tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69157509547977993222024-03-09T02:30:59.565-06:00Gardening at DracoA Hill Country GardenBobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-89375776030964905882016-01-15T23:08:00.000-06:002016-01-15T23:08:44.033-06:00Cactus FenceAny one who has driven around the hill country of Texas very much, has seen fences made of cedar pickets wired together to form a fence. They used to be popular for corrals and cattle working pens as they were cheap, cedar was plentiful and live stock couldn't see through it. Not being able to see through it, they weren't as likely to jump. In more recent times, it is used more as nostalgic looking fences for entrances as well as yard fences. This one is my neighbors down the road a bit.<br />
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While we were in Tucson I noticed several fences made like the cedar picket fences but they were made using ocotillo limbs.. I saw them both as live stock fences and ornamental fences. Seems only reasonable to make do with what you have on hand. This one is the boundary fence for a park in eastern Tucson.<br />
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<br />Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-57492906925259739072015-12-21T23:26:00.003-06:002015-12-21T23:26:33.809-06:00Beautiful HighwaysLyn and I recently went on a trip to Tucson, Phoenix and Las Vegas. I was literally stunned by the beauty of their highways in all three towns. Every over pass was painted with Indian and south west designs. Fences along the high ways were painted as well. The tapered sections leading up to the over passes were done with designs out of colored rock and some had huge metal sculptures in them. Not some, but all of them. Even water retention ponds had beautiful fences around them. I didn't get pictures but cell phone antennas in Las Vegas were made into artistic trees. Some in Phoenix were big artistic sculptures. El Paso high ways were decorated as well but not nearly as nice as in the other states. The Texas Highway Dept. sure could stand to take some lessons from these states when it comes to highway beautification. These pictures are not the greatest as I was driving and taking pictures.<br />
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-5070398136545438272015-03-02T00:18:00.001-06:002015-03-02T00:18:17.459-06:00Ice WeedI was beginning to think it wasn't going to get cold enough for the ice weed to "bloom".<br />
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It is a great addition to the garden. Even though it's real blooms are not all that much to look at, they do attract a lot of different butterflies and the winter "blooms" are great.<br />
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There is no end to the different shapes and swirls that they produce.<br />
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I inspect them every year and am dazzled and amazed by their formations.<br />
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I have read several different theories on how the ice forms but none seem logical to me.<br />
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It is so very fragile and will just crumble if squeezed at all.<br />
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I have come to the conclusion that it is magic, natures magic and I'll just leave it at that.</div>
Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-42191367080774172262014-09-25T19:40:00.000-05:002014-09-25T19:47:55.090-05:00Back to GardeningThe gardens took a hit this year with the sickness and eventual passing of Lyn's Dad. He was a great man, great father, husband and a good friend to me. He liked to build things and fix things and was always interested in what I was doing. I couldn't have wanted for a better father in law.<br />
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After the entire redo of the back yard, including the deepening of dirt, held into the beds by more and larger rocks, the run off problems we have always had was lessened considerably. Much of the running water was now directed into the beds where it could soak into them.<br />
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There was one place that kept washing out though. We keep two syrup tubs under the gutters that don't drain to the rain water collection, to catch that water. When they would over flow, the course they would take would wash with every rain. Lyn and I looked it over for months until we could both agree on a plan. It would include building more steps that would block the present run off direction and making a dry weather creek bed for the rain water to run off in a new direction to a rock walk way. That rock walk way went to the back gate and the water could get all the way out of the yard with out hurting any thing. Bold plan but a lot of work.<br />
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The tubs catch water from a very small part of the roof but it is still a lot of water. When the tubs run over, they now run down the creek. We've just recently had enough rain to see it all work and it worked great.<br />
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The rock steps in the left of the photo was the route the water used to take. The steps and the built up ground now block the water and it runs onto the rock walk way that we built years ago.<br />
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Once on the walk way, the water runs down the low steps in that walk way to the gate. There is a walkway under that rock rose I promise. I guess I better prune that.<br />
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-68037333634890598912014-03-29T00:13:00.001-05:002014-03-29T00:13:21.917-05:00Recent Garden TourI was visiting a couple recently that are customers of mine that have, like most of my customers, become very good friends. Mrs. Cole is an avid gardener and has an unusual and different garden then we usually see. She has to deal with deer as well as other kinds of varmints that want what she grows. She has done a good job of keeping the varmints out and the veggies in but it has taken her and Mr. Cole some serious work to do it. Like my own gardens, she had to bring all her dirt in as there just wasn't any there.<br />
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I noticed when I drove up that she had added to my favorite bottle tree.<br />
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The deer proof fence was made with materials on hand, cedar and lots of it.<br />
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Beds are also made of material that was plentiful on their place meaning rocks, syrup tubs and plastic drums cut in half.<br />
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Paths are made of wood chippings.<br />
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Excess run off from the house runs off in a dry creek bed.<br />
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This is such a productive little garden with some thing to harvest all the time. Mrs. Cole may need help this year as Mr. Cole is under going cancer treatments and was a feeling a little punky the last time I was there. They own land on both sides of the road and the land on the side opposite the house borders the Lampasas river. They have always given me access to fish the river and it's one of the most beautiful and relaxing places to fish that I know of. I may have to go fishing a little early one day and help her with the garden. It would only be right seeing as how I will also get to <strong>fish!</strong></div>
Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-14502779469255473792013-12-01T23:51:00.002-06:002013-12-01T23:51:47.689-06:00West Texas ExcursionMy neighbor down the road recently asked me to go to their ranch in west Texas, close to Dryden, to help with some ranch work that needed to be done. His wife didn't want him to go alone as he is under going some chemo treatments right now and is short winded and not his normal manly self. I've been there before and it is usually not all that pretty of country to ride through. This time it was different. The fall rains had made for lots of plants blooming and lots of green grass. I was also lucky to hit it when there was a pretty good cenizo bloom.<br />
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Right off the bat we ran into a rattle snake at the steps going into the cabin.<br />
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Then we found a bee hive in the eave of the house. I'm fairly certain it was Africanized bees as they were very aggressive and I got stung several times. I was so glad they got me and didn't get Billy as they hardly bother me a bit and it could have been bad for Billy with all the medication he is on. There was an owl decoy on a tripod to help scare the rodents away. It obviously didn't work as there was a cactus wren's nest right under the owl and the snake was probably at the house because there was rodents around.</div>
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Sunset on the first evening was typical west Texas great.</div>
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We started out that morning with beautiful scenery in every direction. </div>
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The sotol stalks looked like telephone poles jutting out of the brush here and there as far off as you could see.</div>
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I was lucky enough to hit it on a pretty good cenizo bloom. The fall rains had triggered it, I'm sure. There was every shade imaginable. They made for quite the stunning back drop to a normally desolate land scape.</div>
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We rode off into one draw that had quite a few with white blooms. I had never seen them with white blooms before other than in a nursery where they were advertised as some kind of hybrid. It looked like nature had hybridized her own here.</div>
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The ocatillo were in full leaf. I wished they were in bloom as it is stunning. Wrong time of the year for that. There were so many different shapes, sizes and structure that it made for a bizarre scene indeed.<br />
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I thought of my own ocatillo at home that was in full leaf as well. I had dug it up on this ranch about 7 years ago. It looks a little different than these as it has sugar pumpkins hanging on it.</div>
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I did take time to dig up some perennial wild flowers that I had seen the last time I was here and did not have time to get. I had to look them up just to find out what I had. The ones I could find in my books are Stiff Stemmed Flax, Linum berlandieri, Jimmy Weed, Isocoma pluriflora, Mexican Poppy, Eschscholtzia mexicana and Snakeweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae. I brought home a few others that I haven't found their identities yet. I'm glad the rancher didn't mind me getting them as they are like trophies to me. I looked long and hard for Zinnia grandiflora for a friend but didn't see any. There is always next time.</div>
Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-80652843919045232992013-10-12T23:40:00.001-05:002013-10-12T23:40:23.141-05:00The Sky Forest of the ThaliaThat sounds like some thing from the movie Avatar and really, it's kind of close. Thalia was one of the first plants we bought when we built our first pond. It provides a taller plant scene to the water garden. We just didn't know how tall. The plant's leaves give it kind of a canna look, maybe just a little taller. The bloom stalks, on the other hand, look almost out of this world and can get to 15' tall.<br />
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The blooms are hardly even noticeable, just a couple of little folds of pink tissue like petals. The bloom stems are zig zags with pointed little pods.</div>
