Multiconstruct

Its hot outside. July for me means among other things the official end of the summer planting season. I never really could get in a rhythm to get much in this summer. I did put in a small patch of okra which i thinned out yesterday and the seedlings are looking pretty good for being planted in the dark. It was a bit of a whim one evening back and it had been hot but managed to get it double dug and the requisite 4″ of compost worked in. I put it all in the bottom layer to keep the Smokey dog from eating out of it. I also put the fence around it and the garlic. The garlic looks done. When time and shade comes together I will harvest it and let it dry hanging on the dining room wall. I’ll probably set some back to plant this fall. I had about three varieties. Only two of them put out scapes so i expect them to be small.

time to put on the kettle. i am trying to fix my slow bathroom drain with baking soda and vinegar (3/4 and 1/2 cup respectively poured down the drain and then closed) followed by a kettle of boiling water. Its my first try this way, i’ll let you know how it goes.

Haven’t been blogging much. my computer bogged down so i just abandoned it for a couple of weeks. turns out it was just trying to deal with automatic updates and all i need to do to keep it going is stay on the computer longer. i tend to take a quick look at email and facebook and move on closing up the laptop before all that stuff can happen. i’m going to use that as impetus to blog more.

John heard the kettle and asked about coffee and my near boiling water was repurposed. John has been home roasting for us. This pots a light roast Guatemalan. good day for a nap and i got a short one in. got woke up with john calling up Fido and Shadow that there was a dear in the yard. They tore off after it and the deer took right off. All it managed to do was take a dump so i am pleased it didn’t mow down my garden and flowering shrubs. Usually once a year it happens since dad put the fence up but i was hoping with the extra 2 dogs it would increase my deer suppression. this is the first year my hosta blossoms have done their thing without the deer eating them all. my neighbor henry reports the deer ate them to the roots before we moved in.

Well update on the drain. didn’t get in the first try. i just poured the kettle in and let it sit because it was clogged up. had to break out the plunger. tried less baking soda and swept what i couldn’t get down the drain away and poured in the vinegar. this time the vinegar flowed down the drain and i got the drain closed. don’t think i got the volcano action going at the site of the problem. time to get in the shower. michael and amy are having john and i and fido for cocktails and grilled fish this evening.

what else did i do. i weed whipped the weed patch. john was dubious about my pokeweed but its both native and pretty so i let one be and have let a few grow up. i also left a mimosa tree. i never thought too with the neighbors beautiful one but after they cut most of it down i decided i would let one come up by the stump of the old bush honey locust. i’ve still got some lawn prettying up to do early and late tomorrow. might even mow, the backyard could certainly use it. besides some poop scooping and picking up leaf debris it was about all i could manage before john and i went to Twin Lakes dog park. It was my first trip out there, very pretty and fido got some good running in.

the market also took a chunk of my morning. got some lettuce (probably only a week or two til its gone until fall), red potatoes, tomatoes (should have my own if not next week then the week after), ground beef and pork, brats, and hotdogs, got a Patric chocolate bar for my market treat, dozen corn for the fourth, eggs, etc.

ok, went to brush my teeth to go out and the drain worked. glory glory halleluiah. our plumbing, i’m afraid is my favorite thing about america.