Still observing my prisoners, well actually, I disposed of the first set and captured a couple more late this afternoon; in the act to boot! Further research may show that these are actually some kind of gnats...I believe I have a male and a female....well....I hope I do, otherwise I'm going to have to rethink the whole animal kingdom! More observation and study needed....
SEEDLINGS ARE TRANSPLANTED...into larger containers - Yea! Getting them ready for their first hardening experience outside on the porch tomorrow. I plan on getting them into the ground in a couple of weeks after all threats of frost are past...this is Western PA, ya never know!
Hey, I read that if you put a fan on your seedlings it encourages the stems to become stronger...Biblical lesson in there somewhere :) I'll have to post a picture of this for all you readers who may be laughing at this very moment; I'm out to prove that this actually might work!
Good Night All....Blessings and sweet dreams....
Ally
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
UFB's - Unidentified Flying Bugs....YIKES
Out enjoying the backyard today and it was swarming with some kind of UFB's. They were everywhere. I had hung out the laundry today and had to pick these UFB's (which by the way were doing the nasty on my button down shirts YUCK) off all my freshly washed clothes. They seemed to be concentrated mostly around one area; over by the evergreen trees inbetween my house and the neighbors house. I decided to play Entomologist and I captured some of them in a clear glass and placed some celophane over the top so I could observe them. Brought them inside and sat down at the computer. Do you know how many bugs there are in this world? I think I narrowed it down to either a flying ant or a termite. I'm hoping it's not the latter. I'm still not sure if it's either.
Has anyone reading this blog ever encountered a flying insect the size of an ant, with the same length wings, clear except for a dark design on outside of wings..very short antennea and mating all over the place...little help here if you've experienced anything like this.
Hey, lest you forget, I still want chickens...talking with a friend last evening about chickens....IT. WAS. FUN. ...just something about those little, feathery, clucking, egg making birds...someday...I can almost smell the eggs and bacon (I do not want a pig, that would be over the top for the burbs)..I will have chickens...BAWK!
Has anyone reading this blog ever encountered a flying insect the size of an ant, with the same length wings, clear except for a dark design on outside of wings..very short antennea and mating all over the place...little help here if you've experienced anything like this.
Hey, lest you forget, I still want chickens...talking with a friend last evening about chickens....IT. WAS. FUN. ...just something about those little, feathery, clucking, egg making birds...someday...I can almost smell the eggs and bacon (I do not want a pig, that would be over the top for the burbs)..I will have chickens...BAWK!
Monday, April 26, 2010
"....plant gardens and eat what they produce." Jer. 29:5b
Things are growing.....Shown here are my chamomile tea just ready to flower
Concord grapes coming along nicely
Sugar snap peas up and reaching for the trellis I've placed in the raised bed this year to keep Peter Rabbit from clipping the stems
Other growing plants not shown....
Herb garden producing oregano, chives, lemon balm, lavendar, onions, peppermint, sage, basil just coming up from seeds planted...
Blueberries holding their own so far
Raspberry bushes not dead, but alive so far
Beets, swiss chard, broccoli coming up, lettuce, radishes, strawberries???Cat got these :(
May the Lord bless this backyard with abundance for the harvest in the fall and may He continue to bless the seed I sow in this world as I strive to please Him through obedience to His word in all that I do....In Christ's Name, Amen.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
My Irish Eyes are Smiling....
I'm seeing GREEN! Yes, at least one blueberry bush, the Chippewa, is almost completely green again....Thank you Lord. The other 3, the Bluecrops, are slowly turning green. Maybe I'll give them another dose of the blood meal.
Oh, by the way, I'm not actually Irish...married on St. Patty's day but not Irish. Just to clarify.. :)
Today's to do: 1. Plant the raspberry bushes I blogged about earlier in the week. I will be a little more mindful of the dirt mixture this time around. Where to put them????
2. Also, hubby and I will be making the trip to the hardware store to pick up the materials for the 5 X 5 raised bed today.
3. DEAL WITH WHATEVER ATE MY STRAWBERRY PLANTS! BB gun? Oh yea, I'm thinking BB gun. I'm really going to have to come up with a plan that will keep the wildlife out of my gardens. The trick is to make it look nice since my backyard is somewhat of a fishbowl AND keep the deer out. Electric might be the way to go. I once sat out on the porch all night waiting for the deer to show up...I did that for a week to get an idea of when the deer came at night and where they entered the yard...fact finding mission that my hubby found funny and disturbing all at the same time. It turned out that the results left me exhausted and I obviously still have a deer problem. The deer were not the least bit intimidated by my less than ominous presence on the porch that week. If I only had a bb gun then! I would have shown them who's the boss! I do however, know the path they take and I'm watching them and making some BIG plans....LOOK OUT BAMBI.
