Sunday, December 18, 2011

Wood Chips, Horse Apples & The Year In Review

December 17, 2011

In addition to trying to get the rest of the bulbs in the ground, we've been trying to get more wood chips hauled in so we can have about a 4-6 inch layer over the areas we want to garden and make into flower beds. So far we've hauled in 3 loads of wood chips with our dump bed powerstroke. This has been one of the handiest trucks I've ever had. It isn't much to look at but it sure comes in handy when you want to haul off trash, or haul in a load of wood chips. Sure saves a lot of work.

I've been getting the wood chips from the Lovington Convenience center. I can get them from Hobbs also, but the ones in Hobbs traditionally have been quite large chips. I guess it's their chipper because the ones in Lovington are chipped into much smaller chips. The only disadvantage getting them in Lovington is that I have to load the truck by hand. But I look at it as my exercise time, because it is really quite a workout. It takes me about an hour or maybe a little over an hour to get the truck completely loaded. I still want to get about 3 to 4 more loads and then we should be just about through with the wood chips.

Yesterday we went to Hobbs' En Sueno Bed & Breakfast & Rockin' Horse Stables to get a load of horse apples (manure). I took the tractor with us so we could load the truck a little easier. Our Kubota is perfect for working around the house and just the right size to maneuver in tight spots, but is a wee bit short to be able to dump the front bucket into the truck easily. But, it can be done and we did it.

While in Hobbs I noticed the truck making a grinding noise when I brake to stop. Soooooo, I guess I have a brake job in the near future. I still need to get a couple more loads of wood chips and I'd like to get one more load of horse bullets, but I'll have to get the brakes fixed before I drive it anymore.

This is a picture of our wood chip & horse apple pile:


A few days ago I pruned our peach tree. Usually when I prune a tree, Patsi gives me a hard time for cutting so many branches off. But this time she didn't scold me because we did the same thing last year and had a good crop of peaches, which is kind of unusual for this area. Hopefully we'll have another good crop of peaches again this coming year. Here is what it looks like now:


I planted more tulips and daffodils today, about 120+ tulips and 120+ daffodils. I only have about 80 daffodils left and 20+ tulips. It's taken me about 3 months to get them all planted, planting them whenever I had the time and the inclination to do so. It's been fun and we anxiously await spring to see if they are going to all bloom. If they all bloom we'll have a beautiful sight. I can't wait......but it will get here soon enough. Seems like the older I get, the faster time flies. LOL

Christmas is nearly here and Thanksgiving is already gone. This year has flown by. We made a couple of trips to Payson, Az to see a homeopathic doctor. I had been having quite a few sinus headaches (or that's what I attributed it to) and upon a friends recommendation we decided to go see him. Glad we did, because he helped immensely and all without drugs. His wife and daughter are LMT massage therapists and along with Dr. Lalman you get a complete treatment. I no longer have headaches like I used to have. It's a long trip to Payson, but well worth it.

We made three trips to Colorado this past summer. The first and last trip were 4 wheeling trips to South Fork and Ouray. They were really fun trips and we got to see some fantastic country, good friends and family.

The crew at South Fork

Going downhill near Ouray

In between the two 4 wheeling trips we met Patsi's brother Rodney and his wife Hiroko at Idaho Springs, Co. We took our 5th wheel camper and stayed at a very nice campground, right next to a stream. Beautiful place. Her other brother Stanley, and his son Kiichi also met us there. The whole reason for the trip was the Harada family reunion which was held in Fort Collins. So, we got to see most the family.


On top of Mt. Evans, Elevation 14,265'

We bought the New Mexi-Can, a 1968 Streamline travel trailer, from a guy in Sacramento, Ca. Went to pick it up the last part of August. Got it home and went to work on it. I had to strip the inside to replace the floor and possibly the black water tank. I spent about 3 weeks drilling out thousands of rivets to get the inside cleaned out so I could begin replacing the floor and rebuilding the inside.


After getting the inside stripped out, I had lots of other projects waiting on me that I needed to attend to, so I had to drop the trailer and begin to work on some other things. Such as:
  • Wire Patsi's greenhouse with wall sockets, and install ceiling fan
  • Get my welders hooked up
  • Rearrange the shop
  • Winterize our faucets
  • Plant 1000+ tulips and daffodils
  • Haul wood chips for garden mulch
  • Build a stove for the shop
I got most everything on the list accomplished and maybe a few other things thrown in there for good measure. I even found a 1941 Chevy COE (cab over engine) truck on the internet. I drove to Plattsmouth, Ne, which is just south of Omaha to pick it up. I left on a Monday, October 24 and made it back by Wednesday morning. It was a long fast trip but we have the cab to use on our Powerstroke when I get ready to build our hauler for the 4 wheelers & vintage travel trailer.


Loading the 41 Chevy near Plattsmouth, Ne

I don't think I'll run out of projects anytime soon as I have a few waiting in the wings. So, as long as my health is good and the good Lord lets me, I'll keep busy working in the yard, garden, shop and house doing things I love. 

Until next time............

Overthehump

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Gosh, it's already winter!!!!

Normally for the past 20+ years or so it hasn't really become very cold until January and February. But not this winter. MAN...it started getting cold the latter part of October. And this past week we've had two winter blasts which have really put us in the deep freeze.






Patsi and I have been trying to get all the plants put up, her greenhouse warm and cozy for the plants to spend the winter, and spreading wood chip mulch over all the flower beds, plant tulips and daffodils, and generally just getting ready for winter. We sure didn't expect to have to endure this cold this quick. Luckily we have everything nearly all buttoned up for winter.

Our new tulip beds (this was before it got cold)

Garlic is planted in the spot where the trunk shadow falls. Across the rock bed on the hill there are 300+ tulips and daffodils planted.


Daffodills left of the mums (that don't have any blooms now) and tulips on the right.


Tulips & daffodils planted between curb and sidewalk (450-500).


and yes.....it gonna cover the whole east side of our lot. Sure hope they all come up.

Early this morning after it got down to 12 F, it finally dawned on me that I had not done anything for the water manifold that I have in the shop. I was really expecting to open the shop door and see water spraying up in the air. Luckily that wasn't the case, so now I have a heater near the water pipes until this cold spell passes. The only trouble is that it is projected to be below freezing for the next week or so. So I guess winter is really here.

Started working on the 96 Ford PowerStroke this afternoon....changing out the water pump. I should have already had this done but kept putting it off for one reason or another. I've had the new water pump for 4 months or so, but just never could seem to get motivated to get it put in. I guess I finally got tired of it taking up space in my shop.

I should finish it tomorrow. I'll get the anti-freeze back in it and then it will relegated to the drive way....outside - again.

The New Mexi-Can will take its place and I'll get started back to work on it again. I really need to get the  tanks replaced and repaired, get the floor replaced and start putting the inside back together. It's gonna be FUN!!

I still have lots to organize, stuff to move around, cabinets to build and still have to install some more outlets, but I'll get a little bit here and a little bit there until....someday it might all be done.

Naw....doubt that day will ever come. LOL

Until next time......

Overthehump