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The thalias are a real, small forest that attracts all kinds of small critters like snakes, frogs and birds. This little tree frog stayed on this thalia stalk all day long.</div>
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<span id="goog_849040406"></span><span id="goog_849040407">As more stems reach skyward, it starts to look like a giant spider web. Even though the stems must be cut back in the fall, they are not very strong and very easy to cut. When the winds blow it is a real show to see with the hummers trying to feed on the tiny, little blooms. Try thalia, I think you will like it. </span></div>
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<br />Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-91940170772764097662013-06-19T23:39:00.002-05:002013-06-19T23:39:41.037-05:00Hazards Of Country GardeningWoke up a couple mornings ago to the sound of my dog going nuts. I hollered at Lyn to see what was wrong. She hollered back that there was a cow in the front yard. I got up, got dressed and went down to assess the damage as we had just planted a bunch of new plants in what used to be the front yard.<br />
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I find not a cow but a bull in the big bed of Greg's Mist Flower, munching away. Seeing me he started toward the back. He turned around and came back to the bed of Lariopes and started eating them. When he walked between Lyn's car and the air conditioner, he knocked the corner of the air conditioner off, exposing all the wiring.<br />
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He started trying to drink the water that was dripping out of the air conditioner so I figured he was thirsty. I got two buckets of water and took him one. He drank it all and came to me to drink the other one. I led him to the back gate and set the bucket down out side the gate. He went through and I shut the gate and was rid of him.........I think.<br />
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-64145744243408638492013-05-09T11:19:00.000-05:002013-05-09T11:19:49.052-05:00More Progress on the Back YardThe bed that was started in the last post is all done now. The two layers of rocks make for a very natural looking ledge. The dirt depth behind the rocks is about fifteen inches now and there were two holes already there that I had dug with a backhoe for fruit trees. Those holes were about six feet in diameter and three feet deep and filled with good blended garden soil. Not wanting to waste those holes and wanting to replace the fruit trees that we had lost in the drought, I planted fruit trees back in those spots. The fruit trees will just have to be part of the look for these beds, a mix and match with ornamentals. We will just have to wait to see how it will look, I think just fine.<br />
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Here is the same picture from the back porch as in the previous post, with the bed finished and some plants in it.<br />
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We started right in on the next bed. It is where the swing is at the left of the picture. This was going to be harder to do as it was almost impossible to get the Bobcat in there with out messing things up. The large gouge on the oak tree is where I hit it with a fork while putting the first rock in. After that we just put all the rest of the rocks in with the dolly. You may also notice that there is a faucet in the next picture and it is not there in the following picture. Oh yes, there was plumbing work done.</div>
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While it is almost impossible to get all the rock perfectly level, it is nice both aesthetically as well as being better, construction wise, to get them close. I don't actually use a level but just eye ball it as I have a pretty good eye for it after so many years of building things. Visitors have asked about the cracks under the rocks and the likely hood of snakes being in there. When I bed these big rocks and get them exactly like I want them, I foam the cracks with the expandable foam. I made a special long flexible applicator where I can get way back under them and foam almost all the way out, just back enough you don't notice it. It also helps keep the dirt from washing through. There is enough room for toads and rusty lizards as I've already seen both go in the cracks.</div>
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I consider myself lucky that some plants that I like came up in the granite gravel. It would have been nice if they had come up in the beds but I will take these where ever they come up. They are Scrambled Eggs, Corydalis curvisiliqua, and they are beauties. I've never seen them growing in the pastures here so I guess they came in with the gravel. You can see them in the very back ground in this next picture.</div>
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With dirt in the bed and a few plants it gives an idea of what it will look like some day after it matures.</div>
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Now on to the next project. I've already dropped the bigger rocks close to where they need to go.</div>
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We will post this next time.</div>
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-65756290960865731852013-03-25T22:42:00.000-05:002013-03-25T22:54:13.645-05:00A Yard With No Lawn.It's been a busy winter with lots of hard work and many decisions made on major garden design changes. A few years ago, when we had fifteen inches of rain in two days, the entire back yard washed completely off. The yard had been covered in several loads of dirt that had been spread by hand. The grass was a native grass blend that we had gotten from Native American Seed in Junction, Texas. It had made for a nice, water stingy lawn and I was very happy with it. I knew there had to be changes or the wash out would just happen again.<br />
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Shortly after that I had been talking to a garden blogger friend, Pam Penick that has the blog <a href="http://www.penick.net/digging/" target="_blank">Digging</a> about her ideas about doing away with lawns all together. I had already done away with the front lawn after seeing other blogger friend's front yards with no grass. Lori Dawl at the <a href="http://gardenerofgoodandevil.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Gardener of Good and Evil</a> and Cheyl Govea of <a href="http://consciousgardening.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Conscious Gardening</a> have stunning front yards and I went with a similar design for mine. Pam has since written a book on doing away with lawns, it is called Lawn Gone. I knew it was time for me to do the same.<br />
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The amount of work that it would take was rather daunting but I had just bought an old but good Bobcat skid loader that would make things a little easier. I started looking for big rocks to scrounge and was lucky enough to hit pay dirt a couple of times.<br />
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We had gotten a smaller batch the year before and made a bed around some trees. We filled in behind the rocks with good dirt to get a better planting depth and put the plants in. It looked so good that I knew we were on the right path. The idea behind this build was to make level beds to take some of the slope out of the yard and give more planting depth as there is so little soil. This was before I got the Bobcat but was certainly a deciding factor in getting it. Lyn was just too much of a light weight to handle the rocks by hand so I had to put most of them in place.</div>
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That bed had been completed for a year before I got the big load of rocks. We started by pulling up the dead fruit trees and grading the ground to shape. Bonnie did not like me being on that machine with out her.</div>
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While I was clearing some brush out side the gate I happened to notice a rat snake going through the trees. I pulled up until I was right under him and got my camera out of my shirt pocket and took a picture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiJzcZpUEY7QYcVy1EyRaWHoNAJNBpwtL0-TcQUINeCPHfKrfPYsIB6r8796G5_OA4SP_B19wuIuG7edaLFVtgNNy0Ii5eNubyPFRbt494ZZ1ch9n-JBwXLwijl23J7G4AECO1ISlEcE/s1600/Progress+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiJzcZpUEY7QYcVy1EyRaWHoNAJNBpwtL0-TcQUINeCPHfKrfPYsIB6r8796G5_OA4SP_B19wuIuG7edaLFVtgNNy0Ii5eNubyPFRbt494ZZ1ch9n-JBwXLwijl23J7G4AECO1ISlEcE/s400/Progress+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was about to back up when I noticed what he was up there for. He had killed a half grown cottontail rabbit and dragged it up the tree while trying to get away from me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBm3Uypq2vPxPCUrvae1Z9WHd_HbusKgVFKDRJJ82pZNv8iq5jLtDAqe4zdayJnt67TkW4mkYyccYiiAUwpTBuAY80KkhTkVHgBPZ9mMnXLXy7p8WVq7sdLp-9OKi8guwyShcwcxO8YU/s1600/Progress+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBm3Uypq2vPxPCUrvae1Z9WHd_HbusKgVFKDRJJ82pZNv8iq5jLtDAqe4zdayJnt67TkW4mkYyccYiiAUwpTBuAY80KkhTkVHgBPZ9mMnXLXy7p8WVq7sdLp-9OKi8guwyShcwcxO8YU/s400/Progress+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It didn't take long to realize that my ground was too rocky and hard and my new found rocks were too big for my little Bobcat. I was lucky enough to find another, bigger Bobcat for a steal of a price and bought it. Digging out the new beds was a snap with it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rQs9vwqGKqvT8w1o4e_IaojAZG9-fCBfcvrO0kzAqT0TVDWaH5WnV8452m8VYbX_Ijfd6F0PgTCGrURA2c5HN5Tnp7y4HiXIBLXrxAgUhVVGl50AVHDLLYmH6MqlxP_aIjorltxhnpw/s1600/t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rQs9vwqGKqvT8w1o4e_IaojAZG9-fCBfcvrO0kzAqT0TVDWaH5WnV8452m8VYbX_Ijfd6F0PgTCGrURA2c5HN5Tnp7y4HiXIBLXrxAgUhVVGl50AVHDLLYmH6MqlxP_aIjorltxhnpw/s400/t.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I started to move the rocks around, I could tell the bucket just wasn't the right tool. I built a set of fork lift forks that would attach by way of the Bobcat's quick detach system. It made moving the rocks a breeze. You can see them on the front of the machine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzm8qXvH-XdCaDdqCch1LJxE-wHh0QZWl5YJXFBmO4j9hpM6Sax2U6-UsFmjdRRnXl-gSYOclVa3xNTBDLsYWunm5iU8VGzukKNv62L2W1laflv8IioMg064lzMNBIIS1R5Lf-bMHXPU/s1600/Sassysoutherncharm+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzm8qXvH-XdCaDdqCch1LJxE-wHh0QZWl5YJXFBmO4j9hpM6Sax2U6-UsFmjdRRnXl-gSYOclVa3xNTBDLsYWunm5iU8VGzukKNv62L2W1laflv8IioMg064lzMNBIIS1R5Lf-bMHXPU/s400/Sassysoutherncharm+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It started to look like I was just making a big mess.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlGK2a2bP7jd7KQ1sdaZ7DxN28Llg9G685E_IdcD_3EpNSx2yw5-MhH2BbOxS-pvtcPSPCY-aie402H0gCfs4tfJ4j5IzH1X-VSYjceOupVStEtlF2qAAHxQXqrkt0UFnueT7i6Yrac8/s1600/Sassysoutherncharm+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlGK2a2bP7jd7KQ1sdaZ7DxN28Llg9G685E_IdcD_3EpNSx2yw5-MhH2BbOxS-pvtcPSPCY-aie402H0gCfs4tfJ4j5IzH1X-VSYjceOupVStEtlF2qAAHxQXqrkt0UFnueT7i6Yrac8/s400/Sassysoutherncharm+005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the first row of rocks were down, I could start to see that my plan was going to end up like I wanted it to.I not only dug the ground level where the rocks would sit but had dug the ground level to the back of the bed. Once filled with good soil, it would make for much more depth for the plant's roots. Here is a picture from the back porch. The first layer of rocks are down and you can see the dug out area where I will fill in with dirt after the second layer of rocks goes down.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UxEBLJjjpAICKbgm7gsNlubIlum8gSSEYO3XtkM8_IfzFlUOp0DuL5BkqqzzeR4EnOLQXYxp8VarOPhMgvr2Y9FRwiZ1rtEiRef8_ksgZ2V1CvxjpTOZ8QgXihvnoTZxoCIySIiDstc/s1600/jj.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UxEBLJjjpAICKbgm7gsNlubIlum8gSSEYO3XtkM8_IfzFlUOp0DuL5BkqqzzeR4EnOLQXYxp8VarOPhMgvr2Y9FRwiZ1rtEiRef8_ksgZ2V1CvxjpTOZ8QgXihvnoTZxoCIySIiDstc/s400/jj.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This bed is planted now and all the gravel walk ways are in and it looks great but this post is getting long and I will show the finished project next post.</div>
