I do not have an answer to the knot question but want to share how I keep plastic on my window box with a rolled edge. Mine has a rolled lip that I can still clip a clothespin to and that keeps the plastic in place tightly enough while still allowing for easy access. I bought clothespins at the dollar store. The clip type open fairly widely.

Hmmm, didn't expect anything so quickly and wondered why in the heck I just don't tape it and be done with it.

That's an excellent idea, but my stash of clip clothespins is very low, use them on so many different things, don't have enough of those metal pinch clips with rounded clip, but have some that might work. Don't want to run out for clothespins but need to pick up more in time. Be right back lol.

Perfectumundo since it's only temporary and better than clothespins that sometimes slip or get knocked off. Major ugly and rusty mine are, no matter! I don't know what they're called, but they are a type of paper clip, the kind you turn back the two shiny pieces for leverage (mechanical advantage?) to spread the black triangular part apart, slip on, let loose, it tightens down tight, flip the shiny part down over a stack of paper but just leave as is for the window box. I have enough of those for at least those particular two window boxes and maybe even more.

Still in the future, a good knot might be handy to know because I was thinking of WS'ing into a different style of window boxes I have and largish round planters/pots where none of the above would work and tape not to well either.

Now I can do the window box today, may not have enough soil for two but the two bags of potting soil thawing are going pretty fast. Oh I got some water to sop up, glad they're set in an upsidedown storage box container that's holding both upright leaned against a wall corner for now.

Thank you!

You might consider sewing a strip of 1" or so along each edge, into a tube. Cut a square off each corner to expose the end of the tube, and run a rope through each tube. then you can tie the rope at one corner, 2 corners, or each corner for loosening and tightening. I don't know what thickness of plastic you are using, but the local fabric store has some heavier plastic that will take sewing better, though even thinner plastic can be sewn. Or sew elastic to the edges so they will pull on and off without any tying at all.

just so it doesn't keep you up at night:

"binder clips"

those black metal triangular clips

~CA

Aliska,

I was going to tell you that next time you need a know either tied or described to go find a Boy Scout. My husband, Eagle Scout '70, always is telling me what kind of a note he's using to tie something...JMTC (Just my two cents!)

Good luck with the windowbox,
Ann

hemnancy, I can't quite picture what you're saying there, but you gave me an easier idea. Haven't sewed for awhile and have some old elastic that might still have some stretch in it. I could sew cord to the elastic, too, and do the "shower cap" thing. Or I could just tie the elastic all around with a square knot even a safety pin. That will be later when I get to the pots w/annuals.

Oh, my plastic, I have heavyweight and medium, plenty for awhile.

But I go to sow one window box and I guess the seeds I wanted to sow today are not here yet, used all my pansies and violas up (and had several pkts of 2 kinds) except one freebie packet of pansy seeds, 20 count, not going to risk those in that much soil. Can get those over with in something else though and a couple others in something else I'm tired of sowing.

Lots of annuals ready-2-go, too early.

Thank you, may come to me exactly what you meant. It's good to get some of this thought out regardless.

Oh, alyssum, can do that now in something else.

I would use a loop on one end,(Hangman style), then feed the other end through the loop, and secure it with a slip knot around itself. That's what I use to suspend bird feeders. Easy to undo and loosen.

sakura, that's it! Odd the things I commonly used and never really penetrated my memory the exact nomenclature. If my boss had asked me to go to the supply room and get some binder clips, I would have known what to get but, if he didn't tell me, would forget and have to come back and ask, "What size?" Or bring one bunch each of what was there heh.

Ann, the only Boy Scout I knew moved to Utah; maybe I can find one around here. A few of these easier knots are skills we all could use; some are really complicated. My dad showed me and even told me what it was, it might have been a half hitch, when he got out the old hammock and tied it by ropes to two trees, and my sister and would lie in it, chat, read, and dream . . .that was in summer when we visited my Grandma . . .I've since wanted to crochet one but it would be a big project. I could do that from a couple different styles from instructions I've saved.

