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Post by stepper on Apr 27, 2021 18:47:34 GMT -6
You haven’t mentioned your grape arbor for quite a while and I was wondering what was happening to the bounty? As in, you haven’t mentioned any home made jelly or wines yet.
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Post by Phalon on May 2, 2021 7:25:02 GMT -6
That's because I don't like jelly or wine! The battle for the bounty is between Hubs and the birds - as soon as the grapes start to ripen, it's a race to see who can get to them first.
Another weird-@ss weather week - Tuesday, it was short sleeves and shorts. Wednesday it was jeans, hoodie, and winter coat...and wishing for long johns. Thursday through yesterday, it was winter wear, including long johns. Then suddenly, late afternoon, it seemed to go from the 40s to about 70 degrees instantly. It's the wind that comes off the Lake; the waters are still frigid, which makes the wind bitingly cold. Late afternoon lake fog is the same - you can almost imagine the fog as icy fingers creeping in. The backseat of my car is like a closet (a messy closet!) - I've got two completely different seasons of clothing in there cuz who knows how quickly the weather will change. We can always pick out the customers that come from inland - they're a lot less bundled up than those living along the lakeshore.
But today, it's actually warm and sunny!
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Post by Phalon on May 5, 2021 4:46:51 GMT -6
Here we go again - 70s on Sunday, 60s Monday, and yesterday the high was in the 40s. Supposed to frost later in the week.
Despite the ups and downs in temperatures, the asparagus is going strong (Hubs covered it when we got that freeze a couple of weeks ago), and we roasted our first batch for dinner the other night. Mmmmm!
I planted two different lettuce blends on Sunday, after spreading a nice layer of compost - I'll have to see how it does where it's at; the soil is very sandy there, but the compost should help. Had to plant it in a different garden this year, because Helpful Hubs struck again on Saturday! I merely mentioned last fall that I was considering extending the main veggie garden and putting in another raised bed - he took this as a request to 'please take out the smaller of the raised beds, pry up the brick edging, and create way more work for my wife while she's at work and can't stop me'. He also found his inner Hubs-ward Scissorhands and trimmed the boxwood into weird balls-on-a-stick topiaries, and "thinned" the hydrangeas (I never ever knew hydrangeas needed thinning...because they don't). Ah well, it'll all grow back. Eventually.
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Post by Phalon on May 8, 2021 4:59:14 GMT -6
Such a weird start to May - the past few days have been highs in the 40s, lows in the 30s, with frost overnight. It's supposed to continue like that at least until mid-week next week, then hopefully we'll get into the 50s and 60s. Very much looking forward to shedding my winter coat and long johns!
Our little wrens are back, so cute hopping around through the gardens....and so noisy! They're so tiny, they sometimes get hidden in all the foliage, but their constant chatter gives them away. Robins are building nests everywhere. I think it's gotta be in the Robin Nest Building Handbook somewhere - "Step 1: Find the most inopportune place to build a nest; the more inconvenient it is for all parties involved (to include humans), the better."
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Post by Phalon on May 11, 2021 5:00:59 GMT -6
Lots of sunshine over the last few days, but it's still cold - 34F this morning, and with the wind, daytime temperatures haven't felt a whole lot warmer. I had a very nice Mother's Day; because of the cold we ordered in instead of grilling out which was original plan, and it was great to spend a day with everyone here together.
There is a bonus to the colder temperatures (gotta find that bright side) - the spring flowers have lasted a lot longer than is typical. The redbuds and dogwoods are gorgeous, and I've got daffodils still blooming.
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Post by Phalon on May 13, 2021 5:01:08 GMT -6
Third night of frost this week, and it's supposed to be the last. Keeping fingers crossed! It's been so hard to keep stuff looking good at work - all those new tender leaves and swelling flower buds just turn to mush with frost. We run around after we close with giant frost blankets, trying to cover up the most frost susceptible of the shrubs.