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Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-69159603625106688182012-11-06T23:21:00.000-06:002012-11-16T23:00:50.891-06:00Trapping Ant LionsMost country folk and a some city folk know what an ant lion is. They make the little funnel shaped holes in the ground in dry loose dirt. When an ant or other little bug happens into the funnel, the doodle bug, as country folk call them, kicks up dirt to make the bug slide to the bottom of the funnel. The ant lion is waiting under the ground at the bottom and grabs the bug in it's pincers and drags him, kicking and screaming, out of sight under the dirt. OK, maybe not kicking and screaming but my imagination says they are. I always think of Hans Solo getting pulled down into the funnel in the desert after Jabba the Hut throws him off the ship. They also used the same funnel in the sand in the Enemy Mine movie where Dennis Quaid almost gets pulled under.<br />
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When I built my welding shop I noticed there were no ant lions there or any where around the house either. I've always liked having them as they really do help keep the ant population in control. I had them at the shop I had before this one so I captured a bunch of them there and let them go here. I got my ant lion capturing technique perfected. A skill that you wouldn't think would have much purpose. Well, you would be wrong there as it has helped me immensely.<br />
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I've had to bring these skills into play many times through the years as I did again just a few days ago. A man came to the shop to talk about a project and brought his little son and daughter with him. As you could imagine, a welding shop is a dangerous place for kids, a veritable disaster waiting to happen. I just tell the kids that I really need help capturing ant lions to move to another place and would they help me. Capturing any thing is a great job to a kid and the answer has always been yes. <br />
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I get a paper drinking cup, a grass stem and a plastic spoon, all the equipment needed. You tickle the sides of the funnel with the grass stem to see if they are home. If you see dirt kick up then one is home. Take the spoon and scoop up the dirt in the bottom of the funnel and pour it into your palm. Gently blow away the dirt and it will leave the ant lion in your palm, some technique required here. Put it in the cup and look for another one.<br />
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You have easily killed an hour of time for these kids while the adults talk business. What does an ant lion look like you ask? Here is a picture of the little bugger, a perfect under the ground dweller. Tremors on a very mini scale. I'm just glad they are not the size of real lions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XfoUJEE1Wi6HN5FwXt9V9zYJ7e-pCMqVAExCQLvP59bmLL7fTN5YxIZMcl0ZyC6ciUYkd5CyNStwzLh7FL-9tkNTiPfzPwBjgqF2ZLAsAiXaXZtR6lF4DwU563IuQLnXLtQ-b1dILfc/s1600/Cactus+Time+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XfoUJEE1Wi6HN5FwXt9V9zYJ7e-pCMqVAExCQLvP59bmLL7fTN5YxIZMcl0ZyC6ciUYkd5CyNStwzLh7FL-9tkNTiPfzPwBjgqF2ZLAsAiXaXZtR6lF4DwU563IuQLnXLtQ-b1dILfc/s640/Cactus+Time+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-17177504348518009912012-08-10T22:45:00.000-05:002012-08-10T22:51:42.507-05:00Unusual FindI was coming back to the house today on CR 258, a little country road that winds it's way by Lake Georgetown. I saw what looked like a black bird in the road dead. As I got closer I could see some white striping so I knew it wasn't a black bird. I slowed down and as I went by I noticed some red feathers on it's head. I know most of the birds around here and it wasn't any variety I knew so I pulled over to take a look. I was stunned to find that it was a Pileated Wood Pecker. I've seen them in east Texas before but not within a couple hundred miles of here. They need mature forest of large trees especially in large river bottoms. None of that here, maybe it came here after the fires in Bastrop although I've never seen one there either. Here's some pictures.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBhRXjyw_F-a5PgNMUst_mEZwwlin8TdTC6qd_4YEdZLhO4KTVYfsS-FsGh1ahmN_hq6WBQMpIHjlviZDqeGd3yP46Md2wHOibtLRtAfPFzRI7XdtnSPh3ipStmclQBBnYOYvbni6geo/s1600/Prudy+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBhRXjyw_F-a5PgNMUst_mEZwwlin8TdTC6qd_4YEdZLhO4KTVYfsS-FsGh1ahmN_hq6WBQMpIHjlviZDqeGd3yP46Md2wHOibtLRtAfPFzRI7XdtnSPh3ipStmclQBBnYOYvbni6geo/s400/Prudy+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNxP3KrZeHDsYLm0TkYffL_-_DS51pH4S1fSeSa2nPiMzsHPrMrFY6YKEzP3ACgfZjlDAFm2yx2uW2MX-PpoELXstmC8Bc1a1jL5NMBCzU-s20f6kTR0TtT8vVlgpiCRpHlvtG1JMGfE/s1600/Prudy+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNxP3KrZeHDsYLm0TkYffL_-_DS51pH4S1fSeSa2nPiMzsHPrMrFY6YKEzP3ACgfZjlDAFm2yx2uW2MX-PpoELXstmC8Bc1a1jL5NMBCzU-s20f6kTR0TtT8vVlgpiCRpHlvtG1JMGfE/s400/Prudy+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4G-DW_xcJGxHGR83qTsvqnSVa47QNCKsPNDeI3dAXdso7w7S9fJPaixFd37-fTFwHNc4hdY7g9rX6vmxgZdVtMqCz2eDBGfoHKoN24L1TDnsbcqKlWWmRoUiiNgurlbAQzn8HgMh16g/s1600/Prudy+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4G-DW_xcJGxHGR83qTsvqnSVa47QNCKsPNDeI3dAXdso7w7S9fJPaixFd37-fTFwHNc4hdY7g9rX6vmxgZdVtMqCz2eDBGfoHKoN24L1TDnsbcqKlWWmRoUiiNgurlbAQzn8HgMh16g/s320/Prudy+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUe93wawYoDUPvm475jyCM9vfZqKFIVxs2gQGiYaf5pcSh1W3BAjrA13i8MIi1FaOSgsqt201DFKxMZTUcV_SbGpJpTs93dhpS8Vy-H-R9M3pZV9n_QKqkdCCx2Nc3uWSenYB1Q0R-M4/s1600/Prudy+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUe93wawYoDUPvm475jyCM9vfZqKFIVxs2gQGiYaf5pcSh1W3BAjrA13i8MIi1FaOSgsqt201DFKxMZTUcV_SbGpJpTs93dhpS8Vy-H-R9M3pZV9n_QKqkdCCx2Nc3uWSenYB1Q0R-M4/s320/Prudy+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-64101514190608290722012-06-09T23:19:00.000-05:002012-06-10T14:40:30.439-05:00Snake Bit DogTuesday morning found me sitting on the porch, drinking a cup of coffee and talking to Lyn's brother from Las Vegas. He was really enjoying the quiet of the country and the serenity of my gardens, so different from life in Las Vegas. I noticed my Lacy dog, Bonnie, sniffing around the back of the shop where Lyn's clothes lines are stretched. She was just walking along with her nose to the ground, probably trailing what ever had walked there last night. Suddenly, she jumped backwards. I knew it had to be a snake and immediately called her to the house. Great dog that she is, she came right to me and I put her in the house. My brother in law and I went to investigate. Being raised east of Austin where we had a an abundance of every kind of snake I spotted the little rattler immediately, it was only about 18" long but coiled up. I was amazed that my brother in law could not see it until I made it move. I stepped on it to hold it down and got Chris to get my camera so I could take pictures. Looking at the pictures I was amazed at how camouflaged it was.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVc7TeQloW5wUxxfc29IelKk_8-LnfYf7ebT-6nc4nGwGT_WGIYsfBpzBDRxsKzo1aBoxA5Fqf65ZxlY9v1ykCPj9Ji133WFG7xmwDCPsx7lD5MtWeOHAb8EAyUF2xhz5Ed__b8LmLbMY/s1600/Rattler+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVc7TeQloW5wUxxfc29IelKk_8-LnfYf7ebT-6nc4nGwGT_WGIYsfBpzBDRxsKzo1aBoxA5Fqf65ZxlY9v1ykCPj9Ji133WFG7xmwDCPsx7lD5MtWeOHAb8EAyUF2xhz5Ed__b8LmLbMY/s320/Rattler+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The closer I got it still stayed camoed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiet5z3-07FFMsG1bVaiq7JvyAb5wqHokNwO893QSuTHil7RVu5SfiR3Q_W4MCdOyyDEXtGvpRDJbY3_6R33YDe7o5htuxxOhaQDGYiXejSQom8tHqG0RZfOZS-jyjDaz4HJEzEfaDmVgc/s1600/ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiet5z3-07FFMsG1bVaiq7JvyAb5wqHokNwO893QSuTHil7RVu5SfiR3Q_W4MCdOyyDEXtGvpRDJbY3_6R33YDe7o5htuxxOhaQDGYiXejSQom8tHqG0RZfOZS-jyjDaz4HJEzEfaDmVgc/s320/ss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Up close, you can see the patterns made up of blacks, greys and even white that makes it so camoed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6dvkRAlFlAjuUtn-3r4Ry5fpPTUHA5LULAudF5ll89C9P3APq5Oq9gH6ym04m_7QUaAPiAz8E6D7NZU0JYaCuOQFLmUxF2y3FUseT8LTKdH95hdXWLsS_WoJu_ATOw7UyAEkuMWiX5I/s1600/ssf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6dvkRAlFlAjuUtn-3r4Ry5fpPTUHA5LULAudF5ll89C9P3APq5Oq9gH6ym04m_7QUaAPiAz8E6D7NZU0JYaCuOQFLmUxF2y3FUseT8LTKdH95hdXWLsS_WoJu_ATOw7UyAEkuMWiX5I/s320/ssf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lyn came over to look at the snake while I was scooping it up to put it in a bucket. She went back to the house and then hollered that my dog wasn't acting right. Up to this point I hadn't thought that Bonnie had been bit. I really couldn't imagine her getting bit as she is so fast. I went to the house and found her sitting in the kitchen, not moving.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KJ8TQJtl0_FiLGVs5eOHDSol9YabP1v1s7sPBI3lRhPy5_vdSj_eEqfzFAhzJHCPx5GRYCyP3G1eENOWJ3liACRvyJjOlHfyIdSLKsvaOxpfPE7n3ZE0Sv9BTUlo-KPExPYyQqo5ZEw/s1600/Blue+Moth+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KJ8TQJtl0_FiLGVs5eOHDSol9YabP1v1s7sPBI3lRhPy5_vdSj_eEqfzFAhzJHCPx5GRYCyP3G1eENOWJ3liACRvyJjOlHfyIdSLKsvaOxpfPE7n3ZE0Sv9BTUlo-KPExPYyQqo5ZEw/s320/Blue+Moth+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I called her and she didn't move. I went to her and could see the fang holes in her muzzle. I looked at her gums and they were white. Just then she started to shake and I knew it was bad. I scooped her up and headed to the vet. By the time I got there her body was racked with the shakes and I started to worry. I had called ahead to let them know what had happened so my vet, Dr. Lynne Randoll, scooped her out of my arms as I walked in the door. Bonnie ended up having to stay the night and all the next day before she could be released. She still looked horribly swollen but Dr. Lynne assured me that the swelling was much reduced from earlier. She could hardly keep her tongue in her mouth. I really felt sorry for her.</div>
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Her head normally looks like this.</div>
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Dr. Lynne said she had five other snake bites in the last week so take this as a warning to be on the look out for poisonous snakes in our gardens and yards.</div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-43679515848532220762012-05-06T23:11:00.001-05:002012-05-06T23:11:40.131-05:00Hill Country NativesHill Country Natives had their annual shindig this past weekend and it was bigger and better than ever. They have a lot of my work as well as the work of some talented artisans. They always ask me to attend in case any one wants to know about the things I've built. They would be Mitch and Kathy Mitchamore. They are two of the nicest people you would want to meet and are very knowledgeable in native and well adapted plants. While they are not generally open to the public, a call will usually get you an invite to come out.<br />
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There were also people there with displays on native plants, master gardener programs as well as master naturalists and permaculture techniques. Even with all the people it was a very relaxing day as so much of the nursery is in shade with sitting areas, beautiful gardens and the sounds of creeks and pond fountains though out.
