Enjoying The Night Sky

28 February, 2012 Reply
Good telescope for beginners

Here's a telescope that just right for the younger stargazer.

Warmer weather is going to be upon us sooner than we think. Already the days are getting longer. Just this morning the sun was rising when I woke up, something it wasn’t doing just a week ago.

During the fine spring days we’re sure to be out working in our gardens, but it’s also an excellent time to enjoy another aspect of the outdoors, outer space. When the weather is cool there are few heat waves rising from the surface of the planet , so observing the night sky is much clearer. Only the hardiest stargazer is out with their Telescope during the cold winter months. However, once the weather starts to warm up you’ll find groups inviting you out to observe and learn all about stargazing and Telescopes .

There are different kinds of telescopes to learn about, what they’ll do and what features you’d like to have is important. Do you want to be able to use the telescope to look at distant objects right here on Earth; are you more interested in seeing our solar system; or are you keen on finding what’s lurking in deep space? For each of these types of viewing there are different telescopes.

Most of us are only familiar with refractor telescopes . Those are the long skinny ones we see in movies. Other styles of telescopes use mirrors, some with refractors, too, that help to focus the image in a much shorter body.

You might want to go to a star gazing gathering and have a look at all the different styles and sizes telescopes come in. They have all different prices, as well. Of course the more you pay the better the quality, but there are less expensive “beginner” models that do a good job. It’s good to talk to a lot of stargazers about their experiences, as many started with an entry model scope and can help you get started with the best bang for your buck.

Then just make up a thermos of hot cocoa, bring a big thick blanket, wrap up in your winter parka and cap, and venture out into the dark night of your own backyard.

One note, though, if you live in the city you may want to take a drive out into the country for better viewing. The light from the city makes seeing all that’s in the sky impossible. I remember being in Alaska out in the middle of nowhere, camping on a cold late summer evening (yes, in August it was already starting to freeze at night). I woke up in the middle of the night, after the fire had died, and looked out at a fairyland of light. There was almost not a spot in the sky that didn’t have a star in it! There was no light pollution and I could see the sky as it really is. Too bad I didn’t have a telescope with me then!

Pruning

27 February, 2012 Reply

Just a couple days ago I got an email from one of the suppliers I use and they had a video on how to prune your grape vines. After watching the video I realized that I had really messed up with my vines and it would probably take a couple years to get them producing well.

I have a big problem with pruning. I always feel that if the plant has gone to all the work to grow, then who am I to hack them back and try to control them. I’m having to get over this now that we’re putting in some permaculture plantings (those that produce year after year). My attempts are small so far, a few berry bushes, fruit trees, and grapes. However, understanding that pruning is sometimes necessary for the plant to be its most productive is a challenge for me.

When we planted our fruit trees, we decided to plant them intensively. That means they are planted only four feet apart, instead of the usual 20. This means that we have to very regular with our feedings, since there’ll be a lot of roots competing for the same nutrients. The bigger problem for me is that you have to be brutal in your pruning.

Earlier this spring I gathered my resolve and my loppers and went and wacked away at the fruit trees. Making them no taller than I can reach comfortably and no wider than their neighbor will be. It was hard, especially the plum tree that had grown a big strong leader this last season. It was probably about 15 feet tall and I had to cut it back to about 8 feet. To see a big chunk of my tree fall to the ground was agony.

However, they’re still there and the buds are swelling. The way I have to look at it is that I’ve trimmed their hair. Although technically getting your hair trimmed doesn’t make it grow faster, it seems that way because it looks better. So, technically the trimming doesn’t make my tree look better, but it does make it produce better. Sort of the other side of the coin from hair.

Anyway, now is the time to trim your grape vines and fruit trees. I’ve given a link up above for the grape vines, but if you don’t know how to prune a plant that needs it, do a search online. You’ll find what you need there.

I’d love to hear about some of you who have rehabilitated vines and fruit trees that were not taken care of properly and had them produce well. Please leave a comment below if you care to share your story.

