Whatcha Up To???

[Mr_Yan]

Don't like the water movement on this property so I started to modify it by adding a french drain to better capture and direct the runoff. All the rain from an area 120 feet by about 35 feet had to go through a single drain point with a 12x12 drain grate. I added a 10' rigid perf pipe covered by 1" stone that daylights through 4" corrugated to the storm sewer.

I also left a capped stub up for the gutter downspout to connect to when we get gutters on this building.

Trenched
Rigid perf pipe (holes down)
1" river stone - used what I had on hand
Burrito wrapped with soil separator drain filter cloth
Covered with 1" river stone
Edged to the lawn with 1.5" thick 8"x16" pavers to match the other areas with stone

It won't fix the water problems but should help

 

[w_r_ranch]

Went to town to pick up ranch fuel.

Cut the grass. It was bad & the heat took it's toll on me.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Did the weekly shopping. The stupidity is starting again. The pisser is we can't even go to Panama (unless we drive again) as they have shutdown all international & domestic flights.

Painters arrived & power washed the entire house this morning. They'll start priming it on Monday.

 

[Mr_Yan]

@w_r_ranch - maybe I am just 10 years ahead of the curve (like when I deleted facebook 10 years ago) but I like the mask idea. There is growing evidence that large bigbox stores are playing with facial recognition. Well it is a lot harder to use that when faces are covered by simple masks. Now I don't even get a second look when walking through Lowes wearing a mask and full brim hat. Heck last trip I was wearing sunglasses too - but only because I forgot my normal glasses and needed the Rx to see.

 

[w_r_ranch]

It is unconstitutional to mandate this & business closures... they can suggest whatever they like, however neither the fed not the state have no authority to mandate it unser the Constitutions. I & many others refuse to play their stupid game. Masks are a 'feel good' measure for the uninformed public & apparently politicans as well.

At best, the N95 respirators are capable of filtering out airborne particles from the surrounding air down to 0.3 microns in diameter. The problem is that the coronavirus itself measures between .05 & 0.2 microns in diameter, rendering the masks as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I won't even bother to address wearing a bandana or homemade mask. Bottom line is that masks are totally useless.

This is about getting the population to accept being controlled, it has nothing to do with our health. Covid is just another strain of the flu (which also causes a lot of deaths each year). I say this because the overall number of deaths per year has not 'spiked' in the least.

There is also a big political aspect in perpetuating this hoax.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Made bread.

Seasoned up a 2" thick sirloin & garlic bread that I'll smoke for supper. Mrs. Ranch is cutting me some slack by making the stuffed jalapenos. She is also making macoroni salad to go with everything.

Painted some gold highlights on the carriage lights to make them pop. These paint pens are slicker that deer guts on a doorknob!!!

​

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the porch pots, hanging baskets, flowerbeds & most of the trees.

Harvested a few cucumbers a & another tub of tomatoes.

Processed & roasted 3 roaster pans of tomatoes for spaghetti sauce.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Low 90s again 5th or 6 day in a row now and no end in sight in 10 day forecast.

First church get together in weeks with a picnic in the park today.

Family in town from down south. 12+ people here for the 4th and 5 kids running through sprinklers for a few hours yesterday.

Last of the tomato trellising up - trying a mixture of @w_r_ranch pole and tie and wrapping the single stem around a vertical cord based on what is easiest where. Both systems are new to my growing, will see what works best for me this year.

Harvested a giant cooking bowl of snow pea pods - beef and pea pod stir fry tomorrow night.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Today my dad mistakenly topped off my iced tea with the very hoppy IPA I was drinking - a glass of tea and a can of beer sitting next to each other on the patio table. It was not good.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Finished watering all the trees.

Canned the spaghetti sauce. Got 20 pints.

Painters plugging away... Chauking is complete & priming is underway.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Air conditioner didn't work when we tried to turn it on yesterday for the first time this season. Ends up being a R22 unit. Obsolete. We have to replace it if we want AC...

Houses suck.

 

[wolffman]

^R22 isn't obsolete (yet). You're just going to pay thru the nose for the Freon.

 

[wolffman]

Its been nuts around here with the spike in ammo sales. I'm booked for the next year solid. Been working 7 days/week for a while now. Along with the other stuff I sell which surprisingly picked up over the last 4 months. I guess everyone is at home with nothing else to do. Going to start building a new shop as soon as the ground dries out.

 

[RLwhaler]

Back to work. Round 2.0

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the porch pots & hanging baskets, the started watering the front grass.

Labeled the spaghetti sauce & put them up.

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Harvested the first cantaloupe.

Painters finished priming & started the first color coat.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Made bread.

Watched the painters. They're almost done with the 1st coat.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the porch pots & hanging baskets, the started watering the backyard grass.

Painters are working on the second finish coat. The porches are done so I can start putting them back together. Dieter & I don't like disorganized porchs

I'm applying the 'Renu' to the shutters as the painters finish an area.

Reinstalled the carriage lights by the front doors.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the porch pots & hanging baskets, then continued watering the backyard grass. Temperatures are now close to 100 degrees.

Cleaned & refilled the wasp traps.

Cleaned & refilled the hummingbird feeders.

I put the Texas stars back up on the top of the porch columns. I still have to finish the shutters but it too dang hot.

The painters are almost done. The second finish coat is almost completed, the wood trim around porch column bases has all been replaced/primed & window lintels are done. Looks like they'll finish up on Monday or Tuesday... they still have all 7 entry doors to do & then prime/paint the party barn to match the house.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the porch pots, hanging baskets, flowerbeds & the trees.

Picked up a load of cattle feed.

Made 2 buttermilk pies, one for us & the other for the young family down the road.

Refilled the redbird feeders & put out another seed block.

Ordered new hearing aids.

Ordered an embroidered double-sided Gadsden flag to replace my Texas flag, which will stay down until our RINO governor is replaced. Also ordered a steel mesh paintball mask to comply with his unconstitutional 'order'. No sales tax for him, LOL!!!

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[wolffman]

Replaced the power steering hydraulic cylinder on the riding mower and then cut the grass which was knee high in places. It was hot today and I’ll likely cut it again tomorrow to clean it up.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Made bread.

Watered the porch pots & hanging baskets.

Fed the cattle.

Fixed & painted the weathervane so the painters can reinstall it tomorrow.

Harvested more green peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes & the last of the green beans.

Seasoned up chicken fajitas that I smoked for supper tonight. Also made ranch rice.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Canned whole tomatoes, did 14 quarts.

Painters are done with both houses. Sherwin Williams was out of oil-based primer, so the painters said they'd be back to do the party barn in a week of two.

Installed the new flag pole/holder over the guesthouse entryway.

 

[wolffman]

Made this wall art thing for a little disabled girl on one of the Jeep groups I'm in. She loves to ride in the Jeep with her dad.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered the asparagus, porch pots, hanging baskets, flowerbeds & most of the trees.

Had a friend stop by today today bearing 2 bottles of fine sipping tequilla (Codigo 1530) & 20 pounds of fresh caught gulf shrimp!!! I'll be running to the store tomorrow to pick up the fixings for my Shrimp Cocktail recipe!!! Bless you Jody, it's party time!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Harvested a tub of the 'Bella Rosa' tomatoes (this variety is prolific!!!) & prepped three roasting pans for the oven.