28 March 2010

Dragon Ass...

Too Tarred To Spell It Right, Even...

Really, folks, I only weigh about a buck sixty-five in the first place; I ain't gotta lotta arse to sweat off. But it seems someome forgot to tell the Father Chronos in charge of the last few days...

The physical labor has been right about par-- I've double-dug another bed the last two days--

this one wider and longer than the previous ones. I'll accept the aches and pains of hours on end verking a pitchfork into compact clay better than twelve inches BELOW YOUR FOOT-LEVEL... Accept it as a great workout for my lower back, or my chiropractors' job security. Whichever...

The mental labour is taking it's toll, though. That streams from putting tomatoes out too early; waking at oh-godthirty to see if sunshine is peeking through-- or even stands a chance; wondering if months' worth of labor will end in naughta fruit nor veggie...

This morning's mental stress call added a "who-dun-it?"-- some pots, flowering bushes, and trimed branches [awaiting carving and whittlin' for various artsy-fartsy schtuffs] were spread all across the yard-- not of their own accord, them being inanimate objects...

Deer? 'Coons?? Feral Kitties?!?

The neighbors' dogs were immediate suspects, and proved culprits. Whilst Flower stood on [one of] their porch[es], trying to wax kind, the pooches [one staying at the others' yard for a canine slumber party (apparently a regular thingie with the two bastards) {hey, I'm with Clinton for once: "don't ask..."}] shot out of an open backyard fence. I immediately branded open pocket knife and gave verbal warning, having enough shiite for the hour. The neighbor took note, profusely apologizing. [Yeah? Apologive me four bucks for some lettuce, wouldja?!!?]

Anyhow, I finished right about dusk with some transplanting to a better soil-based medium than I'd previously tried [cloying and compaction resulted in the need for peat moss and vermiculite to be added to the mix]. Right about three minutes after that, I seem incoherent.

I'z tarred. I'z goin' to the arms of Morpheus, folks...

[Put strawberries and cucumbers 'neath the mailbox trellis this eve...]

[A hand-made trellis, from tree trimmings and yarn, put to the peas...]


Slainte.

Cygnus

25 March 2010

Because It's What I Wanted To Do!!!

So... I Spent The Day In The Garden
I double-dug another bed today..>
No, it don't have nothing to do with my twins fantasy... I'm talking about the 'creating soil' method developed-- or at least touted loud-- by Jon Jeavons.

The premise is grow all your veggies and fruits not in traditional rows-- thus wasting space with hilling-- but planting seedlings close together after giving ROOTS an extra head-start.

I have two comments:
A: It IS a VERY labor-intensive process. [Umn... No, thank you, Mr. President; I just paid my health care premium-- in BACK-BREAKING LABOR!!!] And next...

Hell... I forgot. But I think I was gonna say that I can see the roots growing easily to the depths in three months with this work that they would have otherwise taken a few years to attain of their own ground-breaking accord.

I love the peace being out in the garden brings. Even more so, I love walking in to the kitchen at the end of the day, hand full of dinner from seeds sewn by hand some sunny days prior... I love the suntan; the bees flying about hunting insects visiting the compost pile bringing the front water drainage down this way to water...

I LOVE LIFE, Folks!!!
Thanks, Uncle Hermit, for the holler-out on this, my day of birth.

And thanks to all the Forces That Be for making it a beyond-beautiful one, for giving me time to play in the sun...

Salinte, Folks!

Cygnus

23 March 2010

This Day In History

Isn't it ironic that the same day on the calendar that Patrick Henry says "Give me liberty, or give me death!", Adolf Hitler became dictator of Germany?

Slainte folks.

Cygnus

19 March 2010

Just Words...

And Sounds.

Taking a bucket of compost out tonight, I hear the coyote on the distant ridge.

Slow, deep-ish, near bark-like the first set-- almost like a large breed of dog, maybe a distant neighbor. But then another in the triad, higher pitch.

