Friday, January 28, 2011

More winter and snow and cold, oh my

Good Morning everyone,

I hope that all of you are having a good start to the day, and a great start to the weekend.  I will see if I can get a few things done, but as usual, something gets in the road and gives you a detour. Yes, best laid plans.

Sounds like we are going to get another round of winter here again.  For the last 2 days, it has been, for us, just beautiful, in the high 40's and yesterday, (Thursday) it was 54*, WOW, heat wave for us. Today, about the same, Mid to high 50's and warm. 

I tried to get to my cold frames under the porch, and it is a mud hole, and some things are encased in ice/  I don't know if I can take one of my weed diggers and chip out some of it, and at least get the shorter legs.  My frame is out at least, but it is tall and I use it when I start my seedlings so I can stand up in it and it gives me more room for shelving.  I want the shorter legs so I can cover my plastic buckets to warm up and start my greens.  Again, should of done this, during the fall, but I was just plain damn lazy and was trying to can tomatoes and clean up the garden at the same time.

I can't remember if I mentioned what I use for cold frames at the present time.  I use the cheap, soft side canopy that are available for covering cars and other stuff.  I have  several, and they (the covers) did not survive the hail and the wicked thunderstorms we get here, but the frames are sturdy enough for me and gardening.  I have also salvaged some from alleys from the garbage bins, (yep, I am a dumpster diver),  and then I cover them with greenhouse plastic and anchor them down with dead men, (big screw in lag bolts) in the ground to hold them down and use some 2x4's for support from spring snow. It works for me since I can't afford my dream greenhouse I want.   So I will attempt this again today to get the legs out and get it set up.  I am desperate for fresh lettuces and mesclun and radishes, you get the picture.  I will try to see if I can get some photos of the frames, I have a small digital camera, but the batteries are low so I'll see what I can get.

I am going to try to muster an order of seeds, before its possibly too late.  Sounds like a lot of people will garden this year, unless they outlaw things.  I have thoughts on this, and I may do a post about it.  I am being told several different versions about the Food Safety Bill and that it will differ with each state, from what I have been told.  This is from our Farm Bureau and a new politician that is running for our state for US  Senate.  So when I get more info on this, I will post on this as this could be a hot button issue, and I don't want to mention things until I get it from the horse's mouth.

Well,  other than that, I will be outside today a little enjoying the January warmth we will get, but it will be short lived.  Then I will tackle the inside stuff, and get a little relief from cabin fever.
I wish all of you a wonderful weekend. Where ever you are.

4 comments:

  1. I like your creativity for cold frames...good job. I use pvc pipes in the holes of my cinder blocks...works pretty good. I have enough pvc to last me a lifetime...I FARM dumpster dive! You can't believe some of the great stuff these guys throw away!

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  2. Dear Denim ~ I keep thinking about you there in the fozen north. I do hope you won't have too many more snow storms visiting you. I hope you can get your greenhouse stuff set up too so that you can start your seeds.

    I can't imagine what they will tell us we CAN'T plant. Sheesh. Our freedoms are definitely disappearing in this country. It is really upsetting.

    Love and hugs to you ~ FlowerLady

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  3. Our weather seems to be similar right now - we had it really quite balmy earlier in the week but this morning it hovering around freezing (the ice on the pond hasn't melted much today). But as you saw on my blog, we got out for a lovely walk. I enjoyed it all the more now my breathing is a bit better - apart from up the hill!

    I would love to see photos of your cold frames. Do you have a warm windowsill you could grow some cut-and-come-again type greens on?

    I cannot imagine being told by the Govt NOT to grow vegetables. There would be one almighty uprising if that ever happened in this country, especially now more and more people are going back to growing their own fruit and veg. again, just like folk used to do when I was a kid in the 1950s.

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  4. We've been warm during the days (60-70's) but below freezing during the nights (20-30's). Supposed to snow Tuesday -- wouldn't you know that's the day I had planned to get out into the yard and do some much needed cleanup. We'll see what Tuesday and Wednesday are like. If the weather is nasty, I may just stay in and work. Or cocoon in my bedroom and watch DVD's with a pot of tea and some munchies. Or else coocoon on the couch and watch TV. Unfortunately, I'm kind of short, and there's only room for 2 kitties on me --grey one on my chest and black one on my lap. The white one has to sleep on my feet, poor ol Pu.

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