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Posted: 8/10/2021 7:13:19 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By everready73: We used those same blocks for a wall at my dad's place. A few hands definitely help speed things up. It would have taken much longer with one person so I feel for you We ended up filling them with concrete. Do you plan on doing that? These blocks are solid, no way to fill them with concrete. These blocks get pinned together so they don't move. Having one person helping me would triple the amount of work that gets done. The time and effort it takes to stop place blocks, change gears, stand up, set the tools down out of the way, grab the veras-lok lifter tool, and then after moving the blocks reset and get back to down place them...that easily burns 1/3 of my time/energy. |
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Posted: 8/10/2021 7:14:30 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Possumluke: Around here defoliated walnut trees are usually attributed to bagworms. Not sure if you all get those, but they love walnut and persimmon. I have a tree that was covered in them last year, that has hardly any leaves at all this year. Maybe some other type of caterpillar? No visible bag worms or other caterpillars. Those worms were blamed for killing a lot of foals in Kentucky about 10 years ago. They aren't tolerated much in this area. |
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Posted: 8/11/2021 1:32:06 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: Still no word from the extension office on any tree disease. The few leaves that were on the Sycamore tree have turned from green to mostly brown. It has been dry for several weeks here but that shouldn't kill off a tree. Sycamore dying off. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/Sycamore_brown_JPG-2046747.jpg Meanwhile I have a huge Zinnia patch in my garden which I water occasionally. I took this pictures yesterday with my cellphone. Amazing was a phone can now capture. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/bee_zinna_JPG-2046688.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/bee_close_up_JPG-2046689.jpg Zinnia patch with a small patch of Rudbeckia on the right. Both came from seeds that I previously harvested from the garden. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/zinnia_JPG-2046695.jpg If anyone is looking for work I need someone to weed the gardens. The landscaping and lawncare work on the property is easily a 20 hour a week job. Every company I know is crying for workers. Nobody wants to work. Not sure what will become of the country without manual laborers, but there it is. 
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Posted: 8/11/2021 1:36:32 AM EDT
[#4]
Cannot wait to see the retaining wall project completed.
A few years ago I would not have been afraid to dive into that. Now? Oh HELL no. Ten years makes a difference. Get it done before you hit 50. |
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Posted: 8/11/2021 12:21:17 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Cannot wait to see the retaining wall project completed. A few years ago I would not have been afraid to dive into that. Now? Oh HELL no. Ten years makes a difference. Get it done before you hit 50. I guess it is one of those things on my list of things I want to try. I would that type of project again but only if I have someone younger and fit to drag the blocks around. The changing body positions and recruiting different muscles to do the different type of work is what kills me by doing the work myself. As for the wall the color of block is not what I had wanted and they didn't carry the weathered look that I wanted. The weathered look is just tumbling the same blocks to take off all the sharp corners. The weathered look would have been much a much better fit for a 200+ year old house. The color is natural gray and I had asked for a dark gray that would match the stone fence along the property lines. I sent pictures of the stone fence for reference but I got what I got. It works and I might look into a way to use concrete stain to darken the blocks. Once the pool area is completed the blocks will barely be visible anyway. I would have had to find a different manufacturer to get a darker weathered block. From what I've seen that would have 3x my cost at minimum. This style and a color similar is what I was wanting.  But this is what I will end up with.  |
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Posted: 8/15/2021 6:55:39 PM EDT
[#6]
Went outside and found this today. More walnut branches falling directly on the seating area. That tree needs to go.
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Posted: 8/15/2021 7:00:16 PM EDT
[#7]
I did have these visitors today, five otters. Looks like a mother with 2 juveniles and then two other mature otters.
At first I thought it was just one otter.  Then the two smaller ones followed her out of the creek.  About 10 seconds after that two other otters showed up. One chewing on a crawdad and the other swimming between the roots of the tree.  |
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Posted: 8/16/2021 6:27:51 PM EDT
[#8]
Nothing too exciting to report on my juglone tomato project this year, expect for something unrelated to juglone. This year plants are 3 generations deep from the parents, there should be no crossbreeds or hybrids at this point. However, one of the plants is producing a lot of smooth ping pong ball size tomatoes. The project tomatoes I have been working on have a brandywine type shape with ridges along the top. On this one plant the tomato shape has been smooth not ridges, the tomato clusters are 6 to 10 tomatoes, not 1 to 3, and the size is small compared to medium and large.
