Keeping Weeds Out of a Field

I have struggled for years with the field next to my home. They mow the field weeds and don't have a bag on the mower so every time there is a wind storm, it blows all the seeds into my yard. 

I was dropping my trailer off to a friends yard and there isn't a weed in the yard. It was amazing! I asked them how they keep the yard so clear. 

They explained that they were told by someone to spread Preen over the lot with a spreader after killing off all the weeds. They used a total vegetation killer on the lot and once it was dead, they spread the Preen and then reapplied the preen to spots only if weeds are growing. 

I was very happy to hear this news as the weed seeds keep blowing into my rocks and bark landscaped areas of the yard and weeds keep growing. Now, I can just purchase a large bucket at Costco and spread it over those areas to keep weeds for taking root in the landscaping! 

I shared that information with my neighbors so maybe they can clean up the lot and help get rid of all the seeds they have been sharing for so many years. They said they would try it but they need to do something to get rid of all the weeds currently growing. 

I am glad to know that there is a solution that can take care of the nightmare lot next door and hope they decide to do something about it soon! 

Have a blessed day!

I Lost To the Birds - Cherry Tree Woes

I got so busy this week that I forgot about the cherries on my tree. I posted about them about a week ago, but I would remember that I needed to check on them when I was running errands, but when I would get home I would forget. 

Tonight, I remembered when I got home but it was after dark. I grabbed a flashlight and went out to the cherry tree which is in the back yard, and was so sad to see that the birds had eaten nearly all the cherries. 

I was sad about that loss as I usually like to share my fruit with the neighbors and there was mostly bird eaten pits left hanging on the tree. The worst part of the loss was that the tree has several different types of cherries on it. The sweetest bing cherries on the tree are the darkest red, so of course those were the cherries that the birds went for first. There were only a few of those on the tree that hadn't been eaten by the birds. They were so sweet and juicy. 

I picked what I could find and because I was in the dark, I ended up with lots of pits. I sorted them into two bowls. One with full good cherries, and one with bird damage on a small area. 

I was glad to have gotten any but most were the yellow cherries that aren't as sweet. I enjoyed the few red cherries I got.

I set an alarm for next year to remind me to check the cherries and put a bird net over the tree. It would be nice to be able to share the cherries with neighbor or even dehydrate some of them.

I am glad I could share with the birds, but I would like to have gotten at least an even share! ha ha. On to next year! 

Have a blessed day!

Landscaping and Weeding - Busy With Yardwork

I was so happy when it was cooler in the evening tonight. It was cool enough that I could go and pull some weeds in the front yard. 

Last fall, I landscaped part of the side yard. I planted a bunch of roses that I got on clearance. I posted about it here. 

All but two of the clearance flowers are growing and sprouting leaves. The two that didn't were in an area where the sprinklers weren't working and didn't get enough water. I was so happy to see all those flowers starting to grow.

I couldn't believe how many weeds grew even in the landscaped spot. However, it was very nice to pull the weeds in that area as they came out very easily. 

It amazes me how much work a yard and home are. I keep thinking I will "finish" the yard so I can start working on projects I have in the house. The problem is that nothing ever seems to be finished in the yard. I keep working on things, but it just keeps going round and round. I think zero-scape isn't really a thing as even where we put rocks, the weeds come through and leaves and twigs get stuck in the rocks or bark / mulch. 

I wonder how people leave their homes for missions for a few years as there are so many things that need to be done. I now see why they rent the home or allow a family member to live in the house so that things get done. I can also see why people move to condo's and get rid of having to deal with a large yard. 

I appreciate my neighbors sons for doing my mowing and edging and my girls for their thoughtful mothers day gift of paying for the yard work. I feel blessed to have that help. 

I hope to get both front larger flower beds and the side flower beds done soon before it gets really hot out! I am waiting to prune the back yard until the lilacs finish blooming as they smell so heavenly when I am in the yard. 

Have a blessed day!

Sprinklers, Swamp Coolers and Heaters - Oh My

This past week we had three cold days so much so that plants in the yard were freezing and my furnace was running. 

It got so hot the next three days that I had fans blowing air in the house and it was still hot. I worried about my grass dying with the heat. I spent the day Saturday getting my sprinklers running. It was really hot as I had to dig up two broken sprinklers and adjust them, but that is better than others years. 

I knew I would need to get the swamp cooler in as it has been so hot and the fan was just blowing in hot air. When I went to buy the cedar mats for the cooler, the worker at the hardware store in town told me that what they got in was all they were going to get and I should make what sizes they had work because he is having a hard time getting anything in brass, and any wood made products or anything that takes processing to make.

With that information, I bought the closest sizes to what I needed and got home and put them in. It was SO hot in the house and I was in such a hurry to put it in that I forgot to run it outside with the window closed to blow out any dirt from the winter. 

I put it in and turned it on only to get a face full of mineral dust and leaves. I had to dust and vacuum the house after putting it in. I finally got it in and filled and it was so nice to have it cool down in just a few minutes! My yellow grass is now starting to perk up as well. 

