The Garden Coffin

So named because it looks like a big coffin laying in the backyard.  To bad we have no trick or treat traffic because it could have easily been turned into a scary Halloween feature.

Finished Garden Coffin

Hubby finally finished it last week. He did a great job!  Then came the realization that the dogs could jump into it, let’s hope that they won’t once plants are in it.  Then we realized the idea of using the fence for the climber crops of the garden was not well thought out.  We will just be giving the deer free rein at our vegetable garden buffet!  Come on Bambi….sidle up here to the all you can eat grazing bar. Unlimited vegetables just for you and your friends.

Then after he lined it with weedblocker and plastic on the sides to keep the dirt in, the dog jumped in…chasing a strange dog along the fence line that he was used to running around.  Damn people went and put this raised bed in my way…..no way, in I go…see mom…just try to mess up MY yard! 

Chester

 

The Garden Coffin w/Compost

So now it’s time to get some organic material in it.  That should keep Chester out.  So I truck my brewing compost  over and into the coffin…that is all ready with the nice weedblocker bottom and the plastic on the sides.  I get a good layer on the bottom, enough for one days work.  I do though lament over whether I should have put hardware cloth on the bottom, but I have not had a problem with critters down below so I couldn’t justify the work or the money.

Well if only the dog had not jumped in chasing the stray along the fence, and I had not trucked all the fill to keep him out.  I  would have found out that hardware cloth was necessary.  Next day our jack russell mix is out there sniffing n digging, so out I go to check out why.  I almost fall into the garden coffin, the ground is all squishy in front of it.  Damn moles tunneling under the garden coffin!  Now I will have to find out what will drive those pesky moles away before spring.

Ruby

Told y’all in the beginning the NC dirt was gonna be the death of me. If it happens soon I can become part of the “organic compost”, in my garden coffin! :)

Cut Home Expenses – Money – Savings – Bargains – Deals – AARP

Try homesteading. To boost their populations, some rural communities in Minnesota, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa provide free land to build a home, often with tax incentives. Do a Web search for “free land” or contact the Center for Rural Affairs for details.

via Cut Home Expenses – Money – Savings – Bargains – Deals – AARP.

Seed’s Of Durham NC

Seed’s of Durham NC has a job opening announment.

Durham sponsors America Recycles Day challenge.

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

News Release

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock@ DurhamNC. gov

For Immediate Release: October 25, 2011

Durham Sponsors America Recycles Day Challenge Through November

Citywide Recycling Challenge From November 7- 30

DURHAM, N.C. – Beginning November 7, the City of Durham will launch its
America Recycles Day Challenge to reward top-notch recyclers for their
environmentally- friendly habits.

Many communities across the country celebrate America Recycles Day on
November 15 to promote the important role that recycling plays in saving
energy, reducing pollution, generating jobs, and helping to conserve
landfill space. As part of Durham’s celebration this year, a citywide
recycling challenge will be held throughout the month of November to
reward residents who properly recycle.

According to Larrisha McGill, waste reduction coordinator with the
City’s Solid Waste Management Department, residents who properly recycle
during November could win prizes, including gift cards. “The America
Recycles Day Challenge is designed to make recycling a rewarding
experience through this month-long challenge and encourage residents to
make a commitment to recycling 365 days a year,” said McGill.

Residents are encouraged to prepare for the America Recycles Day
Challenge by reviewing the City’s recycling brochure and collection
schedule at www.DurhamNC. gov/Departments/ Solid/wr_ default_new. cfm.

“It’s important that residents learn about all of the materials they can
place in their recycling cart and then take a good look at their
garbage. Residents may be surprised at how many items they can shift to
the recycling cart, especially since all types of recyclable items can
be placed in the same cart,” McGill said.

From November 7 to November 30, when the Recycling Prize Patrol finds
residents with recycling carts that contain acceptable recyclable
materials, they’ll be eligible to win a prize pack that includes a
grocery gift card. Winners will be notified by a flyer at their home.

Residents interested in learning more the recycling challenge should
contact McGill by e-mail at Larrisha.McGill@ DurhamNC. gov or by calling
(919) 560-4186, ext. 32227.

About the Solid Waste Management Department
The City of Durham’s Solid Waste Management Department promotes and
supports a high quality of life for the residents of Durham by providing
comprehensive, responsive, environmentally- safe, efficient and
cost-effective solid waste collection, recycling and disposal programs.
Department services include roll-out cart collection, cardboard
collection, yard waste collection, waste reduction and recycling, bulky
item pick-up, disposal services, and cart delivery and repair service.
For more information, visit www.DurhamNC. gov/Departments/ Solid.

Money Saving Tips

Danny Seo—-Daily Danny

What would life be like without TWarner, Comcast, Charter, etc. ?

A good idea.

If I could I would! Cut the cable immediately.  But I can’t.  The other’s in the house would surely have my head.  I am thinking of going to a pay per view format…they pay me to be able to view it.  The appeal of a nice vacation in lieu of terrible television is so on the money.  Along with the fact if there was something to watch the only channel this TV seems to get is ESPN, it is actually programmed to come on to ESPN.  Sports and more sports. 

