Most recent new homeowner acquistions: (1) a fire pit, and (2) a saw blade attachement for our weed whacker.
Put into use: Today
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Mulch melodrama
Yesterday I felt like a cowboy, due to the smell factor. We have over a half acre of land, which produces at times, a lot of grass clippings when we mow the lawn. So far, we have dumped the extra clippings (or leaves from last fall) into our wooded area in the back yard.
Recently we've been looking into composting, and/or some other way to use/get rid of the grass clippings. Rather than composting, we decided to put those clippings and leaves back on the lawn and turn them into mulch (very fine particles of natural organic matter). We bought a mulching blade for our lawn mower and shoveled all the previously cut grass out of the woods, and strewed it over the lawn, and then ran over it with the mulching blade and let it fall back to the ground (to provide nutrients to the lawn).
Well, it has been a while since we last dumped the grass clippings, and between that and the dead leaves--it was a compost heap without the borders. It was hot, humid, buggy, and it STANK!
We dumped the leaves & grass on the lawn and I was spreading it out. It reminded me of the smell of manure, and I felt a bit like a farm hand-shoveling (crap) around to fertilize the crops or something. But I still felt a bit proud. I hope this helps the lawn out a lot! (and the smell has gone away now that we turned it all into itty bits of mulch and dried out.)
Recently we've been looking into composting, and/or some other way to use/get rid of the grass clippings. Rather than composting, we decided to put those clippings and leaves back on the lawn and turn them into mulch (very fine particles of natural organic matter). We bought a mulching blade for our lawn mower and shoveled all the previously cut grass out of the woods, and strewed it over the lawn, and then ran over it with the mulching blade and let it fall back to the ground (to provide nutrients to the lawn).
Well, it has been a while since we last dumped the grass clippings, and between that and the dead leaves--it was a compost heap without the borders. It was hot, humid, buggy, and it STANK!
We dumped the leaves & grass on the lawn and I was spreading it out. It reminded me of the smell of manure, and I felt a bit like a farm hand-shoveling (crap) around to fertilize the crops or something. But I still felt a bit proud. I hope this helps the lawn out a lot! (and the smell has gone away now that we turned it all into itty bits of mulch and dried out.)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fun with dandelions
Ok, so as still new home owners, Spousie and I are trying to take care of our large lawn which had been neglected for at least a year. Dandelions are one of the things we are trying to purge from the lawn area. Besides spraying with dandelion weed killer, Spousie has delevoped a keen knack for "popping out" the dandelions.
Spousie uses the dandelion weed tool that is approximately a foot long and looks like a screw driver, except there are 2 nubby prongs instead of the screwdriver head. Spousie can use this tool and poke it into the ground and with a quick flip of the wrist--the dandelion root is snapped and up comes the plant sometimes with a spray of dirt.
I think this is hilarious! Spousie tried to teach me how to do this, but I lack the wrist coordination to snap it up fast enough. I love watching Spousie do this! I laugh so hard. Finally I got a clue and started trying to catch the weeds as they flew up and sometimes across the yard. Sometimes Spousie can get some real height on those things.
So if you happen to have a large crop of dandelions-I suggest this game. See who can master the art of popping them out of the ground, and let the others see who can catch the most!
(It's times like this that make me wish I had a digital camera to take a video!)
Spousie uses the dandelion weed tool that is approximately a foot long and looks like a screw driver, except there are 2 nubby prongs instead of the screwdriver head. Spousie can use this tool and poke it into the ground and with a quick flip of the wrist--the dandelion root is snapped and up comes the plant sometimes with a spray of dirt.
I think this is hilarious! Spousie tried to teach me how to do this, but I lack the wrist coordination to snap it up fast enough. I love watching Spousie do this! I laugh so hard. Finally I got a clue and started trying to catch the weeds as they flew up and sometimes across the yard. Sometimes Spousie can get some real height on those things.
So if you happen to have a large crop of dandelions-I suggest this game. See who can master the art of popping them out of the ground, and let the others see who can catch the most!
(It's times like this that make me wish I had a digital camera to take a video!)
Lessons from bird poop
A while back I left my car outside overnight (i.e. not parked in the garage as usual). When I hopped in my car to drive to work the next morning, I noticed a blob of bird poop had splattered on my driver side window. Fortunately it didn't block my view of the rear view mirror, or I might have needed to take care of it immediately. But it posed no immediate hazard.
So I left it there for a while. I let it serve as a reminder of a simple lesson for me: If it's crap-let it go!
So I left it there for a while. I let it serve as a reminder of a simple lesson for me: If it's crap-let it go!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Anniversary? well, happy some holiday!
Wow! I guess I started this blog a year ago today. That only dawned on me because I realized it is "Happy March Day!" day. And I remember that that was my first post. So...
Happy Anniversary! and also, Happy March Day to you!
I realize I haven't done a lot with this blog, but I'm ok with that. I've had a chance to write a few things, and begin exploring others. I will usually start a post, but then realize I want to go on and on about the topic, and that's not quite the design of a blog. I guess if I discipline myself to write more often, blogging may serve to improve my writing. (I'll have to be brief and to the point. I also do a lot of revision before posting to try to make sure my point is clear and easily understood.) Maybe I'll post more this next year. We'll see!
Happy Anniversary! and also, Happy March Day to you!