Greenhouse Update

23 February, 2012 Reply

Finally got to do some more work on the foundation for the greenhouse. Between the weather and schedule conflicts we’ve not worked on it in over a week. I needed it up and functional two weeks ago and it looks like it will be another week or more before it gets completed.

I said I’d always be honest so here’s the honest truth about getting the greenhouse up. Cold weather, high winds, work conflicts, and suddenly being called on to help my husband with a project all kept me indoors.

Second thing is that I need to purchase some lumber in order to be able to build this puppy. I messed up last week and didn’t get to our local lumberyard early enough on Friday to pick up the wood. Went today to buy it and low and behold they store their pressure treated lumber uncovered outside. I asked the guy how long it would be before I could paint it and he said more than a week. I don’t want to wait more than a week before I can even start on this structure.

So, now I have to make a special trip in to town to pick it up at a big box store. If I’d known I couldn’t buy it locally I would have done that yesterday when I was in town, argh!

So, some circumstances out of my control and some within my control, but which I didn’t handle well have cause the greenhouse to be delayed by probably another week.

At least today the weather was warm, winds mild and my husband felt like helping to pound the foundation into place. We got a lot done. I’m taking pictures and will show you what’s going on shortly when it look a little less like just a pile of dirt and more like a foundation and growing area.

Some people would have more done, because they would not mind the weather or they would have more time, etc., but truth is we’re busy right now with several other projects and things have to be prioritized and unfortunately even on several nice days, we had other commitments that had to be dealt with.

It will get done, just may not in time for this years seeds, yet again…

Deciding On New “Green” Windows

21 February, 2012 Reply
Beautiful old home

You can add glazing to your historical home without ruining its curb appeal.

Today houses are built with double glazed windows standard. However, if you live in an older home, especially one of historic significance, you may still have single pane windows. As today’s energy costs rise, refitting your house with more efficient windows may be on your list of to-dos.

You may be bemoaning the fact that you have beautiful old glass in you current windows, and the look of metal or vinyl windows just doesn’t get you excited. If that’s the case you’ll be glad to know that double glazing can be added to most existing windows, this is done by inserting a second window inside or outside the existing window. Of course if you have beautiful old lead or art deco glass windows you’ll want to put the glazing on the inside, so the curb appeal isn’t altered.

Double glazing cost can be recouped in the saving you’ll make on your fuel bill, which is estimated to be around 20 percent. That means the windows will pay for themselves rather quickly. You’ll be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer and still save money.

There are other hidden savings, too. Double glazing protects your furniture and curtains from UV light, making them last longer. The biggest savings is not necessarily monetary, but in the fact that your CO2 footprint is positively impacted by installing glazed windows. I saw one statistic that stated that if all the houses in the UK installed double glazed windows, they could save the equivalent of 740,000 households’ CO2 emissions. Now that’s a ton of footprints! They also cut down on the amount of noise that infiltrates your house. If you live out in the country that may not be a concern, but city dwellers will like this perk. Click here to learn more.

So, out with the old and in with the new. You’ll save money, have a quieter home, and help green the planet all with one choice.

Ants Versus Termites

19 February, 2012 Reply

As spring comes up on us our not so friendly visitors could make their presence known. March is typically the time of year here in the mid-Atlantic that you’ll see swarms of termites or carpenter ants.

Termites can damage your home.

Don't let termites or other wood eating pests destroy your "castle."

It pays to know what you’ve got on your hands and how to deal with it. In doing a little research I found that there are several types of carpenter ants, only one of which can actually do damage to your home. There are pictures online of the various pests that can do damage to your home, so taking a few minutes to find out what you’re actually seeing is worth the time. The article also stated that if you see swarms outside the house it is nothing to be alarmed about. However, if you see swarms in your home it may be time for a pest control service to take a look.

I also did some research to see what natural termite control was available and was surprised to find almost nothing on it. The little I did find needed to be used on the wood before it was used. I didn’t see anything that could help a homeowner who has an infestation in the finished part of their home.

