Wells,Septic Tanks and Wildflowers

If you are like most folks that live in Medina County or any other rural area that is not serviced by public utilities, you either have a well or a septic tank or both. Both can be a challenge. With a well, laundry is usually grey or rust colored and there are times that you wonder if you are going to run the well dry washing all those clothes. The sinks and toilets have that rusty stain on them. There is that ever present sulfur odor, or that "taste in the water. People wonder why we drink bottled water! My sister was a city girl and always swore that she got Montezuma's revenge when she visited and drank the water. It never seemed to bother us.

Other other side, you may have a septic tank. In the older homes of our area, we have septic tanks, aerators and filter beds. New construction in non-utility served areas have "mounds" where their run off goes. Most of us have these unsightly covers sticking out in the yard. Some have them in the front yard, and some have them in the back yard. Wherever it may be, we do the best to "disguise" them in various means.

We have the septic tank in the back yard. I think it is better in the back than the front yard, where it might be more obvious, but ours seem to be right at the end of the drive and smack dab in the middle of the yard, just off the patio! We are diligent in maintaining it's proper working order, having it cleaned regularly by the "honey dipper", so we don't have an odor problem. But I still hate to see those tank lids sticking up. They are also a bother to mow around. We have tried various disguises, wine barrel planters, mulch, and flower beds. Everything we plant seems to grow well because of the underground warmth from the tank. But nothing has ever suited me. I have always been looking for that perfect disguise. Well I think I found it. Marc's had some bags of wildflower mulch. Seeds and mulch in one step. Just spread it over an area and water. After the seedlings sprouted, I had to cover it with chicken wire to keep the chickens from scratching it all to pieces. My hard work paid off. The septic tank lids are now invisible! and the wildflowers are awesome. The only thing I don't know is if these are annual or perennial wildflowers. I am hoping for perennial, if not I will be on the hunt for more of the wildflower mulch come next spring!

Favorite Creative Item

Pot Tower

Today's Project

Most people know that I love to do crafty things. I am not limited to your usual craft store type crafts, but I go for the unusual and different craft. Some time back I was introduced to POWER TOOLS! Yes, my first tool was a cordless drill. Then Dave got me a chop saw, a table saw and a saws all. I was in heaven. I learned by trial and error and with my dad's guidance I learned how to use the tools properly and safely. I drool at Home Depot and I am a card caring member of the Craftsman Club at Sears. I am always waiting to see what new tool Dave will bring home for me. I love to have the latest tool on the shelf. Christmas presents always involve tools. Along with Dave, my son's friend Tommy brings me an unending supply of scrap wood from the job. I have an innate sense and ability to look at something in a picture or at someone else's home (yes, I steal ideas) and I make it. Sometimes I modify it to my needs, and sometimes the projects work all by themselves. I also have done some of the remodeling projects at home. (Some not finished yet) With my Dad's help I have built a chicken coop from recycled materials. (Casa de Pollo) I have built benches and flower boxes, nesting boxes for the chickens, and roosts. Today I made solar light posts. I saw them somewhere and decided that I could make them too. The challenge was finding the right materials. After finding materials that I thought would work, I had to recreate them from memory, and sometimes that is a little fuzzy. I remember taking a picture of them with my cell phone but that was a phone or two ago and who knows where that picture is now. And just in case you are wondering, no I do not sell my projects, I usually give them away to family and friends.

As a side note... I got a most welcome call from my friend Cindy in North Carolina. Cindy and I started off as pen pals more than 30 years ago through Teen Magazine. Some people say they have a twin somewhere in the world, and if you were to see Cindy and I together you would think we very well could be related. How can two people be so far apart in miles yet have so much in common? Cindy and I married out high school sweethearts. They are both farmers! So is her dad. We were married just a few years apart, and we have children all about the same ages. She has two girls and a boy, I have two boys. Cindy has one up on me...she has adorable grand babies! Any way, her call today brought the most wonderful feeling of joy to my heart. There will be months that we don't have any kind of communication, and when we happen to get together or call, it is like we never have been apart. So now the plan is in the works. We will both be 50 this year and I think it is time for another get together. I talked to Dave tonight and I will be working on a plan for a trip to N.Carolina in September. I can't wait to see her and her family.