I was watching youtube videos of the Romanov family and did a screen capture of this beautiful hammock, fancy and common in that era, maybe could figure out how to do it by the photo or someone would know. I think you can buy them still, but I don't know where and pricey.

wendy, that's a good idea. Just to rise to the challenge, I will try that, but the clips really was a good idea. If I do any sewing again, what do I need? Curtains or tab drapes!

I found some seeds to sow and got it done fast! I sowed 3 different kinds this time in my old plastic cups. I love those daisy trays! It's snowing, big, fluffy snowflakes.

Wow. lol I would just grab my duct tape wrap it around a few times and call it good! Man I love duct tape. Sometimes more than my husband! I even used it to wrap Christmas presents with. My mother gave me that look that said "I did not raise you this way!"

gardenluv, my mother would say worse than that were she alive today. Duct tape, that would be fine for that, don't use it for jugs. When I get to it, will do what seems easiest.

Talk about that look, I duct tape everything. A tiny slice around the bow of my glasses where the screw fell out. A piece holding the bottom of my storm door up, screw fell out and won't go back in. The huge hole in my kitchen wall, this would make my mother disown me I swear, or roll her eyes out of their sockets.

Leaky roof, didn't know for years, couldn't see it, kitchen cabinets fell off, huge gaping hole. The repair to be done right will cost thousands as the studs have rotted, can't handle the thought of it. I went to the hardware store and got some cheap shower covering stuff, paid them to cut it in two pieces with a smaller one for the top. Came home, tried to nail it to the studs, wouldn't hold. Duct taped the pieces to the wall and the 3 sections together. Held for awhile. Started coming off, added more tape. Got bad again, asked my grandson to tape again (I have to climb up on the counter). Started coming loose again.

So I went crazy and got up there myself and pieces and pieces of duct tape over more duct tape stuck to the wall. STILL started slipping from the top.

Fiiiinaaaallllly, I found my stapler and some staples, fiddled w/it couldn't remember, got it, climbed back up there and stapled all around everywhere I could. Been fine lol.

My son says I live like a martyr and should sell the farm and buy a better house. Nothing doing. He won't bring his new wife and baby in the house. But he always promised to come and help move furniture, put my trellises together, all sorts of things, never showed up, got tired of begging, cried, and wouldn't speak to him for 2 months but after the baby came, I made a peace overture and he's being nice again. But I now hate to ask him to do the least little thing.

So go the days of my life. I make up for it in other ways.

Aliska, I'm sorry to hear about your son. It is hard when it comes to family. I know my parents hate coming to my house. For a while it really bothered me. I have come to terms with it, and now when they want to see the kids, or I want to see them, we just meet at a half way point.

Can you maybe hire a neighborhood kid to help you out when you need help around the house? I know many teenagers will do odd jobs for just a little bit of money. Just an idea.

I think it is great that you are so independent. I know it must be hard at times but I only hope that I am as independent as you as times go by.

gardenluv, I wasn't always this way, used to want things nice like other people, tried really hard on my limited resources to make it that way, made my own curtains, painted, worked, went to school to support us, etc. Now I don't care what the house looks like any more, and I escape with my flowers and photography. And the internet, ignore the not-so-nice ones and have met some wonderful people.

My son isn't a bad person, has a stressful life, I am not at all demanding, give plenty of time, always thank him for every little thing he has done and mean it, but just gave it up and accepted my family the way they are. My sister who is very wealthy is ashamed of me, too. I can tell. Finally I even stood up to her about it in a nice way, said if my house was such a problem to everybody, they don't need to come here, can't stand the nagging to spend that much money I don't really have. She never had to struggle like I did and had a cleaning lady. My mother had a cleaning lady. My son has a cleaning person. I don't really want one but am going to have to accept some limited help. I can still clean quite a bit if I will motivate myself to do it and not try to do too much at once. My house is really pretty nice if all the repairs got made and in a nice location. I try to keep the outside looking nice soas not to alienate the neighbors; otherwise I don't care what they think either.