Here’s a list  5 things you can do to help protect your home:

  1. Repair plumbing leaks, including leaky faucets, air conditioning units and water pipes promptly.
  2. Keep gutters clear and have them divert water away from your home’s foundation.
  3. Do not store wood items in crawl space or directly next to your home.
  4. Trim bushes and trees away from home’s foundation.
  5. Repair or replace damaged siding and roof shingles to prevent leaks and easy termite entry.
  6. Having your home inspected regularly is probably a good idea, also.

More For Less

17 February, 2012 Reply
Gorilla tactics to get sales

Nomorerack doesn't need gimmicks for their great sales.

One of the keys to my redecorating and remodeling is making it affordable. I recently walked into an interior design store and looked around a bit. Then a salesperson approached me. I told them that I was working on my bedroom and was stuck on what to do with the walls and could they help me with that. She said sure, that they did complete as well as partial designs. I then asked her how much it would cost. I had to stop myself from letting my jaw drop when she told me it would be $150 an hour for the consultation!

Well, I’ll tell you, you can do a lot better than that. If you happen to be willing to look a little while you might be able to redo the whole room with deals like those you can get on nomorerack.com for no more than the consultation fee!

Just on today’s listing there was an electric fireplace insert that could be used in a den or living room; a 2-pack of wooden solar LED lights for your garden; as well as, a number of products for your kitchen and office, to replace or upgrade what you already have.

Seems nomorerack is able to offer substantial savings of up to 90% off, because of deals they make for overstock, cancelled orders, and closeouts. The only drawbacks are, you never know what they’re going to have on sale, and it’s on the site for just one day, until it sells out. So, you need to have all your measurements and desires listed out where you can quickly see if the product is going to fit the bill or it could be gone when you go back. As a matter-of-fact, while I was on the site one item sold out right before my eyes.

However, if you are willing to take a little time and bargain hunt you can do what we did. We remodeled the entire living area (living/dining/kitchen/family room), our two offices, and carpeted two more rooms, for less than the average kitchen remodel price! I might have even saved more if I’d known about nomorerack then.

Being Comfy In Your Home Office

16 February, 2012 Reply

Right now I’m in the middle of a dilemma. My work area in my in-home office is downright uncomfortable. I started to notice that my back and neck pain was worse when I had a long day at my computer. Of course some of that is caused by the lack of movement when you’re sitting still for long periods, but I learned a lot when I worked for a physical therapy office about how your equipment can cause problems.

Comfortable wrist rest

If you're getting calluses on the heel of your hand a wrist rest can help.

I’ve checked to make sure I’ve got everything set up ergonomically correct, so now I have to look at the equipment itself. Lately I’ve been having pain on the heel of my hand and wrists where they rest on the table. In looking for a solution I ran across some sheepskin products that look like they might be helpful. I’ve tried the gel filled wrist rests and they are OK. After awhile, though, the fabric covers on them usually start to irritate my skin. The sheepskin rest looks like it wouldn’t have that problem.

The other thing is that my chair is uncomfortable. I even stole the office chair from my husband’s office trying to find something that was comfy. It’s better, but after sitting for extended periods I still have tired butt (TB) and my back is not comfortable from the improperly curved backrest. A sheepskin seat pad might be the answer for TB, but in all honesty I think I need an entirely different seating arrangement to take care of the uncomfortable backrest.

If your office is your car you might want to consider sheepskin seat covers to make all those hours behind the wheel more comfortable.

Planning Your Vegetable Gardens

13 February, 2012 Reply
Garden Area Before Preparing Soil

This is what the garden area looked like before we started any work.

This year I’m trying to be more organized about my planting. You see, there are certain vegetables that you don’t want to plant in the same place every year, because of soil born disease and pests. The most prominent of these are: tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.

