Saturday, April 18, 2009

Ab-Staining-Mowing


Below: Heirloom amaryllis from my great-great-great grandmothers ancestral farm in western Pennsylvania. Before the farm left the family, Mom got some of the bulbs and they have multiplied like crazy in her back yard.
After they finish blooming, I'm moving some to my yard to keep the chain going.


This will be a jumbled post in which nature may or may not be mentioned, as I have no plan, just a few items.

(I know the masthead says if it's not nature, it's not here, ... but I think it mentions culture too,
right? ... I know, you folks with REAL culture get a little chuckle out of that every time the PF page loads ...)

Anyway, let us proceed.


I finally received my bonus check for earning National Board Certification. It was delayed for months as the Florida state budget for just about everything was slashed and burned. For awhile, it was in jeopardy and I feared I had earned my NBPTS certification in the year the bonus was cancelled. That would be just my luck.

It came on April 15, just in time to soften the blow an IRS tax payment caused. This is after a huge slice was taken out of it for taxes of course ... I'm whining.
Forgive me.

So, we are planning to restain PFHQ using the two dollars and 98 cents that was left after our contribution to funding the economic stimulus big bank bailout plan. I won't be stimulating any local painters though.
FC will be doing this himself with the help of his now older children and a VERY long ladder.


Here she is, wearing her outdated make-up from about 6 years ago. The greennicty of her surroundings are tinting her basic, but faded cedar stain a bit in that picture, but she DOES need a good powerwashing and fresh stain.



I didn't do it.

I know Flounder ... it's Feather ... not her fault though.

We are also planning on putting a hard enamel porch paint down on the porch boards. They are only stained with the same stain as the siding now.

Our very old lady dog Feather has some tinkling issues and our thinking is a good paint seal on the floor boards will make cleaning up after her more effective.
Am I oversharing?

We have a new arrival at PFHQ, a new lawn mower that is so hip and cool that the box said, "MAY BE SOLD IN CALIFORNIA".

We are all about being hip here at PFHQ so this was a big selling point. I believe to meet California's strict eco requirements, a mower must suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and spew out tree seedlings behind it as you mow.

I'm pretty pumped about this and will be firing it up for the first time this morning. It's a walking mower, although it is self-propelled, which seems kind of like cheating.
Where's the mow-flex workout in that?

Speaking of working out ... which gets us to the Ab part of the post title ... any of you athletes using the P90X fitness program that keeps tempting me from the tube?
Any personal experience or opinions on that one?

Other stuff:

  • My tomatoes are blooming ... the ones in Jr's Science Fair project that is.
  • The garden is mostly a peppers/tomato garden right now, although there are some pretty collards out there still.
  • The atamasco lillies I divided a few weeks ago all bloomed and seem to be thriving, so I guess I did no serious damage.
  • The swallowtail kites have been back for a few weeks. Perhaps this is the year I get a perched STK picture.
  • The pileated's are just shredding the old horsey swing turkey oak log that we park next to each day. They are a pair and are nesting somewhere on the property I believe.
  • Emma made the Dean's List at USF! You go girlie!

So, that's about it for this morning.

I believe I actually did squeeze some nature in there, so all is not lost.

21 comments:

Dani said...

You and 3C have the prettiest houses!

Arkansas Patti said...

Thank you for a Flounder pic. My all time favorite post of yours was Flounder chasing the chicken round and round at a fast walk. Guess it is the "old" thing that I can relate to. Cool dog.
How impressive to have a California ready mower. Enjoy
Have fun painting.

Deb said...

Watch it...next thing you know you'll be trading in the jeep for a Prius! :)

We still need to finish applying the first coat of stain to Sand Creek headquarters. Up in the highest parts, of course.

robin andrea said...

Congrats to you on getting your check and to Emma for making the Dean's list. Such good news.

Wouldn't it be cool to have a mower that sucks carbon dioxide and spits out tree seedlings? I think you should patent that idea right away! It would sell in California, for sure.

We have a little garden going here on our small, temporary patch of earth: carrots, beets, onions, shallots, kale, spinach, tomatoes, and basil. We just want a taste of the real stuff, while we wait for that acre to plant.

Cathy S. said...

We also have an old girl with "tinkling" issues and no, it is not me!

Cathy S. said...

PS Way to go Emma!