I'm not sure where this variety came from being so many generations removed from the original parents which could have been hybrids. In all the years never has this type of tomato been produced. Then to make things even more interesting one tomato has branched out like the brandywines do and it has developed ridges. There is just that one brandywine style tomato but now there are 2 different varieties of tomatoes on the same plant. I don't know enough about plant genetics to explain that. Here is a picture of the plant in question. The tomato to the right of the middle has ridges and is a single thick stem off them main vine. It is 3x the size of the other tomatoes. The rest are ping pong size in clusters.  |
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Posted: 8/16/2021 7:11:25 PM EDT
[#9]
the tomato clusters are 6 to 10 tomatoes Sounds a bit like cherry tomatoes, no? 
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Posted: 8/17/2021 12:10:54 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JoseCuervo: Sounds a bit like cherry tomatoes, no? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JoseCuervo: the tomato clusters are 6 to 10 tomatoes Sounds a bit like cherry tomatoes, no? Yes the clusters are similar to a cherry/grape tomato but with much larger tomatoes. Grape and Plum tomatoes are oblong not round. I found there is a tomato called pink ping pong. This image close what I have, very little meat and mostly seeds. I didn't know those existed much less have grown them. The size and weight of my tomatoes are 0.7 to 1.0 ounces and 1" to 1 1/2" diameter.  What grew in my garden.  Cut horizontal to match the reference picture.  The place I purchased the parent seeds from years ago has a 42 day tomato that produces a 1oz to 4oz fruit but it is an early producer, determinant, and a compact plant. These came on the same time as my full size tomatoes and there is nothing compact about the plant. 42 day tomato  |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 4:12:52 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: Went outside and found this today. More walnut branches falling directly on the seating area. That tree needs to go. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/walnut_branches_JPG-2054236.jpg Yes, that tree is dying, IMO. I hate to see it, but I would take it out. You know how the roots are. Some are under/in the foundation. Take care when you start pulling/digging on the stump, if you do that. |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 4:16:28 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: Nothing too exciting to report on my juglone tomato project this year, expect for something unrelated to juglone. This year plants are 3 generations deep from the parents, there should be no crossbreeds or hybrids at this point. However, one of the plants is producing a lot of smooth ping pong ball size tomatoes. The project tomatoes I have been working on have a brandywine type shape with ridges along the top. On this one plant the tomato shape has been smooth not ridges, the tomato clusters are 6 to 10 tomatoes, not 1 to 3, and the size is small compared to medium and large. I'm not sure where this variety came from being so many generations removed from the original parents which could have been hybrids. In all the years never has this type of tomato been produced. Then to make things even more interesting one tomato has branched out like the brandywines do and it has developed ridges. There is just that one brandywine style tomato but now there are 2 different varieties of tomatoes on the same plant. I don't know enough about plant genetics to explain that. Here is a picture of the plant in question. The tomato to the right of the middle has ridges and is a single thick stem off them main vine. It is 3x the size of the other tomatoes. The rest are ping pong size in clusters. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tomato_pingpong_JPG-2055360.jpg That's REALLY interesting. It's been too long since my studies of genetics or hybrids, so I have no clue. I first said, "well, you don't control the pollinators." But then two kinds on same plant. Hmmm.... What's the flavor like on the ping-pong tomatoes? |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 4:50:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SWIRE]
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: That's REALLY interesting. It's been too long since my studies of genetics or hybrids, so I have no clue. I first said, "well, you don't control the pollinators." But then two kinds on same plant. Hmmm.... What's the flavor like on the ping-pong tomatoes? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Originally Posted By SWIRE: Nothing too exciting to report on my juglone tomato project this year, expect for something unrelated to juglone. This year plants are 3 generations deep from the parents, there should be no crossbreeds or hybrids at this point. However, one of the plants is producing a lot of smooth ping pong ball size tomatoes. The project tomatoes I have been working on have a brandywine type shape with ridges along the top. On this one plant the tomato shape has been smooth not ridges, the tomato clusters are 6 to 10 tomatoes, not 1 to 3, and the size is small compared to medium and large. I'm not sure where this variety came from being so many generations removed from the original parents which could have been hybrids. In all the years never has this type of tomato been produced. Then to make things even more interesting one tomato has branched out like the brandywines do and it has developed ridges. There is just that one brandywine style tomato but now there are 2 different varieties of tomatoes on the same plant. I don't know enough about plant genetics to explain that. Here is a picture of the plant in question. The tomato to the right of the middle has ridges and is a single thick stem off them main vine. It is 3x the size of the other tomatoes. The rest are ping pong size in clusters. