Busy Weekend

I have been exercising my new $80 splitter, designed to split 18" x 6" logs to keep us warm next year. However, I think the splitter is under-rated. (If you need one, catch it on sale at Harbor Freight.)

No such thing as a small job

Today, being nice and cool, I decided to clean the chimney of our wood stove. 30 minute job. No big deal I thought, at least until brush and shaft came off inside the metal chimney I had install several years ago. Now this presents a problem. I now needed to remove the chimney to get to the brush and to do that, I needed to disconnect it from the wood stove and move the stove out of the way. Great!

I have been contemplating replacing the wood stove with an air tight one or an air tight fireplace insert. And I had been researching different chimneys to use. Now, I guess I have made my decisions. No use putting the old system back together. It's time for a new stove and chimney.

Keeping Warm for the Winter

The Locust tree has now been laid to rest. It is true that when you split wood it warms you twice (three times, four times...).

Tomato Update

Watering is a requirement and since the containers are small, they don't hold much. Luckily, the plants snapped back.

Tomato Update

I have been asked to post a few up-to-date pictures of the hanging tomatoes. So, here you go:

Here is an update on the tomatoes. I have added a pepper plant to the side of one bucket and I actually have some tomatoes growing in aother.

Tomato Update and Warning

Couple of things: -

There is a limit to the weight that these buckets and their handles will hold. Yesterday at about 5:00 pm, while sitting quietly on the patio, I observed (with great shock) the impact of a tomato bucket hitting the concrete nearby. Obviously it could have injured someone. The tomato is quite shaken by the experience but otherwise OK.

Oops

Repaired

Actually, I was concerned about this potential problem which is why I only filled the buckets 1/2 full of dirt. I suspect that the age of the plastic handle had more to do with its failure than the weight as the buckets hold about 50 lbs of material when new. I will nevertheless rehang the buckets with some sort of backup/safety hanger.

Safety Rope




On a different note, I heard from friend Steve, that one of his buddies was not only growing tomatoes from the bottom of the containers but had decided to plant some pepper plants protruding out of the sides of the containers. (I will try to add some peppers to mine and will keep you posted.)

More Tomatoes

It has been two weeks since I hung up the tomatoes and I was beginning to think that I might be sadistic. The poor downward aiming plants were still fighting gravity and trying to grow up. That just seemed so wrong.





What joy I had yesterday when I noticed that one plant was just "releasing" and "going with the flow," in some sort of existential way.

Not only that, but its leaves have flipped over and the tops of the leaves are are again sucking down the solar power that keeps everything rolling.

Hanging Tomato Plants

Today I finished hanging four tomato plants. Rather than have the containers hang with the open of a bucket exposing the soil to the dryness of the air, I have installed a drip irrigation "system" to slowly add moisture throughout the summer, assuming I fill the main container. I'll post some up-dates in the future. Buckets are free. Why pay $8 - $12 for the "kits?"

Getting Over - Introduction

Years ago, my friend Stew and I coined a phrase - "Getting Over." To this day, it is still one of my favorite terms. It does not refer to Getting Over on some one person or "system" in particular, but to finding inventive ways of making things work when and if we need them. This philosophy has now become Main Stream and hidden in terms like Going Green, Recycling, etc. To us, it is indeed "Old Hat." I will add my routine Getting Over activities for your amusement.

Here is the first Getting Over posting:
Our dump, unlike most others, has a building set aside for "recyclables" and I enjoy both dropping things off and finding useful things or things in need of repair and recycling. Included in the Label, Getting Over, I will list my frequent observations and finds by date:

5/14 - the usual gang was there, about four middle aged fellows. There usually is one woman about the same age. They are quick to find useful, resalable things and have learned to share well. Always good for a few comments and I enjoy listening to their conversations.

I left a lamp shade and an electrical motor, picked-up a thermostat and a large bear bank (bank to be returned soon.)