Aunty Belle said...

Yore mama's amaryllis is spectacular! How fine of ya to keep the chain alive.


Looky, seems to me ya got a good thang--I mean that yore PFHQ is the very style of HQ that can coast a long long time with that "natural weathered sheen."

I ain't sayin' not to re-stain, jes' that iffin' it rains on your stain week, no big deal.

Kudos to you for the bonus, and to Emma fer the Dean's list!!


An' thanky fer yore kind words over on mah porch.

Unknown said...

Insert calpping smiley for emma for making the Dean's List at USF.I never managed that,I must say.
Feeling the pain of having to re-stain.....Been there,done that.And you don't get a t-shirt, either!

Ericka said...

congrats to emma!

ooh. be careful on the ladder! a broken fc would not be good!

Florida Beach Basics said...

your mind did wander around today, didn't it? you have created a wonderful homestead - I'm assuming considerable thought and planning went into it. either that, or you are just plain lucky! marge

R.Powers said...

Dani,
3C wins! That thing is amazing... like a wooden castle.

ArkPatti,
Flounder is a big sweetheart, I understand the appeal.

Deb,
A hybrid Jeep Wrangler would be just fine with me!
You may need to borrow my very long ladder!

Robin,
That's a long plant list for a small plot! Way to go!
Working on that mower patent now.

Cathy S,
Happy to know it's not you!

Aunty,
Thanks! PFHQ is of a rustic style that can look right with some weathering, but I'm just itching to spruce her up some and for the sake of the cedar, it's time for stain.

I meant what I said at your front porch. That piece was to well written to give away ... book, book, book.


Chris and Jon,
It's not the staining that's so painful, it's the porch railing that we decided to paint in a comp color.
... and the high altitude tree surgery I need to do first.


Ericka,
Remaining unbroken is always at the top of my list. Thank you on behalf of Em.

Marge,
A lot of work went in to it. Would have been less work if more planning had happened first!

amarkonmywall said...

Love every word of this post. All good news and congrats to Emma. Rich admitted considering the P90X but then changed the subject.

Aunty Belle said...

you read fiction?

How'd the mower work?

LauraHinNJ said...

You're in rare form today FC!

Kimberlee said...

Love the description of a California-ready mower. Too funny!

I've wondered about P90X, myself. I would probably have to complete three or four preliminary programs before attempting anything that ambitious!

If you decide to get it, you'll have to report! :)

Miz S said...

You mean you plan to get EVEN MORE muscle-y than you already are??

Bill said...

FC,
3 tomatoes, 1 squash and still some broccoli. Waiting for things to really get buzzing in the garden. Congrats to Emma. My son Michael is graduating from UNF in January. My surgically repaired shoulder is not ready for P90x, but I keep watching the infomercials. Cindy changes the channel and says "no way". I love your dog stories. You can come over and paint my house when you get done if you need some extra tax money.
Thanks for sharing.

Billy

Laura said...

First, congrats to Emma, that's awesome!!
Second, hugs to Flounder! Just because :)
Third, I've seen the commercials for the PS90x thing and I wondered about it, too. Haven't bought one, tho. But I could use the workout!
Fourth, Californians are SO exclusive... lol, j/k.
Fifth, our house in Gville is going to need to be restained, soon. When you get done with your place, feel free to head down Archer road and paint ours, too! :)

R.Powers said...

Vicki,
Thanks! Great to hear from you. I may bite on this P90x thing. Junior will be a good partner ... like working out with Adonis.


Aunty,
Sure do, you writin some?
Mrs. FC said the mower worked fine.


Laurahinnj,
I honestly did not know where that post was going when I sat down.

Kimberlee,
I would think P90x would be mandatory up there just to keep warm!
I'll report if I do.

Miz S,
You always know the right thing to say.
:)

Billy,
What did you do your shoulder? Congrats to Michael! UNF is a good school.

Laura,
Thanks, Emma is working real hard!
Your house sounds like a great excuse for a trip up and a work party. Have brush will travel.
Although, I'd better finish my own house before I go volunteering for outside projects!

S N B said...

Glad somebody got their National Board money. We're still waiting up here. Guess they thought they needed the interest more than we did.

tsiya said...

You cannot exhale while using the mower, it will trigger the CO2 sensors and kill the engine!