June 30, 2009
this year's muddle
Every year is different. And I'm not just saying that. When it comes to flora and fauna, there is no normal. 2009 is all about cottonwood and robins. Mr. Blog wonders if there's a connection. The cottonwoods went ape-shit this year. They spit and spit and spit cotton wads. And robins! Yesterday afternoon I walked up the driveway and counted seven robins hanging around in a group, like a robin cocktail party. 2009 is also about very little fruit due to a badly timed freeze: almost no peaches, no crab apples, two Honeycrisps, although there are a fair number of knobby little apples from the ancient trees, and the figs were unfazed. The fig tree has gotten BIG, all of a sudden. I'm actually relieved about the less fruit thing. I get tired of dealing with the fruit. La-zy. Last year we had a ton of common amaranth (weed), this year, hardly any. This year, the roses were beautiful (due in part to spraying them with water every morning to get rid of aphids), last year they put on a sad display (due in part to me NOT spraying them with water every morning). The only thing that never seems to change is the skunk. Every year we have one skunk terrorizing the property.
Posted by Jill at 7:24 AM | TrackBack (0)
April 21, 2009
Compostidores
As I sit here smelling skunk, I write a check for two used ComposTumblers. We have been looking at these things for years, after having made due with a Canadian knock off since Saint Paul. The stationary composter remained at 1378 Ashland when we left.
Anyway, I am sure we shall be writing about how well these contraptions work once they are installed under the cottonwood.
Posted by Underblog at 8:23 PM | TrackBack (0)
April 19, 2009
Irrigation day - Spring 2009
It's a beautiful Spring day. Spring things are happening all over the place and irrigation day is the best day to observe them. Today, the most exciting have been bird-eriffic. When we irrigate, the property turns into marshy lakeland and the birds love it. Also, its mating season.This morning, I saw a roadrunner mating dance. A male and female were dancing loops around each other, the male furiously wagging his tail feathers and leaping into the air, the female just running here and there, but staying close to her mate. Seeing them in action reminded me of when we saw the bunny mating dance in St. Paul. That was even more wild: they stood on their hind legs and boxed each other. Wow, that was cool. But this was cool too. Roadrunners are by far my favorite birds, they hardly seem like birds at all they're so distinctive. They don't fly, exactly, they put their heads down and run, fast, with some swooping mixed in. Plus they are fearless and clever. The grackles have been going nuts all day, as they do every time we irrigate. Grackles make a wide range of sounds: high cackling, smooth long single tones, cascading ripples, trills, and crow-like caws. They're a lot of fun. We like them, as does our neighbor, Gene. A pair of ducks landed in the back field when it was at it's most lake-like and swam around hunting for bugs and snails that rise to the surface. They're still hanging out back there at 6:30, enjoying the cool mud. The roadrunner couple came back late in the afternoon with twigs and began what is probably a nest inside the Pyracantha. Oh boy, baby roadrunners!!
Posted by Jill at 3:05 PM | TrackBack (0)
March 17, 2009
Spring!
Spring is here, spring is here,
Springs is skittles, and spring is beer,
I think spring is the loveliest time of the year,
I do. Don't you? Of course you do.
As of last weekend the following have appeared
- Species tulip planted by the previous owner
- Leaves on the Austrian Copper Rose
- Green on the formerly brown lawn
- Water in the ditch
- Blossoms on the peach trees.
Spring has arrived!
In order to prepare for the water, we moved a small mountain of dirt from a high area to several low areas and made a first stab at rolling out an area into which our Bermuda grass may grow. The lawn roller is the latest attachment to the tractor, whose implements now include the nunu; a de-thatcher (a disappointment for its intended use, but useful for raking and distributing compost); an aerator (very ssatisfying); a utility trailer (1001 uses, 1000 of which are hauling dirt). A second cut at the leveling will take place this weekend provided we come up with the ganas.
Posted by Underblog at 6:17 AM | TrackBack (0)
February 16, 2009
The Great Pecan Tree Massacre of 2009
We finally addressed some winter-long deferred maintenance projects on the ranchita yesterday. Among such was pruning of the pecan tree, which provides sustenance to many crows and occasionally lends its produce to pecan pies. Our neighbor owns two acres of pecan trees in Las Cruces and he advised me to top the tree below the first multiple joint. Well, I followed through with that suggestion and now we have a decent addition to our already copious supply of future firewood. And the tree has but two small branches remaining. according to said neighbor this year will be a slow one for pecans, but next year our pruning will be rewarded. Check back in 700 days and I'll let you know how we did!
Posted by Underblog at 8:26 AM | TrackBack (0)
August 30, 2008
Melons
Our melons have finally decided to bear fruit. For the last couple of weeks, we have been nurturing only one melon, now about the size of a softball. On Thursday we noticed two new ones, and last night we uncovered yet another. We may have a melon harvest after all.
Posted by Underblog at 8:51 AM | TrackBack (0)
Raccoon Family
Last night while letting the dogs out, there was a commotion at the back fence. Once the dogs were called back, I noticed the silhouette of something running along the top of the fence. I put the dogs inside and returned with a flashlight. Following the sounds with the light, I came upon a pair of raccoon eyes reflecting orange at me. Then another pair. And then another. When I called back Sherm to see the sight, there were no fewer than seven pairs of raccoon eyes visible in the tree. Sherm and I watched the show for about 15 minutes, then we left them to their dining in our neighbor's apple tree. So cute!
Posted by Underblog at 8:46 AM | TrackBack (0)
August 24, 2008
Higglety Pigglety Breakfast
Homegrown foodies are making their way from farm to fork. The other night we savored our first Romanesco zucchini, an Italian variety of ridged zucchini that is absolutely delicious. I recommend growing some as soon as possible. For breakfast this morning I cooked our own fat cloves of garlic, a couple of sliced Green Zebra tomatoes, some Anaheim chili, and leftover pasta, and ate it in a bowl made by a friend of my long-deceased mommy, which sort of added to the homemadeness of it all. It was extremely delicious. I like those Green Zebras. For dessert I had wedges of a large freestone peach, also extremely delicious, all the while appreciating how we grew everything ourselves, just like little red hens. The toil almost seems worth it. Last night, as a TV watching snack, I sliced one of our Honeycrisp apples (the Queen of Apples in my opinion) and sprinkled it with cinnamon. Yum! This year's Honeycrisps are extra tangy.
Posted by Jill at 11:23 AM | TrackBack (0)
July 11, 2008
Mr. Skunk Returns
About two weeks ago during his morning constitutional on the South 40, Harry was excitedly fluttering his tail at a critter whose own tail was long and gray and stood straight up. I called him away from a large skunk next to the volunteer cherry tree.
Lately, Roomie has been wondering about little piles of disturbed leaf matter in front of the casita. She wondered to me if it might be the work of a skunk. But surely we would have smelled it? Last night after she had put out the lights, Roomie stood at the window and observed. Within several minutes after lights out did the skunk appear and begin rearranging the piles of dirt. To get a better view, Roomie turned the outside lights back on, expecting the skunk to run off. But the skunk kept about its business until she tired of looking.
Personally, I think skunks are OK until curious dogs mess with them. Then it is good to have ingredients for a skunk bath on hand.
RECIPE:
- ¼ cup Baking Soda
- 1 qt. Hydrogen Peroxide
- 1 tsp. Dish Soap
Mix and use immediately. Repeat if necessary.
Posted by Underblog at 6:25 AM | TrackBack (0)
Rain
We finally got our real rain this morning.
Posted by Underblog at 6:23 AM | TrackBack (0)