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Look who I met while I was there, it's Meredith O'reilly, one of my gardening buds. She has Great Stems gardening blog.</div>
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My friend Larry Hullums was giving stone carving demonstrations in the drive way. He made a very cool stone stool while he was there and let Mitch give it away in a drawing. I didn't win, dammit. Is this not a beautiful stool to have around a garden pond?</div>
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I was finally able to take pictures of the most resent gate I built for the nursery, installed. My camera battery was dead when I hung it.</div>
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I got the inspiration for building this gate after building one for Meredith several months ago. She designed her own gate and did a marvelous job on it.</div>
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Any one who didn't make it this year should be sure to try to come next year. Mitch has gathered up native plants not on Texas plants, but from other south western states, that will do well here and also give us gardeners more choice for hardy plants in our gardens.</div>
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</div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-32565222541237764252012-04-08T00:07:00.001-05:002012-04-08T00:09:40.159-05:00Poppy PartyAn internet friend in northern California sent me several ounces of poppy seeds last year. In the fall I mentioned to Lyn that she might want to sprinkle a few seeds around through the gardens. It is now obvious that my idea of a few and her idea of a few is drastically different. I started noticing little poppies here and there and then there and there and over there. We have about a hundred more then I wanted but she wants them all to bloom and I think they just might have.<br />
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First there were the flat bloomed, red ones with the petals that look like they are made out of crepe paper.<br />
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There were a lot of poppies that were lagging behind in the whole bloom opening thing. A few of those started to open and they had big, pink, puff ball blooms that had the shredded looking petals.<br />
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More blooms appeared and more and more until we have this.<br />
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That ground may be filled up rather quickly as I have built another gate for Hill Country Natives nursery in Leander and took out the whole price of the gate in trade for plants. They are carrying fruit trees now and he is about to get in a bunch of new natives that are natives from other states that are supposed to do well here. These are plants that are not in any nurseries around here and I am very excited to see them. I can replace the seven fruit trees that I lost last summer as well. It's a lot of plants but it is a hell of a fine looking gate. Here's a picture of it in the shop. They liked it a lot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFj6m2Ac1ukegVC8mz9133BN63x81jAOWlL5vCLFMqAwczbT2OmgltjzB9z1g25PipUVjxgq2EDaUE1WYD3FhZHc1jT1cs57oNmnxeZsVGrN3QGZKCb-nP84UrgRjnM-T3Mz5EWJRy6Q/s1600/April+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFj6m2Ac1ukegVC8mz9133BN63x81jAOWlL5vCLFMqAwczbT2OmgltjzB9z1g25PipUVjxgq2EDaUE1WYD3FhZHc1jT1cs57oNmnxeZsVGrN3QGZKCb-nP84UrgRjnM-T3Mz5EWJRy6Q/s320/April+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-15745078216390046402012-03-03T23:40:00.000-06:002012-03-03T23:40:09.341-06:00Winter ChoresWhile it looks like spring it could still get cold. In fact there is a fire in the stove right now as it is going to be around 40 degrees tonight. We have heated our house with a wood burning stove since Lyn and I were married almost 32 years ago. Same stove too, it's a Fisher, and has really done it's job. When we built this house we designed it around the stove, putting it as close to the dead center as we could. While it is stingy with wood, you still need wood to put in it. It's a winter chore that I have never minded as Lyn and I make a good team getting the wood to the house. We have always been lucky to have a place to cut wood, making for a very cheap heating bill every winter.<br />
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The cold months are the perfect time to cut and haul wood. You know, the old heat you twice thing, but you don't sweat your butt off either. How ever you need to plan to be ahead of the game on your wood and I like to be about two cords ahead. That's a whole winter's supply for us and it's good to have in case one of us is injured and can't get the wood in. So now we are essentially cutting next year's supply as well as a little for this year. Lyn swore she was up to it after her back surgery last year. She looks to be nearly 100% to me.<br />
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She does most of the picking up and putting into the trailer and I do the cutting.<br />
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Looking at that pile, I think she thinks it's time for a break. No matter, I just keep on cutting. I'll pick up when I run out of gas. I always take two saws, each full of gas and oil, and cut until they are empty. Cuts almost exactly one cord of wood. I just don't abide by refilling a hot saw, they won't last if you do that much and that oldest saw is 25 years old and still cutting like a new one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZdEY3VW0Ea7qtZ9kY7Cy5iGoCqpjZbxw1v2IOHDuCeap3G7lRAupl_ewJcFgOYFa_G6fkeqq-oKQMFcz9vqRxVRu5-8XT-bPiWXlBTrKDU7-k2YQMqiB10rYlswLk0VgL3KrnZnlr1w/s1600/Optio+1+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZdEY3VW0Ea7qtZ9kY7Cy5iGoCqpjZbxw1v2IOHDuCeap3G7lRAupl_ewJcFgOYFa_G6fkeqq-oKQMFcz9vqRxVRu5-8XT-bPiWXlBTrKDU7-k2YQMqiB10rYlswLk0VgL3KrnZnlr1w/s320/Optio+1+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I found this guy under some of the logs in the brush pile we were cutting in. It was cool and he could hardly move. I dug a little hole under a big log and put him in it and covered him with leaves. I think he will make it OK.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JhAObKYceO9o3s1tfCdqWFbA3NRcpawG7oqowoR_s2i8s_ixwgWKBRlLuSMnvjfG6weL4y-8VG_UK7h4UzwkK4RjwPNEPRU6Oz0TtbHD4gfYU1fx7I1Hd2AVgvLVOBX-AJtJ2cBlyZ4/s1600/Optio+1+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JhAObKYceO9o3s1tfCdqWFbA3NRcpawG7oqowoR_s2i8s_ixwgWKBRlLuSMnvjfG6weL4y-8VG_UK7h4UzwkK4RjwPNEPRU6Oz0TtbHD4gfYU1fx7I1Hd2AVgvLVOBX-AJtJ2cBlyZ4/s320/Optio+1+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>When we got home I went out in the garden and cut some lettuce and kohlrabi. I've never grown kohlrabi before and now I know why. It's not all that good. Sliced thin, it went into the salad. Winter means cutting wood and growing cole crops. I better go put a log on the fire now.<br />
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</div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-13581062162049343342012-02-19T21:55:00.001-06:002012-02-19T21:59:23.149-06:00Winter InvasionI always have some Henbit. Not a lot mind you, just some. Usually it grows in the pebble walkways of the vegi gardens. However, there is so little as to have never been considered a problem. It is a bear to pull up though, with weak stems and a mass of very fine roots.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipARvOtTgutwJeI6koEYoPq0UyaexBYwCcin3cX5mzHVkc__RfY6EgWztNxY5Qud-u-9H13XMvW5l7SnUIemq_L7WKha4O-p748UFWMktg7ym5pIABiCMx8z78G0P6IrMJHtQLy8y9uE/s1600/Henbit+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipARvOtTgutwJeI6koEYoPq0UyaexBYwCcin3cX5mzHVkc__RfY6EgWztNxY5Qud-u-9H13XMvW5l7SnUIemq_L7WKha4O-p748UFWMktg7ym5pIABiCMx8z78G0P6IrMJHtQLy8y9uE/s320/Henbit+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'm not sure exactly what caused it but this year it has just exploded. It is every where to some degree but most prolific in the raised beds of the vegi garden. Even with the near perfect soil there, it is still a problem to pull up. Some beds were just solid side to side and end to end. It was growing in amongst the winter growth of Butter Crunch and Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce so I knew I would have to hand pull those.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp-wFYB7tec5NAL_xFHMizHoK61qcp1B5AYdloeAYqip-QWaakeJftzbO8nWmJ4VuAwzYdnt9GFJL1FTaoE7lSEkAWQO9SFLWfK6s9mzdJELHNiSDXCh9NK2MtsyTjPbEzikl5qhWbLs/s1600/Henbit+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp-wFYB7tec5NAL_xFHMizHoK61qcp1B5AYdloeAYqip-QWaakeJftzbO8nWmJ4VuAwzYdnt9GFJL1FTaoE7lSEkAWQO9SFLWfK6s9mzdJELHNiSDXCh9NK2MtsyTjPbEzikl5qhWbLs/s320/Henbit+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKThxNXz8FSye9neXGw6GCLRVC70SP8UuaCjfTSdhy79ojGFUVI46-hAIzvGluPbCH7F4s7yqFiKFsPh2S8QKkeWzZSb1ZrjbuP2L7TlLB6yIn1WHcInpj2Mgrjwo6k0lFNR3wjdSB_rs/s1600/Henbit+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKThxNXz8FSye9neXGw6GCLRVC70SP8UuaCjfTSdhy79ojGFUVI46-hAIzvGluPbCH7F4s7yqFiKFsPh2S8QKkeWzZSb1ZrjbuP2L7TlLB6yIn1WHcInpj2Mgrjwo6k0lFNR3wjdSB_rs/s320/Henbit+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I planted one bed with what the seed companies call Mesclun. It's a mix of seeds that is supposed to grow you a mix of salad greens. I've never tried it before because I just didn't think you could get a whole mix of palnts that would all grow at the same rate. I was right. This bed came up with several different types of greens but one type took over the whole bed. I'm not even sure what this plant is. Does any one know? I know it didn't taste very good. And, of course, there is Henbit sticking out every where there was a little sun light. I just pulled out the entire bed to make room for late winter/early spring greens.<br />
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I tried pulling Henbit with out much luck. The plants were just too close together. I finally got out one of the little bent tonged forks you get with a garden trowel when you buy the set. It worked much better but the plants were so thick that I just couldn't get enough pull on it to pull very big clumps. I went up to the shop and built me one with a long handle and it worked perfect. I'm not sure it will work very good for any other type weed but it made short work of the Henbit.<br />