Oh, by the way, I'm not actually Irish...married on St. Patty's day but not Irish. Just to clarify.. :)
Today's to do: 1. Plant the raspberry bushes I blogged about earlier in the week. I will be a little more mindful of the dirt mixture this time around. Where to put them????
2. Also, hubby and I will be making the trip to the hardware store to pick up the materials for the 5 X 5 raised bed today.
3. DEAL WITH WHATEVER ATE MY STRAWBERRY PLANTS! BB gun? Oh yea, I'm thinking BB gun. I'm really going to have to come up with a plan that will keep the wildlife out of my gardens. The trick is to make it look nice since my backyard is somewhat of a fishbowl AND keep the deer out. Electric might be the way to go. I once sat out on the porch all night waiting for the deer to show up...I did that for a week to get an idea of when the deer came at night and where they entered the yard...fact finding mission that my hubby found funny and disturbing all at the same time. It turned out that the results left me exhausted and I obviously still have a deer problem. The deer were not the least bit intimidated by my less than ominous presence on the porch that week. If I only had a bb gun then! I would have shown them who's the boss! I do however, know the path they take and I'm watching them and making some BIG plans....LOOK OUT BAMBI.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
911 code blue.....
BERRY! Help! Leaves all turning red....I must have done something wrong. I added those pine needles from my 30 foot pine trees and I think that could be the problem. I've been researching and I think I have a nitrogen deficiency??? I went into the garage and pulled out a bag of organic blood meal, removed the pine needles from around the plants and sprinkled about 1/4 cup blood meal all around each plant and watered thoroughly...Oh my goodness, I hope I haven't killed my blueberries :(
Well, we'll just have to see what happens. I'll be praying for the green leaves to return, please join me. I'll keep you posted. Thanks.
Going to bed very sad....visions of fresh picked blueberries on my oatmeal fading into the night....
Well, we'll just have to see what happens. I'll be praying for the green leaves to return, please join me. I'll keep you posted. Thanks.
Going to bed very sad....visions of fresh picked blueberries on my oatmeal fading into the night....
Monday, April 12, 2010
Berry, Berry Blessed....
....by my good friend and fellow backyard farmgirl, Anna. RASPBERRY BUSHES are coming soon! Thank you, Anna for graciously thinking of me, when viewing raspberry bushes for sale. I just got done telling my awesome husband, that I wanted to add raspberries next year to the ever growing collection of fruit in the backyard....and the Lord thru Anna is providing bushes this year for a great price. AWESOME gift to fit this beautiful, relaxing day I'm having. Phil on the other hand will be digging 3 more holes before the end of the week. I love you honey...I do. You, by association are the "backyard farmer" and someday I might get to sing, "she thinks my tractor's sexy"!
Dare I pray ahead for apple trees? I do have my mind wrapped around my own, albeit, small apple orchard. I do, however, have two 30 ft evergreen trees to get rid of first. So first and foremost, I'll be praying for the removal of those trees and since it cost alot of money to remove them, it might be awhile before I can pick an apple from Alison's Apple Orchards and bake a pie for the Washington County Fair. Dream big, pray hard and get on with doing the Lord's will in your life.
Have an awesome day everyone!
Dare I pray ahead for apple trees? I do have my mind wrapped around my own, albeit, small apple orchard. I do, however, have two 30 ft evergreen trees to get rid of first. So first and foremost, I'll be praying for the removal of those trees and since it cost alot of money to remove them, it might be awhile before I can pick an apple from Alison's Apple Orchards and bake a pie for the Washington County Fair. Dream big, pray hard and get on with doing the Lord's will in your life.
Have an awesome day everyone!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
I Found My Thrill.....
On blueberry hill! I'm going to have to post a picture here...I actually have a blueberry hill....It is beautiful! The 4 bushes are in, peat moss and aluminum sulfate spread..I can just taste those blueberries on my oatmeal. Fence needs a little tightening but I think the neighbors will be happy it looks un-noticeable; if they happen to notice....
I also picked up some strawberry plants when I went to get the ingredients to fill the holes for the BBs.(blueberry bushes) Not sure where to put those yet....space is filling up!
