February 2, 2010

  • It Has Started


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    It's started.  Today the Beast was outside planting another tree.  A cherry, to be exact.  He was replacing a Mont Morancy cherry tree that had died on us even though the Beast felt it was in a perfect spot to thrive.  However, I think it drowned from all the rain that got down around the roots and stayed there.  He had used Miracle Grow soil in the pit he dug for it and that pit was totally surrounded by the primarily clay soil that exists here.  Hence, a swimming pool that doesn't drain off but can do a lot of damage to young roots.

    This is all because we have a week of mild weather ahead of us if you believe the weatherman.  Even Weather.com and Weather Bug are saying the same thing so, who knows?  It could happen.  I just know that he did the same thing last year, almost at the same time of year and we had several frosts that hit us afterward.

    At least this time, he used the Alabama soil he excavated to fill the ensuing hole he dug.  He HAS learned his lesson that way but I told him that he could NOT touch my roses yet.  They will do just fine the way they are until I figure out exactly where I want them placed.  But I see the handwriting on the wall here. 

    Lowes is carrying their annual stock of fruit trees.  It seems to be the season for planting them and they will go fast.  I'm almost afraid of what the Beast will be dragging home over the next couple of weeks.  The poor plum tree still resembles a weeping willow but sure does bear fruit each year.  Having to thin them out is tough except that I WOULD like to see it survive.  So far, it seems pretty tough on it's own as long as we DO cull the early fruit.

    I told the Beast he had to get some netting for the cherry trees this year so we get more than one to share after he went out and fought off the hoards of birds that knew just exactly when they were ripe.

    Now all I have to do is pray we don't get as much rain this season as we did last.  That's how we lost most of our fruit.  Who knew that too much rain is just as bad as too little?  Sheesh.  I never asked for a farm but a farm is what we have with over 30 assorted fruit trees planted here.  At least now the Beast will turn his attention OUTward instead of looking for more things to do IN the house.  I suppose I should be grateful for small favors even if I DO think they are premature.

    I'm pretty sure the Beast ran the rest of the lines out to the heat pump for the heat strip today.  He spent too much time under the house to just be checking for bugs and I heard the sound of his drill over where he would have to bring it through the wall to the unit.  I don't think he liked the idea of having a project hanging once he turned his attention to the *farm* again.  You WILL hear more of this later, as you must realize. 

    You will get all the gory details of the Beast's battle with Japanese beetles, disgustingly HUGE caterpillers, ants, spiders and other assorted goodies.  Also the battle of the birds for the cherries down the line once they appear.  You will hear about, and possibly even SEE pictures of, the hummingbirds that come to feed.  I will be planting some flowers that attract them as well as hanging out the liquid feeders.  I like to provide some natural food for them, as well as the liquid.  I also hang out two feeders (for now) because the males always fight over possession of one so I put a second one up for the females and babies (once they are out of the nests).  Do you know how tough it is to tell which are babies when they are all so damn small?   

    I spent the day doing mundane things like finishing up the cooking of my split pea soup (which turned out wonderful) and doing the wash.  I will be sewing my *bandages* on my flannel sheet and attempting to repair the patchwork quilt that the dog messed up on me.  I hate to start it just because I STILL get all pissed off about it when I start thinking about it.  At least the Beast has now banned the dog entirely from the bed.  He won't even let him up on it while he takes his naps any more.  Hurrah for my side!!! 

    I, however, spent a lot of last night yelling at the dog to get down every time he snuck up on the bed.  He's getting better about not touching us any more and laying down at the foot of the bed.  He's figured out that it wakes us up when he does that and we throw him off the bed.    Me?  I feel his weight at my feet and wake up so he doesn't even get to lay down.  It's why I didn't get good rest, either.  I'm THAT determined to keep him off my good down comforter.  Even the Beast is closing our bedroom door to make sure he doesn't sneak in there during the day when we aren't paying attention.

    Baron was all upset that the Beast was outside, digging a hole, and he wasn't out there with him.  There was a good reason for that.  Baron thinks that anything that is laying down that is made of wood is a toy to play with.  Ever since the day he grabbed the pear tree and dragged it all over the yard before the Beast got him to put it down, he's banned from being there when something to be planted is NOT in a pot.  Most trees are not potted but have a dirt ball surrounding the roots and that root ball is wrapped in a plastic.  It has a rounded bottom and tends to roll over.  You don't want to slam it down to flatten the bottom since the roots are tender and a bit fragile.  Hence, it rolls over and becomes a *Baron toy*.

    Once it got up to 50 degrees outside, Baron went out back and spent time running around the yard barking at everything that made a sound or moved.  I was glad he found something to amuse himself because he has a lot of energy to burn.  Later the Beast finally took him for a run around the circle.  That always makes Baron happy and he's much calmer afterward.

    With that, the dryer is calling me and I have whites to fold and put away afterward.  Love you all and hope you have a great day.  Stay healthy; be happy and NO...spring is NOT coming early.  Get that out of your mind. 

    PS:  The Beast already untied and put up my umbrella clothes line.  I think that was supposed to be a hint that I can start hanging out my wash.  *Insert incredible laughter here*