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We have been married for 31 years now and Lyn has exercised every one of those days, always wanting to lose a few pounds. Well, after several months of laying on the couch, getting no exercise and eating my cooking it appears she lost 12 pounds. If her back problems had persisted for much longer I would have starved her to death.<br />
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Just when I was able to sneak a post in during September we found out her Dad had lymphoma and would have to start chemo. A few weeks later her mother found out she had cancer in her liver, originating from her breast cancer 16 years ago. While it seems an ingrained tradition to hate your in laws, that is not my case. I have the best mother and father in law that a man could want and feel I should do every thing I can to make their problems better.It's made things a little slow here on the blog but things are starting to perk back up a bit.<br />
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The gardens took a pretty big hit this last year with the drought and me not taking very good care of them but it can be fixed. The damage to the country side around here looks to be permanent. A drive just before Christmas shows the damage.<br />
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These are not trees with fall colors but are dead trees. The next three pictures are driving along CR 258 going toward Tejas Camp.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuWLnqLlCeWA5HHsVZsgN0Bs0wbATczNSEias7hk7kNzEpP23FRPRx-qp3mlDI-1owYSfCH20O2g8tq7CYd0Uzy7MXRKNgloRV1yNuiVgkQ8uHuPrzo60p90EF9yXXHKbH51VByRiUjk/s1600/Blog+post+Sept+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuWLnqLlCeWA5HHsVZsgN0Bs0wbATczNSEias7hk7kNzEpP23FRPRx-qp3mlDI-1owYSfCH20O2g8tq7CYd0Uzy7MXRKNgloRV1yNuiVgkQ8uHuPrzo60p90EF9yXXHKbH51VByRiUjk/s320/Blog+post+Sept+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It seemed that the Spanish Oaks were hit the hardest with the Cedar Elms almost as bad. This is a view from Ronald Reagan just north of Hwy. 29.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3H6mBxSHV_iXsG1NRF54eT0ZE01q8IqK23UgR8KjF1MjW87JDt-dS5Mjel6bganI_TW0T9BOLTZP4N-2MITLmbIQ5Y_xmIxC2_NVx0nli5uplZpSTO8ZEZrurLlbOtul77AdNlpOaRg/s1600/Blog+post+Sept+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3H6mBxSHV_iXsG1NRF54eT0ZE01q8IqK23UgR8KjF1MjW87JDt-dS5Mjel6bganI_TW0T9BOLTZP4N-2MITLmbIQ5Y_xmIxC2_NVx0nli5uplZpSTO8ZEZrurLlbOtul77AdNlpOaRg/s320/Blog+post+Sept+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The damage here at the house wasn't as bad but I will show that here in a few days.Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-35217583247235806732011-09-21T22:21:00.001-05:002011-09-21T22:22:26.080-05:00Hill Country Natives NurseryI went to the Hill Country Natives open house today. I had a great time, visited with friends and met some new ones as well. The owners, Mitch and Kathy Mitchemore, are the nicest people you would ever want to meet and oh so knowledgeable about native plants. The nursery is around their house and extends out under the big oaks in every direction. There are trails winding through the trees and little alcoves and sitting areas are plentiful. With little ponds and creeks and garden art, it is just a very enjoyable place to spend some time. Even though it is mainly a whole sale nursery, I think us commoners can still buy from them.<br />
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I have done several projects for them through the years and every time I go they have added new additions to enjoy. This is a gate I built for them several years ago.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3jCi7_ayiP9P40k0Y0P4vk-zeJ4SXZXNXkx8et9Nol4xDZyXszKQeYFZjx5Zi0fYEXb4MN8dhIckj7OMh6WORjWNo4M6rzn0cedViZZgQKd_PmnagFdO-4BUYFw_Z-KPH2rqTqL2ypg/s1600/Mitchener+gate+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3jCi7_ayiP9P40k0Y0P4vk-zeJ4SXZXNXkx8et9Nol4xDZyXszKQeYFZjx5Zi0fYEXb4MN8dhIckj7OMh6WORjWNo4M6rzn0cedViZZgQKd_PmnagFdO-4BUYFw_Z-KPH2rqTqL2ypg/s320/Mitchener+gate+001.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>As you can see it's still swinging just fine.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHb2AXznwUxopk7IgbIgKq7FQlZomDkAmVNRZMULK0nnw6xOpFBVc2M2gH4J9Zir-GWrsoCPWJ6upITyMuJX1ksrxpVHOPuDZAEBMHurFmWJOKwsm2omXtrzXL1j9UjR0bVuJRDxwd4c/s1600/Mitchener+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHb2AXznwUxopk7IgbIgKq7FQlZomDkAmVNRZMULK0nnw6xOpFBVc2M2gH4J9Zir-GWrsoCPWJ6upITyMuJX1ksrxpVHOPuDZAEBMHurFmWJOKwsm2omXtrzXL1j9UjR0bVuJRDxwd4c/s320/Mitchener+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This year I added some metal picket fence, a drive through gate and a walk through gate on the other side of the house. They were starting to have deer coming into the nursery here so a fence was needed. They wanted it to look nice and I think we pulled it off nicely. I built the big gate with a sun flower medallion in the middle and built sun flowers to go in the middle of the fence panels as well. In a normal year there are sun flowers that come up all through the nursery and they just let them grow. It's way cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzsBB-rxkII9Z4IjHsgJyTZtyxmacnY59ITxBRXKfG58v8Hx_aJlQPREFCuoYoiu1z3IUrxBjD52HocAiD0pgPuAKfbWX5Fo4vI0Q-qBfR7vUsSUdwkryHZTsFdariO1ceyWhimGoWT4/s1600/Mitchener+Gate+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzsBB-rxkII9Z4IjHsgJyTZtyxmacnY59ITxBRXKfG58v8Hx_aJlQPREFCuoYoiu1z3IUrxBjD52HocAiD0pgPuAKfbWX5Fo4vI0Q-qBfR7vUsSUdwkryHZTsFdariO1ceyWhimGoWT4/s320/Mitchener+Gate+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I built the small gate to match the rest of the fence but I built a grape vine climbing up the open end of it. The grape vine is actually the latch for the gate as the top two foot or so is not welded and flexes side ways to pull the leaves away from the vertical of the big gate. It came out well and they really like it a lot. I'm just glad there are people that are willing to let me build things like this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0uWq6LY5s_wIGYe4k8to0Z5XKFDgTJ0c5z1RtmZ0kj5hF8HY42bvv4HaEYW8LLmb9mYrlm6pD5E1RKqKSumQGMY6_tS5YqjCjwPwhBcpA4WJCOMQUCfJ_1irhoi11aaNXKjXoSCYG_A/s1600/Mitchener+Gate+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0uWq6LY5s_wIGYe4k8to0Z5XKFDgTJ0c5z1RtmZ0kj5hF8HY42bvv4HaEYW8LLmb9mYrlm6pD5E1RKqKSumQGMY6_tS5YqjCjwPwhBcpA4WJCOMQUCfJ_1irhoi11aaNXKjXoSCYG_A/s320/Mitchener+Gate+007.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>While the gates look good, they are only accents to a beautiful nursery. The rock work, by Larry Hullems, is just stunning. The man has serious skills. But again, accents to the whole of what Mitch and Kathy have done. Here is some pictures of a beautiful self made nursery.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPHrenlMZtywoEZWjx3cjEdtaJcqt4bgRD193jUHgqKzAI15d7F0sJb0r04VFTk1LHXUkprA4c76BlVcEIR9tKPVLk7wjZE6ArKvVGcDmtUew1AM330_o9IL7II1j-l8cBcWbQ7dQcKo/s1600/Mitchener+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPHrenlMZtywoEZWjx3cjEdtaJcqt4bgRD193jUHgqKzAI15d7F0sJb0r04VFTk1LHXUkprA4c76BlVcEIR9tKPVLk7wjZE6ArKvVGcDmtUew1AM330_o9IL7II1j-l8cBcWbQ7dQcKo/s320/Mitchener+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The tall plants in this picture are some kind of canna that likes shade. I want some.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gaW4xayaG1i3XW3tH0-LT9hyphenhyphenkpiNQrWEhbhT7Sl3WGgF3rLD_8PKsMach97YPJV8sQ0P3Elm84yMioT9B4tDOw35n_FXdGU0A594VB9Ip3UZJdhnpoUbFzzx5rqCO6tr0IsLKCm4Ycw/s1600/Mitchener+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gaW4xayaG1i3XW3tH0-LT9hyphenhyphenkpiNQrWEhbhT7Sl3WGgF3rLD_8PKsMach97YPJV8sQ0P3Elm84yMioT9B4tDOw35n_FXdGU0A594VB9Ip3UZJdhnpoUbFzzx5rqCO6tr0IsLKCm4Ycw/s320/Mitchener+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3TuNUE6UaHtZMBWNfNTGkwy6DF060GUV-HKef4LGtB-th9uh3zIUVEHTFAxRijQGVo5_CmqaJX3RbKUiznH0x051L0Y3w7UrTYrZsYBWMfJRmzaxz_WAJigPZzVeKqedHO3KHytxmWQ/s1600/Mitchener+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3TuNUE6UaHtZMBWNfNTGkwy6DF060GUV-HKef4LGtB-th9uh3zIUVEHTFAxRijQGVo5_CmqaJX3RbKUiznH0x051L0Y3w7UrTYrZsYBWMfJRmzaxz_WAJigPZzVeKqedHO3KHytxmWQ/s320/Mitchener+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Just this last year they added a creek system and it is something. I really liked it a lot. All the plants were native and were just perfect for a little stream in Texas.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuumJqpPWcO7zRnYdhxtEih2VHuMr9cBtgMnt1g9J4pCqWYt0VSbvCUVQ8dIKMfBi3hUhYj2c2epmX7yk_seypgL6zG_7s8wf_Afmj_fikIDfqLOjqBB-DcbIUyFVIJ8ajFeUIQIZu0pY/s1600/Mitchener+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuumJqpPWcO7zRnYdhxtEih2VHuMr9cBtgMnt1g9J4pCqWYt0VSbvCUVQ8dIKMfBi3hUhYj2c2epmX7yk_seypgL6zG_7s8wf_Afmj_fikIDfqLOjqBB-DcbIUyFVIJ8ajFeUIQIZu0pY/s320/Mitchener+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUJal4fNYNVHfbIpQCrTVhhXkwuFfS_bgGwjmirevvpimYGTtGEnXrGsfD7mysWiWWZ1vv_IAA6aJNTZRZ_FUrHyvaw_e4McoovyiRTdy4cFtDNt7xaFQSv11EhQ4im3WLIaumzXKS5U/s1600/Mitchener+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUJal4fNYNVHfbIpQCrTVhhXkwuFfS_bgGwjmirevvpimYGTtGEnXrGsfD7mysWiWWZ1vv_IAA6aJNTZRZ_FUrHyvaw_e4McoovyiRTdy4cFtDNt7xaFQSv11EhQ4im3WLIaumzXKS5U/s320/Mitchener+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There were little ponds tucked into the gardens every where and they were all beautiful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBTNStGMpex8AYOl3PmdlohvTAUtOmZqpG2N_wX9rwNSETZG4T1LRpFRm8da71y5iPDOsc2UlnnqyjIgceJM05VfhyphenhyphenrXZ-mx3lV7-JB8vJjbzQO-Gko6I84D9YvvOhsZgxUzU19whf1s/s1600/Mitchener+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBTNStGMpex8AYOl3PmdlohvTAUtOmZqpG2N_wX9rwNSETZG4T1LRpFRm8da71y5iPDOsc2UlnnqyjIgceJM05VfhyphenhyphenrXZ-mx3lV7-JB8vJjbzQO-Gko6I84D9YvvOhsZgxUzU19whf1s/s320/Mitchener+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd71hx0G5jJN9VOWXfyt-LQBaeevvY18lTi7vPLvgfGSM2gnHKdPgRIfHrqMZgQmZa8-ZiFfPbW-hhKg0lvLP_kdU6vbWgIA8juxlSq3JlLoElI5NeGSkCR_Rk_cQwV1a5aI6MfWyVSmo/s1600/Mitchener+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd71hx0G5jJN9VOWXfyt-LQBaeevvY18lTi7vPLvgfGSM2gnHKdPgRIfHrqMZgQmZa8-ZiFfPbW-hhKg0lvLP_kdU6vbWgIA8juxlSq3JlLoElI5NeGSkCR_Rk_cQwV1a5aI6MfWyVSmo/s320/Mitchener+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It was just a wonderful day all around. If any one needs native plants I would certainly give them a call. It's kind of hard to find but so worth it if you need native trees or plants.