Oh the pain.....Oh the anguish... of canning my grape vines. Ouch...didn't think it would induce physical pain, but, cutting those vines back to the 3rd bud on each main branch was difficult. I hope I did it correctly and nipped things in the right bud....sorry, couldn't resist that.
Last years Mother's Day present, my beautiful, but very small, lilac bush is ALIVE. I'm very happy. I love the smell of lilacs. Wonder how long it will take to get blossoms on that bush...it's right under my daughters window and only about a foot high. Patience grasshopper.
Well, time for lights out...big temperature drop tomorrow...GREAT, I hope the BBs don't freeze.
Oh yea, chickens; lest you forgot about my desire to have chickens, did you hear the news today? VALUE ADDED TAX - awesome..I can smell chickens in my future 'cause we won't be able to afford chicken at the store anymore! Bowk Bowk!
Night All!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Fences and Poo
Well I am certainly not "on the fence" about a fence for my blueberry bushes. I bought 4 blueberry bushes last year and fed the deer with those ones. This year I am much smarter; yes, a fence.
Now, in the suburbs a backyard farmgirl must be considerate of her non farm like neighbors so my fence, I hope, will be aesthetically, visually, a non issue for them. It is green to blend in and will be neat and orderly as it stands protecting my blueberries. Move over Trax...I open up my "pick your own" in about....5 years.
According to the directions in the book I'm reading, "Backyard Homestead", blueberries should be planted in the spring on a cloudy day. Well, today was a beautiful sunshiney day and I find myself sad about that. But, this is Western Pa so I'm sure the clouds are just around the corner.
Manure has been spread...and I'm not talking about my above post....We have a real farmer friend who gives us real cow poo. Love this stuff. It's aged to a nice piquant aroma and does the trick on vegetables. I'm looking to make some of my beds acidic. Blueberries and melons prefer an acidic soil. Anyone have any ideas on how to make soil more acidic? I've gathered the manure because I read somewhere that manure will make soil more acidic; I am up for any other ideas out there. Thanks in advance!
Oh, yea....embarrassed to say that I just got my seeds planted in my trays. The trays are tucked nicely away in my dark basement. Hopefully I'll see some green poking through in about 7 days. I planted yesterday, so the countdown begins.
I planted about 20 heirloom tomatoes - Brandywine; 20 plum tomatoes; sugar snap peas and some basil. My basil plants that I buy every year never do well so I thought I'd try them from seeds this year...I'll let you know.
Upcoming activities: RAISED BED!!! Number 2; direct sowing sugar snap peas, swiss chard, beets, lettuce and radish. Caneing the vineyard...ha ha...not really a vineyard yet... just some sticks poking out of the ground that I have faith will be concord grapes someday. FAITH: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 Could this apply to my vineyard...Jesus said, I am the vine you are the branches....Good night all!
Now, in the suburbs a backyard farmgirl must be considerate of her non farm like neighbors so my fence, I hope, will be aesthetically, visually, a non issue for them. It is green to blend in and will be neat and orderly as it stands protecting my blueberries. Move over Trax...I open up my "pick your own" in about....5 years.
According to the directions in the book I'm reading, "Backyard Homestead", blueberries should be planted in the spring on a cloudy day. Well, today was a beautiful sunshiney day and I find myself sad about that. But, this is Western Pa so I'm sure the clouds are just around the corner.
Manure has been spread...and I'm not talking about my above post....We have a real farmer friend who gives us real cow poo. Love this stuff. It's aged to a nice piquant aroma and does the trick on vegetables. I'm looking to make some of my beds acidic. Blueberries and melons prefer an acidic soil. Anyone have any ideas on how to make soil more acidic? I've gathered the manure because I read somewhere that manure will make soil more acidic; I am up for any other ideas out there. Thanks in advance!
Oh, yea....embarrassed to say that I just got my seeds planted in my trays. The trays are tucked nicely away in my dark basement. Hopefully I'll see some green poking through in about 7 days. I planted yesterday, so the countdown begins.
I planted about 20 heirloom tomatoes - Brandywine; 20 plum tomatoes; sugar snap peas and some basil. My basil plants that I buy every year never do well so I thought I'd try them from seeds this year...I'll let you know.
Upcoming activities: RAISED BED!!! Number 2; direct sowing sugar snap peas, swiss chard, beets, lettuce and radish. Caneing the vineyard...ha ha...not really a vineyard yet... just some sticks poking out of the ground that I have faith will be concord grapes someday. FAITH: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 Could this apply to my vineyard...Jesus said, I am the vine you are the branches....Good night all!
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