The fight really started one day when I was feeling so happy about a beautiful rose, took a picture of it, one of my most beautiful photos ever, emailed it to my son. He shot back about my estate, that I won't make a plan, won't talk to his expensive lawyer, finally in my own defense explained to him that he can deduct it as a business expense; I can't. He's mad I won't let him manage my money (for good reason) and affairs, it made me very hurt and angry. Accused me of not caring about the grandchildren, how little he knows how stretched thin emotionally I am with all THEIR problems. I would never have badgered my father about his estate or said one word. Now I'm worried how to set it up because each one would just blow what my parents and grandparents worked so hard for. My main asset is one half of two small farms, the value is in the land, and selling them would be the ultimate defeat if I don't have to which I don't yet AFAIC. I do need to find an attorney and even know how to make my own will, did it once when facing surgery, but this is more complicated.

I can clear some of it out myself and have some help lined up. I can't get all the expensive work done at once, and yes, I grab things for myself sometimes. I refuse to squander it all on myself because the lives some people lead don't appeal to me any more. And you know what? I'm going to get my beautiful iron ended yard bench boards replaced along with dealing with one expensive thing. That will make me feel better than any of the rest of it.

My daughter had some of our beautiful family heirloom furniture, and brought them back when her house was foreclosed. Some of it is sitting in the living room because I don't have room for it, and I can't bear to part with some of it. My pianos I need to give up. That will hurt so I put it off. That will make more room. And I can organize my garden things better. I don't want to move but don't know if I should stay. I can't bear the thought of not having some room to grow my plants outside in the ground or I'd do like others. But I'm not them.

Anyway, my son has done a couple nice things for me which I appreciated but wish I hadn't let him do it because he paid, and there is always a price I guess. He left me holding the bag with the rest of what he said he wanted to do, new gutters and new windows. So I just gave up. They don't owe me anything, and you have to learn to just accept them for what they are. I still love them, but it's not the same like when I fought to raise them.

As to independent, it's a reaction to realizing how dependent and totally vulnerable I was after my divorce in the 70's and what it took to get men to help you. I wasn't willing to do what I saw other women doing to get a man, and I have made mistakes. I learned from them. So I had to pay and pay and got tired of it, and men will take advantage of you and your ignorance about doing things right, well I guess women will, too. I really got shafted a couple years ago when I paid a guy to help and my arbor fell over, did a terrible job. I was monitoring what he was doing until I got distracted by his wife and talking to his little girl. He took off for FL.

So I'm going to make some tea and wait for my seeds lol. In spite of it all, I haven't lost my sense of humor at times. But writing about that jerked me back to reality. That's not the half of it, enough, others have it far worse, doesn't make me feel any better.

It's beautiful out today, and makes me feel better just looking out the window and thank heaven for flowers and winter sowing; I'm having so much enjoyment from it and others here. I'm sorry you have to deal with parents being like that. It's not you. It's them. They should be ashamed of themselves. Not you. I think it very gracious of you to do what you are doing to keep what's left of the peace in your family. You have your priorities right where it really counts. And the rare ability to be able to understand what it's like for some people, not only me. Bless you!

Appreciate your listening but time to get off the pity pot and move on. I will go sow some of the seeds that came and have learned to count the blessings I have, just get down and discouraged sometimes.

I think I go into this mode when really something else is bugging me worse, and right now it is my beloved granddaughter alone in LA on the verge of a nervous breakdown. That's what I'm really worried about right now.

I don't want to try to entice her to come home because it's best to let them make their own choices, and I can't really talk to my family about it without getting more upset and especially a public forum. I have a couple of people here I can confide in.

Aliska - families and marriages are hard. I always try to look on the bright side of things. The way things are with me, I can still have a good relationship with my family, and more importantly, my kids can. My family, like yours, has money. It is frustrating when my dad tells me to go get new tires for the car or that we need a new driveway etc. DUH! My husband and I work very hard, but we live month to month with not much left over. Unless someone is in your shoes, they do not understand. Although it frustrates me, I know he loves me and wants the best for me. I just can't afford what he can and I know that. That is all that matters.

As far as your granddaughter is concerned, one of the main things I have found when dealing with people from a long distance away is, just let her know that you are there for her as emotional support. Everyone goes through rough times and sometimes just knowing that you have a shoulder to cry on, or someone to talk to helps immensely. My brother who lives in Texas was going through a rough time during fall last year. I would talk to him for hours every day. He knew he could not move in with us, but also knew that I was there to support whatever decision he made.