Was doing just that yesterday, and it was a good thing we were closed....so no customers were around to see what happened. It was with the most utmost poise and grace that my feet got tangled up in the blanket as I was dragging it down steps (the blankets weigh like 70 pounds). I ended up splayed out in the parking lot, all twisted in the blanket. Twisted my ankle and broke a fingernail...
...and (because you gotta find that bright side), at least it's still too cold for shorts, because my two bloody knees look like they did when I was five and learning to ride a "big girl bike".
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Post by Mini Mia on May 13, 2021 14:43:06 GMT -6
It’s been more like April here, so far. Next week appears to be more like May. I’ll enjoy the warmer nights. I have to stay outside with Mom’s dog. She isn’t allowed to jump, run, or go up and down steps for three weeks. She could become paralyzed if she does. She gave me a scare Sunday night. I thought she was having a stroke. Turns out she has a bad disc in her back. She’s 14, but still acts like a young pup, so was very surprised by this event.
She was a very sad and depressed dog, up until today. She’s seeming more like her old self. I have to get on to her for trying to jump up on me. My BIL put the ramp he built for my Mom up against my porch for her, but she seems to think she doesn’t need it. She heads to the steps, and a few times she acted like she was going to jump off the edge of the porch. She even jumped off of the ramp when about halfway down. I put a leash on her now to keep control of her. The better she feels, the harder she’s going to be to make mind.
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Post by Phalon on May 16, 2021 7:19:18 GMT -6
Don't you wish you could explain to pets that you're making them do these things because it's for their own good? Actually, I guess you could explain to them all you want, but it'd be great if you could make them understand what you're trying to explain.
Welp - in the past 14 days, we've had two hard freezes and seven frosts. I hope we're finally past that - the last couple of mornings have been in the 40s, so keeping fingers crossed. Work has been exhausting - I've been going in early and staying after hours, just to try to keep up with the work load. Trying unsuccessfully it seems - I feel like I'm just spinning wheels. We are so busy with customers, and we're so understaffed - and this past week, became even more so as one part-time new hire quit without notice yesterday, and the only other full-time co-worker suffered another bout of covid-related illness that took him out for two months at the end of last season. I'm the only full-time retail person left, along with two part-time people (there were 4 full-time and one part-time people before the pandemic). I feel guilty for telling the Boss Lady to only call me in today, on my day off, as an absolute last resort.
I need a break.
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Post by Mini Mia on May 16, 2021 15:42:01 GMT -6
Heatwave coming, so seems like we’re going from April to June. No May this year.
The dog is feeling fine. She uses the ramp when forced. She’s determined to use the steps, so I have to stop her, pick her up, and set her down where she needs to be. She’s jumping up and down when excited. Jumping up on me and others. Longs to jump up on the loveseat, but I’ve been good about blocking it when I’m not sitting down. She’s also been digging up mole trails. I’m hoping she has a sense of how much she should do. Two more weeks from tomorrow, and I’m hoping that means she can get back to fairly normal. Except, I’ll be lifting her in and out of the car from now on. Hoping she’ll eventually like the ramp and start using it on her own, once I stop putting her on a leash when going out.
It’s nice to not see her so sad and depressed anymore. And hard to scold her when she wants to bounce off the walls after being so down for a few days.
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Post by Phalon on May 18, 2021 4:48:03 GMT -6
Glad to hear she's feeling better! Quetta, not so much.
I took her to the vet a few weeks ago, just for her annual heart worm test and check-up, and though she checked out fine "for a dog of her advanced age", the vet didn't mince words - she is at the end of what is the typical life-cycle for a lab. We thought she was 13, but the vet's records say she's twelve.
Saturday evening, she was enjoying the warmer weather, rolling around in the grass and chasing bunnies with the cat (who thinks she's a dog). We don't know if she overdid it, but Sunday, she was noticeably slow and lacked enthusiasm for anything. She has hip dysplasia and arthritis for which she gets medication, but this seemed different. Then yesterday, she went behind the garage, dug out an indentation, and laid there all day while I was working in the yard - she never goes back there, and I couldn't get her to come out. Hubs thought she might be looking for a place to quietly die.