Then the third, removing all doubt.

Two nights ago this presence announced itself--much closer to our back stairstep, thank you-- 'midst our human conversation.

I went back out as soon as I could grab my herb pipe, hoping to toke whilst listening to the choral. Alas, only the neighborhood dogs seemed to have any current ear... But, the stars were out.

Mars is strong in the early morning sky. Seems befitting, what with Aries coming up astrologically and Mars astronomically current, high and strong in the early morning hours.

So I listen to the sounds. The song of the coyote, the Trickster, yes, still ringing in my ear. And the silence filled with an owl in the distance, and of insects coming alive and of the sky trying to stretch up and out and burst forth from the very night it must needs...

Even now, as This Strange Bird heads to bed, another in the woods is as well confused by this whole daylight savings thing, singing lone away...

Salinte, folks.

Cygnus

17 March 2010

Three-Day Run

I've Been Taking Photos, Folks...

I know-- surprise there! But really...

Look how the treeline's been blooming this last week or so...









Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

16 March 2010

Compost, Burn, Reuse, Recycle

I was honored with a Guest-authorship, on THIS BLOG, on the title subject.

Hope you follow, read, and enjoy, Folks!

Salinte!

Cygnus

12 March 2010

I Ain't Always The Sharpest Marble In The Piepan, But...

I Knows Fishy When I Smells It!!!

Lookie here... it's an ordinary occurrence, our beloved gub'mint doing things like spending better than 43 MILLION DOLLARS to inform us that their census [the only kinda sensus I sense they possess...] will be mailed out soon. Yup-- millions wasted on a totally unnecessary precursor: sounds like Uncle Sammy's business as usual.

What's kinda got me boggled is the funny-- as in "somethin' smells funny in that there garbage pile" kinda way-- stuffs I'm garnering just from scrolling blog titles today and yesterday. Take, for instance, the one which asks the perfectly legitimate question "why does the Dept. of EDUCATION need sawed-off shotguns?" [Saw this yesterday, too, on another blog, but cannae remember which one currently...]

Or this one, clearly informing us that the USDA Plant and Animal inspectors will soon be working around the clock-- literally [not just their usual figuratively] in the dark. Else, why would they need NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES???

I'm sure I could search and find all kinds of other mayhemic spending from a government bleeding broke from every orifice they have, but I think I'd rather spend this rainy afternoon researching how to make my green beans glow in the dark, thus blinding any sneeky inspectors. Or maybe explaining to a home-schooled youngsta why guns are banned at public schools run by an armed over-seer.

Come to think of it, the green bean thingie has likely already been done-- funded, no doubt, by our beloved we-dun-run-outa-yer-dollars-so-we-needs-more-taxes puppetheads...

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

11 March 2010

nOT sO cOMPLICATED aS rOME, bUT...

Then Again, This Were Built In A Day

"Och! What hae I got meself into?!"
Well, a lotta math, mucho parts inventory-ing, some serious diagrammatic decoding, and six hours of communication, construction, and camaraderie.Or, some hard-core engineering experience for a seven-years-old!!! Not to mention a strain on a 43 and thirty-something-years old backs...

But all in all a highly creative-structured investment of a rainy day.



Everyone took turns either reading out-- well, counting out, since there were no numerated lists!!-- or issuing parts requisitions, and assembling according to diagram.

The K'NEX monstrosity-- a combination erector set cum 360-degree leggo thingie, contains 739 pieces, many smaller than my pinkie-nail. I cannot recommend them enough. Honest.

Great education. Great day.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus

07 March 2010

Now It Are Finished!

[Save For The Seedling Transplants. Give Me-- Or More Accurately The Weather-- Another Month! HA!]

Um... about that newly installed "it [are] done" garden bed of two days ago...

I thought it were done but for some edging to keep grass shoots out and the eventual planting. But...

In cometh Nature's Helper.


