Around Here: Good Things About Eliminations, Flu Shot, Raking Pine Straw and Lawn Tractor Problems

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

Well, one good thing about the Sox being eliminated from the playoffs (and the Brewers were also eliminated last night), I no longer have to make a special effort to watch any of the playoff games anymore.  I will watch parts of them as I get a chance to, but not all the games.  Plus, had the Sox gone to the World Series and won, there is a considerable savings on souvenirs of the event.

I got my regular flu shot for the second straight year,  I didn't get them for many years as I taught school and was around so many kids that I had built up quite an immunity, but the last several years I had been really sick with the flu for a couple weeks at a shot, so, hey, I'll take the shot.

Put up some more Halloween lights.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

I did a lot of pine straw raking (free mulch) around the east and west pine islands and picked up a whole lot of limbs and sticks in the arboretum area in preparation of cutting the grass.  Sadly, I couldn't get the lawn tractor started and will have to have it worked on again.  It is now 28years old and perhaps even a John Deere doesn't run forever.  This is the third problem this year so it may be time to get another one.

--RoadDog

Is It Spring? Nope, Not Yet

I just came in from raking pine straw up by the east pine island and am thawing my fingers out.  Man, it is real cold out there and a big wind blowing the cold on you as well as overcast.  I started seeing stuff falling off the pines, or so I thought.  Must be pollen, but wait!!!  They are white.  It was SNOW.  My working agreement clearly states that I do not have to do raking in the snow, so I came inside to thaw out.

Temperature is 38 degrees.

Yesterday and Monday, we had sun and low 70s.  Very nice and everyone was getting spring fever.  Now this!!!

Sunday I brought in three daffodils from the yard and have some others blooming and several hundred getting ready to bloom.  Hyacinths are getting ready to bloom as well.  Plus, all the rain on Sunday and the grass has turned green all over the place.

Spring or Not Spring.  Make Up Your Mind Mother Nature!!!!  --RoadDog

Every Blooming THing-- Early April

No work outside today, April 4, because of rain and cool temps, but I have been working outside a lot.  I've been raking pine straw (makes great mulch in the pine islands on the east and west sides).  Also, gathering lots and lots of branches taken down by winter storms and especially that February storm that had the branches of the pine trees touching ground.  I lost a lot of large branches that way.

My neighbor Joe had a guy come over cutting a tree down and he was nice enough to come over and finish cutting up the part of the Bradford pear tree by the deck that had been blown down a couple years back.  I had that guy come over and cut down a lot of the same tree that had continued standing as it was overgrown and also cut down the volunteer apple tree(s) by the southwest corner of the house that also had overgrown.

He then cut down a lot of the lower branches of the pine trees in both pine islands.

Since then, I have been busy at Frances' Back 40 in the southeast corner of the yard cutting various bushes back which had overgrown.

I've also been working in the flower beds and am happy to report lots of bulbs coming up and the daffodills by the heat exchange ARE BLOOMING!!!

Maybe Spring Is Finally Here.  --RoadDog

Every Bloomin' Thing-- November 1st

We had our first frost last night judging from a little on the grass and the roof. However, it didn't kill my impatiens, begonias, or wandering jew plants. And they are very quick to go when there is a frost.

Most of the trees have lost their leaves, but the Bradford pears still have their leaves. The golden raintree, sumacs, and Asian maples have the most color.

As usual, the marigolds are making their fall splash of color. I have about 500 plants around the house, so when I say splash, I mean explosion. Mostly yellow, but quite a few reds and light purples.

Cut the grass for perhaps the last time of the year on Monday.

I've been raking the pine needles back into the pine islands and will collect what leaves I can find for a fire. There is few things better than the smell of burning leaves in the fall. That is the "Smell of Fall" for me. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don't get a lot of leaves from my trees. Raking is not a big problem as it is with some of my friends.

One time I went over to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes where I raked and bagged several piles of leaves to bring home and burn. The people inside thought I had lost my mind. Maybe I have, but I do know that I really like the smell of burning leaves. Whenever I drive by people burning leaves, I roll down the windows to enjoy every bit of that smell.

Losing My Mind Over Da Leaves, Burning, That Is. --RoadDog