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tomato_pingpong_JPG-2055360.jpg That's REALLY interesting. It's been too long since my studies of genetics or hybrids, so I have no clue. I first said, "well, you don't control the pollinators." But then two kinds on same plant. Hmmm.... What's the flavor like on the ping-pong tomatoes? The two kinds of tomatoes growing on two different types of stems on the same plant is really interesting. I haven't played around with grafting, that is the only way that I know to get two varieties on the same plant. I will have to take a closer look at the plant and get better pictures. As for the pollinators, most tomatoes are supposed to be self/closed pollinating from what I have been told. Also the test patch is located away from any other variety. That doesn't mean much since bees will travel miles but it should have limited some cross pollination. I did have a couple heirloom cherry tomato plants last year. They had smaller tomatoes, at least 50% smaller, and the plant was more of a bush type while the plant this year shoots out long vines with fewer leaves. It would be possible this one plant is some type of cross. The flavor that my tomatoes have is similar to a large cherry tomato. Not sure what the real ping-pong tastes like. |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 5:44:56 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: The two kinds of tomatoes growing on two different types of stems on the same plant is really interesting. I haven't played around with grafting, that is the only way that I know to get two varieties on the same plant. I will have to take a closer look at the plant and get better pictures. As for the pollinators, most tomatoes are supposed to be self/closed pollinating from what I have been told. Also the test patch is located away from any other variety. That doesn't mean much since bees will travel miles but it should have limited some cross pollination. I did have a couple heirloom cherry tomato plants last year. They had smaller tomatoes, at least 50% smaller, and the plant was more of a bush type while the plant this year shoots out long vines with fewer leaves. It would be possible this one plant is some type of cross. The flavor that my tomatoes have is similar to a large cherry tomato. Not sure what the real ping-pong tastes like. I said as I was reading, "SWIRE's fox is actually an elf shifter who has grafted a tomato as thanks for the food offerings. " 
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Posted: 8/19/2021 6:03:47 PM EDT
[#15]
FWIW, honey bees will get cleaned off after they return to the hive. Some pollinators though, such as mason bees, don't.
IIRC though, honey bees won't "do" tomatoes and peppers, as those are "tropical" plants, and bees didn't evolve with them, so they don't consider them? |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 7:37:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By rcav8r: FWIW, honey bees will get cleaned off after they return to the hive. Some pollinators though, such as mason bees, don't. IIRC though, honey bees won't "do" tomatoes and peppers, as those are "tropical" plants, and bees didn't evolve with them, so they don't consider them? I've also been told that honeybees do not work tomatoes. However, lots of little native pollinators out there. Been a dry year down here, and nectar has been slim. Don't know if that's true further north in KY. Insects are like anything else....they sometimes have to take what they can get. ETA: Even as I hit submit, I realized that....it might have been LAST year's season that affected this plant. Hell, I dunno. But it's incredibly interesting. Wish I was still in school so I could pick the brains of some hort professors.  (no, really I don't want to do that again. Spent too many years working hard and my small brain is full and tired) |
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Posted: 8/19/2021 9:08:10 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: ETA: Even as I hit submit, I realized that....it might have been LAST year's season that affected this plant. I've collected seeds from that plant this year. I'll start them soon and see if I can get some tomatoes before the frost hits. |
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Posted: 8/20/2021 10:32:40 PM EDT
[#18]
Had another tree come down. This was another one of the chinese invasive trees. Oddly this one didn't crack but just fell over by pulling some roots out of the ground. We have had rain almost every day or every other day for the last 2 weeks. It didn't fall on my vehicle, that is just where I stopped when pulling into the driveway.
