Hey I want to know where to order one of those Misters that work. My just seems to hold down the couch, unless it is life or death (ie help or I don't make dinner tonight).

jaliranchr where did you buy the kneeler and what are the measurements on it? I am thinking maybe it would help my mother get back outside once in a while.

stevie you don't need to change your log-in, Stevie Wonder just needs to realize that he is spelling his name wrong. Everyone knows that names ending in "ie" are female where as names ending in "y" are male. stevie, billie, johnie & jamie all female, see.

And if anyone has seen a tine/disc for a pick-up, please let me know. I have a patch that the horses wore down by their feeder that is really compacted that I want to disc and reseed while they are in the other pasture. We don't have a tractor, but we have three trucks.

Oh, emagineer, I agree some of those e-mails are really scary.

B

billie, I got mine a few years ago from Overstock. They may still carry them, dunno. Ace had them last year because my aunt got one there. They also have them at Gardener's Supply. I'll link here.

It's about 2 ft. long and 1 ft. wide. Folds up very nicely for storage.

Steve, I dont think the PM system has worked for me since iV took over GWand I guess it doesnt work for other people anymore either! When things started going wrong after the "takeover" is when I started looking for other sites and found GardenBuddies, but there just arent enough people over there yet, so I keep coming back to my addiction here. GB is a really excellent site, and you can do all kinds of things that you cant do here (and if theres any kind of a problem or a suggestion, its taken care of immediately), but I guess itll just take a while to develop a large following over there.

As long as iV can get their advertising and tracking cookies in, I dont think they care at all what does and doesnt work here. Right after they took over I tried to change my email address and password, and couldnt change either. When I emailed for help I didnt get any reply so I just gave up and changed a few other passwords that were the same as GW. Whoever heard of a website where you cant change your password!

If youd like some information about Books For Soldiers, Id LOVE to send it to you! EM me at SkybirdDEN -at- gmail.com Thats a new email I just set up that I dont use for anything else yet except Unity08, the new online non-democrat, non-republican political party! So Ill mix my politics and my gardening! Yikes! What a combination!

Do you only get 100 spam mails in your yahoo spam box in a few weeks, Steve? Wow! Im getting over a hundred a day right now! For a while it was almost down to nothing, and then it started back up again. I only get 2 or 3 a week at my AOL addy, which is surprising since its my original address and has been around a long time now. I always wonder what the difference is. Itll be interesting to see how much junk I start getting on the gmail account. None yet!

Anyway, if you have any BFS questions, please let me know. Im still doing it, but after spending $80 on postage the last time about 3 weeks ago now, Im on a mini-hiatus to "grow some more lettuce!" Thats why Ive been around here a lot lately! If I start looking at the requests on BFS, its impossible to NOT say Ill send something. At least posting here doesnt cost anything! ;-)

Cnetter, Id like to know if the kitty is the tractor driver? ;-) Or maybe just the mascot! It would be fun to have a little tractor in my yard, but Im afraid it would take up half the yard! :-( Guess Ill just have to stick to the "finger tools!"

And, StevieW, I envy you for that thing you have that attaches to the shovel! I used to have one of those, but it never attached very well, so I decided to get rid of it. Never did find another one that worked better! Now I just attach to my own shovel and dont have to worry about having a defective tool laying around anymore! hehehehe

Billie, Ive seen those kneeler/benches here and there in retail stores too. Just keep an eye out whenever youre near the gardening sections anywhere. But you missed a couple of the posts up above! Stevie IS a she-person! I think weve all got her head spinning by now!

