soil dries out a bit.

Somewhat related to the video, I'm back down to 215lbs as of yesterday morning. By the end of summer, I'd like to be back to a 34" waist hovering somewhere around 200lbs. Time to shed my winter fat.

12:34pm - Lunch, tuna on toast.

I've done very little of what I set out to do this morning. Pineapple sage has not been stuck. The pansies are almost gone. Last night I started with the very dry 6" containers. I used 1/2" screens to remove the root clumps and any remaining top growth. I'll use this soil to fill the wintersowing containers my mom is bringing this afternoon.



The 6-packs and some of the moldy 6" containers were run through the leaf shredder. I used that soil to fill the two lower garden beds.



I turned in all the leaves that have been out there since the fall, tossed out some 10-10-10 to speed decomposition, and layered the shredded pansies and soil on top. I used the pitchfork to aerate the soil as I watered. It seemed very odd to be watering after 3" of rain fell just a day ago.



I'm thinking of using this space as a place to grow herbs in the summer. Basil, dill, and cilantro are my favorites. It depends on where I plant my tomatoes.



Behind those beds, there's new growth on the 15cent asters. I got 10 of them this past fall. There were supposed to be 15 10cent asters, but someone swiped a few after I had paid for them. It's a buck fifty, I won't complain.



On the front slope, I counted about a dozen daffs pushing through the soil. 188 more to come.



Unfortunately, inconsiderate neighbors made me do it. I like dogs. I just don't like some dog owners. I've got enough trouble with the feral cats that live around here. Walk your dog somewhere else.



It's 41 degrees. Heading back outside in a bit to split the firewood.

4 comments:

Jimmy said...

"NO DOGS" How to be close with your neighbors. Don't some of those people where you are eat road kill? be careful.

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Jim, I've tried asking politely that they let their dogs go elsewhere. I'm going to see if this helps. Honestly, I expect a pile right in front of the sign any day now.

pam_chesbay said...

Dogs are eager to please. If dogs could read, I'm sure most would comply.

Your problem is caused by their owners who will view the sign as unneighborly and/or hostile.

Assume the neighbors won't change their ways. Then what?

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Pam, it's one neighbor in particular that I have an issue with. I spoke to her again after having to ask her son to take his dog out of my yard. It's settled, for now.