Sunday, November 24, 2019

Lights and Lasagna


 Jon  hasn't given me his excellent squirrel photos yet. So, I'm sharing Moses and lasagna and lights. Moses took advantage of a spot of sunshine on Sunday. I'd smashed down the dried catmint in the barrel and it smelled amazing, Moses thought so, too!
 I was asked this morning about the lasagna garden beds I've been making. It isn't this:
 It is this! (I might loan out my book, I've purchased it a couple of times to give away, it makes a great gift, and this type of gardening is a perfectly easy way to grow plants anywhere)
 And these lights are from a few years back, Steve's added more! A lot more.....
 Steve and Moses taking a bit of a break.
 
 The different bulbs for my two beds. All total there were supposed to be 89. However, one of the bags had a few rotted daffodils. Thankfully, I'd gotten some from another Athena garden. We'll see how many of these actually appear in the spring. I love being able to cut flowers for the house, I prefer not to cut the ones in front because those are for show. These beds are in back and also for show, but more for cutting!


 Steve cut an apple box in half, or close to half. It isn't necessary to frame in the lasagna beds, I just find it less messy. I noticed the first beds I made, the layers tended to spread unless contained. These beds also have on the very bottom a base of chicken wire. I noticed last year I only had a few tulips in a bed I'd made years ago and added many to. When I dug down to see what happened, I found numerous tunnels. Wire works well to keep critters out, as long as it has small holes. You could even use screening. Not plastic! My beds would have taken less time to create if I'd used the proper ingredients. In the book, the author suggests what to use for the different layers. The 'noodle' of the bed is peat moss and I only had one bag of peat moss. I should have had two. Peat moss here in EO doesn't break down well, most things don't. I make my layers fairly thin, except for the dirt.
 I halved the bulb count and scattered them in each bed. Where they landed, I tucked them in. Toes, first. Steve laughed. I figure the different varieties will make the flower fairies happier and the mixed colors and scents and shapes will be pretty!

 Steve had some extra wire and I will put that over the top after the last layer of chopped leaves.
 This will be the most interesting bed in the spring and summer. Soil from here is partially from Steve's punkin/sunflower patch. I could have a million weeds as well as sunflower and even rose campion, which is the plant in the middle. The pot broke and I absolutely hate throwing plants away. Thankfully, weeds in these beds are super easy to pull.
While hauling dirt, I spilled the wheelbarrow. I am tipsy, so tipping over the barrow of dirt wasn't a surprise. I was just thankful it was so close to where it needed to go! 
Steve had mowed more leaves for me. These work lovely in a lasagna bed. Whole leaves are ok, but chopped ones tend to break down in 5 years instead of 10. I still don't compost properly here, I'm too fond of the Tillamook method of leaving anything organic outside for 3 days and finding it decaying. Or rusted, as Jon says! 
 This was silly. I had two barrels full of leaves and the one filled less I used on the taller bed. So, when I dragged and dumped the other barrel, I discovered it was a bit too much!!! I fixed it and placed the wire over the top to help deter cats, maybe!
 This is one plant I like, to a point, and will toss. I like lamb's ear. It is pretty when little, but it gets totally out of control fast! I dug up quite a bit and made a large mess. The seeds will grow, thankfully most of them might be in the yard where they will stay mowed. Lamb's ear underfoot is soft!
 All done.
 Steve adding new lights.


May you enjoy this busy week that jump starts most of our holidays and have a splendid Thanksgiving day! 
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Sunday, October 06, 2019

Hiking with Guns 1

Eastern Oregon Blue Mountain squirrel are picturesque. Especially in a rainy woods- Because it was so wet, Jon took quite a few forest photos. 





It also snowed above the guys and both decided it was a cold way to hunt. 

Jon went out again on Monday. Steve worked. Jon got his deer and Tony celebrated from afar with a couple of quips. The first one is rather apt since Jon actually discovered the deer he was watching was a buck duo sitting in the tall grass and brush. After Jon shot the nearer deer, the other sort of stood around and then wandered off. Jon really wished his dad had been there! 


Jon dragged it across the grasses with a four wheeler and then got it into a trailer (I think this is how the story goes. However, I'm sure he'll tell anyone who asks!) 

He got it out of the trailer with Bob. Definitely a good use of different sorts of tools and truly a Red Green sort of handiness..without the duct tape! 



 This sunset is from a couple of days BEFORE deer season, but it always good to end with one.
 



Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Who is watching whom???

Early in September, Jon spied this owl outside. He finally sent me some of the photos he took!!!
 Look at those talons- YIKES! I'm so glad the cats were inside.


 What a baleful stare!! LOL

 I'm assuming the predator finally took his rest. Incredible beauty to find hanging out in the locust tree! Steve and I figured this is a great horned owl. Jon felt it wasn't big enough.
“Perhaps he does not want to be friends with you until he knows what you are like. With owls, it is never easy-come-easy-go.” TH White 

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

To Remember

The ashes I sent to Minnesota have already been placed. Here in Alaska, Mum's ashes have been scattered for the last month. The first time was when we put some in the lake here at the house. There aren't any photos of that.This Sunday we went and took her to Homer and the last of dad's to Anchor Point. 
 When we moved to Alaska, it was to Homer. The picture below is from 1971 and the first photo of mom on the Homer Spit. Mom always wanted to return to Homer, we finally went back on September 22.
 I didn't have any pictures of mom's last visit to Homer. It was in 2015 and we were with JaLeen and Janet. This picture is from 2014, when mom and I stopped on the Anchor Point beach. 
 Here are mom and Obi on what was one of her last visits to Arness Dock in the late summer of 2018.
Before we took mom's ashes to Homer, Lee wanted to sing to her. He and Eric were playing at Jamfest in Soldotna. 



 One of the things I wanted to do was put dad in the Anchor Point cemetery with Grams. We finally found the cemetery, we never did find Grams. 

We did find one of my best friends who died a few months earlier, so we knew we were in the right time plot. 
So, that is about where Lee scattered dad. 

The tide was still fairly low on the spit. I was glad, It made for a mucky walk, but the patterns left by the ash were pretty. (they are the lighter white spots on the dark sandy mud) 




 I also scattered some down by Land's End. Another one of mom's favorite places on the Spit. It was a lovely day, full of laughter, tasty food, and memories.
 On Tuesday, Tamera went with me to Arness Dock to scatter ashes there. This is where Mom fished with NIkki and where Dad used to work. 

 The waves were a bit difficult to avoid, but Tamera made scattering ashes look so pretty!
 Mine was a bit less graceful, but mom is now a part of the  upper and lower inlet and these ashes I'd mixed up with some volcanic ash I found on the counter. Not sure which volcano, I do have another baby food jar with a bit more of mom and a different volcano. Not sure where those will go, yet.
Mom is now at rest. At least in body. Mother Teresa was one of her favorite people to quote. I felt this thought was apt as I look back and ahead:
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”