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hillcountrynatives.biz/">http://www.hillcountrynatives.biz/</a>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-65862846033558577662011-07-20T00:35:00.000-05:002011-07-20T00:35:42.801-05:00Man It's HotIt's not only hot but it's dry as well. I have only had 1 7/8" of rain here since the first of the year. I'm praying that the well holds up so we have water to the house. Having the 24,000 gallon rain water collection system makes me feel better about watering the plants. This being the first year to really use it I haven't been watering any more than normal. Normal for me is letting a lot of plants die as I am a real water miser. I am down to four tomato plants left and one still puts on a tomato every week or so. That particular plant is in the shade from 10:00 until 6:00. I am wishing I had more shade and am thinking about shade cloth for next year now.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99H3CHWeZZjpAqoSVe9pjZKaVyDRhleWTJzPliGIi2OHsyzTcr32h-mOy3bOlzt0fAdQG0W8OT-T8tzFMR1vWQIGiqxPBhQWVa5ksCH3xcdri0ZFWGx0BJFZnH5ffJMPDUfU2eUgnHhY/s1600/Water+tanks+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99H3CHWeZZjpAqoSVe9pjZKaVyDRhleWTJzPliGIi2OHsyzTcr32h-mOy3bOlzt0fAdQG0W8OT-T8tzFMR1vWQIGiqxPBhQWVa5ksCH3xcdri0ZFWGx0BJFZnH5ffJMPDUfU2eUgnHhY/s320/Water+tanks+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I finally decided to get a ladder and take a look inside the water tanks and see how much water I had left. They were not full at the first of the year but were very close.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWUuB_l7fuIzl7E_-nzvdbCDivZs6WuYWkrO512LiZNoDcHRL56SDFXmtbUBuEqCepMe3dtQ6HODRh77BlOOj5SJiNlZZMRxPexBbM8LUAmnL39whwN3XGb01tmqxFWNTUb_Any_0mTM/s1600/Water+tanks+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWUuB_l7fuIzl7E_-nzvdbCDivZs6WuYWkrO512LiZNoDcHRL56SDFXmtbUBuEqCepMe3dtQ6HODRh77BlOOj5SJiNlZZMRxPexBbM8LUAmnL39whwN3XGb01tmqxFWNTUb_Any_0mTM/s320/Water+tanks+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This picture may not make much sense but it is looking down into the tank through the top portal. You can see the reflection of the pipe running across the top of the tank and the hole the water flows in. The little dark place on the bottom is dirt that has washed in. Not much at all, it tells me my home made roof washer system is working well. It appears they are down about one third as the water level is on the 2000 gallon mark. Times eight tanks, I have 16,000 gallons left and have used 8000. I feel better now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbMDVA7Dr_eYluHs6Da7fSX_FRj88iW0yvnwVrFZI4SKjk4UVN7XUKiYXfIdkro3mf8jV_opK1b2-ql8T30ai5KKXAqQmHpePNi457tWFMpZNWUJkxiTmUDFIoLmR7UkCVSDNQiUPeuE/s1600/Water+tanks+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbMDVA7Dr_eYluHs6Da7fSX_FRj88iW0yvnwVrFZI4SKjk4UVN7XUKiYXfIdkro3mf8jV_opK1b2-ql8T30ai5KKXAqQmHpePNi457tWFMpZNWUJkxiTmUDFIoLmR7UkCVSDNQiUPeuE/s320/Water+tanks+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have been building a metal building lately and working in the heat all day. I just don't feel like working in the garden in the evenings. I may pull a weed here, prune a little there but I'm watering every where. With this kind of heat I'm just trying to keep plants alive until fall now. It is a learning experience though. I know now what plants will hold up and maybe even bloom a little.<br />
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I always have zinnias in my garden. They are descendants of plants that were seeded years ago. It may be time to buy new seeds as they seem to be displaying with less and less color every year. They don't mind the heat though, if they get a little water. Unfortunately they never seem to come up where I want them to. These came up in a tomato cage. The tomato didn't make it but they did.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_-1xSBGAeN0nCdXRxhyphenhyphenuRWawhbeYNKcpu5jEgtZ12I3owDWFX9Ibg8oS-_Ug5vcZCkcQYKYyu-uQOiK-BmrPhaWXpVKm2o9stM8WVTPY0eG46OXUNvg8jsW4u7EHYQLWV5bIOi9PHUI/s1600/July+blog+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_-1xSBGAeN0nCdXRxhyphenhyphenuRWawhbeYNKcpu5jEgtZ12I3owDWFX9Ibg8oS-_Ug5vcZCkcQYKYyu-uQOiK-BmrPhaWXpVKm2o9stM8WVTPY0eG46OXUNvg8jsW4u7EHYQLWV5bIOi9PHUI/s320/July+blog+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
While neither Lyn or I, are big fans of egg plant, I always plant a couple plants for my neighbor. He doesn't garden but loves egg plant. He swears they are the best he's ever eaten. I don't really know what kind they are. I just buy what ever I can find at the nurseries. I just don't tell him that, he thinks they are some special kind.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXDfKozy8x3vQOpWuOooE5t-ApU_G5PnawxknEG47xSi8QcwIgF22bG0LBtTLt0zhRCKiucZ4gMbNxcZE1Z5tsEI2NfS51_8wozApTrneypg_dYNrd8rmrBWGOImFuMhT0hyphenhyphenheQsklAk/s1600/July+blog+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXDfKozy8x3vQOpWuOooE5t-ApU_G5PnawxknEG47xSi8QcwIgF22bG0LBtTLt0zhRCKiucZ4gMbNxcZE1Z5tsEI2NfS51_8wozApTrneypg_dYNrd8rmrBWGOImFuMhT0hyphenhyphenheQsklAk/s320/July+blog+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I got lucky this year and got a great heat tolerate plant from my buddy, Philip, at ESP. It was just a little thing in the spring when I got it but has grown well and is about to bloom despite being eaten down to the ground by a rabbit once. I don't know the name for sure as I think Philip is pulling some good ol' Scottish humor on me about the name. When I mention to him that the Pearls of Opar is doing well, he says no, it's Jewels of Opar. If I say Jewels of Opar then he says no, it's Pearls of Opar. I am fairly certain that it is one of those two. Either way it is a great hot weather plant and doesn't even require that much water to do well. I think I picked the perfect place for it if the rabbit stays away.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLN9SfQGvjUN4ht53hf2es4Knuz6dzrCNMFmiOxG5F3BPAFSeREDZlDNyklzZd-saLL21VL-ygNrkq97djmDX4TMucY56lBUGrH50ryRCDCQEeYbZ5qbS8Dyyr9EviWyUmTh3RMSeKB1k/s1600/July+blog+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLN9SfQGvjUN4ht53hf2es4Knuz6dzrCNMFmiOxG5F3BPAFSeREDZlDNyklzZd-saLL21VL-ygNrkq97djmDX4TMucY56lBUGrH50ryRCDCQEeYbZ5qbS8Dyyr9EviWyUmTh3RMSeKB1k/s320/July+blog+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
While working on a ranch last year I happened to notice a tiny, purple, little bloom on a plant by the ranchers drive way. With the bloom and the spiky little leaves, it was enough for me to tell that it was a Wooly Ironweed. I've wanted one for a long time and asked the rancher if I could dig it up. In a typical rancher response he said "You want to dig up a weed? Sure, go ahead and dig it up if you want it. I think there might be a few more down in the lower pasture if you want some more." I could tell it had been mowed over it's entire life. It is a happy plant now and has just started to bloom.<br />
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Temperatures over a hundred for months, like we have had this year, will take it out of most plants, but if a person has ponds and pond plants, then you know you will have plenty of green in the garden. <br />
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The upper pond has just about been covered in Lotus and Arrowhead.<br />
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The middle pond has Pickerel Weed and Umbrella plant with miniature lilies in it.<br />
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The big pond has lotus, lilies and Red Stemmed Thalias. The Thalias are a little behind this year and are just now big enough to start showing the red in their stems.<br />
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There have been more blooms on the lotus than in any year in memory.<br />
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As the leaves die they make for interesting patterns in the garden.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2isIsHEVZBPkyGuNVMwOFaLP5kgw2IStZCXcLRsislduH6lGURzWZHEkUwI-v_nSAyAr9PdFAx4yBye7sjBr6jxoGi9nBhxGkY2-Z5OBT1mJn6k59zUy3NPdOzjDzgELBoPtV9tR350U/s1600/July+blog+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2isIsHEVZBPkyGuNVMwOFaLP5kgw2IStZCXcLRsislduH6lGURzWZHEkUwI-v_nSAyAr9PdFAx4yBye7sjBr6jxoGi9nBhxGkY2-Z5OBT1mJn6k59zUy3NPdOzjDzgELBoPtV9tR350U/s320/July+blog+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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At least I have some green even if I don't have many blooms.<br />
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</div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-39336470800463301822011-05-11T19:55:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:28:29.133-05:00Garden MetalworkMetal worker by trade and gardener by hobby, it's nice for me when the two come together. It seems metal just goes well in the garden, the lawn or the patio. I always consider myself lucky when I get those kinds of jobs because I just enjoy it more and maybe because I have an artistic yearning to satisfy. While a gardener can get a lot of metal work from nurseries, it is usually cheap, poorly made stuff from Mexico or China. Some people have their own ideas of what they want and need to have it custom built. I've gotten to do a couple of jobs like that recently and both of the customers were great gardeners as well.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One was just a simple arch over a gateway. The house is just a beautiful old ranch house that has been restored. The lady that lives there was raised in the house but has only been living back there now for a few years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHNelfh8hfHIZComZP5Piu7JjhmY-Qu3CxnbLSX8E2LSZ2U2z6wsGjtOuryiU6toxjdWZS36sDZwLo9ZFYn6Wdthntwc3HGaBa9PRzIL1jWBoFAcKFFNZFvVHY5ixCgVI5SwlaeEyokc/s1600/Arch+and+poppers+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHNelfh8hfHIZComZP5Piu7JjhmY-Qu3CxnbLSX8E2LSZ2U2z6wsGjtOuryiU6toxjdWZS36sDZwLo9ZFYn6Wdthntwc3HGaBa9PRzIL1jWBoFAcKFFNZFvVHY5ixCgVI5SwlaeEyokc/s320/Arch+and+poppers+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She plans on having vining roses climb up and over the archway. It should look just stunning.