Mentally prepping for winter

Today was a calm, gorgeous mid 60s, cloudless late and definitely shirt sleeve warmth. Tomorrow is supposed to be 71...15 degrees above normal for late November...

But the weather pendulum swings the other way starting Wednesday. Down into the 40s for highs for at least a week and killing freezes into the mid 20s by early mornings. The chance of precip has faded from slim to nothing. Why did the forecasters just tease us with an 80% chance in a week yesterday to zero for the same day as of today?

Spent a bit of time cleaning up more yard debris, another large bag of leaves. Planted 18 daffodils, which may be wishful thinking. I've never had a daffodil bloom yet that I've planted. Maybe this next year will be different since I mixed them in with the tulips in the terraced areas that do bloom nicely.

Planned out extending the drip system to more of the north fence to plant more honeysuckle next spring. Decided to cut down the wormy apple tree that's just been useless forever. I suspect the kids that lived here before planted the tree 30 years ago within inches of a different variety of apple tree that had merged with it long ago. I cut that weird tree away about 7 years ago, and won't have any regrets for this one either. That'll lighten up that patch of the yard. I'm sure the neighbor will be happy, since it just drops dozens of wormy, flavorless apples into their yard, too. Just more debris to figure out how to get rid of.

Disconnected all the watering timers, stored the batteries and put it all away until next April.

That's my true seque from fall to winter, disconnecting the water. Sort of like taking the garden off of life support, with a DNR order.

Spring is only 5 months away!

Mentally prepping for winter

Today was a calm, gorgeous mid 60s, cloudless late and definitely shirt sleeve warmth. Tomorrow is supposed to be 71...15 degrees above normal for late November...

But the weather pendulum swings the other way starting Wednesday. Down into the 40s for highs for at least a week and killing freezes into the mid 20s by early mornings. The chance of precip has faded from slim to nothing. Why did the forecasters just tease us with an 80% chance in a week yesterday to zero for the same day as of today?

Spent a bit of time cleaning up more yard debris, another large bag of leaves. Planted 18 daffodils, which may be wishful thinking. I've never had a daffodil bloom yet that I've planted. Maybe this next year will be different since I mixed them in with the tulips in the terraced areas that do bloom nicely.

Planned out extending the drip system to more of the north fence to plant more honeysuckle next spring. Decided to cut down the wormy apple tree that's just been useless forever. I suspect the kids that lived here before planted the tree 30 years ago within inches of a different variety of apple tree that had merged with it long ago. I cut that weird tree away about 7 years ago, and won't have any regrets for this one either. That'll lighten up that patch of the yard. I'm sure the neighbor will be happy, since it just drops dozens of wormy, flavorless apples into their yard, too. Just more debris to figure out how to get rid of.

Disconnected all the watering timers, stored the batteries and put it all away until next April.

That's my true seque from fall to winter, disconnecting the water. Sort of like taking the garden off of life support, with a DNR order.

Spring is only 5 months away!

Going retro

Early last week, in a fit of...something...Danny ordered a subscription to the Sunday 'Albuquerque Journal' delivered to the house, starting this morning.

Danny was watching his British soaps or back-recorded "Demonized Housewives" when I got up this morning and asked him if our first Sunday newspaper was delivered. He said no, and if I wanted to get it, I'd better call them myself, the subtext being he was too stressed from work-related issues to want to deal with it.

Hours passed. Danny went in early to work for a brief spell.

I called the Circulation department and connected with a very lovely lady who promised the paper would be delivered shortly...sometimes on the first day, it got missed. I said, not to worry, I understand.

Naturally, I hadn't gone out myself to check for the paper. In that brief first period while Danny was gone, I peeked out the door and spied a grocery bag lodged against the north neighbor's fence. I trundled out to get that, and glancing over toward the end of the drive...there was the Sunday paper, all plumply stuffed into a plastic wrap.

Oops! Since I had JUST called circulation not two minutes before, I immediately grabbed the paper, ran back into the house, and apologetically called them back and cancelled my request to have the paper re-delivered.

Ah, well.

When Danny got back, we settled in for a few minutes to read the actual news in the paper, sifting through the several pounds of pre-Thanksgiving sale full-color glossy advertising packets within to find the black and white print portions.

Danny left again for work an hour later, and I read through the couple of articles I had missed in my first scan.

There were some tidbits. But having NOT had the paper delivered to the house since 1994, I'm not sure it's worth it unless we can both enjoy a relaxing morning...sifting through the ads, sipping a morning coffee, relaxing in bathrobes.

The truth outs though. I found out later in the day that Danny just wanted the Sunday paper delivered so he'd have something to light the kindling with for the fireplace this winter.

Going retro

Early last week, in a fit of...something...Danny ordered a subscription to the Sunday 'Albuquerque Journal' delivered to the house, starting this morning.

Danny was watching his British soaps or back-recorded "Demonized Housewives" when I got up this morning and asked him if our first Sunday newspaper was delivered. He said no, and if I wanted to get it, I'd better call them myself, the subtext being he was too stressed from work-related issues to want to deal with it.

Hours passed. Danny went in early to work for a brief spell.

I called the Circulation department and connected with a very lovely lady who promised the paper would be delivered shortly...sometimes on the first day, it got missed. I said, not to worry, I understand.

Naturally, I hadn't gone out myself to check for the paper. In that brief first period while Danny was gone, I peeked out the door and spied a grocery bag lodged against the north neighbor's fence. I trundled out to get that, and glancing over toward the end of the drive...there was the Sunday paper, all plumply stuffed into a plastic wrap.

Oops! Since I had JUST called circulation not two minutes before, I immediately grabbed the paper, ran back into the house, and apologetically called them back and cancelled my request to have the paper re-delivered.

Ah, well.

When Danny got back, we settled in for a few minutes to read the actual news in the paper, sifting through the several pounds of pre-Thanksgiving sale full-color glossy advertising packets within to find the black and white print portions.

Danny left again for work an hour later, and I read through the couple of articles I had missed in my first scan.

There were some tidbits. But having NOT had the paper delivered to the house since 1994, I'm not sure it's worth it unless we can both enjoy a relaxing morning...sifting through the ads, sipping a morning coffee, relaxing in bathrobes.

The truth outs though. I found out later in the day that Danny just wanted the Sunday paper delivered so he'd have something to light the kindling with for the fireplace this winter.