I realize I haven't done a lot with this blog, but I'm ok with that. I've had a chance to write a few things, and begin exploring others. I will usually start a post, but then realize I want to go on and on about the topic, and that's not quite the design of a blog. I guess if I discipline myself to write more often, blogging may serve to improve my writing. (I'll have to be brief and to the point. I also do a lot of revision before posting to try to make sure my point is clear and easily understood.) Maybe I'll post more this next year. We'll see!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Choir chuckles
Ok, so during choir we sang our Jesus-y churchy songs in preparation for a performance at a church this Sunday. I think I will brave it. As we were practicing one song, a gal made a comment I couldn't understand at first. Someone else asked her to repeat herself, and she said (something like this) "I've never heard a worship song so 'hymned down' before. I'm expecting the guitar and drums etc."
Well, I'm glad I wasn't the only one laughing after hearing that. But I was probably laughing for a different reason. Everyone's point of view is so different. I thought her comment was funny because in my former religion, I would have thought of this song as to 'jazzy' to be performed in a church service.
Yeah, not lots of fun with guitars and drums in the Mormon Sunday services. Not even brass instruments (my fav)! Things have got to be pretty sedate for Sacrament service. No exhuberant joy because of grace and mercy. Grace and mercy don't exist in Mormon theology. Well, ok, they do. "After all that you can do" which is never enough, so mercy and grace don't kick in. hmmmm.
Well, I'm glad I wasn't the only one laughing after hearing that. But I was probably laughing for a different reason. Everyone's point of view is so different. I thought her comment was funny because in my former religion, I would have thought of this song as to 'jazzy' to be performed in a church service.
Yeah, not lots of fun with guitars and drums in the Mormon Sunday services. Not even brass instruments (my fav)! Things have got to be pretty sedate for Sacrament service. No exhuberant joy because of grace and mercy. Grace and mercy don't exist in Mormon theology. Well, ok, they do. "After all that you can do" which is never enough, so mercy and grace don't kick in. hmmmm.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Moral decision about Choir performance
Ok. So I wasn't able to attend a choir event this pask week that was held during the day. This means I evaded/avoided having to sing the Jesus-y songs. But I think we are slated to sing at a chapel next week. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get out of this one.
Here's the deal: Do I go ahead and sing the stuff, even though I don't believe it? Seems a bit 'no harm no foul', right? But maybe my Mormon training is kicking in.
As a teen, I was pretty pious and I didn't even like to dance at church dances to songs that had 'questionable' lyrics (i.e. lyrics that implied immorality, etc. Not that there were supposed to be songs playing like that). As an adult I sang in a larger Mormon choir. We would occasionally change a few lyrics of songs to make them fit with Mormon theology. (one example: "All Creatures of Our God and King")
So, do I just go along and sing with the whole choir and enjoy the mixed agony I will feel as we sing all the floofy feel good stuff? OR do I skip it because I do not want to perpetuate a belief in the "I'm so glad you [Jesus] came to save us" bit. Another lyric we sing is something about he came "my debt to pay." And the musical emphasis is on my debt to pay.
Please understand me. I am a debtor only to my credit union for the mortgage on my house, the United States Federal Government for repaying my student loans, and to the credit card company IF I happen to purchase something this month, which I pay off in full every month (so I'm not really in debt to the credit card company). Jesus can't pay any of these debts for me. Wouldn't that be sweet if he could. But please, reality check! Not gonna happen!
So do I sing along, or not? Why does this have to become a moral issue? Oh, I know! Mormon training! Everything is a moral battle between good and evil. ;)
But I know that more deeply, it will affect me on an emotional level. Part of me thinks I need to move forward and confront those feelings, rather than just avoiding them. Growth occurs through moving forward through things, right? Hmmm. I'll see how I feel singing that stuff tomorrow night.
Here's the deal: Do I go ahead and sing the stuff, even though I don't believe it? Seems a bit 'no harm no foul', right? But maybe my Mormon training is kicking in.
As a teen, I was pretty pious and I didn't even like to dance at church dances to songs that had 'questionable' lyrics (i.e. lyrics that implied immorality, etc. Not that there were supposed to be songs playing like that). As an adult I sang in a larger Mormon choir. We would occasionally change a few lyrics of songs to make them fit with Mormon theology. (one example: "All Creatures of Our God and King")
So, do I just go along and sing with the whole choir and enjoy the mixed agony I will feel as we sing all the floofy feel good stuff? OR do I skip it because I do not want to perpetuate a belief in the "I'm so glad you [Jesus] came to save us" bit. Another lyric we sing is something about he came "my debt to pay." And the musical emphasis is on my debt to pay.
Please understand me. I am a debtor only to my credit union for the mortgage on my house, the United States Federal Government for repaying my student loans, and to the credit card company IF I happen to purchase something this month, which I pay off in full every month (so I'm not really in debt to the credit card company). Jesus can't pay any of these debts for me. Wouldn't that be sweet if he could. But please, reality check! Not gonna happen!
So do I sing along, or not? Why does this have to become a moral issue? Oh, I know! Mormon training! Everything is a moral battle between good and evil. ;)
But I know that more deeply, it will affect me on an emotional level. Part of me thinks I need to move forward and confront those feelings, rather than just avoiding them. Growth occurs through moving forward through things, right? Hmmm. I'll see how I feel singing that stuff tomorrow night.
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