05-27-2025 — I was outside!!

Howdy all. Yes, I went outside this morning/noon to get some gardening/cleanup things done. It was a lovely 65 degrees or so. Headed to upper 60s today, but likely rain starting overnight through tomorrow. That was perfect for the first two items on my list.

Number one was to feed as many ants I could their last meal. I am trying one of those concoctions of sugar and baking soda or such, in a liquid. Supposedly they eat it and carry back to the rest of the family and they all quickly bloat up and croak. When I moved here 5 1/2 years ago, this lot was just one big ant hill. You couldn’t take a step without putting your foot on one. And they found dozens of ways into the house. I sprayed every killer I could, and sprinkled every granule I could buy. Inside the house I was using every pet friendly bait trap and spray I could get, and Orkin was coming monthly trying to get them out. It took a couple of years, but they were down to a manageable amount.

This year there are a lot more hills than last year. Thus the need to keep their numbers down and keep them away from the house.

The second item on the list was to use mildew/mold spray on the deck lounge chairs and cushions. They become a lovely shade of green over the winter each year. Need a dry day for the 30 second outdoor cleaner to set up for about 30 minutes (yeah, they lie). And then rinse and repeat a few times.

Back to their normal white color — these chairs are around 20 years old. Brought them up from Florida. They were bought from a commercial pool furniture outlet. Meant for hotels and resorts.

The cushions are just as old. They still clean up nicely.

The flowers on the deck rail are blossoming, adding some needed color to the view.

Next on the list was the garden. I went around pulling weeds, and thinning out some of the extra seedlings that I planted. Especially the beans and carrots were quite dense. I should have thinned the carrots even more, but, I’m not sure how to do that without disturbing all the ones around that I pull out.

Taters on the right, onions and carrots on the left.

Beans toward the back, more onions to the front.

Tomato plants are living. Maybe not growing great, but living. Need some warm days.

On the other hand, strawberries are busting out all over. Look how many berries, and even more blossoms.

Many, many, many strawberries coming.

The garden beds just outside the garage, are also coming along.

Carrots and peppers on the right. Beans and onions on the left.

The three replacement cucumber plants managed to hold on through those many 35-39 degree nights. Some heat and they will take off.

This is the bed with the cherry tomatoes that produce so many. The onions in here will be the first pulled and used as green onion shoots.

And the potato bed up front is overflowing with plants. Sure hope there are little taters beneath all that greenery.

While he isn’t spectacular, this is the first rose of 2025.

Tons of more roses are on their way shortly.

While it wasn’t a very sunny day, the lack of high winds and no rain falling, and temperatures starting to feel like spring again, made it easy to be outdoors, and Enjoy Life