October 24, 2010
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UPDATE
We are getting the motorhome rental season settled and ready for the lull in business through the winter months, so I am starting to have a little more time to do the things that I need, ought, and like to do. Should finish most of the rest of the MH stuff this coming week. Since our trip to Idaho/Utah was cut short this year because we wanted to be back her for the birth of little Oscar, Judy Lynn and I thought that we would take a week or so and go out to the coast and spend some “leisure” time there, but timing is just not with us. There is always something that comes up that stops us. Now it is so late and nearing the Thanksgiving holidays, we doubt at this point that we will make it. Last year we went to the coast in January for our wedding anniversary, so maybe we will have to settle for that again this year.
Life continues here in Gresham. Life is never dull, especially now with two little children in the house. Here are a few pictures of the little ones taken over the past few days and weeks.
Little Gwen in her “pen” acting like “casual Charley” in her lounge chair.
(Note on right her playing with her hair. Wonder where she gets that from?)
After being in her high chair for a time, she thinks she can get down by herself.
Doesn’t seem to learn that she can’t either. She does this time and time again.
Gwen getting to know little OscarI am trying to get the yard ready for the growth that happens during the winter months up here. Remember that we do not get many “hard” frosts up here that freezes anything but just a thing crust on the ground, so most things keep growing all winter long, although somewhat slower, but especially WEEDS. This year I did something different and we will have to wait to see if anything different happens in the “weed” growth. A farmer friend in our ward told Todd and I that he plants rye grass between his nursery plants and his garden. He says that the ground cover is so thick that the weeds get crowded out. The rye grass is also supposed to have a very strong root system that penetrated deep into the ground that helps break up clay etc. So, I first removed everything in the garden that had been harvested (squash, cucumbers, etc.). I did something different with some of my tomato plants this year. Since it does not freeze early up here, we have tomatoes on our vines right up until the rain comes. When the rain comes, it soaks and weakens the tomato fruit causing the skin to crack and then the tomato spoils very quickly. I have covered my plants with plastic, covered with a tarp held up by a temporary frame, and that works fine until the first wind storm and then it all comes crashing down. So this year I did something very simple. I will tell you how this try works.
On the left you can see that I have hung some of the tomato plants from under the eves. Most of our storms come from the west and southwest, so this part of the house is quite sheltered from the rain. You cannot see many of the tomato fruit on the plants, but they are there. On the right are some tomato plants that I just pulled and staked up next to the house under the eve. That large board is not there most of the time. I should have moved it before taking the picture. I have had tomatoes clear until Thanksgiving some years. We will see how this process goes. (If it works, you will probably hear me gloat. If it doesn’t, you probably will not hear a word about it
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This is the garden after the rye grass had been planted.
(Onions, lettuce, carrots and beets still in the ground)
(On extreme left, some raspberry canes that have laid down over the garden)
Every year I bore you with this, but I had Chad come over and cut out all of the old raspberry cane. You can see that piled next to the fence to the right of the picture on the right. You can also see the blueberry “cage” that contains my four blueberry bushes. I have not trimmed those bushes yet. I usually wait until the leaves fall and then take care of that. The picture of the left shows the two raspberry rows with the new cane laying all over. I will tie them up after the leaves fall (one of the few jobs that I hate with my little “farm”).Guess that catches you all up for now.
