Busy busy

With all the years I've been using computers a person would think I could figure things out.  Well, my problem has always been that just when I had things figured out enough to use it, there would be something totally new come out and I'd have to start learning all over again.  I could never keep up with the faster and faster changes.  Technology left me behind years ago.  I still use technology when I can but if it's too complicated I leave it alone.

I do much better with stuff that requires less mental activity and more of the physical.  Like picking cherries.  My tree is not as loaded as it was last year.  I believe the cold, wet spring caused a lot of the blooms to not fruit.  I also had the tree topped out right about the time it was ready to blossom.  It might have had some shock from that.  Well, I'll pick all it gives me and put them in the freezer for now.  When I've got enough to fill the dehydrator I'll dry them. 

I got a new security light on the back of my house.  This replaces the old light.  I hated the old light because it had no on/off switch.  It came on at dusk and went off at dawn.  That wouldn't have been so bad except the bulb in it was a thousand watt bulb.  It would be using 1000 watts an hour every night and it would be so bright it was like daylight.... especially coming through the bedroom window.  Imagine one of the overhead lights you see on poles around the city shining three feet away from your bedroom window and you couldn't turn it off.  The first electric bill nearly scared me to death.  Imagine getting an electric bill that is normally charging for about 900 watts a month to suddenly charging for 360,000 watts.  It took me over a year to pay off that one month's bill.  I took that big bulb out years ago and haven't used this light since.  I like this new one so much better.  I can turn it on/off when ever I want... from inside the house. 

My garden boxes did look like this.

Now they look like this.  They are still not the way I want them.  I can do a little at a time.  It's gonna take A LOT of dirt to fill those boxes up to the top.

So far, I've gone through 50 bags of dirt.  I'll probably need another 200 or so before these are done.  But.... it doesn't have to all be done at once.  I can add some every now and then until filled.  I don't have to plant anything if I don't want to this year.  I can simply get them ready for next year.  I can start seedlings indoors to have ready to plant when it's time.

Some of the dirt I've gone through was put into the front box.  The only thing to be planted here this year is my morning glory vines.  The vines should be coming up any day now.  I need shade for the porch.  I can't plant shrubs or trees for shade because of the water, gas, and sewer lines located along this side. 

I have one more garden box to be filled along this side of the house too.  I won't be planting anything in it this year either.  It will be enough if I clean up the weeds growing in it and prepare it for next spring.  Nothing has to be done "right now", my new slower paced life says some things can wait till tomorrow or next year.

I've been cleaning out weeds from my fence.  When the house next door was built they put up her privacy fence right next to my chain link one.  No room for me to get between to clean up the weeds.  I cut what I can from my side. 

Those darned ivy vines have taken over my yard.  It was a lot of work cutting them because they spread under ground.  I cut down below the surface trying to get as many roots as I could.  I'll spray with a weed killer as soon as I can buy it.   

What's really weird.... and lazy on the part of the contractor.....  is that they put her privacy fence on the other side of the trees which are actually on her property.  The trees are between her fence and mine.  This left me with the ugly problem of dealing with the trees.   As you can see, the trees are lifting up my fence because of the roots.  There is nothing I can do but deal with the weeds and trees the best I'm able.

My hope is that I can clean up enough of the ugly ivy vines so grass will grow again.  I would like to have a nice area for my furkid and me to sit and enjoy nice weather when we have it. 

Ok, I think this is about three or four days of posts rolled into one.  My fingers are crossed, hoping this post shows up and I don't have to type it again.