We've all read articles about how to save money by re-negotiating our cable rates, phone rates, internet rates. Dave does this for us. Every year or so he contacts whomever provides our internet, whether cable or phone and asks for their best deal. He saves us money every year with this … [Read more...]
New Flowers for My 2016 Garden – Pink, Orange, Blue and Gold
Yesterday I placed my first 2016 garden order, this one from Bluestone Perennials, in time to use their winter coupons. You too can use them before January 20, 2016. (Note all photos below are links from the Bluestone website.) Last summer my phlox were pretty, but scattered in my garden and … [Read more...]
Blue Jays, Cardinals, Chickadees Oh My – Suet Mixes to Attract Birds
We feed the birds sunflower seed and suet year around. The previous homeowners did not and it took some birds a couple years to get used to coming here for lunch. Cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, sparrows and finches showed up immediately (along with squirrels and chipmunks) but blue jays are … [Read more...]
Rainbow at Sunset – November 18, 2015
We had a spectacular sunset here. First rainbow appeared right at the eastern horizon, not a full arch but a huge, wide prismatic glow of colors. I could see where it touched the earth on the hill across the river. By the time I got outside with the camera the rainbow was arcing … [Read more...]
Grow Up Little Tadpole and Frog Away!
Our tadpoles are finally growing up and turning into frogs! I wrote about our tadpole guests last spring when we rescued several hundred from the pool winter cover. (You can read that post here.) In June through mid-August Dave fed them cooked up shredded lettuce, but they weren't getting … [Read more...]
Does Anyone Else Detest Computers?
I work with the darn thing all day; it is closer than the coffee pot or my pillow but I have a like/hate relationship with my laptop. When it works I like it just fine but when it doesn't... Well, let's just say it makes the week pretty awful. Last Tuesday afternoon my poor laptop stopped up. … [Read more...]
It’s Been A Rainy Summer – And A Buggy One!
We have had great summer weather this year, with only a few days of I'm-dying-it's-hot but it has been wet. That means bugs, mosquitoes and flies. I've had to wear bug repellent to garden and even to go for a walk. This week it's been very hot, high 80s and into the 90s, and I have walked early … [Read more...]
Shall I Get Rich, Subscribe, Eat Weird Stuff, Get Out of Jail or Find a New Friend Today?
So many people are so very kind, so generous to share their good fortune and best ideas with me. Mr. Jami from Ghana wants to share 16 million $$ with me. The New York Times wants me to subscribe. The supplement people want me to eat better, the drug folks want to cure toenail fungus but the … [Read more...]
Iris Plants and the Icky Iris Borer
I like iris flowers just fine, although we have too many plants and not enough different varieties. What I don't like is how the plants look when they finish blooming. Ugh. Several plants were especially bad, with brown leaves and spots and soft rhizomes. I remembered iris get … [Read more...]
Grass Wars – Removing Prairie Grass From My Garden
If you've read my Bunny Wars posts about the depredations from our rabbit friends you might think we are besieged by critters. We are. There are a gazillion chipmunks, ground squirrels, big squirrels and rabbits in our yard. These fauna threats can do great damage but they are small potatoes … [Read more...]