She did come out for dinner, and ate heartily (she's very food-driven), but other than that, she had the same lack-luster demeanor for the rest of the evening, and this morning.
Sigh.
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Post by Mini Mia on May 18, 2021 14:07:04 GMT -6
Sorry to hear that. My niece’s chocolate lab is as old as Mom’s dog, and she’s been down in her back and hips for a number of years. She can no longer squat to use the restroom. She goes when she goes as she’s going. She’s going blind and deaf, but can still smell, and she uses scent to go back and forth between her house and my sister’s house. I waited for her one day when I went to get the mail. I watched her come down the road, and as she was passing our driveway by, she jerked her head into the air and turned to come into our driveway. She also uses scent to know when we’re outside. I have to get in front of her before she heads off in the wrong direction though. She loves to follow me home for treats and a small scoop of dog food.
Perhaps, Quetta is just slowing down. She could be doing as Daisy is, and trying to hang in there for as long as possible. Sometimes I think that Daisy is still alive because she just can’t bring herself to leave us. I’ve been warned that if she dies on my watch, while the others are on vacation, I am not to bury her. My great niece wants to have her cremated. They are both close in age, so my great niece has had her almost all her life. Daisy’s momma died before she even opened her eyes, and the dog’s owners gave the puppies away right away. My niece then had two babies to take care of. Her daughter will be 16 in September. Daisy will be 15. IIRC, she’s a wee bit younger than Mom’s dog, who will be 15 in November.
I don’t want anymore pets. I need a break. I’m tired of the heartache. No more for me once Mom’s dog is gone. I hope you have a few more good years with Quetta. Loving pets should have an easy end to their lives. It’s hard watching an old pet, trying to decide when/if they need to be put down. Is it too soon? Am I waiting too long? Never a perfect balance in this painful decision.
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Post by Phalon on May 20, 2021 4:27:20 GMT -6
Same!!!
She definitely has been slowing down, but she's doing much better - back to her "Old Girl" self. With no visible wounds, and after much poking and prodding which didn't reveal any sore or tender spots, we are thinking something really spooked her. Thinking back, it was probably noise overload. She hates loud noises, even to the point of pacing the floor with her mouth hanging open, and tail tucked when we are watching a scary movie, or one with suspenseful music. On Sunday, when she started acting kind of weird, the new neighbors behind us started roofing their house. Then Monday, when she holed up behind the garage, the roofing continued, and on the next street over, road construction started - they're tearing up the entire street. Jackhammers, the loud beeping of construction trucks, and whatnot, could have freaked her out. I didn't even think about the noise at the time, and she didn't want to go inside - probably because Hubs and I were both outside all day Sunday, and Monday I was outside; when she gets freaked out, she doesn't want to be alone. It's just a guess, but it makes sense, because before she holed up behind the garage, she was pacing, her mouth was open, and her tail was tucked.
Another sigh - though this time, it's a sigh of relief.
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Post by Phalon on May 25, 2021 5:12:58 GMT -6
Two weeks ago, we were running around in winter coats trying with frost blankets, trying to protect as many plants as we could. This weekend was in the 80s - instant summer!
I went into work on Sunday, incognito...apparently. Stuffed my car to the brim with annuals, and messed with one of the college kids we have working part time. "Hey lady, I need you to check me out now! I'm in a hurry!!!" in my best irritating customer voice.
"Oh! Ok!"
"Uhm...Allison, it's me. Phalon." Apparently, I'm unrecognizable in regular clothes not covered in dirt, and with my hair down, not in a pony tail.
Dropped off half the plants at home, then drove down to LX's and the Boyfriend's, and potted some pretties for their patio. They're just an hour south, but it was in the 90s already, and had been for a few days! Away from the Lake, it's a completely different climate!
