Monday, February 18, 2008

"got me a pretty, pretty garden, a pretty garden, yes"

with my front yard semi torn up, i finally decided to throw down some seeds for my butterfly/wildflower bed. it's supposed to be nice this week and im really hoping we are done with frost for the year. if not, whats another bad or two of wildflower seeds? buddy one had fun dumping them in the ground and playing with the hose. buddy two was eating dirt, again.

and i finally figured out what to plant in the front part shade bed. a pizza garden of sorts. the full sun is way too hot for tomatoes but the shrubs will protect them from the hottest time of the day. and tomatoes and basil grow well together some im planting regular and thai basil (from seeds i took from a plant i found when taking a walk. i took them from a portion of the plant that had gotten broken and was dried. so it's not like i butchered a random person's plant.) and if i have room, some spinach or other lettuce.

my blueberry bush is in the ground. just need to drive to azle to get the raspberry bushes. and start breaking ground on my garden. im a bit disappointed because the pomegranate i put in the ground didnt sprout last fall. all the baby leaves i saw were weeds. dammit.

also have to return the huge as bag of weed and feed to home depot. i dont have the receipt anymore so im probably just going to get store credit. what a shame. wonder if ill have enough for a roto-tiller.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

FFWPs

or Fucking Fort Worth People.

i stole it from my family who live in northwest indiana and southwest michigan. they have to deal with FIPs - Fucking Illinois People - who like to slum it in New Buffalo and St. Joseph and act like (or have the gall to even say) those towns only exist because they come to spend money there.

anyway. back to my FFWPs. i have this favourite spot i like to drive on the way home that's way high up. and you can look over the lake and the surrounding area. it's beautiful. i would see hawks flying all around. it's on the border of my little town and fort worth. well, fort worth decided to develop on it. there's going to be a 24hour fitness, a movie theater (even though there is already one less than a mile away, but in our town limits) and an industrial park (i smell a strip club.) i talked to a neighbour last week and he said residents closer to the land that's getting all torn up are having major problems with native creatures on their property that are getting pushed out.

i fucking hate fort worth. i drive down jacksboro and camp bowie and there are tons of store fronts and retail space already established they dont need to fuck up every green space squeezing every little tax dollar they can from tarrant county.

cheap thrills

yesterday day i got:
  • a mini cast iron frying pan, perfect for a single egg or grilled sandwich.
  • a toaster oven that was the half price sticker colour of the day
  • a cool workbook for octavian once he gets much older
  • a blueberry baby bush
  • an axe
  • 5 very new looking garbage can lids and a rubbermaid container that i can use as a wheelbarrow from the trash trailer next door
  • someone to come and take out all the plants i cant stand from my front yard
  • someone to give me some wild raspberry cuttings.

i think we are going to do a year moritorium on toys this year. (lets see if i can convince family members to comply - set up a "send the kids to college" fund or something.) my mom sent all the boys's xmas presents and it was like xmas all over again. and with agrippa's birthday coming next month, i just cant justify spending money on yet another thing - though he will be getting a "the king" car because he loves the other "kings" we have. im going to find a kindermusik class for him - i just need to find something agrippa and octavian can do together.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

congratulations...it's a griddle

we took a trip to weatherford this weekend. it was a gorgeous day and a fun drive. towards the end of the day, we went into an antique store and i found a cast iron griddle. and a dutch oven. im in heaven. ive been trying to replace my cheap stainless steel cookware and was giddy when i saw all the cast iron. i havent been very successful at the local thrift stores.

but i was able to finally find a crock pot. sweet!!!

i love tighwad gazette. just flipping through i got and implimented (or will soon) a few ideas

- a friend and i will be dumpster diving when the local college lets out. ive never been so im hoping to get some good stuff from rich, entitled college students with too much stuff.
- there was a letter about a woman who contacted owners of local abandoned properties looking for plants. well, across the street there is an abandoned house with a swing set in the backyard that looks like it's in decent condition. i want to find the owner so i can see about getting it, if it's worth it.
- the business next door left and i talked to the owners and got some pallets - i now have a wood pallet compost bin.
- and just other stuff. i need to own it. im just going to keep looking for it at half-price books. until then, ill keep borrowing it from the library.

and tomorrow im doing a home depot run. i started attacking the stump in the back yard and most of it was rotted but there is still a part thats alive. i need an ax and dirt to fill the hole. i also need to start preparing the dirt for my garden. we started some seeds (the brocolli has already sprouted) but it's still going to be a while until i can put it in the ground.