How did it get this way.  Why do we pay so much to be entertained by CRAP.  Jersey Shore, Housewives from where ever, Snooki…Pleaseeeeeee!  Kids don’t read anymore and  adults don’t move from the set, everybody is glued to a tv set or dvr.  Now I won’t say I never watch it,  most of the time it’s used as background noise.  And yes that is a waste of energy.  Cutting the cord is hard but I am working towards it. It is the others in the household that refuse to make the break.  It would be nice if you could just add the channel you want…cable a la carte.  A basic package for your area and a small fee for access to any other big network.  That’s the ticket!

I want my $100+ dollars in my pocketbook!

Here are few options to ridding yourself of the big cable bill.

Life’s too short for TV.

AntennaWeb

Is it time to pull the plug on Cable TV?

Antenna TV

There are some options available to explore.  Hopefully I can get some relief from the cable bill and the golf membership.  I know there is a beach chair waiting somewhere with my name on it.

Shrooms anyone?

shrooms a bloom

Just another wonder from the great Carolina dirt!  How do these grow in the nasty clay ground with no assistance from me?  I plant vegetables, nourish them, talk to them and nada….I blame the dirt.  But we are rectifying that with one beauty of a raised bed that hubby is working on. 

New raised veggie bed.

So back to the mushrooms.    After  a few days of rain this week,  I noticed these funny spikes in the yard.  Lo and behold I have  mushrooms growing.   Lots and lots of mushrooms.   So onto the web I go to see what specimen I have growing out back.   I have decided upon close inspection of the pictures I found on the INTERNET that they are ringless honey mushrooms.  So much for having to forage for  delectable fungi,  I have them growing in masses 15 feet from the back door.

It is said that they are edible,  you just have to cook them properly.  My husband looks at me with fear in his eyes “you’re not going to cook those are you”.   No worry hubby, I want to live another day…just in case my identifying of them is wrong!

This weekend I must have dug up 10 mounds of them.  Let’s see how they grow in the brush next year.  Maybe by then I will be more confident in my ability to identify the native shroom!

Dead ant dead ant dead ant

Need I say more….the dreadful ant is invading our space.  This spring I had the wagon train going up and down the side of the upper cabinet.  Roosting in the attic?  Why and how would ants take up residence in the attic?  Nipped that  commune in the bud with this great liquid ant cup from AMDRO.  Must have been honey in that ant cup because once one got a taste he signaled his pals.  I had a small marching army going up and down the cabinet for the day….next day there was less…..day after  there were  none.  The new liquid was like a virus to them.

Now I am dealing with the dreaded fire ant.  Mean nasty things they are.  And while I do not want to use pesticides there are times you just have to  do the deed and POISON them!  If you like to work in your yard there is nothing more annoying than finding a hidden mound while wearing flip-flops.  Next thing you know you are doing the dance trying to get them off you.  They bite fast…leave you itching for a time…then you get these nasty pus filled pimples.  Yes very nasty….and a danger, especially for someone helpless to get away from them. 

Now I read about the  hairy ant that is making its way from the south-west to the south-east.  Can’t be controlled, even with electrocution!  But they do kill the fire ants….way to go….yes…but we still need to find a way to eradicate this pest.

As I said before I hate to use pesticides but I am glad they are available when needed.  Ants and roaches have no place in a civilized world. ..well maybe some ants but not all and definitely not a roach!

Columbus Day

Today is a federal holiday to honor Christopher Columbus and the role he played in discovering the America’s.   For those of us who need a bit of a history refresher you can check out  Myths about Columbus’ Expeditions Dispelled.

Columbus definitely lead a simpler life and while I yearn for such, I  am sure glad that I am able to enjoy many of the creature comforts progress has brought us.  I do though  curse many technologies and blame them for the current madness that has encumbered many fine folks.  We have becoming glutinous with no regard to where the by-product of this gluttony goes.  Into the trash, creating landfills the size of football fields to dumping all sorts of products  down the drain, polluting our water sources.  Maybe today is the day to begin taking baby steps to living a more sustainable life.

Click the link above to see what small steps you can take today.  Every small effort helps the environment.  My personal journey began 2+ years ago.  Moving from a condo to a one acre plot has made me somewhat of an urban farmer wannabe.   This one acre and several small changes have made me more conscious of every choice I make in my daily life.  Today I have a garden that I am fighting with,  two  300 gallon rainbarrels, two clotheslines, one homemade wood and one of those umbrella style that I bought at a yard sale.  I have wanted to see how that style holds up. 

The clotheslines.

 A wood chipper to make my own wood chip mulch.  The other day I had my 25-year-old, living at home son, out in the yard picking up sticks.  After about 1/2 hour he asked “WHY”?  All the dead limbs, branches and even pine cones make mulch for my garden beds.

Picked up sticks.

The other small changes I have made

Big water saver for little $$$.

Cantaloupe from garden.

So you can see that it is possible to make changes that are simple and fun!