Had planned on getting the rest of the stuff planted at home - my backyard looks like I'm starting a greenhouse. First I had to go to the grocery store, call a sales rep to make a perennial order for work (we literally don't have time to do stuff like talking to reps during business hours), and was planting pots like a madwoman, when Xena Sis called. I haven't seen her in a couple of months(?) - it's been awhile. Went over there, and killed the rest of the afternoon (and actually, early evening too).
Ah well...stuff will get done, eventually. Or not. My new motto for this season.
Off to another day of insanity at work.
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Post by Phalon on May 28, 2021 4:46:07 GMT -6
Just when you think it's over...
...the need for winter coats is back.
Brrr! It's 41F-ing degrees!
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Post by Mini Mia on May 29, 2021 12:54:49 GMT -6
Funny how we seldom want the weather we’re having. 🤣 And unlike Goldilocks, we rarely find the weather “Just Right. “
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Post by Phalon on Jun 1, 2021 5:08:12 GMT -6
Friday was dismally cold - highs in the 40s, and very windy. I was glad I had an entire backseat of winter clothes - even with a hoodie and winter coat, I had to raid my "rolling wardrobe" for extra socks and a flannel shirt. That wind was biting!
After some spotty frost Saturday morning though (our tomatoes escaped being nipped), the weekend was what I'd consider perfect for this time of year here - sunny, calm, and temps in the mid-to-high 60s. Too chilly for all the beach-goers who flocked to town for the holiday weekend, but "Just Right" for everything else.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jun 1, 2021 17:17:58 GMT -6
I had to have Sheba put down today. Yesterday she walked on three legs, dragging one. Shortly after bringing her in, she lost the ability to use both back legs. I had to sit in the floor all night, because she’d only stop crying if I was touching her. Called the vet this morning, and they set up a 3:00 appointment. So I sat in the floor with her all day. My eyes are getting heavy, but I’m going to try to stay up until 10:00.
[Edit]
I went to bed at 9pm.
BTW: I didn’t just end Sheba’s life over the loss of her back legs. Her last meal had been last Thursday, and she threw it all up. She refused to eat any food after that. And after she lost the use of both back legs, she refused water. So, I felt she was telling me it was time.
[/Edit]
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Post by Phalon on Jun 3, 2021 4:27:28 GMT -6
Aw, Joxie. I'm so sorry about Sheba. From everything you've said about her over the years, it sounds like she had a good long and happy life. It's always an agonizing decision, but I think you made the right choice.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jun 3, 2021 9:37:39 GMT -6
Thank you. Up until this series of events with her back, she acted like a young pup, so it made it especially hard to deal with how things ended. I wish her end had simply been falling asleep and not waking up. I had expected her to live several years past the normal life span for her breed.
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Post by stepper on Jun 6, 2021 11:43:32 GMT -6
I'm also sorry to hear about Sheba, but I agree with Phalon. I think you made the right choice. The last of mine who passed on was our cat Wonder and the circumstances were similar - loss of apatite, legs not working properly, and I made the same choice you did. He was just a couple days shy of his 18th birthday but leaving him in that condition just wasn't fair to him no matter how much I resisted making the choice. He was ready, I was the one who wasn't. {{Hugs}}
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Post by stepper on Jun 6, 2021 11:49:28 GMT -6
We've been getting quite a bit of rain recently and I'm not complaining at all - especially after last year. But the weather guessers are saying that after today a high pressure center is moving in. We'll be in the 90s every day for a week (after which it will get even warmer) but with all the humidity it'll feel like the temperatures are in the hundreds.
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Post by Phalon on Jun 8, 2021 4:58:54 GMT -6
We got some rain yesterday too, and I'm not complaining either! We're in a drought - so much so that the spring-fed irrigation pond at work is very, very low, and water is having to be pumped in. Talked to Crazy Cheryl, and she only has 1/3 of her crops planted, because it's so dry nothing will germinate. And we went from highs in the 40s and frost last Friday, to nearly 90 degrees this weekend.
