Sunday, August 14, 2011

August Uglies

August is always an ugly month in the garden.  The perennials start going brown, getting ready for the dormant season.  The annuals die.  My garden, which usually stays green the longest, took a hard hit.  We had some water pooling around the sprinkler valves and Kersey, being a lab and only 14 months old, couldn't help herself.  She played in the water and mud and, in the process, broke the wiring going from the valves to the automatic sprinkler controls.  And I didn't notice.  For quite a long time.  Maybe a week. 
This bay laurel was in a pot so it really suffered.  I transplanted it into the ground.  If it rebounds from my inflicted drought, the frost may kill it this winter.  Fingers crossed.

The strawberries look pretty sad too - and the few remaining beets. 
I spent most of the morning cleaning it all up, pulling out the dead stuff, and making it neat and tidy.  Fortunately, my rhubarb came through just fine as did the tomatoes.  I haven't had any tomato hornworms this year -- I'm wondering if the little brown bats are eating them. 


I noticed a squirrel hole close to the tomato plants, hidden under some bricks and the pumpkin vines.  There was evidence of their thievery all around -- tomato remains.  I took a shovel full of dog poop and dumped it down the hole and then shoved dirt on top.  It hasn't reappeared. 



Brett is doing better today.  He has switched from Rx pain killers to ibuprofen.  I imagine he will be gimpy for awhile - he doesn't bounce too well at 62.  I don't think he'll be riding Flash bareback again.  He can sit a spinning spook in the saddle but he didn't grow up galloping the hills bareback like I did, so his seat just isn't as secure or confident.  

He did enjoy the lemon meringue pie.  I made the meringue by hand with a whisk.  My cookbook said you really should so you can whip it exactly right.  Yeah, sure thing.  My arm about fell off.  It was very pretty meringue but not worth the arm cramps.  Next time I'm using the mixer. 




6 comments:

  1. My sentiments are going to mirror yours. It is so nice to see another quarter horse/TB owner engrossed in dressage. I love being able to take my horse out of the arena without a worry. My horse's brain and personality mask his physical imperfections. I love riding him every single time!

    Thanks for joining my blog!

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  2. So glad Brett is better! I am also glad he won't be riding the same horse bareback again. I was just thinking today how everything at the farm was looking "shabby". Glad to hear I am not the only one. Love the dog poop idea! I have something digging into the chicken coop. Not after chickens. I am afraid to poison - even in the hole. Think I will try poop. : )

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  3. Brett doesn't look like a 62 year old at all. He's hot and likes horses (even if he doesn't bounce). You chose well, even if your arm hurts from whipping up that pie.

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  4. Kersey didn't "break" the wiring, she ate it. Goofy dog.

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  5. Hehe yep meringue is tough doing it by hand. :) We always trade off hehe.

    I'm glad Brett is doing better. Falling off sucks.

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