WHAT'S BLOOMING?

May 01, 2013

                                   When I moved here in 2005,
                           I planted these tulip and hyacinth bulbs .

 

 

Each year there were a couple more and they grew an inch taller.

 

This spring they look fantastic.

                                            Look into my eye.

 

Are you seeing double yet?  Good.  You are concentrating!

 

 

 

                   Now blink.....it's pink!   That is the magic of Tulips!

 

Ps: it is raining again.

 

Bye bye.

 

 

 

OPENING THE POND IN SPRING

 

Over the winter, I remove the pump from the pond. I am not interested in cleaning it when the temperature is zero degrees nor do I want the risk of the pump freezing if the electricity would be disrupted.

There is also a heater in the pond during winter and I do leave that running so the gasses can escape from the pond.  The gasses can kill fish.


The first years I lived at Rustynail, my water came from the original hand dug well.  In winter, I had to drop a light bulb into the well pit to keep the pump from freezing.  A few times the bulb burned out and I had no water. The pump froze.  To fix it, I would crawl down into the pit with a hair dryer and hope it would warm the pump enough to begin working.  Now I have a brand new well that works mighty fine.  With God as my witness I will never crawl into a well again, Scarlet!

 Where was I?  Oh yes, in April I clean the moss and leaves from the pond with a little help from Jazz (on the left).  I do mean "little".

 I empty the bio falls tank by dipping the water out  and remove the filtration devices: lava rocks and mesh filters.

 

                                

       These are my expensive tools of choice today.

                                           Lava rock, in mesh bags are set on the ground to be hosed clean.

                    
                                                Phew!  Stinky.




                                     This is the grid the lava rock sits on in the bio filter.

                             Now the tank is almost empty and I dip out the remaining "crud". 

                                                Ick, it smells.  My nails are getting dirty.

                                  Everything gets scrubbed with a broom and the garden hose. 

                        These dirty filters, were beneath the lava rock. They are actually white!

                                                                          Hi

The actual pump was stored inside the basement over winter in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying.

  I spray the pump clean, attach it to the outlet hose that feeds the waterfall, and plug it into the electrical outlet.  The pump is lowered into the water and hip-hip-hurray!  The waterfall is running again.  The fish love the action of the water and they scurry around excitedly.

                                 Jazz loves the action of the fish and she scurries around excitedly.

 

 

 

I love the action of the water, fish, and Jazz. 

However, I anticipate resting by the pond this season.

 

 

                                          Ah............life is good. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAVING COFFEE BY THE WINDOW

It is a rainy, Saturday morning and I am having my coffee by the window so I can watch the birds eat breakfast.  Of course I have my camera cocked and loaded in case I get a good shot, or one hundred good shots.

Shhhh, here comes one now.  Don't move, don't breathe, don't even think...........got it!

 

Just look at this Golden Finch.

 

 

 

Hello there!  Who are you?  I don't recognize you.

Are you new in town? 

 

Ah, my favorite, the gentle Dove. 

 

A girly girl Cardinal.  Do you have a nest nearby? 

 

Hey, you are hogging all the dried fruit! 

 

Are you looking at me or am I looking at you Mr. Woodpecker?

Did you make those nice little round feeder holes in the birdfeeder?  Thanks.

 

 

Something in that tree is watching me.

 

 

 

Coast is clear, let's eat!

Mmwah, mmm, mmm, schlurp.

 

Caught!

If you don't move, I won't move.

 

I think we established our ground rules.

I love these seeds Maynard!

 

 

 

What is this?

A Silver Crown Black Winged Feeder Filler....very rare.

 

 

Of  course the Dalmatians love to watch birds. 

However, they would love it more if they could chase them.

 

This was the best cup of coffee I've had all week.

Tweet Tweet

 

 

RHUBARB

 

Rhubarb.  The Latin origin is "Rha" which defines the river Volga in the Mediterranean and "Barbarum" which means barbarian.  The barbarians transported the plant across the land.