I am so blessed to have sprinklers, a swamp cooler, and a furnace! God has blessed me greatly. 

Have a blessed day!

Pruning A Tree - Took All Day

I woke sore from my fall and tired trying to continue getting over the illness of past weeks. 

It took me most of the day to get my act together. I finally just drank a few glasses of coke and forced myself to go out and finish pruning. 

I had already started that tree and it took me hours to finish one tree. I had to go inside and cool down every so often to not overheat. I was glad to at least get one thing done even though it did take so long. 

Hopefully, tomorrow I can finish the other front tree. I have a few in the back that need to be done as well. It would be nice to get something finished. There are many things I need to finish in the yard but I have realized I will need to be patient with myself as things just take longer than they used to take. 

Have a blessed day!

Let The Yardwork Begin

I have been trying for days to get out and start working on the yard. I think I may have shared how I went out and started working on pruning the last few front trees that I didn't get finished. 

I was having such a hard time getting either of my hedge trimmers working that I used to quickly flatten the top of my trees, that I ended up using clippers and was so tired after 1/5 of the tree that I gave up. 

I wanted to edge the yard as I didn't do it last year and when the neighbor kid uses the weed whacker, he is still new to it so I wanted to get a good edge on the front yard before he starts so that maybe it will be easier for him to keep up on it. 

It has been cold and I have been busy that past few days so with a bit of snow and cold winds, I wasn't able to get back to the pruning but did buy another hedge trimmer so I can get back to it as soon as the cold weather is over and won't freeze the newly cut tips. 

Even though it was super chilly out today, I decided to go out and work on something, so I pulled out the edger and edged the front yard. I want to get the back done as well, and then mow and poison the yard, but I hope I can get the trees done in the next few days as well. 

It felt really good to be out in the yard doing something and with the cool weather, it didn't make me overheat. Sweeping the cuttings up was the worst part as I finally finished after dark. It was really nice to have it done as even though the grass needs a mow, the edging makes it look better. 

Have a blessed day!

Christmas Gardending - Helping My Neighbor

I told my neighbor a few weeks back that I would come help her prune her shrubs and cut down her flowers. 

I thought I would get to it when I was already outside working with the girls on cutting down the trees last week. However, if you see that post, you will know that we worked until dark on cleaning up those trees and a few pruned branches off the big tree. 

The next few days were holidays so I planned on getting to it this week but had the food bank luncheon yesterday, so I texted her and went down to her house and worked for a few hours pruning her shrubs and cutting her flowers down to the base. 

She had to leave while I worked and she came back just as I was finishing. I cleaned up except for sweeping the walks. I cleaned up the rest and headed home to shower before an appointment. 

I am glad I can be in a position to help her as the neighborhood has changed so much and there aren't many around that can help her at this point. 

Have a blessed day!

An Early Christmas - The Girls Working Hard

I had a busy day yesterday. I am exhausted. I had a busy day again today, but Princess Three and her husband helped me SO much in the yard! 

Princess Five went through many boxes of items we had stored from her collection of Loony Tunes over the years and got rid of all of them but four. 

Princess Two helped Princess Five go through her boxes.

Princess Three and her husband finished putting the bark down in the play area I have been working on for weeks. I then had them cut down two of the trees that weren't producing well in the yard. I helped cut up branches for hour and hours until after dark filling garbage cans and stacking wood. 

I then helped make some heating bean bags for one of the girls roommates for Christmas. It was a long day and I am TIRED! 

I am so grateful for the help as all those things were on my "to do" list and to get four done in one day makes me so happy! 

It was a long but fulfilling day! 

Thanks my beautiful girl! 

Have a blessed day!

Halloween Yardwork Only Half Done

I have been trying to get things done the yard and have shared that I am struggling to get the yard work done as I haven't been feeling well. 

I had a few hours on Halloween that I could work in the yard so I started planting the roses and shrubs that I bought a few weeks back. Here is a link to the post where I share about that. 

I have so much grass growing in my garden beds that I decided I would just landscape it like I did in the back so I could just spay spot poison if the weeds get through the cardboard and barrier I put down below the bark mulch. 

I had put out all the Trick-or-Treat stuff earlier in the day and thought I would just work in the yard until the kids came, however, I got all the plants in the ground but didn't have any bark to put on top of the barrier, so I ran to the store and bought a few bags of the bark mulch so that I could hold down the barrier. 

I ordered more to be delivered so I could finish the back yard and start on the front. I was able to get half the front bed done in between kids coming for Halloween.   

I finished the area well after dark and the kids had stopped coming, but at least I got a portion of it finished. It seems like it takes a week to get what I could get done in a day before, but I have to be happy that I am getting something off my list. 

Have a blessed day!

Finishing The Monkey Bars Just Before The Rain

In June, I worked in my yard to put up a monkey bar that my neighbor wanted out of her yard. 

I was hoping to get it done quickly but then July and August happened with the wedding and reunion. 

Last month, I struggled with chronic UTI and infected ears, sinus migraines throwing up a record four times in a few months. 

I can't tell if it is just a bad year and the daith piercings are helping, or if the piercings aren't working at all due to the constant irritation and infection due to the allergy to the earrings. 