I'd only heard of the name, and knew it was some sort of soil amendment. I've seen some of it's effectiveness, pulling the rosemary plants out of the front-of-the-house bed. The soil there--heretofore solid red clay-- is aerated nicely,crumbling soft and deep. I gave much credit to the root structure of the removed herb.

Then I saw the black gold around the out-front mailbox. I'm sorry I took no pictures of that; suffice it to say that Flower was turning the soil there as I was working the 'water saver' amendment in to the new bed, and it was some of the richest, softest, smoother-than-loamy-textured soil I've ever had the honor of sifting through my fingers.

At the end of that day:
In addition to the Nature's Helper, I tilled in some of my own compost and an equal amount of generic topsoil. [Actually, the garden area is 4' X 16', or 64 ft^3. I double-tilled the entire area, the bottom 'layer' or till receiving 4cf each of compost and topsoil, and the top layer 6cf of the soil {clay!!! HA!} amendment]

Is Next [Day]: SVIMVEAR!!!

Today I sported shorts and a tank-top all day. OUTSIDE.

It was already near 60 degrees when I served the outside cats their morning rations. I was in "standard dress"-- tank under a thermal shirt. A few minutes of that and I knew there wasn't gonna be a lot of indoor time for the ol' MacMeister today...

Inside I change attire faster than a runway model paid by the stride, then venture back out. The day would reach better than 70 before sunset, and every ray of Ra my poor ol' dessicated deltiods could draw in was a hint of days to come.

Another hour, and some landscape timbers arrive. I've moved every inside started-form-seed plant out to soak up the rays and benefit from the breeze. For a couple more hours, I won't do anything except re-pot more and enjoy the sun.

Then... time to utilise. I was too busy to snap photos all along, but here is the end-product of days' worth of labor...


I'm right happy, folks. Overall, from grass-pulling to tilling to timber-staking, there weren't much more than nine, ten hours' worth of physical labor invested. In return, we have the beginnings of making this an 'edible estate'.

With near 70 tomato seedlings, cucumbers sprouting up, eggplant wanting to egg...hey, I'll needs all the space I can garner!

Gimme a year or three, the entire front 'lawn' will nae be; it'll be front 'GARDEN'!!!

Slainte, folks!!!

Cygnus

06 March 2010

Gonna Call It An Early Night

The Younger Bird Conjures...
What Else?? The WORM!! HA!!!
Spent the afternoon-- and an absolutely beautiful one it was, too, easily in the mid-50's with nary a cloud to block the sun-- moving grass-- 'cuz I gots a lot o' stuffs to plant... I'd call it killin' grass, but the sod clods I dug up to make some new garden space went to cover a heretofore bare mudpatch.

Anyhow, I'm kinda tired, so ain't gonna invest a lot o' energy here tonight. [LOL! Like that's something different, eh?!!] Here--take a gander at my future squash & melon patch.

Early on:

Then, some fossil fuel-burning clay breakage

and it were done:
The grass went:

Time for a shower, sandwitch, and sleep, folks.

Slainte!

Cygnus

05 March 2010

Swan's Poetry...

I've Been Long Away... But, As Ever, Returns

Just short of ten years ago I was on a(n) Haiku kick. I titled the following series
'More On Haiku'
Yes, I was playing with words: 'More On'... Moron....

I lost a follower of My SONG last night. It isn't the first time, nor, likely, will it be the last. The title of the poetry run is not AT ALL meant to reflect on that person-- s/he is one of the finest Souls I've had the honor of meeting this Earth-go-round. But the underlying theme... something... my Psyche sees a thread, sews words and hurt and intent and mis-understanding all together.

Hope you enjoy, Folks.

