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version January 15, 2001
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April 10 Number Four Almanac
There was that brief Spring three weeks ago. I worked outside. I raked
leaves. I worked in my garage cleaning and making work benches. I started
all sorts of little projects. I built garden fences. I was so excited
about the imminent garden. Then, about two weeks ago it started to snow.
It snowed, in all, 11 days and nights. Every morning and evening there was
one to six inches of new fresh powder. Sure I have been skiing but it has
been too cold to work on little projects out in the shop. I have lost all
hope about planting seeds. One day in the middle of this little winter,
I was talking to a neighbor, about not being able to work in my shop. "All
you need" he says "is one of those little propane or kerosene heaters."
"I know, All I have is a little electric heater. It is just not big enough,"
I agreed. Then walking home, I was weighing the convenience and cost of
propane, and kerosene. "I have kerosene (in a big tank for the furnace),
all I would have to do is buy a heater." I thought. Then, "well I have propane
too, it is attached to my barbecue grill." Then I had one of those wicked
back woods thoughts, "how IS a barbecue grill different from a space heater,
really?"
Two disclaimers, do not EVER operate a gas grill indoors, especially not
in a wholly wooden structure, and Just so you know I didn't buy a gas grill
in the first place. It came with the house or I wouldn't own it at all.
Mikey, oh Miquih How does your garden grow?
Right now, in pots and trays. My indoor garden has started to overflow on
all flat surfaces. Every year I get a little better at starting seeds ahead.
The most exciting thing this year is peat pods. I'm
told that the use of peat had started to endanger the peat bogs of
the world, and there is some alternative, like walnut shells or something,
but I couldn't find that. And these are so cool. Just add water to the little
discs on the left and wait. Soon you have little 1-1/2 tall pod pots in
which for to plant your seeds, on the right.
So far, I have started watermelon, two kinds
of tomatoes, garlic chives, sweet and lemon basil, red peppers, eggplant,
cosmos and nasturtiums. I also am experimenting with starting roses from
seed. I found a couple of rose hips in a neighboring camp's garden and decided
to try. As many rose hybrids as there are, my chances are nearly nil, that
the seeds are viable, and less that I will be able to get them to grow.
It is all about making my own houseplants from the materials at hand. Here
is my three week old grass. I am waiting for my ginger root to put up sprouts.
I was getting impatient so I dug them up. The dirt smells strongly of ginger,
and the roots are putting off fresh pods. Very exciting.
I haven't been writing much about the puppies. They are well. I'm thinking
a lot about their upcoming first birthday, May 1. I don't know what they
would like. Here we are on a sleepy afternoon. This is 6 PM. I am still in
my pajamas after a full day of listing items on ebay. How Exhausting!
The puppies aren't thinking about their first birthday. They play in the
yard a lot. They play with sticks, firewood, toys they have found or stolen.
One of their favorites is a child's doll that they have now ripped limb
from limb. Above is a toy. Sadly this mole could not stand the puppies brand
of fun for long. It is sad that this cute little mole is dead, but I like
that the puppies meet the world on their own terms. Hope and Star had hours
of fun digging this little guy out of the snow, then letting him burrow
back in. They were actually afraid of it.
These icicles are the product of eleven days of snow. Three weeks ago I
dug the rain barrel out of the snow bank. The water off the roof, filled the
barrel and melted the ice in it. Now it is all frozen again.
Well, that is what I have been up to, partly. I am
going back out to the shop which is strangely smoky and smells a lot like
grease and hamburgers. I can't say why.
Love,
MiXiM
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