With all the loss and health issues the past few months, I haven't been able to get back out to the yard to work on finishing the play area where I put in the monkey bars. The bark has just been sitting out in the weather. 

I am going to have the grand-kids here over the holidays and they always end up in the backyard, so I wanted to make sure I had the play area finished so they could enjoy it. 

Since we have already had snow this year, I wanted to get the area done before the ground freezes. I had to get about 8 loads of dirt to even the area out and then put down cardboard boxes and ground barrier before putting down the bark. 

I worked for hours out there and was able to get at least the swing / monkey bars area done. I got some house barrier for free so I put it down over the rest of the area where I want to put a seesaw. I was going to make one but I think I will just put it out there to see if I can find one. 

I like the way the yard is looking in the back. I haven't pruned any trees this year and have been watching the weather and haven't been able to plant the roses or prune as it has been freezing at night. I was hoping we would have a warm spell as I am usually finish with pruning and working on washing the windows over Halloween weekend. It is obviously not going to happen this week. 

I was able to pull out the swamp cooler today as well and haven't turned off the sprinklers yet as I want the roses and shrubs to get some water after I plant them if it would stop raining, snowing, and freezing. 

I felt so blessed that it was supposed to rain most of the afternoon and the rain held off until I was finished and putting everything in the garage. I was going to the store afterwards and it poured and I was so grateful for being able to finish. 

I went looking for more bark to put over the rest of the area and Home Depot doesn't clearance it or put it on sale until spring so I will try around town and see if I can find a good price. If I can't, I'll just wait until spring. At least it is ready for the black barrier and bark now.

Lets hope it warms up again so I can get some pruning done. I also have three trees I am going to cut down that I was hoping to get done this fall as well. Have a blessed day!

Cleaning up Branches Until Midnight

It was nice that the weather warmed up enough that most of the snow melted off today. I called my elderly neighbor asking if she had any branches come down in her yard, and she told me that her yard did well. God is so good. I told her I would trim her dead branches on her apple tree and some service missionaries stopped by my house last week and in the end, we went up and worked on her yard and the husband went back after we did much of her yard and took a chainsaw to the tree so I wouldn't have to worry about it. 

I believe that because he did it, the ice storm didn't bring them down and I am glad that I didn't have to go over and work in her yard as I had enough to keep me busy today. 

I was envious of my neighbor who had a trailer and just put all his fallen branches on it and I am not sure where he took them, but he was back in about 15 minutes with it empty. Someone told me there is a place that allows you to drop off branches and they chip them and use them in landscaping. I don't have a truck or a trailer so I would have to get help to do that. 

It is easier for me to break them down and put them in cans as I can do that without help. I worked on it for a few hours and had to run some errands and then when I came back to work on the back yard, and my reciprocating saw started having issues. It lost screws in the front plate and started jangling. 

I went to Home Depot and ended up buying a new one and coming home and spent the rest of the night until midnight filling six garbage cans. I didn't have any more cans and I didn't want to use the saw on a ladder at night so I didn't quite finish taking down the branches and I still have a garbage can or two on the lawn. It was still super wet and cold and my gloves were near dripping by the time I finished for the night. 

I hope tomorrow that I can finish up the yard and that the leaves dry out as they are so wet. I need to start pruning the rest of the trees, but it isn't good to prune when it is so cold so I hope it gets warm again. 

Have a blessed day!

Worst Storm For Trees I've Ever Seen

I was up working on lots of different projects in the night. I went out to take some things to the trash about 2 a.m. and it had been raining. 

The lights had been flickering in several spots in the house and I worried that maybe some water had gotten into the attic and something was wrong with the wiring as that had never happened before. I also was startled by cracking and things falling sounds worried that once again it was wood with water in the attic or something. 

I had no idea as to what was happening outside as I thought it was just raining. In the morning, I looked out the kitchen window and was shocked! The big tree outside in my back yard whose lowest branch is higher than me standing with my arms outstretched, had branches drooping to the ground! 

I guess after I went out and saw the rain, it started snowing on the rain and sleet, ice, and snow stuck to all the tree branches and pulled them all down to the ground! 

I guess the creaking and the wood breaking sounds were really my tree branches breaking with the weight. Also, the power surges were obviously from the power lines freezing or getting hit by breaking branches or cars going off the road. There were LOTS of sirens around town for much of the morning so my guess is there were broken lines or branches down on homes. 

I made a video as you wouldn't believe how low the branches were. I also can't believe how early in the season it snowed. The whole thing was so out of the norm. I have never seen a storm like this in the 25 years we have lived here. 

I remember one other early storm but it was just heavy snow, not the ice that breaks the branches. I just went out with a broom and pushed the snow off the trees, but it was frozen on the leaves today. 

I remember a storm like that when I was about 17 just before Halloween when I was young. I really just don't know how this storm is going to affect the trees and yard plants as it is a bit unprecedented. I know many snapped off, so I will have to clean those up when it gets a bit warmer. 

Most of the ice and snow melted off today which is nice. I am not ready for winter! 

Have a blessed day!