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Posted: 8/24/2021 2:54:27 PM EDT
[#19]
Did the otters stick around or were they just passing through?
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Posted: 8/24/2021 3:37:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: Had another tree come down. This was another one of the chinese invasive trees. Oddly this one didn't crack but just fell over by pulling some roots out of the ground. We have had rain almost every day or every other day for the last 2 weeks. It didn't fall on my vehicle, that is just where I stopped when pulling into the driveway. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/china_tree_JPG-2060188.jpg They are weak trees all around. But I am surprised it fell without cracking open. ETA: Send some of that rain this way, will ya? We had a good rain last week, but really need more. |
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Posted: 8/25/2021 9:23:23 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kill-9: Did the otters stick around or were they just passing through? I've never seen them before so I assume they were just passing through. The mom seemed to have an idea where she was going. |
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Posted: 8/25/2021 9:25:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SWIRE]
[#22]
I still have a groundhog problem. This is the type of behavior that gets them put on the removal list. It is one thing if they took one one every once in awhile; however, their behavior is to chew a new one open every day or a couple times a day. Pretty much every tomato closer than 18" to the ground has been ruined.
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Posted: 8/25/2021 10:03:29 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: I still have a groundhog problem. This is the type of behavior that gets them put on the removal list. It is one thing if they took one one every once in awhile; however, their behavior is to chew a new one open every day or a couple times a day. Pretty much every tomato closer than 18" to the ground has been ruined. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/groundhog_problem3_JPG-2066208.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/groundhog_problem_JPG-2066178.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/groundhog_problem2_JPG-2066192.jpg Ah, dammit. I love groundhogs but they are a pita sometimes. Fencing them out is the only option I know of. |
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Posted: 8/25/2021 10:39:41 PM EDT
[#24]
 https://www.premier1supplies.com/garden_wildlife/fencing.php?fence_id=34 Plus a stout charger |
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Posted: 8/25/2021 11:21:22 PM EDT
[#25]
The live trap worked the other year, five of them walked into it while it was set but had no bait in it. These two (or more) are a bit smarter. I need to remove their food source and replace it with bait in the trap. The backhoe does a great job at getting rid of burrows when I can find them or get to them. Right now they have one under the neighbors garage and one under my shed.
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Posted: 8/25/2021 11:31:09 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kallnojoy: https://www.premier1supplies.com/media/13813.jpg https://www.premier1supplies.com/garden_wildlife/fencing.php?fence_id=34 Plus a stout charger I put a chicken wire fence up the other year. They figured out how to crawl under it. Fencing in sweet corn you will definitely need a charger to keep the raccoons out of it. I'm not even going to try to grow it as the raccoons are thick as the zombies in World War Z. The corn feeder is about 20 feet away from where I would grow sweet corn. There are 6 raccoons in this picture but I've seen as many as 12 there with some climbing the poles to spin the feeder.  |
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Posted: 8/25/2021 11:39:41 PM EDT
[#27]
The fox is still around. He doesn't bother any of the animals not even the cats. He is pretty much afraid of every other animal and keeps his distance.
The picture quality is poor because it is night and coming from a trail camera about 30 feet away instead of taking the picture myself with a camera or cellphone.    |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 1:37:01 AM EDT
[#28]
He looks healthy!
Glad to see. 
