What's everybody doing today?

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Loan my truck to my son.
Went to pick blueberries, got about three gallons & went to lunch(no breakfast).
We went home washed up took a nap.
 
Bought a car today...

Screenshot_20240719_174353_Messenger.jpg


I've been looking for a second vehicle for a while, and this one was exactly what I was looking for. It's old but it's a 1 owner, very low miles, no rust, it's undercoated, the interior is cherry and it has the big V6 engine for plenty of power. On the 2 hour drive home, I realized I should've gotten one like it a long time ago. Unless something is really wrong with it that I missed when I checked it over, it is perfect for me...
 
I wait until they form seed heads and cut them down before they open. They are forced to use up a lot of energy. Cut them again as soon as the seed head forms. Bag up the seed heads. Don't leave them laying around.

Get your soil tested. Fix the soil and the conditions for growing thistles and you get them gone.
we are lacking a lot of equipment like a tiller, a seed spreader and so on. I know our soil needs lime ( and there are bags of the stuff laying in the shop left by the previous oweners, )but I don't know how to spread it. I have also read lime will keep weeds down. We do brushhog start of summer to keep some of the weeds down but I think we should plow it all up, till it and reseed, but that just isn't going to happen. I tried throwing pasture grass seeds on top of it, and it didn't do anything
 
we are lacking a lot of equipment like a tiller, a seed spreader and so on. I know our soil needs lime ( and there are bags of the stuff laying in the shop left by the previous oweners, )but I don't know how to spread it. I have also read lime will keep weeds down. We do brushhog start of summer to keep some of the weeds down but I think we should plow it all up, till it and reseed, but that just isn't going to happen. I tried throwing pasture grass seeds on top of it, and it didn't do anything
https://www.agrisupply.com/f150-fer...7BI_NagEfJYazoO4e98yV8Z7WvCaBnJRoCMbcQAvD_BwE
1721433942722.png
 
taking a break, having coffee and a sandwich

so far I have took dog for a hike up the mountain
first time since the heat wave started over a week ago
picked blackberries and blueberries in the woods
cleaned goat barn and got it ready for massive rain tonight and tomorrow
trimmed some goat hoofs

next weed eat the thistles

no wait, son just came in and asked what needs to be done, so he is going to take care of the thistles

So longer break for me :)
I hope you at least gave him some ketchup or salad dressing or ??? Plain thistles must be very bland 🤭
 
we are lacking a lot of equipment like a tiller, a seed spreader and so on. I know our soil needs lime ( and there are bags of the stuff laying in the shop left by the previous oweners, )but I don't know how to spread it. I have also read lime will keep weeds down. We do brushhog start of summer to keep some of the weeds down but I think we should plow it all up, till it and reseed, but that just isn't going to happen. I tried throwing pasture grass seeds on top of it, and it didn't do anything
Spread it in early fall - before fall rains. It sprouts and gets started then winter, then come spring it takes off.
 
So today I began trying to catch up from being gone so much. Didn’t go anywhere! 😃. Did a load of laundry, mowed the lawn (first time in 3 weeks 🫣), made a loaf of sourdough, a batch of sourdough crackers, a wheel of cheddar, a batch of ricotta, all dishes done, apricots off and more on the dehydrator, have had water going all over today, pulled a couple weeds, now sitting.
 
Little granddaughter did ok at the farmer's mkt, anyway she was pleased with the $15 she made. Traded two dz eggs to a neighbor for some blank canvasses she'll paint on. Otherwise, no egg sales today because two of the old timers were selling. Husband's doc appt, took him there, and then to two different pharmacies for pickup.
 
Little granddaughter did ok at the farmer's mkt, anyway she was pleased with the $15 she made. Traded two dz eggs to a neighbor for some blank canvasses she'll paint on. Otherwise, no egg sales today because two of the old timers were selling. Husband's doc appt, took him there, and then to two different pharmacies for pickup.
You might have to trap 🪤 those feline rascals.
 
