Additional Changes, Garden, Donations

Along side our small orchard, and the fenced in garden area behind the house was 3 cedar trees which needed to be cut down, and a pile of old trees and branches.  All of which needed to turned into pulp and shredded.  Here's a before and after picture.

Before clearing area and chopping trees

Different view of clearing area and chopping trees

Before

After

We replaced the screen door on the back porch due to wood rot, the door falling apart; and  also because it had a dog door in it allowing access by any wildlife critters.  Mainly raccoons!!!

We added a piece of solid colored corrugated plastic to the bottom of the screen door with

screws to prevent the raccoon (or other critters) from pushing in the screen to get access

to the back porch.  The corrugated plastic also blocks the dog's view from the door, so he can't

see what's just outside the door; to where he barks his _ $$ off, thinking he's got a play companion

waiting for him outside.  Now many of you are going to ask what about the rest of the screened

in porch, won't the dog see the critter.  Actually, he won't, because we put blinds down during the

winter to help with blocking the cold air.  Our dog's  main concern is always 

lunging at that screen door, never the screen on the rest of the porch.  I really think it had a lot

to do with the doggy door.

Speaking of Beans, here are a few cute pictures of my large Chihuahua………..

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Have you placed your seed order yet?  I've placed an order with Baker Creek.  This year's

order is a small.  I'm only starting a small garden due to all the work required back down

south with my sister's estate.  I started my celery slips several weeks ago inside the house,

on my kitchen window sill.  There are 4 celery slips growing roots, and small stalks.  I'll keep these

slips in water until it's time to plant them in soil.  I've never had any luck growing celery from seed,

so when I purchase organic celery from the store, I chop the bottoms off the stalks and

place them in water to start slips.  This process has been very successful for me.  When I need celery for a recipe or meal, I just go out to the garden and cut what I need, leaving the root ball in the ground to continue growing and producing.

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Some of you are probably going to say, oh what a cute little ladybug!!!  NOT...…….

this is a Chinese Beetle, Harmonia Axyridis.  This beetle has been a royal

pain in the butt in areas of Oklahoma.  When temperatures warm up in the winter,

these beetles swarm.  They love to get into your home through cracks, or any type of 

hole or opening.  They'll land on you while outside, and inevitably they come inside your

home with you.  These beetles will bite you, which is not as bad as an ant bite.  

When you kill them, they stink, and leave an orange liquid which stains furniture, 

curtains, and clothes.

This year, the Chinese Beetle has been a real hinderance.  Many say they're good 

for killing off bugs in your garden.  I don't have a garden yet because it's still

winter.  My thought about the Chinese Beetles, they need to go away......stop harassing humans 

until winter is over!!!

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Last weekend, Bulldog Man and I drove back to Texas to pull my sister's truck out of the

garage, wash it inside and out, and drive it to CarMax in order to sell it.  The truck

was a gorgeous Chevrolet High Country, with all the bells and whistles.  We didn't need another

truck, and it was just too fancy for us.  This truck was not the type of truck you wanted to

haul manure in, or use on the farm out in a pasture, if you know what I mean.  CarMax did my sister's

estate well.    

And this weekend............

We drove down once again; this time we donated my sister's furniture, dishes, etc.... to 2 families

in need.  My sister loved helping people out, and I think she would be proud of the decision I made on donating her household goods to help 2 families.

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I didn't forget about the give - aways.  Tomorrow, I will be introducing two items in a give - away 

I'm sponsoring.  Keep your eyes peeled!!!