We are experiencing a heat wave. The garden loves it. Rain came last night after darkness fell, a short but torrential rain. Attila and I stood in the garage, with a single light bulb shining, checking for leaks, for water, for drip, drip, drip. Nothing. Just the sound of thundering rain on a metal roof. Beautiful.
There is still much to be done, Attila is determined to keep focused until the project is complete. I am determined to continue the support system so that he can maintain that very singular focus.
If we had hired someone to do this job, it would not have taken so long. There would have been a crew. They would have had the proper equipment to do the job. They would have had the experience to be efficient in their process of tackling the job. And it would have taken them a week or more to do it. And it wouldn’t have been done to our satisfaction to the degree that is being done. And it would have cost so much that we would be in debt to pay for it for years and years to come.
Attila is doing a great job, over the last 16 days of this garage roof replacement! Sweat equity is very apt in this instance.
Today an attempt will be made to research and think through the rabbit situation. I wish them no harm, but they are harming our food supply, in going about their natural affairs. The goal is to block their access to our beans and peas, what is left of them. Attila is far too busy at the moment to take on fencing the part of the yard where the garden is planted. I am not willing to take on a fencing project myself, while busy taking care of things while Attila is totally focused elsewhere. For now, additional fencing is not the solution. Chicken wire and garden stakes might work. I am wondering if a series of trellises on the inside of the fence, a foot or more from the fence, that the peas and beans can climb, would work. I’ll be visiting the dollar store to see what I can find in the way of trellises, and/or netting, and/or chicken wire… it can’t hurt to try things that might not work, but seem that they might, as long as they are not costly experiments.
After having spent the day yesterday in the kitchen, cooking, baking, and cleaning, there is sufficient food to take us through the next few days, perhaps even to the end of the heat wave. I find that during the extreme heat I am better served by light meals, avoiding sugar and salt and cholesterol as usual. Attila needs sugar and salt, because he exerts himself and sweats, so his diet needs sweets (Rhubarb Crisp), and salty foods (Nachos With Salsa and Sour Cream). Attila has been well fed through this renovation project, and he is very appreciative.
I have always enjoyed food preparation, and food preservation. I have a wonderful cook book collection, from the pre-digital age, and quite a digital collection of recipes and information as well. For most people the home is the most important space in their lives, and find homes, how people make them, and maintain them, fascinating. Home is a basic human need, and a wonderful human concept.
I received my first bill from the domain host, and it is very confusing. I need to clarify things with them, I might have misunderstood their charges when I made the decision to switch hosts. If I have misunderstood, it will have a profound effect on how my online existence is structured, major changes will be in order. This is a call that I am internally resistant to making, but needs must, the call will have to be made. If I did not misunderstand, and things are as I understood them to be, then it will come as a huge relief.
Worldly Distractions
Weather
23°C
Date: 9:00 AM EDT Tuesday 3 July 2018
Condition: Mainly Sunny
Pressure: 102.3 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: 22.8°C
Dew point: 17.6°C
Humidity: 72%
Wind: NNW 7 km/h
Humidex: 29
Visibility: 24 km
dateDetailed Forecast
Today Sunny. High 31 except 28 near Lake Ontario. Humidex 38. UV index 9 or very high.
Quote
“Unless I accept my faults, I will most certainly doubt my virtues.”
Hugh Prather
You are so busy keeping everything in order (and constantly coping with new projects that spring up!), that I don’t know how you find time to write! But you do, which is admirable. The rabbit problem is a challenge. I have a similar problem with deer, who come in during the early morning and destroy plants I value. So I’ve been waking early to ‘stand guard’, Actually, my computer faces the windows so it’s not as hard as it sounds! Take care of yourself while taking care of everything else!
I have found one and need another old bedspring frame to let my sweetpeas climb upon. They are often thrown away by people and can be found in many places. Just something to consider for your beans, etc.