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsmmOsaEj-EListxdpJPzlahOiQwJ_wqJiUBps2h0z0jgXl_NMxBmddKBynf9a0zG3JacKV8XsAKZXDdB68LGbtqvH_5s0Tw64-YCZ-cNZl_44JhpHXZEfhTWWCQ0vxRiLsNLoi_YaG4/s1600/Arch+and+poppers+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsmmOsaEj-EListxdpJPzlahOiQwJ_wqJiUBps2h0z0jgXl_NMxBmddKBynf9a0zG3JacKV8XsAKZXDdB68LGbtqvH_5s0Tw64-YCZ-cNZl_44JhpHXZEfhTWWCQ0vxRiLsNLoi_YaG4/s320/Arch+and+poppers+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There are flower beds behind the snort rock wall all the way around the yard with roses staggered through them.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_DrjJqsCpgRobE0JsrdOWJt1Vmlq1-QGa3I57-MeLrwWGDkKGAevejIK3sHq8K13hvaY2fUQ21nkTXiPu5vpzl193kr8xmjL_ruLhmQKNJsIDX2_07PJ7DDLsEZtQhnLY6wUrbDH_9M/s1600/Arch+and+poppers+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_DrjJqsCpgRobE0JsrdOWJt1Vmlq1-QGa3I57-MeLrwWGDkKGAevejIK3sHq8K13hvaY2fUQ21nkTXiPu5vpzl193kr8xmjL_ruLhmQKNJsIDX2_07PJ7DDLsEZtQhnLY6wUrbDH_9M/s320/Arch+and+poppers+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She showed me pictures of them from last summer and it was gorgeous. This was in early March and I have an invite to go back and see them all in bloom. Can't wait.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The next job was a gate for a deck. The lady that lives there has beautiful gardens as well as plants in pots just every where. She was worried about accidentally falling down the stairs while tending her potted plants on the deck. There really wasn't that much room to move around on that part of the deck. She is in my native plant club and had seen another gate I had built for some one in the club and wanted hers to be similar.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The gate turned out just like she wanted it and should fit it's function well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWOPQseHIBL3rfmZAO3Pdj_RPI6UyqEf3HKfZTMmW_EOAEx6_zZg7JSIeVOoTpJ517NX53-GtD6ydE9dehZkWJmuPvw88vj2-0vtKeov4i-QrK8dnV9btN_KNrCo0DRkiM0ue-oElIkk/s1600/Ingrid%2527s+garden+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWOPQseHIBL3rfmZAO3Pdj_RPI6UyqEf3HKfZTMmW_EOAEx6_zZg7JSIeVOoTpJ517NX53-GtD6ydE9dehZkWJmuPvw88vj2-0vtKeov4i-QrK8dnV9btN_KNrCo0DRkiM0ue-oElIkk/s320/Ingrid%2527s+garden+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_APXEaBjHXdXeSHuNVqksDHkyw1MBm9wOF5tE5ltP-F4wGfVPetuIKxe0cZXSwplqFt4T-Uvg2zWCWCRph0J6I9yOwJv_kiHGYbJcWTNmavSK6lvNZpV3HH8-MEtckEZZxSl_kSOq4UQ/s1600/Ingrid%2527s+garden+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_APXEaBjHXdXeSHuNVqksDHkyw1MBm9wOF5tE5ltP-F4wGfVPetuIKxe0cZXSwplqFt4T-Uvg2zWCWCRph0J6I9yOwJv_kiHGYbJcWTNmavSK6lvNZpV3HH8-MEtckEZZxSl_kSOq4UQ/s320/Ingrid%2527s+garden+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62BNV7lu9sfNesXq8wpG5QrLTv9_ILQ3wWZFNSdUquXJVVSMv6kMyYzmmeYmMEGL0e_vzG9JFJS-xjYPTwIjfqlnpWNDRDLGpIyRDlRoVxQJPsmRgd3LcXMcScDLXzHf01cDjGbbz6hs/s1600/Ingrid%2527s+garden+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62BNV7lu9sfNesXq8wpG5QrLTv9_ILQ3wWZFNSdUquXJVVSMv6kMyYzmmeYmMEGL0e_vzG9JFJS-xjYPTwIjfqlnpWNDRDLGpIyRDlRoVxQJPsmRgd3LcXMcScDLXzHf01cDjGbbz6hs/s320/Ingrid%2527s+garden+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After installing the gate, I was privy to a stroll through her gardens, and lovely gardens they were.While it was not a mature garden, as she has only lived here two years, it was still beautiful.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> She has a stunning Peggy Martin rose that sprawls along her fence. You can see the first pink blooms, a promise of the explosion that is about to come. I must have one.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuSnL_BqhUpWEA4lYaZfgg-E9-IzQ2R-UrsDN-QF5mVkT9A1twW5FYfAQdy1gjvncIp85lp6-hGPomUU0n7U0b7PV99xbwwZg14-AxYnteobh-Ardh5incgOe10bVaBFKv2ziWjgUJAg/s1600/Ingrid%2527s+garden+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuSnL_BqhUpWEA4lYaZfgg-E9-IzQ2R-UrsDN-QF5mVkT9A1twW5FYfAQdy1gjvncIp85lp6-hGPomUU0n7U0b7PV99xbwwZg14-AxYnteobh-Ardh5incgOe10bVaBFKv2ziWjgUJAg/s320/Ingrid%2527s+garden+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is still some grass in the front yard but it is short lived. The crew to remove it was arriving as I was leaving.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMxUYO1zBdPWp-Pn8JWk3Vu3KBm-B-_bFLXr-nYDSbuVKy7qXxo9VPg1VVU2SD7gIn_5z2EvdC-0A3ZDcPfCet8_6zA1O0WRWMGOGzC_kHVdVn2WcNZxTy5m7npyEBAp2CMHXnsd2oac/s1600/Ingrid%2527s+garden+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMxUYO1zBdPWp-Pn8JWk3Vu3KBm-B-_bFLXr-nYDSbuVKy7qXxo9VPg1VVU2SD7gIn_5z2EvdC-0A3ZDcPfCet8_6zA1O0WRWMGOGzC_kHVdVn2WcNZxTy5m7npyEBAp2CMHXnsd2oac/s320/Ingrid%2527s+garden+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I like leaving little surprises when I do these kinds of jobs. I left a grasshopper at the first house and a lady bug at the last. Both ladies found them within a few days and called to say what a nice surprise it was.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPvz06eV2obz_BlZZ_jny8N0RW4NlRyQ1JTgHdyb-E5SNcnviZ056cEbqHI4Wq1jntuH6a7GpG5Up78hMdUb6FgtR-o98ZSp-GDfIxROu3AG79QGYuAfBiP3C4_nQ4LBU8FRc4-L3OnY/s1600/ESP+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPvz06eV2obz_BlZZ_jny8N0RW4NlRyQ1JTgHdyb-E5SNcnviZ056cEbqHI4Wq1jntuH6a7GpG5Up78hMdUb6FgtR-o98ZSp-GDfIxROu3AG79QGYuAfBiP3C4_nQ4LBU8FRc4-L3OnY/s320/ESP+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8phTqkEGjBqHR6G8HEf3aq0wMCADrACYISl_wds3F2Xxo9MhxmHv9kMcy8BkflIdMSEgQnSnWUP_Dv3z-buxEXPAODsGglZ4BKT1-bsP7tlvdPaysdhL6ubO1jmw9bNUaqSRhjUOx0s/s1600/welding+stuff+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8phTqkEGjBqHR6G8HEf3aq0wMCADrACYISl_wds3F2Xxo9MhxmHv9kMcy8BkflIdMSEgQnSnWUP_Dv3z-buxEXPAODsGglZ4BKT1-bsP7tlvdPaysdhL6ubO1jmw9bNUaqSRhjUOx0s/s320/welding+stuff+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I haven't posted in a while. The gardening just about came to a stand still. Lyn fell and broke her arm....bad.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLcwjCaX4ZhgnhFh4PTtUAuetJ_ovy3o2UN2QdtNhRHwaBukNaRH6j2bqfISBPB3pAJ9M_ajIyO5J3pYMGkdwGqlxwJ5xSauehFVqg4Jw3ks4pRXZi_Ksebwct_Rm66XfuxJMOXjG_Ys/s1600/broken+arm+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLcwjCaX4ZhgnhFh4PTtUAuetJ_ovy3o2UN2QdtNhRHwaBukNaRH6j2bqfISBPB3pAJ9M_ajIyO5J3pYMGkdwGqlxwJ5xSauehFVqg4Jw3ks4pRXZi_Ksebwct_Rm66XfuxJMOXjG_Ys/s320/broken+arm+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A few days afterwards, her left leg started to give her some intense pain as well. After an MRI, it was discovered she has five bulging discs as well. I've had to do a lot more than normal around here. I didn't realize how much she takes care of until I had to start doing a lot of it. That and going to a lot of doctors has put the gardening on the back burners, but I'm getting back to it now.Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-33216923865276844392011-04-03T23:06:00.001-05:002011-04-03T23:08:55.408-05:00Wandering BuffaloAgnes Plutino was one of the first people I met when I joined the Georgetown chapter of the Native Plant Society. She certainly must be one of the nicest people I've ever met. She is also the most knowledgeable person on native plants that I know of. Last year her good friend and editor of our news letter, Christene Powell called me up and wanted me to help her with a birthday present for Agnes.<br />
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While Agnes' whole yard is planted to natives with blooms of every imaginable color, her back pasture has been turned into a prairie. I mean the kind of prairie that was here before most of it was destroyed. There are grasses of every sort along with all the prairie flowers. I mean a real prairie. However the one thing she was missing in a real prairie was a buffalo.<br />
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This is where it gets good. Christene wanted me to build a buffalo like one she had seen some where. It was cut out of a sheet of metal and had legs that drive in the ground to hold it up. It was almost life size. I would do the work for free and Christene would buy the metal. It came out very nice and Agnes was thrilled with it. Now her prairie was complete. Well, for a while it seems.<br />
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Some low lifes have stolen the buffalo. Now Agnes' prairie is incomplete again. Why would any one steal a sheet metal buffalo? If any one sees this buffalo any where, would you please get in touch with me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vmpRhYDHwy99LYsWDbBAga6hXsPAUTbWI1H5BUAw99uAi35ANyqlQpcjNZFnJNIJcOYVOeFh-nBMCXSEcb7WvyepBbxShgWY8hAMvWBqOEyf3L8ejYmjju3YaGlZ82ZYUifpbEnCZ_M/s1600/buffalo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vmpRhYDHwy99LYsWDbBAga6hXsPAUTbWI1H5BUAw99uAi35ANyqlQpcjNZFnJNIJcOYVOeFh-nBMCXSEcb7WvyepBbxShgWY8hAMvWBqOEyf3L8ejYmjju3YaGlZ82ZYUifpbEnCZ_M/s320/buffalo+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-85816900190531944122011-03-25T22:37:00.000-05:002011-03-25T22:37:37.301-05:00BugsWhile most gardeners are always on the look out for bugs, fly fishers are as well. Gardeners try to determine if they are good or bad, anglers try to determine if they would be fish food. The very astute gardeners will observe them, take closeup pictures of them [ESP], and learn about them. If they are good, whoo hoo, if they are bad, squish. Astute fly fishers will observe them, take close up pictures of them and learn about them. If they are bad you just toss them, if they are good, [aka fish food] then you copy them.<br />
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There are two lines of thought on making bugs that catch fish. Some tie the bugs to sorta look like the bug they want to fish with. Fish aren't too smart and that is really good enough. However there is another group of fly tiers that fish with bugs that are realistic looking.<br />
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I know several people that do this and their bugs are just unbelievable. They are just so realistic looking and they also are tough. They will hold up to getting cast back and forth in the air as well as getting wet and getting mauled by fish.<br />
