I just finished feeding the squirrels, birds, the dogs and made my breakfast. As part of the AM ritual my Dobermans and I read our emails, etc and we get to enjoy a peaceful time enjoying nature and watching the sun rise from our day bed nook at the end of the hall which overlooks the the south garden and pond.
Yesterday I installed the pump in the pond so I I now have my babbling brook water fall again and finally my garden is starting to come to life. Each fall I remove the pump and reinstall it after the ice melts. This water source and the food I provide always attracts the wild life.
This year I took pictures of the procedural steps and wrote directions so the next generation will know the sequence. I often wonder if the next generation will take care of the garden and pond as I do.
It was a bumper year for pine cones and pine needles. I hauled 30 bags of debris to the dump while doing my Spring cleanup. I sleep great last night.
Big weekend planned since it is graduation at the University and my granddaughter will be graduating and entering the next phase of her life and heading off to become a doctor. Seems like only yesterday that I was teaching her colors and Algebra. Where does the time go?
Enjoy your day and I would love to hear about how you enjoy whatever interests you.
PS Today I get to clean house and start to get the roadsters ready for the driving season.
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Mgtd
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Yeah I know I am not supposed to do that but my wife is handicapped and she is forced to spend 15 or more hours in bed so I place the peanuts on our retaining wall and this allows her to view the squirrels and the birds out of the bedroom windows. They get two feedings one at 6 AM and second around 2 PM. This way she gets to see a variety of critters.
By the way they are not your garden variety of squirrels. They are Eberts. They only exist here and in the Grand Canyon. They have tuffed ears which helps them survive the extremely cold winters.
Overall our group is pretty socialized and their actually teach their young about the food and the pond.
Squirrels dig up the soil on the potted plants on my patio to hide their nuts. Whatever is supposed to limit the squirrel population here (owls? hawks? eagles?) has disappeared, so they have gotten out of control.
My squirrels throw plants out of pots, and bury pieces of bread my neighbors leave out for them in my hanging baskets. I tried spikes and pepper, and found them ineffective. Last year I put river pebbles around the plants and that kept them from digging in the pots. They did sharpen their teeth on my Polywoood yard furniture. Out of control!!
Like your post! I’m doing similar things. Instead of doberman I have a cat and we a morning procedure, too. Also have a rather huge garden with very old olive trees and a lot of mediterranean plants. Now, in spring time, everything needs a lot of care and starts blossoming. I’m loving this time so much. I work around 1-2 hours every day, sometimes more, and it looks so beautiful. But just yesterday I was thinking, that I need to stay strong & healthy as long as possible, because there’s nobody else taking care like this. But who knows. Maybe somebody will step in when it’s time. Until then, let’s care and enjoy. This weekend is beautiful weather, lots of sunshine and warm. All the best to you and your dogs, too!
You and I enjoy life much the same way. Vegetable and fruit gradens, orchard, a sawmill and a life long collector of antique cars. I have one pristine 37 Ford pickup left that hasn't been on the road yet. Tell us about your roadsters.
I hear ya… sitting at my keyboard working in my listening room with some amazing vinyl playing in the background… awesome to be doing something you love… don’t think I’ll ever retire.
Good for you and forget the squirrel remarks. As long as you feed them a proper diet, it's all good. I am trying to get my garden in shape but the first thing I have to do is fence the place as there are lots of deer. Bastards will eat anything! Got the wire and posts - just have to start.
Remember deer can jump over fences that are 6 feet tall and also have been known to climb under them too. You could look at the type of plants you are growing and see if they are deer resistant.
The wire is 6'6". Standard deer fence. Everybody uses it. Smaller holes at the bottom to keep out other critters. I will stake it down in between the posts as well. Our deer eat a lot of "deer resistant" plants. They don't care. There are some they don't eat but not a lot.
I enjoy every day, even though the subtle increase in the "moobs" "chesticles" "mitties" make the motorcycle jackets fit a little tighter. I walk the three dogs, each one of them pulling different ways and I feel that this substitutes for any boring gym work, and we have, here in Mission BC, a very warm weekend to spend motorcycle fettling, strawberry planting, small children herding, a Cuban smoking, and watching my beloved Newcastle Utd and Vancouver Canucks playing. We have a skunk, that we call Carol, living underneath our shed, that gets rid of any mice or rats, and who tolerates the dogs....so far!
