by CMG Ron S
September 2024
I’m afraid, very afraid. My burr oak (one of them) has lost its leaves and both of my Crepe Myrtles are in the same process. In past years I have watered them on a weekly basis, but this year we were receiving intermittent rain, so I procrastinated. Yes, no surprise to anyone. Well, I started watering again a couple of weeks ago, but it appears too late. I have continued to water (drip irrigation) the garden every other day and my numerous rose and other driveway plants every three or four days or when my sunflower test plant appears droopy, but I still lost another David Austin rose. I could consider that an opportunity to purchase two new ones for next March, but at $50 or more each, I do not.
Another fear that I was harboring was that the extensive mulch yard that Kelcey and I spread so assiduously would end up on the driveway and over the walkway. I no longer fear that as it has happened. The hogs like nosing around in it and have generously spread the edges precisely where it is not wanted. I will be out there shortly sweeping it back and ready for another hog assault. Speaking of hogs, my spouse has departed, partially, from her PETA stance and directed that I take stern action against those hogs. We really do have a major problem and I will have to bring myself to taking actions with extreme prejudice even on the piglets. I will not do so until it gets cool enough to allow morning processing. Hogs appear usually around 2200 each evening. If I took that extreme prejudice, it would be at that time and I am too old to stay up the night gutting and skinning or even quartering and removing back straps.
On the non-gardening but Homefront, my one remaining Red Sex Link chicken is doing ok, but is very lonely. I cannot let her free-range because of the continued fox visits. I have started greatly expanding her fenced range area, but those pesky T-posts are a real devil to drive. I have a manual post driver that probably weighs over 30 pounds and after lifting it over 6’ for the first two or three posts, I am pooped. I’d get Kelcey to do it, but he is over 50 yrs old now and does not go to the gym every day. So, I am better off with me doing it and just working a short while everyday. We get one egg per day with consistency, and for the two of us, that is enough. Still as noted above, she is lonely. Chickens are flock animals that depend on each other for predator warnings, not that it did them much good in the recent past. They probably just thought that the pesky fox was too cute to be dangerous. Another thing is that while chickens can learn, mine must have eaten too much MJ in their early years.
Fire ants discovered my okra and my harvesting hands this morning. Well, they likely already knew about it, but I just saw them all over several ripe pods. This is annoying because the ants can disfigure the pods and I hope to enter a couple quarts of pickled okra in this month’s fair. Come by the AG pavilion and see if I placed. If I did not it is because the election was rigged even though I won the popular and electoral vote and first prize was awarded to a judge’s family member. Some years ago I entered a quart of Bee and Thistle honey and won first prize, probably because I was the only one who entered that category.
I am not planting any winter vegetables. I just never have been successful with it and figure that for the cost, work, and aggravation, I will just continue buying it from the Commissary or H.E.B..