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Posted: 8/26/2021 7:46:33 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Buckshot4U]
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Ah, dammit. Fixed it for you. Not prairie dogs, but the same sentiment applies:  Tremors - Prairie dogs |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 7:49:07 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kallnojoy: https://www.premier1supplies.com/media/13813.jpg https://www.premier1supplies.com/garden_wildlife/fencing.php?fence_id=34 Plus a stout charger Can you IM the contact info for your fencing crew? |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 8:01:42 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Buckshot4U: Fixed it for you. Not prairie dogs, but the same sentiment applies:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZFw0qwk4qwQuote HistoryOriginally Posted By Buckshot4U: Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Ah, dammit. Fixed it for you. Not prairie dogs, but the same sentiment applies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZFw0qwk4qwThat is my general view on them given the damage they have caused. However, I'm in town so that option is not allowed. It has gotten to the point where I would add tannerite into the mix just to make sure. |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 9:06:32 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Buckshot4U: Can you IM the contact info for your fencing crew? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Buckshot4U: Originally Posted By kallnojoy: https://www.premier1supplies.com/media/13813.jpg https://www.premier1supplies.com/garden_wildlife/fencing.php?fence_id=34 Plus a stout charger Can you IM the contact info for your fencing crew?  |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 11:18:28 AM EDT
[#33]
Was in Georgetown yesterday. Saw a local newspaper that that the city council voted unanimously to allow outhouses to be constructed in the city.
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Posted: 8/26/2021 11:31:50 AM EDT
[Last Edit: SWIRE]
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: Was in Georgetown yesterday. Saw a local newspaper that that the city council voted unanimously to allow outhouses to be constructed in the city. I stopped getting the paper awhile back, it is a liberal rag that doesn't publish any useful information. Our mayor and city council lack intelligence and promote every social agenda possible. We had a few good members on the city council, however, all but 1 lost their seat least year. One of the people that did win promoted herself as a "single stay at home mom that knows nothing about politics or running a city" and she won. A single stay at home mother means she doesn't has a job and lives off the government...and now she is the government.  The county turned red back in 2018, has 3 solid Republican State Reps that represent it and our state Senator is part of the Republican leadership. Yet for some reason they have all abandoned the city level politics and let the liberal socialist have almost complete control. The city council and mayor are slowly killing off everything that has attracted people to this city. The other year the mayor wanted a $5 monthly tax per household " to fund law enforcement". The proposal he submitted put the money into the general fund with no mention of law enforcement. Two years later that $5 monthly tax is now a $7 monthly tax "for law enforcement" but still is not ear marked for anything law enforcement related. |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 3:29:03 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: I stopped getting the paper awhile back, it is a liberal rag that doesn't publish any useful information. Our mayor and city council lack intelligence and promote every social agenda possible. We had a few good members on the city council, however, all but 1 lost their seat least year. One of the people that did win promoted herself as a "single stay at home mom that knows nothing about politics or running a city" and she won. A single stay at home mother means she doesn't has a job and lives off the government...and now she is the government. The county turned red back in 2018, has 3 solid Republican State Reps that represent it and our state Senator is part of the Republican leadership. Yet for some reason they have all abandoned the city level politics and let the liberal socialist have almost complete control. The city council and mayor are slowly killing off everything that has attracted people to this city. The other year the mayor wanted a $5 monthly tax per household " to fund law enforcement". The proposal he submitted put the money into the general fund with no mention of law enforcement. Two years later that $5 monthly tax is now a $7 monthly tax "for law enforcement" but still is not ear marked for anything law enforcement related. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: Originally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: Was in Georgetown yesterday. Saw a local newspaper that that the city council voted unanimously to allow outhouses to be constructed in the city. I stopped getting the paper awhile back, it is a liberal rag that doesn't publish any useful information. Our mayor and city council lack intelligence and promote every social agenda possible. We had a few good members on the city council, however, all but 1 lost their seat least year. One of the people that did win promoted herself as a "single stay at home mom that knows nothing about politics or running a city" and she won. A single stay at home mother means she doesn't has a job and lives off the government...and now she is the government. The county turned red back in 2018, has 3 solid Republican State Reps that represent it and our state Senator is part of the Republican leadership. Yet for some reason they have all abandoned the city level politics and let the liberal socialist have almost complete control. The city council and mayor are slowly killing off everything that has attracted people to this city. The other year the mayor wanted a $5 monthly tax per household " to fund law enforcement". The proposal he submitted put the money into the general fund with no mention of law enforcement. Two years later that $5 monthly tax is now a $7 monthly tax "for law enforcement" but still is not ear marked for anything law enforcement related. I just wanted to help you dig an outhouse. |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 7:36:53 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: Was in Georgetown yesterday. Saw a local newspaper that that the city council voted unanimously to allow outhouses to be constructed in the city. 