Garden Update

The rain has really perked things up around here. The Potatoes in a Bag are growing out of the bag. The tomatoes have really taken off in the bucket. They are doing better than the ones in the garden.I even have a few red cherry tomatoes that I have been eating. Todays project was for my daughter in law, Tiffany. A few years ago I saw a potting table/bench in a magazine. It was advertised for $150.00. The measurements seemed small for a potting bench, so of course I thought I could do one better. I figured and measured and Dave brought home some recycled wood. I sawed and drilled and screwed and I made the bench. I painted it with house paint and used it lovingly for a few years. Tiffany saw it and said she would like one. Well, I didn't use treated wood, and the weather took it's toll on my bench, and when I went to move it up to the barn to copy it for Tiffany, it fell apart :( I was sad, but I knew the next one would be better. This time Dave brought home treated lumber and something called Trex. It is recycled plastic wood. Cuts like wood, sawslike wood, but it doesn't rot. I set to work this morning, taking careful measurements of the old bench and began putting the new one together. I finished it about 4:00 this afternoon. And it is beautiful. Better than the first one. Now Tiffany and Chris can use it as a potting bench or Tiffany thought it would make a nice drink station on the porch when she BBQ's.

After all the rain on Sunday, here is what we saw as the sun set. It was the most awesome pink and purple sky I had even seen.

Nature's Bounty

My friend Gail and I went to Yoga Class today. We have been away too long and we sure felt the bones creak today. The best thing about class is the relaxation and stress relief we get. We also get to see all our other Yoga friends. After class we went to Buehler's for lunch. Then I got the CALL! Mr .Bill had located 96 quarts of fresh picked strawberries for $1.75 a quart. He wanted to know if I wanted them. I told him I could do about 50 quarts but that was my limit. He said he would call when he got closer to ome he would call. He brought home all 96 quarts! I took 24 quarts, my friend took 24 quarts and he managed to get rid of the other berries to friends and family. So now I had my work cut out for me. Get home, straighten the kitchen and start freezing! and that is what Idid. But after a while I got tired of freezing, so I decided to make jam!

My daughter -in - law stopped by and brought 4 more quarts.

We made 47 pints of jam.















And today's good news is the hens started laying again. Several of them thought they were on vacation and stopped laying, some went broody and hatched a few chicks, but now they are back to work.










I can't wait to see what tommorow's adventure will be!

Another Day in the Garden cont......

OOOPS, sorry, no text with the photos, new blogger mistake. Well I got the new camera, so I included the experimental gardening projects I have attempted this year. Tomatoes on a Bucket, Potatoes in a Bag, (regular and sweet potatoes) and Straw Bale Gardening. All seem to be successful. The last picture is of the new peeps. I could only take one picture because the hens are hiding them.These new peeps will go to my sister in Milan,OH. She has a grub and mole problem, and she heard that the chickens will eat the grubs and then the moles will move on to someone else's yard. So as soon as she gets her chicken house built, off they go. I also did a lot of container gardening with the annuals. i could add splashes of color without doing whole flower beds. The flowerbeds are mostly perrennials now.

Wednesday's Adventure

I didn't get to the garden today. We went on an adventure. My daughter in law Tiffany, my friend Gail and her husband Jim and I drove to Mount Hope for the auction. (Thanks for driving Jim!)Although we keep telling ourselves we are done planting for the year, we brought home more plants.... tomatoes, peppers, ornamental cabbage and some more flowers. We just can't help ourselves. Gail bought 10 dozen fertilized eggs so now Jim will set them in the incubator. We didn't learn our lesson last year with 100 chicks, so here we go again. Tiffany decided that she needed plants for her garden. A new husband, a new house and all summer off (she teaches kindergarten) she decided she needed a garden too! And since my son Chris tore up the yard this winter with his building project, she has the perfect spot to put in a garden. We just have to keep the bunny rabbits out.
Tiffany's dad was at a different auction and brought home 52 quarts of strawberries. So Tiffany and I froze them tonight. It was a busy day. I think I will need to rest tomorrow.

What a welcome rain. Everything here was parched and needed a good drink. hoses and watering cans are OK, but a good soaking is better. No damage from the wind, but the rain sure made the weeds pop!. I guess I know what I'll be doing this afternoon.