Sadly, or happily, I'll be Penticton with 2 friends celebrating my birthday, but I have 4 bikes, all insured and if you need to ride one, or you just fancy sitting around working on bikes ( I do most of my own wrenching here in Mission), just send me a message. Take care
You think you're lucky?.... hmmm.............. Well the squirrels ate the birds, and my dogs ate the squirrels... and I shipped my dogs to South Dakota where they were shot by a woman while they were in a gravel pit, and I finally shot the woman who shot my dogs.
So that constitutes fun in NYC.
Please note: To all the dog (animal) lovers, the above silliness is my feeble attempt at humor. So please don't get whatever you have in an uproar. Thanks!!!
Sorry it has taken so long to get back to some of your posts. Our company left after a graduation weekend. Love to see them but enjoying the quiet.
I was really impressed that so many of you are enjoying a real quality of life. Doing so many varied things and just moving forward with smiles and enjoyment.
I have heard horror stories of deer eating anything but in my case in the last 22 years walking the forests I have only seen 2 deer. We are Elk country. They seem to leave the non indigenous plants alone. During Rut season it is not uncommon to see 1000s of elk at our lakes doing what Elks do before winter.
Flatlander asked about my roadsters. In my 20s my wife said to me when I needed to bring our VW camper in for some serving on its fuel injection that “ you are a bright guy but do not know shit about cars”. Well the next day I walked across the street and asked my neighbor if he wanted to sell the car in his driveway. We pushed the car into my garage and I proceeded to take it totally apart and learn about cars. That started a life long hobby of restoring foreign cars. It keep me out of the bars.
I have learned a huge amount about cars over some 50 plus years. I do most of the work myself on a limited budget. I no longer do restorations but maintain my cars and help others with their projects.
Currently my collection is divided between old and newer roadsters. I will finish this later. Need to take wife to the doctor.
My collection of restored cars is divided into two main groups - old and newer as well as British versus German. In the old category I have the TD, Triumph TR3 and the TR6. The emotional link is that these are all cars I cherished growing up.
The TR6 belonged to a fraternity brother and was inherited by me on his passing. Tim was a Navy fighter jock and died of prostate cancer.
In the early 2000s I started moving to more modern roadsters. I became interested in German cars. That segment of my collection now includes a BMW Z3, and three Chrysler Crossfires - Limited roadster and coupe and a SRT supercharged version.
For those of you thinking a Chrysler is not a German car well back in the day Mercedes and Chrysler were married before they divorced.
The Crossfire was built in Germany by Karmann coach works and shipped to the USA. About 80 to 90 percent of the car below the exterior design is based on the Mercedes SLK and uses Mercedes parts, frame, engine, etc. I think Mercedes just wanted to get rid of their spare parts bin of SLK parts. The exterior was a total Chrysler design.
In both cases the Crossfire is a “red headed” stepchild which neither company claims as a prodigy. The Crossfires are vastly becoming extinct since even a minor accident results in them being totaled by the insurance companies. Many have passed to younger kids who mod them like they do with the Japanese cars.
One other German connection that bridges the old and new segments is that when Triumph wanted a redesign of the TR4 they went to Karmann and they did the redesign rather than Micholotti in Italy who did the TR4.
So if you look close you can see the design differences of smooth Italian lines versus the German design concept. That is why the TR6 has the traditional German square back that is also on the Crossfires. Personally I hate the front of the Crossfires but I live with it. It reminds me of a Sebring. The young designer of the car was forced to use it but did a good job on the other parts.
In general the reliability and comfort of the modern two seaters is amazing but honestly I miss the old fashion diagnostics of seeing, hearing and feeling things rather than doing computer diagnostics and removing electronic modules.
Over the years I have always wanted a stock OEM old car. I finally figured out the way to do that is to get a relatively new car with very low mileage and keep them stock rather than trying to restore cars to OEM condition. Much cheaper in the long run.
I live in the land of pickups and muscle cars so my cars receive no respect. I joke that I have the largest collection of roadsters in Northern Arizona.
This weekend I am taking the BMW Z3 to a car show. it is now considered and bears a classic car plate. I have spent the winter replacing the top and really doing a complete paint, interior and engine restoration. Wish the car luck!
Just an aside. In Arizona classic car plates weigh a ton, they are stamped from pure copper which Arizona mines till this day.
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QOL - went skiing with my daughter today
Update 6 months into Zytiga
QOL Arm wrestling
WORDS AND THOUGHTS -----QOL
