Month: September 2013

Fall Garden

So here is a panorama of the fall garden.

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I planted the pumpkins in the middle of July. Hmmm.  Too late.  Next year it should be about the middle of June. I thought I counted the days right.

Tomatoes are just now really kicking in. Strange year for our tomatoes.  We planted in the very same spots as last year along the garden fence and did not feed them well enough to start.

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It is dusk in the photo below. Juan and I are gathering some tomatoes and discussing where the garlic, onions, & potatoes should be planted.  We will rotate among the boxes.  Hopefully I will get a chance to construct another box or two.

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I am waiting till dark to see how the deer arrive. I plan to harvest a buck this year. I will post you more about how that adventure goes.

The painters missed a few spots so I had them come back.

Finished!
Finished!

I arranged for the painters to return to touch up a bit of painting and cover some flicker holes. – Nasty birds that love to peck holes in your home high up in the eaves. They are quite beautiful to look at up close, but real pests when it comes to keeping your home or barn in good shape. Why the heck they prefer houses over trees is beyond me. I also had the painters nail up some reflective ribbon along the roof edge. These are supposed to bother the flickers so much they decide to find a less bothersome place to build a nest. – Boy that was a long digression. The main news is that the house has newly painted trim and newly oiled shingles on the second story! We kept Sarah’s blue. It’s beginning to grow on me. No one else has a house with quite that color combo. Plus I have made it the color theme for our hand tools. It turns out it is a very good color to be if you are a tool left lying around and want to be found.
As it turns out a 28′ extension ladder fits perfectly from the center of the peak of the roof on the South facing side of the house ( by the back deck) down to the bench brace of the deck. You have to take the 2×6 seat boards off that portion of the bench but then you have built-in ladder support. ( see photos ).

Take the seat boards off the deck bench and you have a perfect spot to secure a 28' extension ladder to reach the center of the peak of the roof on the south side of the house.
Take the seat boards off the deck bench and you have a perfect spot to secure a 28′ extension ladder to reach the center of the peak of the roof on the south side of the house.
John holding and Jim painting
John holding and Jim painting

Sept 2013 Painting / Staining the 2nd Story

So my 60 year old knees and balance made the job of staining and painting the 2nd story of the canyon house too dangerous. Fortunately my 60 year old brain realized this.  Though it took me longer than it should have to realize this. These professional painters made it look easy.  IT IS NOT!!  I did not get any really good photos of them on the ladder working on the highest peak ends.

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