I'm so far behind...

[MontyJ]

I have been so busy lately that I haven't done anything to prepare for the upcoming season. I spent a lot of time setting up my DD's mobile home, digging the water line and running it then digging the trench for the electrical service and putting it in. and the sewer line. The electrical service was inspected yesterday and passed so she can now get her electric on and then her water. Plus I have been working on our other house when it's not too bitterly cold in there. On top of that my regular job has been pretty hectic.

I haven't even finalized a seed list yet, let alone ordered any seeds. I still have to get the grow chamber cleaned out (funny how it accumulates stuff when not in use). I also discovered that both the Horse and tractor are sitting on flat tires.... That's going to be fun to fix. The tractor won't be bad, but the horse is another story. This year I'm putting tubes all around. I've had it with tubeless tires.

I still have to finish the chicken coop remodel and get the fencing up, figure out where I want the new permanent herb garden, buy my pro-mix bales, order seeds...arghhh! It's already Feb 6!

 

[897tgigvib]

Monty, I surely do hope you can fix your horses's flat tires!

Any horse that has flat tires can't get around very well, hardly at all, and will probably run through a whole lot of extra oats per mile too!!!

Do you use the standard 32 psi in your horse's tires? I hear tell some folks with Belgians and Clydesdales use those big tires at 48 psi or more.

Now's a good time of year to pack the bearings for your horses too. Don't forget to check the brakes too!

I heard about one horse that was really racing along when it got both a flat tire and its brakes went out simultaneously and at the same time too!

 

[canesisters]

But seriously... am I supposed to have ordered seeds already????? OOPS! I'm still tossing stuff in the compost pile/garden. Guess I'd better get that dug around and get that order sent off to Baker! YIKES! First garden and behind already....

 

[digitS']

I got a new radiator in the Dodge pickup. I guess it has 220 horses but still has that 318 cubic inch engine same as the one back in the '60's. We didn't call it a "Ram" back then. Dad couldn't afford a Dodge until the family farm had been left behind and he could stop sinking his outside income into it . . .

Anyway, I am behind and it isn't because my steady activity is not doing anything . No, it is the planning of a busy year Then, there's the realization that there are all sorts of things that can interfere & delay: notably weather and health. Usually, I have real good luck dodging colds & flu but a couple years ago, I had several days when I could barely walk. That problem with the leg showed up late enough that I'd completed most of the early tasks for the season and could just roll along as I regained mobility. Roll along figuratively speaking. One of the real fears in my life is that I'm going to end up in a wheelchair some day.

The weather? I can't do much about that and can just hope that this spring will be a little drier than the last 2. Mud can't be worked into soil with good tilth and I will be beating things down into mud as I'm trying to get my construction work done for more protected growing in the backyard.

My backyard and the neighbor's backyard, that is! He brought me a bottle of Christmas wine to seal our deal on using his garden space "for the next 10 years," he says .

I tried to make as clear to him as possible that I have to make some changes in his garden space. I even provided him with some drawings of how a greenhouse and shed would look. I am really gravitating to the idea of setting up my new greenhouse over there rather than moving the hoophouse. It wil just be more visually appealing but I don't have any idea how easy it would be if there is need to move it. It also needs to be shoehorned in . . .

The neighbor had the best intentions with his gardening and put in a nice system of boxed beds before he abandoned it completely! I've got to move those beds, at best, or dismantle them and toss the boards off to one side. It would be disappointing to me if I was in his shoes to see somebody dismantle my work like that. Heck, I even have to dismantle his fence but there - a shed on his property will go in. Unfortunately, he will never see it after I push the greenhouse out in front of it.

And, the first thing I've got to do is make sure that I can fit both of these structures in. I'm afraid I will run right up against his garden gate with the greenhouse so he can't even get into the space! He built a nice little gate with an overhead planter to walk under. He has taken care of that right along and had petunias growing above the gate. Dismantle that and leave it laying on the ground? No, I'd have to move it. Cripes, I'm not signing on to do landscaping! I just want him to feel that he can move about his property to see what's going on. He will be able to move right thru the shed into my yard and that will be fine .

First thing I've got to do is pull some boards off his fence so that I can get over there with a tape measure, a pencil and a piece of paper. You know, that's a good way to make the 1st step and then another step will come after that.

One thing about the weather, I'm becoming acclimated to it . I really feel that I could get a lot down outdoors right now in the 30 degree weather. Problem is, getting thru the snow and beating it down to mud. That makes no sense, I'm not that mobile and making a mess will just make things more difficult. . . . Gain Access. Assess Resource. Organize Information To Plan. Implement.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Well at least you have your priorities right Monty. What a wonderful dad you are to take care of your daughter like that!

 

[April Manier]

Ah, the bustle of spring. I don't mean to rub it in, but this year I am actually on track. For the first time in years the tractors actually started up! I have my seeds, table cleaned out (usually filled with random stuff), greenhouse cleaned. soil here, amendments here, just need to re-plastic the greenhouse doors. This is MONUMENTAL. Usually I sound like you.

Now that I am done gloating...
You can do it! All that spring energy will carry you. Sit up at night and peruse seed catalogs with mapping ideas in hand. Late night is best for things like that I find as the day swallows outside things.
A day will present itself for chicken fix, and really the start area isn't all that daunting--right?

My biggest advice is to slow down to pursue excellence and enjoy it! This is a wonderful time of the year and it sounds like your winter was productive; something to be prowd of!

Blessings!!!!

 

[MontyJ]

Monty, I surely do hope you can fix your horses's flat tires!

Any horse that has flat tires can't get around very well, hardly at all, and will probably run through a whole lot of extra oats per mile too!!!

Do you use the standard 32 psi in your horse's tires? I hear tell some folks with Belgians and Clydesdales use those big tires at 48 psi or more.

Now's a good time of year to pack the bearings for your horses too. Don't forget to check the brakes too!

I heard about one horse that was really racing along when it got both a flat tire and its brakes went out simultaneously and at the same time too!

What makes it worse is the fact that it's a two legged horse :/ Poor thing's laying on it's side now running around in a circle. Unfortunately, it doesn't have brakes. If it gets away from you, you have to chase it down.

 

[baymule]

Then, there's the realization that there are all sorts of things that can interfere & delay: notably weather and health. Usually, I have real good luck dodging colds & flu but a couple years ago, I had several days when I could barely walk. That problem with the leg showed up late enough that I'd completed most of the early tasks for the season and could just roll along as I regained mobility. Roll along figuratively speaking. One of the real fears in my life is that I'm going to end up in a wheelchair some day.
Steve

Steve, don't worry about rolling along in a wheelchair. I can visualize you with one of those self-propelled fancy-smancy lalapalooza garden tillers with a tow chain attached to your wheel chair.