“For most people the home is the most important space in their lives … Home is a basic human need”
Yes! My belief exactly. Perhaps it’s why I’m so motivated by making my “nest” comfortable, functional, and as attractive as I can (without fussing, that is; it ain’t no showhome!). I sometimes face an apparent lack of appreciation for my values: priorizing my personal surroundings and wanting to spend time in them, as opposed to “working” as much as possible and earning as much as possible. But as you know, I think if the nest isn’t warm and welcoming, what am I working FOR? And jeebus but it takes a lot of time to keep a place clean and orderly as opposed to just livable! And those who are out earning money certainly benefit by having a decent nest to come home to for their rest and sustenance. Often they don’t seem to notice or value the difference it makes in their ability to follow their own agendas in a healthy and enjoyable way. I’m glad to hear Attila appreciates your keeping him well fed while he practises a different kind of effort. Well done, both of you.
Still the Lucky Few: the one thing I’ve always remembered reading about keeping deer out of a garden is that sheets of roofing metal laid outward around the plot will work because deer won’t step on it and don’t jump across it. But who has space for that? And wants their yard to look like a moon landing site?
-Kate
Diane, so far no deer here! 🙂 The rabbits are plenty enough to deal with, lol. I’ve not seen the bunnies this morning, they are probably at some other Farmer McGregors garden.
“Take care of yourself while taking care of everything else!”
That is such good advice, for anyone who is busy! Taking care of myself has had to be toned down for the duration of hte high pressure parts of the roofing project. I will be slowly refocusing on myself, as Attila begins to slow down and his intense focus begins to wander back to domestic life.
Kate, I like the idea of the bedspring! I am a little leary of it here though, the property owners around us are finicky about their yards, and have been known to get up petitions against people who are deviating a little too far from their norm. So far we have managed to stay on the inside of that line, but the bed springs just might tip the balance. There are real downsides to urban living! However, no such restrictions will impede the use of bedsprings at the Rideau Camp!! I think we need to plant peas and beans out there next spring!
“Often they don’t seem to notice or value the difference it makes in their ability to follow their own agendas in a healthy and enjoyable way.”
So true Kate. I think that when people go from a home where someone else took care of the domestic details, and directly into a domestic situation where someone else took care of the domestic details, the ignorance can be due to a lack of experience and imagination. However, I feel pretty forgiving towards the ignorant if they are flexible enough to evolve when presented with the facts.
Attila lived as a bachelor for most of his life before I met him… so he is aware and appreciative, when he forgets he is easily reminded.
My previous marriage though.. well, least said soonest mended.
What if you spray-painted the bedsprings bright orange and purple and called it “art” – the neighbors might appreciate it more then. (?) or not…
Bex, I would love it, brightly painted objects! The people around us aren’t very adventurous, or artisticly inclined, unless it is something you buy at Home Depot or one of the big garden centres. We might decide to go “rogue” at some point, but for now, until our renovations are well past, we fly under the radar. Neighbours can make a persons life truly miserable, been there, done that, best to avoid it if possible.
This is a neighbourhood that circulated a petition against the young couple who lived next to us; the yard sale leftovers left at the curb for weeks were awful, but I felt that the issue should have been raised with them, they were nice enough people, and that a petition against them, and a visit from the bylaw officer, were out of proportion to the “offence”. The young woman didn’t come out of her house in the front yard again after that petition, it had a profound effect on her quality of life, and that of her children. The people here a nice enough on the surface, we just don’t want to scratch it… we have the Rideau Camp for self expression, thank goodness.
When you were talking about your peas I was reminded of how hops grow. They have a trellis of wood or metal bars that form an outside rectangle and then strings are dropped down from the top arm for the vines to grow up. You might read about them, that might work for you.
Now, fences! Ugh. We came home on Monday to find some so-and-so had removed three support poles from our 2 ft fence along the side yard! Right now one whole panel is lying on the ground and two others are just propping each other up. The poles have disappeared, so now we have to buy three more at $8 each. Fortunately, our local Lowes has some poles. Last year, we had to drive to another city to get our original set of fencing.
Thanks Teri, I’ll have a look at hop production, sounds like just the thing.
Wow, stealing fence posts, who would have thought! “So-and-so” is such a polite description of the thieves. Glad they are available locally.