Tuesday & Wednesday AM doings in Day to day life from a woman that turned 60 in Oct 2014 and who lives on a farm and Retired on January 2, 2016. I plan to do more sewing, work outside in the yard and just enjoy my retirement.

Two of the three Clematis are starting to bloom. With the rain we’ve received the opening of buds should be lively. I may have accidently cut down the 3d one as poison oak likes the same tree. Almost did it a couple of years ago but since it climbs the tree and the flowers bloom in among the tree limbs and leaves, sometimes they surprise me. The other two Clematis are planted next to and climb cedar posts.

I live on a rural or dirt road and my mail is delivered Mon-Sat. I notice a couple of weeks ago that the hinged door to the mailbox had rusted away on one side and knew it just a matter of time (and not much time) until I would be replacing the old mailbox with a new one. I mentioned it to my dad a couple of weeks ago and last week he brought down a mail box and metal post welded to a tire wheel for me. Ugh. I t would have been easier (I think) just just take off the old mailbox and replace with a new one, as the post it was attached to is still in great condition. My idea was to have Dude help me set the new one (actually used) when he came down, but he didn’t come down. Yesterday evening when I got home and checked the mailbox, the other side of the hinge was just barely hanging on and it made it difficult to shut securely. So to finally get to the point, mid morning I gathered up my hoe, a shovel, some clipper cutters and my determination and began the task of picking out a spot for this wheeled mailbox. The wheel is laid flat and the metal post is welded to it. The mailbox part is welded to something else which has the white mailbox attached. I had bought letters and numbers to put my information on the side and got that done a few days ago. So, anyway, I found a spot I thought would work, but it didn’t so moved down a bit and started digging. And digging. And using the hoe to loosen the dirt and rock and shoveling. Used the big clippers to get the poison oak chopped away and the grass and weeds. This “spot” is heaped up cause when they grade the roads, the rocks and dirt are pushed to the side. Thus, lots of shoveling and digging and sweating to get the hole big enough to accommodate the wheel laying down, and deep enough to meet the requirements of the postal rules. It took me awhile, but I have my replacement in its new place along the correct side of the gravel road. The mailman happened to come by as I was trying to get a large rock out of the hole and I didn’t have mail today but stopped him to ask if the spot was ok and to ask about the height. He told me a little higher than the old one would work better for him as it was easier to reach up than to reach down to mail in my box. I thanked him and did a little PTL as by this time, I was hot and sweat was running into my eyes and down places, sweat just should go. I still had to dig deeper and bring it to the front, but finally I put it in the hole and it was perfect!! I then proceeded to put the dirt and rock back on the metal wheel and we’ve been getting rain for a couple of hours now, so it will be “set”. No concrete needed as we grow rocks here. ;)
The concerning part of the “new” box is that it is white whereas the old one is green. Not a problem in some areas, however, youngins seem to get their jollies a few times during the year, by knocking the crap out of people’s mailboxes with a bat or something that can cause the mailbox to be removed or crushed in to where i has to be beat back out to resemble said mailbox or replace. White stands out against the foliage more than the green does, so time will tell. The green one had a couple of attempts but survived.

Then the storm came. Temperature started dropping and the winds came in and I heard things being blown outside. I made quick work of getting all my baby plants, seed pots, and empty pots in a more protected area. Some are in the garage and then some are on the porch up close to the house. It did come a hard hard rain ad now it seems to be raining softly. I believe predictions for rain go through the next two days.

Wednesday morning
I’m in the process of drying sand that I use food dye to color. Ha you might think…Yes, she’s lost her mind you might think. Probably lost it a long time ago but when you can’t find what you’re looking for to use in a craft, then you make it. Right? The sand I’m using is a beach sand (hey seafarer!) that I bought at Lowe’s. Yes. I bought sand. We have creek sand, but noooo, I didn’t want to mess with cleaning it to use. My current craft will be using the colored sand to use in glass to decorate/enhance a succulent planting or plantings. Not anywhere had the colored sand in this area and even though the sand I bought is a bit courser than I would like, I will experiment with it anyway. I started on this dying thing right after J left for work. I measured out 1 cup of sand per container and used food dye in each of the 3 containers. I used yellow, green, and made turquoise and now I’ve got it in a 200 degree oven to dry. I also decided to try another idea I found on line, and have used pink colored chalk for another one. My concern on using the chalk, is that since it IS chalk, that if you’re not very careful watering, then you’ll ruin the pink. The first one I plant up will be a small glass container that will have the planting and then it is set inside a larger glass container and you carefully pour the sand between the two containers to create the look you want. I’m sure you’ve seen these in stores or may have even made your own. If I like the outcome of the food colored dyed sand, then I’ll make some for gifts. I don’t have enough glass containers for everyone, but I can use the colored sand to accent the top of the planting too. I’m excited to see how they all turn out.

It has been raining most of the night. Heard there were some severe storms west of us. I haven’t heard that this area got hit with the severe stuff, just rain and we needed it so badly. All my baby plantings were sheltered during the night but I’ve set them all back outside so they can receive nature’s watering.

Going to refill my coffee cup and check my baking sand. Then I’ll do a few dishes. Not sure what the rest of the day will bring, but it is suppose to clear off and the sun come out this afternoon. If it does, I’ll be planting my clearance bought blue pincushion plants. Lowe’s had them marked down to $1 and I bought the two that were left. AND they are perennials. WooHoo. Think they will go in the front flower bed right in front of the house.

Humming bird feeders (2 right now) are out and the hummers are already fighting and there are only around 4 or 5 hummers right now. I expect many more to eventually come in and I have the feeders so I’m ready.

Take care and God Bless

Last updated April 27, 2016