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Posted: 8/26/2021 7:38:55 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: I just wanted to help you dig an outhouse. I have seen some relatively fancy ones! Metal around the inside and everything...in case you need to hose it down.....in case.....well....Taco Bell happens.  |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 10:58:12 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SWIRE]
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: I just wanted to help you dig an outhouse. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: Originally Posted By SWIRE: Originally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: Was in Georgetown yesterday. Saw a local newspaper that that the city council voted unanimously to allow outhouses to be constructed in the city. I stopped getting the paper awhile back, it is a liberal rag that doesn't publish any useful information. Our mayor and city council lack intelligence and promote every social agenda possible. We had a few good members on the city council, however, all but 1 lost their seat least year. One of the people that did win promoted herself as a "single stay at home mom that knows nothing about politics or running a city" and she won. A single stay at home mother means she doesn't has a job and lives off the government...and now she is the government. The county turned red back in 2018, has 3 solid Republican State Reps that represent it and our state Senator is part of the Republican leadership. Yet for some reason they have all abandoned the city level politics and let the liberal socialist have almost complete control. The city council and mayor are slowly killing off everything that has attracted people to this city. The other year the mayor wanted a $5 monthly tax per household " to fund law enforcement". The proposal he submitted put the money into the general fund with no mention of law enforcement. Two years later that $5 monthly tax is now a $7 monthly tax "for law enforcement" but still is not ear marked for anything law enforcement related. I just wanted to help you dig an outhouse. We can set something up. The backyard is going to be used for an over night birthday party for a daughter and my wife planned on renting a porta-potty to have something close for them. When rent when something can't be built. The backhoe will make quick of digging the hole. Building something nice is what would take time. Pretty sure that idea won't fly with the wife and teenage girls though. ETA: I told her about the city council approving it and that we could build an outhouse instead of renting a porta-potty. She said ok...with a sarcastic tone and a hand wave. Pretty sure that means its a go!  I followed by saying "arfcom said they would" and then she said "no, we aren't doing that". I tried to play dumb and said "well if they help it will be easier on me to build" as if she was rejecting Arfcom help but that tactic didn't fly either and she clarified "no outhouse". ETA: on a different aspect, I was given the suspected location of an earlier outhouse on the property and I do have a metal detector. If anyone is interested in helping excavate the area and run the detector let me know. Supposedly the outhouses were where artifacts were disposed of and change would fall out. Could be some 200 year old coins in the area. |
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Posted: 8/26/2021 11:55:41 PM EDT
[#39]
Outhouse archeology is indeed a thing.
That's why if you build one, make it brick lined or something so your descendants can find your rifles and ammo you stashed there before they grabbed you for the gulag.
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Posted: 8/27/2021 10:02:16 AM EDT
[#40]
As long as the poo is really old. I’m in.
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Posted: 8/29/2021 10:36:23 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: As long as the poo is really old. I’m in. Yep. This. No seriously.... @SWIRE Your wife doesn't want you to have an outhouse???? It's historically correct!
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:13:40 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Yep. This. No seriously.... @SWIRE Your wife doesn't want you to have an outhouse???? It's historically correct! Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Originally Posted By Miles_Urbanus: As long as the poo is really old. I'm in. Yep. This. No seriously.... @SWIRE Your wife doesn't want you to have an outhouse???? It's historically correct! I could build one but it would never get used. When she was young they had an outhouse at the house she lived in. She likes having nicer things now. |
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:23:45 PM EDT
[#43]
I started to clean up the china tree that had fallen the previous week and then decided to cut down 5 more of them handing over the driveway.
These were smaller, maybe 30 feet tall. There is a least a dozen left they are much bigger, 45-50 feet.     |
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:29:07 PM EDT
[#44]
Also made some progress on the retaining wall. I finished putting gravel around the drain tile and getting it wrapped in filter fabric. The drain tile can be seen in the bottom right. Eventually that will connect to leach lines. Then I started backing filling the gravel. I made further progress on the wall but it was dark when I quit and I didn't get a picture. I'm building up the corner first at each row requires a custom cut block and a block that gets glued in place. I'm maintaining the running bond and that takes longer when positioning and aligning blocks.