Well, we caught one but no one wanted it. Looks like we're stuck with four. Wouldn't be so bad if they're all males, but I don't know what they are. Probably will catch them, turn them in to the humane society in the bigger town with the $30 a piece required donation. Or we can neuter/spay them for a donation and keep them. But we already have seven. Don't need these four.
 
Grateful another work week is over. It went good mostly, just tired. It's been so hot it is hard to sleep. I get up about 4-430 ish..but can't sleep usually untill around midnight. I try n nap but..it's not super restful or what I really need for the work I do.
I took a mini nap after I got home n chores..
Tonight I will lounge about for a bit. Catch up on some news, work on a rug. Some big clouds were building up in the east..so when it cools off I might go out n see if they are lighting up.
Fire danger here and in Montana would not fare well with dry lightning but..might as well watch a good nature show if I can.
 
Well, we caught one but no one wanted it. Looks like we're stuck with four. Wouldn't be so bad if they're all males, but I don't know what they are. Probably will catch them, turn them in to the humane society in the bigger town with the $30 a piece required donation. Or we can neuter/spay them for a donation and keep them. But we already have seven. Don't need these four.
Might ask at the feed store if anyone needs barn cats. When I was looking, I avoided the HS.
 
Ha, not our feed store. Everyone has barn cats in our town. Better luck at the fowl sale. These four are gorgeous young cats...thinking they'll have no problem getting adopted at the humane society, and I really don't mind the donation of $30 x 4. The cats we are keeping are all fixed now. Catching them is a bit of a challenge, but they are getting better. Maybe in a month or so we'll deal with bringing them in.
 
we are lacking a lot of equipment like a tiller, a seed spreader and so on. I know our soil needs lime ( and there are bags of the stuff laying in the shop left by the previous oweners, )but I don't know how to spread it. I have also read lime will keep weeds down. We do brushhog start of summer to keep some of the weeds down but I think we should plow it all up, till it and reseed, but that just isn't going to happen. I tried throwing pasture grass seeds on top of it, and it didn't do anything

I tried that in a pasture in the far north using perennial rye... This to cover thin spots and hopefully crowd out other less desirable grasses... Didn't work.. But the seed was cheap..

I had a lot of trouble with thistle trying to invade.. I would go out in spring and mark spots in the pasture.. Then brush hog mow those areas once if not twice before it had a chance to flower, bloom and mature.. It worked pretty well, but it was hard to keep up with at best.. I also had problems with Wild Alberta Rose, but you mow that off and it took a long time to try to come back.. However it would leave sharp stubble... The only good thing about it was it produced tons of rose hips we picked for our chickens..
 
You can take the girl out of Jersey but you can’t take the Joisey out of the girl.

Got to the cabin at 1:30-2 o’clock. It is beautifully cool here compared to down home. Ten degrees cooler with a lovely breeze off of the lake. Blue skies and a pair of swans swimming in front. Dog got sick, as usual, during the drive here. Now she’s moping around. She’ll perk up at dinner.
That reminds me of a story my dad told me about when he was in school. He grew up in Jersey and only made it to the 8th grade (he missed a lot of school for various reasons and got held back-- some of it involved his Mom being somewhat negligent and then teachers hating him bc they were mad at his mom). The school was a condemned building in Paterson and back then it was a rough area. They had a substitute teacher come in and he was not used to the type of kids at the school. The kids were being loud and he was trying to quiet them down. One girl blatantly ignored him and he asked her "Miss, please show some decorum and be quiet" and the girl said "GET BENT" and went back to chatting. Dad said the dude looked like he'd been slapped. He was not expecting that from a girl.

Mom just came out and told me her canula fell off. Got to go put a new one on.
 