Yesterday's rain amounted to only 1/4 of an inch, but we'll take what we can get (and wish for more!), and it's cooled down nicely.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jun 8, 2021 23:34:25 GMT -6
I'm also sorry to hear about Sheba, but I agree with Phalon. I think you made the right choice. The last of mine who passed on was our cat Wonder and the circumstances were similar - loss of apatite, legs not working properly, and I made the same choice you did. He was just a couple days shy of his 18th birthday but leaving him in that condition just wasn't fair to him no matter how much I resisted making the choice. He was ready, I was the one who wasn't. {{Hugs}} Thank you. I do know I did the right thing. But there's still guilt over having to have to do it. I'm doing better as the days come and go. I've been waking up early ever since, and I've caught a cleaning bug. I'm hoping I can finish the whole house before I get over it.
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Post by Phalon on Jun 15, 2021 5:02:28 GMT -6
How's the bug going? I've got it too - mine is more like an overhauling the gardens and house bug. I've got so many projects started inside and out, but darn it, no time and little energy to finish any of them at the moment!
That little bit of rain and cooler temperatures early last week didn't last long - not even a day. Maybe it wasn't as hot, with temps in the mid-to-high 80s, but the humidity was oh-so-gross-feeling high. The forecasters were right though - it broke Sunday. Yesterday was heavenly - 75 degrees, with a nice breeze.
Picked lettuce this morning, which has been growing like crazy and is gorgeous this year, though some of it is starting to bolt. I like to go out early, when all is quiet and the sun isn't quite up, and do a little bit of this and some of that in the gardens. It's cool now - 58F. After last week when even the mornings were sticky with humidity, 58 degrees feels perfect.
Perfect, except for a lack of rain.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jun 16, 2021 2:20:53 GMT -6
So far so good. I'm still in the kitchen. I'm not rushing. I'll do a little cleaning, then read a couple of chapters, then do a little cleaning, then read a couple of chapters. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so that is keeping me going. I plan on doing the dining room next, then living room, then guest bathroom. And then I'll move on to the spare bedrooms, them my bedroom and bathroom. Well, we know how plans go, but I'm hoping to get the more public rooms done before starting on the more private rooms.
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Post by Phalon on Jun 18, 2021 5:07:17 GMT -6
No picking lettuce this morning, because we have RAIN!!!!!
It's been so, so dry, you can almost here everything out there breathing a sigh of relief.
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Post by moonglum on Jun 19, 2021 5:06:44 GMT -6
We had rain yesterday. Torrents of it. They reckon we had a months worth in 24hours. Up until then, it's been hot, temps in the 30's (C) some days. Even during the rain, it was in the low 20's. So sorry to hear about Sheba, Joxie. It's never easy losing a loved one, and we do love our pets. Our two are like our children.
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Post by Mini Mia on Jun 30, 2021 21:56:45 GMT -6
So sorry to hear about Sheba, Joxie. It's never easy losing a loved one, and we do love our pets. Our two are like our children.
Thank you, MG.
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Post by Mini Mia on Feb 27, 2022 12:16:10 GMT -6
The Peepers!
I’m hearing the little froggies for the first time this year. They will always be my sign that Spring is near. The daytime temps will be warming up, and the nighttime temps as well. Most nights will stay above freezing. And it’s still light out after six. Of course, freezing temps will come and go between now and April/May, but they’ll become fewer and fewer over the next few weeks. And the warmer temps will go higher and higher. As much as I hate the time change in Autumn, I love it in Spring. I still hope they do away with it eventually though.
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Post by Mini Mia on Mar 1, 2022 14:03:16 GMT -6
This week’s highs will be in the 60s & 70s. The lows will be in the high-30s, 40s, 50s & 60s. Next week will be cooler though, so the Winter thread will still be in use.
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