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Post by Clipper on Mar 16, 2021 8:29:47 GMT -5
Today is cloudy and gloomy, going to 70 degrees but with scattered showers in the forecast. A good day to take a break from outside work.
I have spent the last couple of days continuing the battle against compacted clay soil and a few bare spots in the lawn. Have scratched it up with a rake, seeded, and covered with bagged topsoil from Lowe's for a couple of years to no avail. The spots were like a concrete sidewalk and the bagged topsoil has the nutrient value of bagged cement.
I finally found some bagged "lawn soil" that is actually genuine black humus soil with added starter fertilizer specifically designed to promote growth of newly seeded grass. 8 bucks a bag, but well worth the price if it proves effective in growing grass in those stubborn spots. Time to get serious. I took out the large tiller and tilled the spots down about 6 inches or so, shoveled out some of the clay soil and poured on the black soil before taking the small tiller I use for culitivating the garden and blended the black soil well with the clay, seeded it heavily, and covered it lightly with straw. Wish me luck. This heavy clay soil frustrates me greatly. It is fairly fertile but relatively impossible to aerate and loosen for gardening or for anything to root.
Today is a good day for a short road trip. My brother in-law is working so Kathy and I are taking my sister and her camping trailer back to the dealer for a warranty repair. It is about 60 miles or so to the dealer. A nice leisurely drive with time to go to lunch somewhere while they replace a faulty rubber weather stripping gasket, followed by a stop at the Amish market to stock up on canning and pickling supplies for the upcoming season and a cup of their gourmet coffee accompanied by a fresh Auntie Ruth's glazed donut that they cook fresh all day long. We always get a cup of their coffee to sip while shopping. They have a dark roast blend that makes Starbuck's taste like dishwater.
Stay warm, stay well, stay safe, and enjoy your Tuesday.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2021 10:46:48 GMT -5
I bought a container of Morning Joe's Starbucks and boy it makes a strong cup of coffee. Cost $6.00/lb at Walmart so that might be a bargain. Have to use TWO tablespoons of coffee per 6 fluid oz. STRONG. I decided I will add the two tablespoons to the three tablespoons of Folgers Classic this morning and it tastes much better. That was way to strong first think in morning. Gave me the jitters.
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Post by BHU on Mar 16, 2021 12:34:34 GMT -5
Today is cloudy and gloomy, going to 70 degrees but with scattered showers in the forecast. A good day to take a break from outside work. I have spent the last couple of days continuing the battle against compacted clay soil and a few bare spots in the lawn. Have scratched it up with a rake, seeded, and covered with bagged topsoil from Lowe's for a couple of years to no avail. The spots were like a concrete sidewalk and the bagged topsoil has the nutrient value of bagged cement. I finally found some bagged "lawn soil" that is actually genuine black humus soil with added starter fertilizer specifically designed to promote growth of newly seeded grass. 8 bucks a bag, but well worth the price if it proves effective in growing grass in those stubborn spots. Time to get serious. I took out the large tiller and tilled the spots down about 6 inches or so, shoveled out some of the clay soil and poured on the black soil before taking the small tiller I use for culitivating the garden and blended the black soil well with the clay, seeded it heavily, and covered it lightly with straw. Wish me luck. This heavy clay soil frustrates me greatly. It is fairly fertile but relatively impossible to aerate and loosen for gardening or for anything to root. Today is a good day for a short road trip. My brother in-law is working so Kathy and I are taking my sister and her camping trailer back to the dealer for a warranty repair. It is about 60 miles or so to the dealer. A nice leisurely drive with time to go to lunch somewhere while they replace a faulty rubber weather stripping gasket, followed by a stop at the Amish market to stock up on canning and pickling supplies for the upcoming season and a cup of their gourmet coffee accompanied by a fresh Auntie Ruth's glazed donut that they cook fresh all day long. We always get a cup of their coffee to sip while shopping. They have a dark roast blend that makes Starbuck's taste like dishwater. Stay warm, stay well, stay safe, and enjoy your Tuesday. I bought some Scott's Lawnsoil last fall to plant grass seed & it's good stuff but pricey. Think I paid about $8. per bag. I also covered the seed with straw that I bought at Lowes & the results were very good. Most of that bagged topsoil sold in big box stores is garbage imho, imported from God knows where. Hope you have a nice roadtrip. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2021 15:30:48 GMT -5
I never liked doing lawn work. When I owned my house the lady across the street from me would always get very upset when I cut the grass I did not pick up the clippings. I did wait for the grass to grow taller than usual so clippings were huge but as they break down they add much needed nutrients to the soil. One day she sent her older son over to pick up the clippings and I guess he thought I was going to pay him. I didn't and he learned his lesson and never touched my grass again. She was such a pest. I was going to put some bleach in a gallon water can and make huge burnt up spots on the lawn but decided not to.