It is actually raining , first real rain day we have had in a month
This is good, should make my garden and the grass grow some more
Good thing we are not going to the market either, it is supposed to rain most of the day on and off

So today , animal care and maybe pull some weeds in between rain
 
That reminds me of a story my dad told me about when he was in school. He grew up in Jersey and only made it to the 8th grade (he missed a lot of school for various reasons and got held back-- some of it involved his Mom being somewhat negligent and then teachers hating him bc they were mad at his mom). The school was a condemned building in Paterson and back then it was a rough area. They had a substitute teacher come in and he was not used to the type of kids at the school. The kids were being loud and he was trying to quiet them down. One girl blatantly ignored him and he asked her "Miss, please show some decorum and be quiet" and the girl said "GET BENT" and went back to chatting. Dad said the dude looked like he'd been slapped. He was not expecting that from a girl.
my best friend that passed away was from Paterson and he always told horror stories of growing up there. I miss him very much
( he did finish school, actually graduated from college ) He moved to the western rural area of NJ and we visited often. That area was relatively ok but we camped there once and even the campground in a rural area was sort of ghetto, very shocking. Never seen a crappy State Park like that in any other State
 
Thankful for some cooler weather, we still need more rain but at least it's not so hot and humid now.
Work has been time consuming and stressful, leaving little time or energy for the homestead but gradually trying to get a few things done. Built a pedestal for the generator, used the dry pour method for the cement. It turned out sturdy but not pretty. Good enough for who it's for, and I learned a lot. The area can get wet in spring and I have it a good 8" above grade. Saved about 500 bucks doing it myself.
Went kayaking with my mom yesterday. Had a nice visit and came back sunburned with sore muscles. Need to get back to paddling more often.
Hooch how is your finger? That looked so painful.
zannej hope you're feeling better.
Amish I hope your husband is doing better. I agree with not wanting to be admitted.
Urban how goes the job search?
Backpacker hope you and your wife are feeling better.
Pearl - girl, you have so much energy! Stop it, you're making me tired! Or at least come get the weedwhacking done for me.
More folks I wanted to catch up on but my old brain forgot the mental notes I made as I read through. Just hope y'all are well.
 
Just a quick Jersey note, I grew up on a 600 ranch in central/south Jersey. Ok, back to today..... Hubby has to work this morning, I'll be home doing laundry and some cleaning. Trimming Bear's nails, and Tiger's too, that little cat has some sharpies at the moment! Outside stuff first, it's only 66°!
 
This week has been a blur, kids & grand kids visited on Tuesday then they left on Wednesday to go sight seeing. I got to do dishes and try to get the house in order. Then on Friday the first set was trying to fly out and the son and his group was trying to fly home.... First set was at the Airport from 04:30 till 3:30PM and their flight was eventually canceled, the son arrived at another airport at about 10AM and showed up here just before noon.

Around 3PM the wife got tangled up in her oxygen lines and fell on the wood floor... As I was trying to get her up the phones started started ringing. The daughter was calling to see if I could get them back to the airport in the morning if they came home. The son had taken the car to pick up cupcakes for his birthday and was calling about flavors, we told him the rest would be home for dinner and just pick up a cake... All this time the Wife is stilled sprawled out on the floor. She couldn't get on her hands and neighs so I finally just put my arms around her a picked her up... She is bruised all over but doing well considering...

By 4PM it became clear that we were going to have both sets at the house for dinner, had to make an emergency run to get more meat... We ended up having a dozen for dinner. The improvised grill menu, Baked Potatoes, tenderloins wrapped in bacon, Veggie eschewers with onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, squash, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, shrimp, with Texas toast with garlic. For desert we had birthday cake and ice cream... It was the son's birthday.

This morning I took the first set to the airport at 03:30, I got home by 5 and took a nap till 07:00. Right now I have the dishes going and I'm taking a break.
 
There was customer appreciation from our bank yesterday with free lunch while we were doing farmer's mkt. That was a nice surprise, just hotdogs, but still.
Sounds like a busy but fun time, Urban. Hope your wife isn't hurting from her fall, that's miserable.
No clue what's up for today, but there is plenty to do. Putting little granddaughter on cleaning out one of the big coops todays. It's rainy and cooler, so a good day to do it. Our replacement tv came in, the one that blew was under warranty. So husband has plans for me to put out the new one in the front room, take his recliner tv from the front room and put it back, take the small tv for the exercise equipment and put it upstairs and replace it with a bigger one. And of course, then dump the broken one. He watches lots of tv and is pretty immobile, so he has one most every spot.
 
Back
Top