waterday

Transferred 150 gallons of last nights rain from a greenhouse tank to the house tank.  FedEx dropped off black trays I ordered for a solar water distiller.  Had dinner at the Cain's - food and company was so good I forgot to take a picture.  Raced home ahead of some rain that amounted to just a trace...looks like more storms from the west might breach the vortex later tonight.  Swamp frogs are making quite a racket tonight.  96,104,71, .12,B

pea fail

The peas never quite took off...yanked 'em today, had a tiny lunch, then planted bloomsdale spinach in its' place.  Since the Earthbox folks were so kind to donate 4 units to me, I just bought 2 more and five organic replant kits.
http://www.earthbox.com/  Another good salad with dinner tonight.  Might not weigh very much but it sure feels good to eat it.  91,105,77, .37,B, .12    LATE UPDATE:  caught the edge of a thunderstorm between 10 & 11PM.

goosefoot

Finally have signs of life from the elephant garlic I planted.  A volunteer flower bloomed today.  Melon vine is creeping all over the courtyard.  Transplanted 2 strawberry plants.  Trying some steamed lamb's quarters (aka goosefoot) with my dinner tonight.  92,110,67,0,W, .07

GSTFLBLT

Did the morning watering chores.  Clipped off some greens for lunch.  Brought them to the GrubShack for a bit of TFL in my BLT.  Ran some errands down south, then it heated up quickly.  Some of the plants require a second watering when it is this hot.  Pumped the misting lines at 5PM to give the plants a break.  OBC and SH hung out in the shade for as long as it lasted.  89,111,70,0,W, .10

visitors

Had visitors on Friday.  They all had to come back for a re shoot - my poor old dust filled camera has a little trouble with focus now and then.  These folks are all planning on making the move to our little Hell we call Terlingua.  Meet Mike (with his new friend Mr. Floppy).  Meet Chris, his wife Nicole, and there daughters Santa Alayna and Queen Elizabeth (that's how I can remember the girls' names).

Since Carl has been sleeping inside my house at night, I've noticed that he has been wantin' to roost.  Every time I get up from my chair, he jumps on the back of it.  He has been sleeping on an old towel on my bed in the evenings while I am on the computer.  I wake him up every time he nods off.  When I go to bed he has been sleeping on an old coat I put on top of my chest freezer.  Rigged him up a roosting pole to enhance his sleeping pleasure - he seemed to appreciate the effort last night.  If you don't want your rooster to crow at 4 AM, hang out with him and keep him up till 11 PM.  Carl sleeps in till 6:30 now.

Planted more seeds today:  carrots, collard greens, soy beans, pole beans, and some artichokes.  Stuck the seeds in the new blend of native soil, commercial potting mix, and fresh TFL compost.

Had a nice chat this evening with Carl Erickson from http://www.savethefood.org/   We are trying to figure out how to get funds together to get one of their solar ice makers out here.  Building one of these from scratch is on the TFL long list.  98,108,68,0,C,0

TFL in Maui

Mowed the lawn.  Cleaned up the batteries I bought over a year ago - hooked up and charging now.  Saw this photo on facebook today from my friend Amber Hills.  This is her husband Steve and his dad Don.  The Hills' were my close friends and neighbors back in upstate NY.  Steve did the architectural drawings for the rebuild on my house there after I had a bad fire...also hired as grunt labor for the construction.  Don was the moral support.  Somehow the kid got out Spencertown and lives in Maui now with his wife Amber and their new daughter Emma.  Look at all that WATER!  98,112,61,0,C,0

mammatus

84,101,69,0,B,0