Enough of that college stuff.  Let's talk 'stalks'.

 

This Ruby Red rhubarb was planted in 2011.  It popped up a week ago

when the temperature and earth warmed up into the 70's.

These stalks will become a yummy pie in a few more weeks.

 

To harvest, simply pull, yank, or tug on the stalk depending on your strength equivalent.  It is advisable not to cut the stalk.  I think this can injure the lower extremities.  Like pulling my arm out of the socket!

 

 

 

One can never have enough money, diamonds or rhubarb. 

 So, we are planting more this year. 

This baby plant has a red stalk beginning to grow. 

There is also a variety of rhubarb which has green stalks.

 

 We bought these Canada Red rhubarb at Kelley Seed in Peoria.  They sell them early in the spring so we got ours before they sold out.  They are inside Kelley's in a box at the back door packed loosely with wood shavings.

 

Rhubarb is a cool season, perennial plant that is very winter hardy and resistant to drought. Its crop is produced from crowns consisting of fleshy rhizomes and buds.

 

The leaves are toxic to Deer and Dogs, so be sure to plant it where these animals can not access the plants. 

Dennis dug a roomy hole deep enough to cover the base and loosely packed the soil around the base.

Isn't it amazing that in a couple years this tiny plant could produce enough rhubarb for three or four pies? 

 

Then he piles the mulch close to the plant.  This was last year's rabbit droppings and straw from the bunny hutch which composted over the winter.  It will fertilize and keep the soil moist.

 

Once again it is dark, and we have to quit for the day.  Made a little more progress today.

The weather forecast is more rain and much cooler.  The rain should give the new plants a good drink. 

 

There are so many dishes you can make with rhubarb or you can freeze it.

You can find rhubarb at your local CSA or Farmer's Market this month.

Try one of these:

 

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Wine

Rhubarb Cake

Cold Rhubarb Soup

 

Or my favorites:

 

Rhubarb and Mashed Potatoes

Chocolate Covered Rhubarb

Rhu-Bar-B-Q

Rhubarb Smores

 

Be creative!

 

Dig it.

 

 

MAY DAY

Today is May Day.  May 1st is a holiday in some cultures where they celebrate spring.
It can also mean an emergency, such as the sinking of the Titanic. MAY DAY, MAY DAY!

 After all the cold and rain lately, I think it is an emergency that we celebrate spring.

 

In honor of May Day, we celebrated by tilling the garden for the first time.

  The tiller is heavy, noisy, and difficult to drive in a straight line.    

  
The soil was still heavy and moist underneath.  Once it dries we will till it again to break up the clumps.  Then we can plant some onions and potatoes.

Like I said, the tiller is noisy.  Click on the video for a quick glimpse.

 

All this work makes me hungry.  It is time for supper.

Tonight's menu is chef salad with yummy things like cranberries, feta cheese, and mandarin oranges.  Mmmmm good.

 

 

 

LUNCH AT HERITAGE FARMERS MARKET

Most Saturdays we run over to the local farmer's market for a delicious home made lunch special.  Look at what they served!  Can you smell the fresh strawberries?  They even serverd real whipped cream on top.

One of my favorite rooms in the market is the bathroom.  I visit it every time I go.  I mean I go in there every time I visit.  I mean it is cute!
See Doug's long johns hanging on the hook? 

 

These folks are in the bathroom every week.  It is a communal room.
But they don't bother anyone.

 

Chickens are so colorful.

 

                             They add color to a dark corner or coop.

This is the take out window.  But it is so fun sitting with the locals that I don't usually take my food. I eat my food with gusto.  I wonder if the oxen yoke comes down on you if you forget to pay for your food.

Why would you go to a chain restaurant when you can get the best food this side of the Rocky Mountains right here on Route 9.

These two boys agree.....

........and that's no bull.

Head 'em up and move 'em out.