New Home of My RoseBouquet

(Note: there have been massive attacks on WordPress (blog) sites in 2020. I got quite weary of fighting them off, so decided to move my posts and pages back to just ordinary webpages again. Like I've been building since 1999, except that now I use Responsive Design methods so the pages can be easily seen from any electronic device. In making this move I've discovered that many other web developers who grew up only knowing how to do WordPress websites are now making the switch to "static" sites too - because they are faster and more secure! So now I don't have to apologize for this decision. It is the best one possible! - Thank You, Lord!)

So this is the new home page or index to My RoseBouquet. You will normally find my most recent or current weekly posts here. But the following week I will move them to a permanent page of their own, and replace them with the new Current post here.

I'm moving my most evergreen articles of the past year or so here to this location. Those that were temporary, that is, referring to some event, or announced one up-coming, but which has past, will not be set up here. (What's the point? Would you eat last month's left-overs?)

Go to the Archives Index if you wish to check for an older article from 2020. Otherwise, watch for announcements of new e-books that I expect to produce that will share the best of the older issues. At the moment there are 905 issues of the RoseBouquet that was published as blog posts, as an xml file (for Feed Readers), and as an ezine emailed to my subscribers.

Your best move, if you are afraid of forgetting to come back here every week, just subscribe to the RoseBouquet, and it will come to you by email. Sure. Why not? It's Free and painless!

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#929 vol.21 June 8, 2021

At My Place: My Garden Proper is Seeded

Yes, I rejoice that I got it done in a week. Well, almost. :)

Last week Monday late afternoon, I went out in that heat - and got 4 rows seeded; radishes, Romaine Lettuce, carrots, and Leaf Lettuce. That was all the heat I could bear.

Tuesday evening I went out and sowed 8 rows: 2 of Straight 8 Cucumbers, one of part Italian parsley, and part oregano, another row of Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, then a row of Lemon Boy Yellow Tomatoes. That was followed by a row and part of the next with Zucchini. The rest of that row, and the next was all summer savoury, (or as we say in Plautdietsche - Pappakrut!, my favourite herb!)

On Wednesday, the temperature was up to 36C, so I got an early start on my evening's work on the computer and then jumped up at 8:30 when the sun was disappearing behind the buildings on the west, so I could sow in some shade at least. I got in 5 rows, finishing off the east side of the garden. This included a row of Spinach, two rows of white Pumpkin, and two rows of beets.

I intended to do the same timing on Thursday, but I got started working on some projects for my client, and looked at the clock about 10:30, gasping because I'd got so absorbed I'd forgotten to go out at 8:30.

On Friday the weather was overcast and showers fell off and on, so I dashed out for some shopping errands. No seeding done.

But Saturday was bright and sunny, and I was daring to hope that I might get all of the west side of the garden path sown. The temperature had come down a few degrees, and there was a good breeze to keep things comfortable.

I took sit-down breaks in my lawn chair when I needed to write down what I'd sown in the last few rows, or to decide what was to go in the next few rows. I started about 10:30 and went at a nice clip for a while. (By the way, I insert a row of a salad greens or herbs between some rows, as that keeps the bugs down.) So, starting at the bins by the tent/garage, I sowed;
a row of Romaine Lettuce
a row of yellow pumpkin
one of leaf Lettuce
another of summer savoury
then, Sugar Baby Watermelons (Yes, I didn't get any to come up last year, but I'm an optimist!)
two rows of spinach
and one of Straight 8 Cucumbers (also known and long English Green in the stores).

About that time I suddenly had a terrible burning itch on the top of my left foot. I took off my socks to have a look, and it appeared to be a very red rash. I put my sock on again, thinking I would carry on a while longer by sheer will-power, but that burning sensation was too distracting. I decide to go inside and deal with that first. The first remedy I put on it made it smart even worse. So I got out a basin of water and set my foot in it to soak with some apple cider vinegar splashed into the water. Ah, that felt better!

I sat at the computer and put in some more work on editing my genealogy e-book. I got a phone call from the Chinese couple that lead our ESL class, and they were bringing over a wee gift. So I stayed at my desk so I could see when they arrived. (They were the ones who helped me finish my garden last year when I didn't seem to have enough stamina; they decided to make a garden this year!)

Well, I met them outside my front door but as we talked about gardening, I ended up offering to show them mine. Especially the two irises that were blooming. We went around the back, and when they saw all those green onions by the fence they were happy when I said they could certainly dig some up and take them home. I found a battered ice cream pail by the back steps and we dug up two plants for them, which can be broken up in to several so they will soon have a hedge along a fence too!

When they had left I considered that my foot felt fine now, and I was rested, so I might as well try to get the last few rows done.

So, there I got in a row of small head zinnias, then two rows of canteloupe, another of parsley, one of straight 8 cucumbers again (I think I forgot how many I had done!), two rows of carrots, one row of red Roma Tomatoes, another of red tomatoes, (but I could not recall what kind they were and had not written it on the envelope). Lastly, a row of sunflowers, and then a row of cosmos flowers.

By that time it was supper time, and I was wiped out. So the rows of French marigolds that I always have along both sides of the path had to wait until last night. They are done now.

But I do want to sow some more perennial flowers along the fences where I have allowed a 2 foot border for plants that don't need to be seeded again each year. I believe that's where I will fill in the gaps with poppies and big zinnias, and sunflowers. Even more hollyhocks, now that I know that if I park bags of leaves around them in the fall, they will winter through and thrive like the ones I've started two years ago.

I'd also like to sow flowers outside the fence in the alley. Sorta' hoping they will crowd out the weeds! Or, is that wishful thinking? :)

Oh, and I'm going to sow cherry or Tiny Tim tomatoes in my fridge planter, and in the old dryer drum.

Then... it will be time to dig up and sow fresh flowers in the front flowerbeds!

[Hey, I know you are laughing at me!]

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What's New: Trying to Get my Second Vaccine

According to the Saskatchewan Health site, I had to wait until the date of my first shot showed up on their calendar of groups... (March 27th) -that opened up yesterday, but by the time I got to the site to register the form was not working well for me. Probably over-loaded.

Finally, I gave up and called the phone booking number. After all kinds of recorded messages, one came on and said that I was #1128 in the waiting line-up. Oh-yuk! I'll see if there is another way.

I checked out the list of pharmacies that are giving shots, but when I called the one in the Shoppers that I frequent, I found myself on indefinite hold for that department.

I tried again this morning, and same problems. So I think the next time I'm out driving anywhere for any other errand I will stop at the pharmacy in Shoppers, and see if I get it right away without delay. I have not seen any lineups when I've been in there. So it should be possible.

I'm ready to get this over-with!

<<*>> TIPS & SOLUTIONS: <<*>>

Many Garden Uses for White Vinegar

Herbicide - killl weeds with 1 Tbsp. vinegar and a splash of hand soap in a bucket of water - put in spray bottle. (Alsos gets rid of slugs and snails).

Kill ants & keep flies away - equal parts water and vinegar; spray where they are usually found.

Soak seeds in vinegar if slow to spout. They will soon be ready and eager to grow!

Clean clay pots - with warm water and vinegar - the white stains will come out.

Clean rusty garden tools - by soaking them in undiluted vinegar.

Make cut flowers last longer, by adding 2 Tbsp vinegar, and 2 Tbsp of sugar in their water.

Improve soil for flowers/plants that like more acid soil, spray or pour some into the soil at base.

Remove berry stains from your hands, by rinsing with vinegar.

Clean fresh Veggies - by adding a Tbsp of vinegar to the washing water.