In addition to my fingersand my noseI have a couple little cushy foam kneeler thingies that work really well when Im working between things, but when Im working from the grass next to the beds, I have a couple army-green, wool "packing blankets" I got from a move once that I sit onand just keep scooting from one to the next, and then moving the other one in front of me againand scooting again. I can scoot halfway around the yard without getting upexcept when I leave a trail of hand tools behind me and have to get up to gather everything together again! :-)

Happy tooling,
Skybird

Well, the garden tool I'd "like" to have is one of those scissor-like grass clipper tools. I'm afraid I can't cut a straight line with the weedeater, and DH doesn't like it when I chew holes in the yard, LOL! Speaking of Misters that work ... mine is actually very handy around the house, but he's just not into gardening. Just got back from taking him to the doctor, it's just a sinus infection, but he is miserable ... sooooo I guess my new garden bed won't be happening this weekend : (

Another tool I could really use is a wheelbarrow, and I would like some kind of compost bin (DH thinks compost "piles" are an eyesore)

Oh, wait ... this wasn't supposed to be a wish list was it, he, he. Okay, out of the tools I DO have, I use a small hand spade more than anything else.

Hey, it's the OTHER Steve here! Yeah, I got Sandy's PM. Sorry for the confusion to you, Steve (Digit). I LOVED that confusion over the Mister/mister joke! That made it twice as funny, Stevie!

Anyway, my favorite garden tool is my short hand spade/trowel. Then comes the little handheld 3-prong cultivator which is a nice rake, too. I do my best garden work on my knees, so I don't get much use out of a hoe, either. The shovel is great, but only for turning over the veggie garden area.

What I want the most right now is that little tiller attachment that connects to my weed whacker/string trimmer. Somehow, my wife didn't get if for me for Valentine's Day like I requested! :-0

Hightransplant,
I have two of the hand power grass cutters, so one is always charged. And they need to be sharpened/oiled on a regular basis, get a worn a bit sooner than wanted. Or I use them for things they weren't meant to be near. They really work well for me, but my kids "kid" me crawling all over the lawn using them. I think they work best in grassy areas where you don't want the weed eater to eat trees, bushes, ect. But maybe I'm not real good at keeping the weed eater at bay.

Yup, made a mistake on the PM. Apologies posted in another thread with long explanation...and totally OT.

So I'm at Wal-mart last night, 'cause I don't want to shop there on a Saturday with three children (I'm not THAT much of a glutton for punishment!), and I wander out onto the patio to look at the plants, and I hear a familiar click ... "Hey, don't lock me out here!!!!"

Anyway, I found these neat manual grass shears made by Fiskars, where the blades rotate to any angle, so of course I bought them. Can't wait to use them. I also HAD to pick up a half dozen MORE seed packets. One can never have TOO many, right?

You guys are too funny today! Loved the Mister mister missus misunderstandings.

My favorite tool of all time is the garden "ladybug" which is a little plastic cart like thingy that has four wheels. It's low to the ground for sitting on and has a lid to store small things like hand tools and gloves, and a handle for dragging it around and plopping down to weed or whatever. I got it as a gift and I could say it's one of the best gifts I've ever received except that I wish it were waterproof because when it rains heavily the inside compartment full of your little tools, seeds, gloves fills up with water.

I, too, have the four pronged manual cultivator and have gotten some use out of it. Gloves tucked everywhere around the house and garden because I can never find a pair when I need them.

And like Jalirancher, my husband hates my two compost piles that are literally just piles. To him they are rotting piles of stinky smut. To me they are mounds of precioius brown gold brewing the ingredients for a garden of eden.

As I type this he is putting together the nice and tidy black compost bin HE bought at Costco a few days ago. hmmph.

Charlene

Please don't take umbrage to your Mister's black compost bin, Charlene. Take your leaves, plant debris, etc. etc.

The bystanders to our gardening activities can be drawn in if one allows them a role (albeit, limited and highly circumscribed ;o). Waste management is an important role. Carpentry and tool assembly are important roles.

Steve

Definitely don't want any umbrage in the compost bin, Mister Steve!

I had to look up the word umbrage:

Main Entry: um·brage
Pronunciation: '&m-brij
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin umbraticum, neuter of umbraticus of shade, from umbratus, past participle of umbrare to shade, from umbra shade, shadow; akin to Lithuanian unksme shadow
1 : SHADE, SHADOW
2 : shady branches : FOLIAGE
3 a : an indistinct indication : vague suggestion : HINT b : a reason for doubt : SUSPICION
4 : a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight or insult
synonym see OFFENSE

Well the new compost bin is in its new place in the vegetable garden and I have to say it does look quite tidy. But my real piles are all the way on the other side of the vegetable garden and I think he hates them so much he's going to shovel it back & forth into the new location. hmmm.