*********

creativity
individuality
social deviants

*********

here's the blueprint plan
build everything to these specs
all your neighbors did

*********

think this way they say
discourage all unique thought
they're "educated"

*********

hear in hallowed halls
education echoing
for release from form

*********

I must disturb you
running around with my own
thoughts and ideas

*********

I'm a pretty gods-damned free spirit, my friends. It hurts when that costs me the love of friends, and sucks that my government hath reached the point of over-inflated self-import/empowerment whence these very words and thoughts could easily mark me as a 'domestic terrorist'. But... I've suffered these consequences all my self-awakened life. And see no change for the rest of it.

And stand proud, because I stand to be ME.

Slainte, folks.

Cygnus MacLlyr

04 March 2010

Tomato Start-Ups...


Catching Sunlight In Storage Bins

Those l'il opaque plastic storage bins with lids have proven great mini-greenhouses for peat-potted seeds. There were a few unutilized ones collecting dust in the garage; I sequestered them because they seemed the perfect thing to haul my seedlings out into the 50-degree days.

Remember the little "prizes" that came in the cereal boxes of our [my?!!] youth-- the ones with a plastic dome, gray sponge, and some unidentifiable seed (likely alfalfa sprouts)? I sprouted many a packet right there in my bedroom window-- wet the sponge, sprinkle seed, cover... et VOILA!!!

Well, think thus, but on a grandiose scale.

About ten days ago I seeded several different veggies in peat pots. While many of the pots have not sprouted a thing, others have shot forth all three or four seeds I dropped therein. Now, I know the common method is to 'cull' the smaller seedlings-- to pluck the "slow-growers" and leave the healthiest sprouts to solo-grow. Well...

Look, if I were concerned with breeding... sure, I'd want the fastest, strongest seeds/plants as [re-]producers, as parent plants. I'd pluck and choose, keeping only the tallest, most 'vigorous' greenery. But... my concern right now is PRODUCE.

Way I see it, if I seeded 15 peat pots with 3-4 seeds each, and some have yet to sprout a single thing, whilst others have shot up every single seed...
Just because one of four is a bit more minuscule than Papa Pepper... the shorter sprout is still stronger stock than a non-springing seed, oui?

So I spent an hour or so this ante-meridian separating those tri's and quads, and will hopefully be rewarded with a plethora of produce come pickin' time.




I've now put a heat source [a borrowed heating pad-- Thanks, MOMLADY!!!] under the unsprouted lot-- primarily the yellow cukes and eggplant, but also the peats that have yet to spring seedling forth. If nothing comes of, then I'll re-use the peat pots, gearing for stagger-plantings.

In the mean time, I have a great lot of self-generated tomato seedlings readying for transplant long abouts 'easter'. [Two reliable local sources use this mobile date for earliest out-of-doors garden planting. Gonna follow suit, me. Except for exceptions already accepted! HA!]

And, I gots some dirty fingernails... better go scrub those, I reckon. Might wanna dig in some Flower's Garden later. Grit ain't all the rage there, really...

You folks have a good night. Let me know how your early garden planning/readying is marching-- no pun intended-- along!

Slainte!

Cygnus

02 March 2010

A Small Preppers' Petitte Give-Away

Prepping For Me... And You

The view out my bedroom window this morning:
I'm sitting here watching the hypnotic fall of snow, letting my mind stream-of-conscious flow both over the things I've done this week towards prepping and how exactly I'm going to go about details of my birthday give-away.

Nothing major here; I won't be giving a year's supply of beans and rice, or his-and-hers gasmasks, or even directions to my bug-out locale. What I do have is a plethora of items that will make handy for use either personal or as barter stash.



The stuffs I've added to my preps this week also include a few items that will be give-away goodies:

I can vouch for the sharpness and efficiency of the fish hooks, as I had opportunity two days ago to drown a few worms...
I had so much fun reeling in these crappie-sardines that I stood by the pond doing so until my hands were too cold to function.

You folks have a great day, stay warm, and find a reason to smile. I'll see ya later, and will fill in details about entry and prizes when I work them out.

Slainte, folks!

Cygnus