Last year I experienced early blight with my tomatoes. So, this year I want to be sure to plant them in a different location, so that if any of the blight bacteria lived in the soil over the winter I won’t have to deal with it again this year.

So, when planning a garden you need to know what soil born pests and diseases are common in your area. Of course, as I’ve said many, many times, the best place to get this information is your local extension office.

New Gardens Year 2

Here's a shot of the aded garden area in the first year.

Plant rotation is important for other reasons. Certain plants will be heavy feeders on particular nutrients. If you plant them in the same place over and over, then you’ll deplete the soil in that area of that nutrient. Corn for instance is a very heavy feeders, so moving it from one location to another for several years will give you the opportunity to rebuild the fertility of the soil before you plant it there again.

I have one garden I’m going to try and get in before I do any spring planting outside. Last year all my garden space was taken up with spring crops when it was time to put out the summer crops. This year I’m going to start a new location for the spring crops. It’s on the more northerly facing portion of the house, so it will go into shade earlier in the day when the weather starts to warm up. That way I’ll have space for my summer crops, and I won’t have to tear out my spring crops before they are finished producing, like I had to last year. Also, I’m hoping to extend my spring season some by keeping them cooler as the weather warms up.

You need a three-year crop rotation chart, which is what I’m going to work on this year. Now that my garden space is stabilizing I’ll be better able to do that.  Each year I was adding a lot of new space so it was hard to make up any charts. I have three more gardens I want to put in the area where I plant vegetables. I don’t think I’ll get them in for this planting season, but I can show them in my chart and add them in for next year. Hopefully I’ll get them in this year, so that by fall or at least next spring I’ll be able to use them.

So, as your little seedlings are starting to sprout (for early spring crops) you can be planning your gardens for the rest of the season. Take the time to do up a three year rotation to ensure you’ll have healthy, heavily producing plants for optimum harvest and the best tasting, most nutritious produce around.

Cold Weather Blues

9 February, 2012 Reply
Soon I'll have little sprouts

Soon I'll have my first little sprouts of 2012!

I was all set to finish getting the foundation for the greenhouse finished this weekend. Now they’re forecasting highs to be in the low 40s. That means that until around three in the afternoon it is probably going to be less than 40 degrees outside. I’m pretty hardy, but that sounds like not a lot of fun, so I’ve decided to move my gardening work inside this weekend.

This week I received my seeds for this season. I still have a pretty good stash from last year, so only needed to buy a few seeds. However, one of those was broccoli. I was sure it was going to get here too late to start. I was pleasantly surprised when both my seed orders arrived within a few days of each other, and only about a week since I sent them in online.

I’ve going to spend my gardening time this weekend planting the very early cole crop seeds inside. They won’t need sun until they sprout and that will take a week to 10 days. By then, hopefully we’ll have a couple more warm days and can get the foundation done and the rest of the wood painted.

I’ll be spending some time doing a video project this weekend. Hopefully on Sunday I’ll be able to finish taping the construction of my reading nook and can get that video up next week!

Always have alternate plans when considering outdoor work during unstable weather periods (is the weather ever stable!?).

Good Deeds in Spring

6 February, 2012 Reply

Spring cleaning and helping your neighbor can go a long way to making a great weekend.

Thanks to Roman May

The beautiful spring weather was more than welcome after all the cold, dreary weather we have had this winter. And it couldn’t have been timed better for what we ended up doing this weekend. Cleaning out our house and helping our neighbors get moved into their house. While outside working in the garage, my husband saw the U-haul truck pull up in the house next door. He saw several people buzzing around the house and went over to introduce himself. We saw that the house was under contract and hoped that we would have the opportunity to meet our new neighbors soon. Once he met them, he asked if they would like a hand and started hauling boxes into their house. I walked over after a little while and met the woman. She had some questions about the energy providers so I brought her over to our house and let her get on our computer. I told her she should look at Shopelectricityratestexas.com/ because that’s what we did. Once she got that figured out, we visited for a few minutes, then ordered pizza for everyone to take a much needed break.

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