No umbrage taken :)

Charlene

Dont want any umbraticum or umbraticus in there either! LOL Id say we hijacked your thread, Steve, but you started it, so its your fault!

I love words, so this is fun, but I never knew of the first two definitions. Maybeby definition twoyou do want some umbrage in your new compost bin! But Im sure glad I already knew how to pronounce it, cause I dont have a clue how to pronounce a "&"! Might it be: ampersandm-brij??? Hmmmm! Maybe not!

Skybird

Remember Joe Btfsplk (you wouldn't be surprised that I had to look up the spelling :o)? Anyway, in Lil Abner Joe Btfsplk was the guy who always walked around with a dark cloud over his head. That may be the idea behind the word - umbrage.

And then there's M*A*S*H:

Potter: Take your seat, Pierce.
Hawkeye: Uh uh. Sorry. I can take umbrage, I can take the cake, I can take the A-Train, I can take two and call me in the morning, but I cannot take this sitting down. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take five.

Steve, just a tool

Hadn't thought about Lil Abner for a LONG time, and never would have had a clue who the dark cloud guy was, but I'm still in love with the schmoos!

Schmoobird

Steve, Where do you come up with this stuff?

Someone mentioned their daughter on another forum using "Holy Cow" and never hearing it before. Are we old as dirt? I've used this for years and with some rolled eyes from people. Curiosty...looked this up and it was started by Corlis ARcher on the radio show back in the 50s.

Steve is at tool? Obviously a very good tool we could all use in our gardens and life.

Definitely as old as dirt, Emagin!

I never knew where it came from, but Holy Cow was the only "swearing" we were allowed to do as kidsand the 50's fit right into that picture! :-)

Remember "Black Cows"?

Bring back the schmoos!
Skybird

PS Hi, Toolman!

Segwaying back to tools here, when I look at what gets used the most I'd say the stirrup hoe, with the flexible blade, and I ordered the blade part from Johnny' and then went and bought a 6 ft long handle locally. I carry it around all the time, with a good pair of pruners in the pocket.

Other things I've found useful are those big-wheeled, 5 hp plastic string weedwhackers which are great for cutting down really tall grass and weeds, and does wonders in clearing out winter's dead stuff in the big perennial beds. These are cheaper than the weed wackers that have to be carried around, easier to take care of, and much easier to use.

Another surprisingly useful thing to have around is one of those big, wooden lawn cars with the bicycle wheels, which hold a volume of around 4 bales of hay. I use mine all the time for hauling raw stuff to the compost and later, the compost back. It will hold lots and lots of pruning waste. Perfect for firewood.

Finally, a small bladed, good quality, long handled shovel. I went to an estate auction at a farm the other day, and they were selling off a life time accumulation of garage and barn junk, whole trunks full of nuts and bolts going for $5 kind of thing. And then the auctioneer picked up one of these shovels, and everybody grew quiet. Grey handle, rusty blade, but everybody there knew it was a good 'un. Sold if for $40.

For my compost, I once had one of those Walmart kiddy swimming pools with a stiff, plastic side and a waterproof liner. Snort. One of those things that took 3 days to set up and fill with water, and the kids swim in it for another three days, and thats it for the summer. It had a 12 ft diameter. I cut the 4 foot high x however long piece of stiff plastic into two, and then use some steel tposts to hold it up, and use that for the compost bins. Looks a little better from a distance, anyway.

I didn't realize that those things had 5 hp, David. I'd guess you'd need it - heck, I'd have trouble walking around a 2 acre lawn let alone doing it while carrying a weed wacker.

Skybird, the Shmoos are happy and you'll just have to visit them in Shmooville. They are never coming back to Dogpatch and certainly not going any farther afield. Corporate America would never, ever tolerate Shmoos. And, they know it.