Gardening helps pull me out of the gloom and helps get me through my tough times. When I am thinking about a specific person, I will plant a specific flower, and everytime I see that flower it brings a smile to my face.

My "never fail" go-to knot is known as the Truckers Knot.

Having worked in the freight industry I've had to secure many things and being able to untie and re-tie is paramount.

It's main strength is the "compound leverage" aspect allowing you to pull it VERY tight yet release with no effort.

One video link is below and there are other good ones out there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Truckers Knot

monte, thank you! I think that is the one that will work. Actually some of the other ideas are easier to remember, but I want to do something like this just to say "because I can". I saved the video, too. I must have trouble with spatial perceptions because he put it around a piano leg, but I think I see how it works just going around something. This morning, I woke up and could not remember how to do the proper slip knot to start a knitting or crochet project! But if I get a piece of something, I think I can remember. It's similar to a slip knot but a little different.

anybody - I'm so lethargic today I've set one goal. Mix another batch of potting soil and dampen. More seeds came, so I have plenty more to sow now.

gardenluv - I really regret posting that, thoughts in my head, quit feeling sorry for yourself, quit being a drama queen, what a loser, etc. So I don't like to leave myself open to that, have had it plenty of times elsewhere, sometimes I probably deserve it, sometimes I fight back with sarcasm or try to be nice back, but usually I just tuck my tail between my legs and run. Had a terrible experience on another forum here, will never post there again and won't say what it is. It was partly my fault but what I got back for it really hurt even though I backed way way off.

Thank you for your wise words and sharing. There is a parent forum here, and I've lurked, see I'm not alone about some things with adult children, but think it best not to post there either. I'm here for my granddaughter for emotional support, and she'll go long periods without writing anyway, so do I. But I let her know she's not alone and she can come to me. I'm also going to send her a little money because she is going to be hurt financially as well, also needs to learn. She went out there with her boyfriend, and broke up with him because he got too friendly with another girl, and I sensed it from the git go and hate to have been right about it. So I shared with her some similar hurts and how I eventually worked past them all and did not go moralistic on her or any of that sort of thing.

Yes, I keep going with the gardening but I must say I hurt for her almost as bad as she is hurting, and I know she might have chosen a wiser course but we are where we are. I have made a few serious mistakes myself and learned from them.

I try not to be a judgmental person, but I'm having trouble with your parents. I wore mine down (we were maybe solid middle class) by marrying what my parents thought was beneath me. But once the deed was done, they backed off, never said snarky things to him or me about anything, and tried to help us. When it all fell apart, my poor dad, I hate what it did to him worrying about me. At least he was able to pick up his life after my mother died and tune me out enough to grab a little happiness for himself with a new wife after a couple years.

So I'm thinking maybe it might be a little like that with you but could be way way wrong. Please forgive me, if so. It also sounds like "appearances" and "pride" which is kind of like it is with my sister matter a lot more than they should. But a lot of issues with my children have either hurt or shamed me, and what is that? Pride. I avoid people getting close to me and don't like to talk about my children or grandchldren, well a little depending, off the web like more people do. I fear they would be shocked to find out some things and blame me for being a bad parent, spent long enough blaming myself, did the best I could at the time with what I had to deal with.

Your parents should be grateful that things are ok with you and the children even though it's a struggle and not something far worse, but some people don't think like that. But it's really none of my business, just makes me feel bad for you that it has to be that way.

My daughters I don't go to their homes unless I have to but they're welcome here for short visits, too long drains me. I don't care about the mess but from people they have taken up with, yours sounds like a decent, hard-working guy. Just . . .not . . . rich. I guess they're not pitching in to help. In spite of it all, if one of mine is in trouble, I give them what I can IF it's not for something terribly stupid they did as I'd done countless times before, doesn't do a bit of good because it's like rewarding irresponsible behavior. I still do it for one daughter for the sake of the little one she is struggling with, like no water because the trailer pipes froze and no money to pay for it, new furnace because of CO poisoning.

I'm thankful I have been able to help or I don't know what would have happened with some of it. But not cash so they can spend on drugs, booze, or give it to their stupid husbands/boyfriends.