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:43:06 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: I could build one but it would never get used. When she was young they had an outhouse at the house she lived in. She likes having nicer things now. Until I was 10, we had no indoor bathroom. I'm like her. I like nicer things now. Wouldn't want that to be my only option on a long-term basis. BUT....in a pinch, I could use an outhouse. Just sayin. |
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:44:25 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: I started to clean up the china tree that had fallen the previous week and then decided to cut down 5 more of them handing over the driveway. These were smaller, maybe 30 feet tall. There is a least a dozen left they are much bigger, 45-50 feet. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tree_work3_JPG-2071501.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tree_work2_JPG-2071502.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tree_work1_JPG-2071503.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/680/tree_work4_JPG-2071500.jpg Kill those stumps. That species is noxious. |
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:53:42 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Kill those stumps. That species is noxious. I left them tall so I can pull them out with my tractor. Next spring is going to be a nightmare with the million seedpods that fell into the yard. There is 60 foot version of that tree right next to the area the old outhouse was supposed to be. When I take that tree down is when I plan to excavate that area and see what I can find with my metal detector. |
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Posted: 8/29/2021 11:56:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE: I left them tall so I can pull them out with my tractor. Next spring is going to be a nightmare with the million seedpods that fell into the yard. There is 60 foot version of that tree right next to the area the old outhouse was supposed to be. When I take that tree down is when I plan to excavate that area and see what I can find with my metal detector. You can put pre-emergent herbicide down and (probably) stop those seeds from germinating. It won't hit all of them, and you need to know the timing of the species germination. (But you would likely also maybe hit your crabgrass. )Lemme do some looking. Mowing will stop them, maybe. But if they never germinate, or get whacked as soon as they do, you will be better off. ETA: I would still use a stump killer on those stumps. Because if you don't get them pulled out this fall, they're going to sprout. |
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Posted: 8/30/2021 10:39:52 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: You can put pre-emergent herbicide down and (probably) stop those seeds from germinating. It won't hit all of them, and you need to know the timing of the species germination. (But you would likely also maybe hit your crabgrass. )Lemme do some looking. Mowing will stop them, maybe. But if they never germinate, or get whacked as soon as they do, you will be better off. ETA: I would still use a stump killer on those stumps. Because if you don't get them pulled out this fall, they're going to sprout. I cut one of those trees down last year and left the stump about 6 feet high, as it is holding up part of a wood pile. It has grown a 6 foot shoot out of it this year. I'm ok with it at this point as it will be easy to cut down and adds a privacy screen at the moment. That whole area where the stumps are needs everything cut down. Then I have smaller ornamental type trees that I will plant there. No telling when I will get around to that. The yard always has those trees growing in it, the whole area around the house actually. Mowing them takes care of them and I pull the others out by hand. Do you know if I can hit those stumps with a heavy dose of triclopyr at that will kill them off? That is the strongest woody plant herbicide that I have. |
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Posted: 8/30/2021 10:59:42 AM EDT
[#50]
Updated pictures of retaining wall. The weather from the hurricane is hitting today and tomorrow, supposed to dump about 3 inches of rain on us. The ground was finally just starting to dry out from the previous rains. Working on the wall isn't possible until things dry out again, so hopefully we don't get 3".
I'm building up the corner first as it is time consuming. To weave the blocks together each row has one full block that has to be glued in place and then a custom cut block for the other wall. To keep the running bond going I have to mark the center of 2 different blocks, get those aligned, pinned, and then add 2 more blocks next to them so they don't move if they are bumped. Then I come back and align the full block that will be glued in place, tip it up to add the glue, then place, realign and level it. After that is when I can measure the space for the block that I need to cut.  The red lines are on the bottom of the blocks that I had to cut. The corner seam isn't as clean as I would like it but there is no easy way to way match up the rough cut faces.  I've made a lot of progress in one corner but there is still a lot of work left on the wall. The taller the wall gets the easier it is to work on.  |
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