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I thought it would be interesting to show some pictures to gardeners of some of the bugs that these guys make. They are unbelievable in their looks as well as being fishable. I got most of these pictures off of flytyingforum.com if anyone wants to check them out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-D0tJsNvdX2yjA9V1xZX97Bn6PMMQxvCc0CdkzNIvSmvqrnt4uoydBUTxiX-P_cRk5pNeTC59Za7nMx26v8sTMJnX1Z7B1ND_BlDGBQz0wDUMOp49XYgVKA08bEq5N4zlFG0YVOk9Uk/s1600/Stinkbug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-D0tJsNvdX2yjA9V1xZX97Bn6PMMQxvCc0CdkzNIvSmvqrnt4uoydBUTxiX-P_cRk5pNeTC59Za7nMx26v8sTMJnX1Z7B1ND_BlDGBQz0wDUMOp49XYgVKA08bEq5N4zlFG0YVOk9Uk/s320/Stinkbug.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-17142840178091583592011-01-29T21:40:00.007-06:002011-01-29T22:40:19.820-06:00Important NativeWhile hunkered down under a piece of farm equipment I was supposed to repair, the rancher that owned it was bent over, looking into the grass. I thought he had lost something for a moment but he looked up and had a little smile on his face. He looked over at me and casually said that the wildlife would get through this winter OK. I asked him how he knew and he pointed down to the ground and said "Filleree, it's every where this year and doing right well".<br /><br /><br />Filleree, as the old rancher pointed out, is probably one of the most important plants in the hill country where wild life is concerned. I'm sure he also knew that his cattle as well as the neighbors Barbado sheep would make good use of it as well. The native plants in the hill country of Texas are notorious for having very low protein values with very few even over 10%, and that is when they are at their prime. In the winter time they are closer to zero. Filleree has a protein content of over 17%, even in the winter, as that is when it is young and growing. That protein will be utilized by deer, turkeys, rabbits and other wildlife to keep them healthy through the rigors of the winter when many other food sources for these animals are lacking or gone altogether.<br /><br /><br />Such an important plant and you would have to look closely to even see it, growing flat to the ground. It's really easy to see though, if you know what to look for. During the winter many of it's tiny leaves are crimson red instead of green, and show up easily.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO51ZJ0oMa0W4dktoHM66iaAuRVyFiE8I1teluiWFP6NV1Q85RJbYPqFeA_nR4Qs5VWlkSBphe7_WyPYuhMU9aSKwSOeXCz2Q1tLTFTw-xgp6dHMVJlMnHeyowZ95t6-uidxeSEiIXr_g/s1600/Filleree+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567828901877915010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO51ZJ0oMa0W4dktoHM66iaAuRVyFiE8I1teluiWFP6NV1Q85RJbYPqFeA_nR4Qs5VWlkSBphe7_WyPYuhMU9aSKwSOeXCz2Q1tLTFTw-xgp6dHMVJlMnHeyowZ95t6-uidxeSEiIXr_g/s400/Filleree+001.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VBa7dtKN-jGET8KZQ8pUP4AEIZyKZqd9fBJFGiRlnp6tBtM0gnFT7kcceu2swjqB6fLWO9vi6gbXv6z8WdV06bjkQziT3zLV7yiFgqUpmhCYoLy0KONxYge3h5Ps-f4fiuK8t2lyBoo/s1600/Filleree+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567829213477076786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VBa7dtKN-jGET8KZQ8pUP4AEIZyKZqd9fBJFGiRlnp6tBtM0gnFT7kcceu2swjqB6fLWO9vi6gbXv6z8WdV06bjkQziT3zLV7yiFgqUpmhCYoLy0KONxYge3h5Ps-f4fiuK8t2lyBoo/s400/Filleree+002.JPG" /></a><br />While the old rancher knew and appreciated the filleree for it's benefit to the animals, he could have cared less about the show of violet blooms that all native plant people would recognize as Stork's Bill. It's not one of the big show natives, with the blooms only hanging around for less than a month, but while it's here, it's here with a bang.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrdD-BKMCSry6FuYvOf3sFDhqCn2h2rdcpULBCTSpfTK7cldpRe2RrA25KVDKXJFnwrllNopKQG9mrPw0LCWox829wlNIMPI5G8gAN0vlzQjQABjBrSs_EiCe87kNDWnxrrCBMKr582A/s1600/Blue+Bonnets+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567830241236029314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrdD-BKMCSry6FuYvOf3sFDhqCn2h2rdcpULBCTSpfTK7cldpRe2RrA25KVDKXJFnwrllNopKQG9mrPw0LCWox829wlNIMPI5G8gAN0vlzQjQABjBrSs_EiCe87kNDWnxrrCBMKr582A/s400/Blue+Bonnets+001.JPG" /></a> All those blooms will make the very thing that Stork's Bill is named for, the seed pods. They look just like a stork's head and bill.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1euZHGh8EK9Jf3Ig8n94yh9SevznbmdAqNVy166BjvqLkBV2QvHNpIMLIOoEyRtjw4UGbJ2qWqZ5HIQ55kNQZG_54vU0zQVcqrmYYJaOf3Ef0duJAITNCyMtQEywqv5EKpO77-N7gLOM/s1600/Prudy+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567832146743944930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1euZHGh8EK9Jf3Ig8n94yh9SevznbmdAqNVy166BjvqLkBV2QvHNpIMLIOoEyRtjw4UGbJ2qWqZ5HIQ55kNQZG_54vU0zQVcqrmYYJaOf3Ef0duJAITNCyMtQEywqv5EKpO77-N7gLOM/s400/Prudy+001.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmbcfoEis89JzJrTzuD3FjTtxL5JzFWKmNSShiTg-xowFv9otqDJX7XYjDqV80wx792OCgcwM2NJ5hixWaVQ_UJFZ6yOxEwsgWqpTLUAv0Ij_8nBVNLVnMIC643MsTls7ZH-douOxEBM/s1600/Stomped+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567831572460480946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmbcfoEis89JzJrTzuD3FjTtxL5JzFWKmNSShiTg-xowFv9otqDJX7XYjDqV80wx792OCgcwM2NJ5hixWaVQ_UJFZ6yOxEwsgWqpTLUAv0Ij_8nBVNLVnMIC643MsTls7ZH-douOxEBM/s400/Stomped+005.JPG" /></a> So, whether you call them Filleree or Stork's Bill, it's a very important plant to have. And just how many plants can be this important and be this beautiful as well?Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915750954797799322.post-69700484443159038302011-01-12T22:02:00.005-06:002011-01-12T23:51:38.903-06:00Quality ToolsAs the shank of the little garden trowel broke, my hand shoved the handle on down into the soil, my index finger sliding over the edge of the blade. I looked at the finger and just caught a glimpse of the bone before the blood flow hid it. I said a few choice words about what a blankity blank piece of crap it was and slung it into the cedars. After letting it bleed for a while I headed into the house to get the cellophane tape. Lyn is big on getting cuts stitched up. I on the other hand, am not. I was able to get it taped up tight and just hoped she wouldn't see it with cellophane tape on it. It had worked before.<br /><br /><br />I got out another trowel and noticed it had a big notch out of it. It was crap as well. There just had to be a better garden trowel out there but I had never seen it. I looked at my Corona pruning snips laying on the porch and thought about what a quality piece of equipment they were. They are just a joy to use as were my Mom's Felco snips. They cost more than the cheap ones but here it is nearly thirty years after buying them and they still work perfectly. The Coronas still snap a limb right off and they have never even needed the spring replaced. Buying quality is always worth the extra price in the long run.<br /><br /><br />In snips, Felco and Coronas have long been known to be of top quality. What about garden spades and trowels? Uhhhh, I don't know. You never see any good ones in the stores or nurseries. There had to be some available some where. Before I started looking, I thought about what I would require in a good garden trowel. A strong shank from handle to blade came right to mind as I looked at the cellophane tape hiding my wound. I didn't want any soft or pliable material on the handle. It seems that it always wears off or breaks over as you push on the handle in really tough soil. Stainless construction for no rust and last forever tool. Tough blade, no aluminum here. I've got trowels with aluminum blades with notches and broken blades. Lastly, did I mention a strong shank between the handle and the blade.<br /><br /><br />Every one knows that the English make the best gardening tools, so I started out looking at them. The best of these are Snow and Neely, Spear and Jackson, and Burgon and Bull. Why each brand has two names I don't know. [I'll have to ask my friend Philip at East Side Patch Blog about that, he's from over yonder] The English love wooden handles and I could get by with them, even though they can crack, splinter and flat out break. The steel in the blades is top notch and you shouldn't have to worry about it...ever. Then we get to the shank. On every one of these, the shank is very small and is riveted or spot welded to the blade. I kept looking.<br /><br /><br />I tried Japanese gardening tools next. While they have some great pruners, weeders, hoes and sickles they don't use trowels. They dig with a knife. Keep looking.<br /><br /><br />Finally, I looked at American made tools and there it was, the perfect trowel for me. The Wilcox All Pro. I was literally giddy with delight. It was just perfect. Stainless construction, solid built handle with a good grip. The best part.....there was no shank. It was a part of the blade, just blending right into the handle. Did I mention that it was just perfect, well perfect for me, you might not like it at all.<br /><br /><br />I figured I would try to find one in the spring before I started planting and promptly forgot about it. I did however tell my wife, you know, the one that likes stitching for woulds and never forgets anything. Well while opening my presents for Christmas, I got to the ones from my Mother in Law, the best Mother in Law in the world, and there they were, a pair of Wilcox All Pro trowels. And yes, they are just like I thought they would be, the perfect garden trowels. Thanks Mom, your the best.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBxGJ1pgzVWfiXgdO3SJDbBpd3V2Bc8JXIMSpgTT8jB9ynvIVeNkm7kydJNNnm8bT5TXCgfAH9rzm6ML1eRyJJ39hm5NNzwLAyWnGasQ1ZZjYef79idqQmqQ4np1UBuoobSbuwwEciiY/s1600/Spades+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561541442105906482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBxGJ1pgzVWfiXgdO3SJDbBpd3V2Bc8JXIMSpgTT8jB9ynvIVeNkm7kydJNNnm8bT5TXCgfAH9rzm6ML1eRyJJ39hm5NNzwLAyWnGasQ1ZZjYef79idqQmqQ4np1UBuoobSbuwwEciiY/s400/Spades+001.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjE-VvnUylCa4L1um7B-b_XfgUu02HeKH_Dw3G33Th63_el3bo3cD0t9CwHp8ki8lPla0DMSRVyryo19NKtjtgFTb_EHsG5HimsfWu9AFsz61-A8wmhL-5GY2JjPGQ9QS1FHR51YcMtM/s1600/Spades+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561541926341607490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjE-VvnUylCa4L1um7B-b_XfgUu02HeKH_Dw3G33Th63_el3bo3cD0t9CwHp8ki8lPla0DMSRVyryo19NKtjtgFTb_EHsG5HimsfWu9AFsz61-A8wmhL-5GY2JjPGQ9QS1FHR51YcMtM/s400/Spades+002.JPG" /></a>Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08820151806039495564noreply@blogger.com14