Massive 03.17.16

The massive garden at the Ford Homestead has started. As previously stated, the tomatoes had been planted. Today we followed up with pepper plants.

            We kept the Jalapeno pepper away from the Bell peppers, as they might, you know, cross breed. At this point we have one lonely jalapeno, but we will purchase more. My spouse has some other things to plant when she gets in the mood.

We still have the Wise Old Owl, guarding the garden.

            I want to say thanks to one of my northern critics for her comment. It was suggested that I should not trim roses while they are in full bloom. I agree. The photo of the rose in bloom was taken in January. I failed to take a photo before starting the pruning, so I used an old photo.

            Thanks to all my critics, you keep me going!

            I doubt that anyone will notice that we have volunteer potatoes growing in the old mulch bed (near the corner of the fence) where I occasionally toss scraps of vegetables.

New subject:

There have been times when neighbors and or myself, have wanted to remove old shrubs from around the House. The way I have found to make this easier, (it is very difficult to try and dig these shrubs out), is to wrap a towing strap around a tree, wrap a chain around the base of the shrub, connect a come along between the strap and chain and then pull the shrub out. Even using The Ford Technique it is not easy.

            Yesterday, as I sat on The Ford Homestead Rocker, observing the neighborhood I saw the people up the street trying to remove a shrub from the front of their home. 

They attached a rope (possibly 50 foot long) to the Shrub and then to the pickup truck that was parked in the neighbors drive way, then drove the pickup down the drive. Of course the rope broke, the shrub did not come out!

I seriously considered going up and telling him how to do it.

Remembering the only greeting that I've ever had with that, “North end of a southbound horse”, I decided to stay in my chair and just watch.

He probably would not accept my intelligent advice.

Grandpa was driving the pickup, he left the scene after the rope broke, returning in about 10 minutes with chains. Grandpa brought two chains. They attached the chain to the bush and to the trailer hitch on the truck. The Truck starts to pool, it stops and backs up, their slack in a chain in the truck pulls forward again with a big jerk, but the shrub did not move. The truck backs up and tries again, nothing.

Newsflash, they didn't give up, the north end of a southbound horse (young man) got into the company truck and backed it in the neighbor’s driveway. I'm sure he's allowed to use the company truck to do this kind of work. They connect the chain to the truck and to the bush, amazingly it came out without any trouble this time using the company truck.

What company owned the truck, “Darr Equipment”?

Well, I guess that is it from the Ford Homestead.

May you find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!

Don Ford