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Post by BHU on Mar 16, 2021 15:46:26 GMT -5
I enjoy lawn work/gardening/mowing. It can be hard work, but there's nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty, planting something & watching it grow. It's good therapy & good for the Soul. To each his own, I guess.
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Post by Clipper on Mar 16, 2021 16:45:42 GMT -5
When a person is retired it is often the only source of physical exercise they get. I have always been an outdoors person and I truly do enjoy working hard enough to break a sweat or get my heart rate up.
We had a good day today. It was supposed to be cloudy all day with scattered showers. It turned out sunny and around 70 by noon or so. We dropped the trailer off at the dealer and stopped at the Amish market on the way home to have one of their well stacked deli sandwiches. I had a roast beef and provolone sandwich with mayo and horseradish on sour dough bread. They have outdoor round picnic tables to eat at. Washed it down with a bottle of birch beer and a nice hot black coffee along with a glazed Auntie Ruth's glazed donut. Before we left I visited the Auntie Ruth's donut trailer again for a half dozen fresh, warm glazed donuts to bring home for morning.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2021 18:58:55 GMT -5
When a person is retired it is often the only source of physical exercise they get. I have always been an outdoors person and I truly do enjoy working hard enough to break a sweat or get my heart rate up. We had a good day today. It was supposed to be cloudy all day with scattered showers. It turned out sunny and around 70 by noon or so. We dropped the trailer off at the dealer and stopped at the Amish market on the way home to have one of their well stacked deli sandwiches. I had a roast beef and provolone sandwich with mayo and horseradish on sour dough bread. They have outdoor round picnic tables to eat at. Washed it down with a bottle of birch beer and a nice hot black coffee along with a glazed Auntie Ruth's glazed donut. Before we left I visited the Auntie Ruth's donut trailer again for a half dozen fresh, warm glazed donuts to bring home for morning. That sounds like so much fun. I envy you! Enjoy it all since life is short. I bet that sandwich was tasty. I got a graving for a Ruben sandwich and I may just go to the Irish Pub tomorrow and get on. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2021 19:03:00 GMT -5
I enjoy lawn work/gardening/mowing. It can be hard work, but there's nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty, planting something & watching it grow. It's good therapy & good for the Soul. To each his own, I guess. You are so right BHU. When I rented an apartment I liked mowing the lawns for the landlord and he enjoyed the fact that I did. He also let me have a large section of backyard for a vegetable garden which we all enjoyed. I do miss all that sad to say. Growing up old without that kind of thing gets depressing very depressing like the walls are closing in and no one gives a damn. Oh well .....!!! |
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Post by Clipper on Mar 17, 2021 8:23:04 GMT -5
"That sounds like so much fun. I envy you! Enjoy it all since life is short. I bet that sandwich was tasty. I got a graving for a Ruben sandwich and I may just go to the Irish Pub tomorrow and get on." Isn't there any deli along downtown nearer to you PB? When I was young my dad used to buy corned beef from a deli that used to be next to NY Bakery around St. Patrick's day and my mom would make Reuben sandwiches. My favorite though for St. Patty's Day has always been a corned beef and cabbage dinner. A few thick slices of corned beef accompanied by a generous portion of cooked cabbage. I like to slather the corned beef with course grained mustard, and drizzle a little bit of cider vinegar on the cabbage. St. Patrick's day is always special to me. On St Patrick's day 1970 my very Irish ex wife (maiden name Kennedy) gave birth to my eldest son Rick. He turns 51 today. Nothing makes a person feel old like having a kid that is in his fifties.  No corned beef and cabbage dinner for us this year. I will buy a pound of deli sliced corned beef for a nice Reuben for each of us. I routinely eat light rye for most of my sandwiches and toast anyway so we always have some on hand. Kroger's sells a Private Stock store brand bread that is a wide pan light rye. Not bakery fresh but good. Kathy makes an awesome reuben. She uses a large saute pan and spreads the sauerkraut over the bottom of the pan, adds enough water to steam it, spreads the corned beef out on top to steam and warm, puts a cover on and heats everything until steamy hot. Then she butters one side of the bread as you would for a grilled cheese, puts the sauerkraut on a slice of bread, tops it with a generous portion of the corned beef, a couple of slices of swiss cheese, and grills them on an electric griddle. (she also makes a great patty melt in a similar manner for a light supper when she doesn't feel like cooking a full dinner.) |
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