DigitS

Not even one little shmoo? :-(

Wish I could go back to the 50's for a day to figure out how much of the "politics" of Lil Abner I actually understood at that time. Too bad we cant get Al Capp backwith or without the shmoos. We sure could use somebody who tells it like it is.

Have a happy life little shmoos,
Skybird

Steve, you better fess up to Skybird. Shmoos?

Ok, the weekend is over, bummer. I got so much done. I did not have anyluck growing strawberries from seed this year, the packet says it takes a long time to germinate, but two monthes is a bit much. Maybe they did not get chilled long enough or too long?
Anyway, Home Depot has their "bare root" strawberries in. I picked up three varieties for my strawberry pots. But back to the subject.
My husband and I get up at 4:00 am everyday so we can carpool in to work. This morning I come out to get lunch made and he comments that I should think about getting a greenhouse cause the laundry room is a jungle. What was he doing in the laundry room anyway? The last time he tried to do laundry, he had to ask the 11 year old boy how the dryer worked! Anyway, I have been wishing for one (a greenhouse) for ten years, maybe I won't have to wait another ten years to get it.
I wonder if I were to move some of those starts into the kitchen infront of the big windows if I could increase the chances of half-lifeing the wait again? Any chemists out there? Still don't know where I would put it. Steve said they work best sheltered somewhat right?. Sheltered pretty much does not exist out there unless you build it.
Anyway I think I may need to buy a new pair of gloves before next weekend. I pretty much wore mine out this weekend building my compost pile. Out our way, compost and manure piles "add character" to your front lawn. The size of the manure piles indicates the family's wealth. I had one of those compost bins when we lived in a townhouse many years ago. It was an "easy install" model. After about 3 hours messing with it, I took it back to the store. The easiest part of it was installing it back into the box! I actually gave up on that idea and went to the grocery store bakery for the free 5 gallon buckets they throw out. It worked great for what I needed. I could even have the baby (who I now look up to) turn it by rolling it all over the backyard. My Mister did build me a pretty nice set of three 6x6x4 compost bins on our current property. I just don't have time for the turning anymore, but it sure was a good workout.
david52 - I love auctions. Calhan has one something like that every Monday. Unfortunatly I don't get to go anymore since I have to work on Monday's :(
Speaking of, I suppose I better get going

B

Billie -- you'd better jump on that greenhouse while it's his idea! That's like three summers ago, when my wife said to me, "I think we should buy a boat." She didn't have to tell me twice -- I had one in the driveway by the next weekend! (Fortunately, I found a great deal on a used boat we could afford). You can't pass up those opportunities when they arise! Good luck!

By the way, when I have seeds that are difficult to germinate, I'll either rub them with sandpaper or poke them with a pin (if they're big enough), and then soak them for a day or two. That will often break down the hard coating that is what usually makes a seed difficult to germinate. Are strawberry seeds very tiny? That may make it difficult, but fine sandpaper might help.

Skybird, as a youngster - I thought that I could be a Shmoo (just didn't like that idea of jumping into a frying pan whenever a human looked hungry ;o). Heck, if they'd had arms . . .

Al Capp was probably telling us that we'd better leave the Shmoos to being Shmoos. Gotta get out there and exercise those arms.

Billie, think about sunsheds (there's a link below to a picture). Mine is just a little larger and the plastic extends all the way to the ground level. This gives me room for a low shelf. I'd take a picture but the plastic hoop house is in the way. The sunshed is one of the 3 structures that protects the hoop house from the wind (fence, garage, also).

Manure piles as a sign of wealth - I can remember a neighbor who had about the largest cow calf outfit around when I was a kid. You could stand and look out at his fields in every direction and not see anything except manure. So many cows hanging out at the hay barn thru the Winter there wasn't 1 blade of grass or anything green. Hey, do you remember Fiddler on the Roof?

I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear.
And each loud "cheep" and "swaqwk" and "honk" and "quack"
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say "Here lives a wealthy man."

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum!

DigitS

Stevation, you know all those little tiny things on the outside of strawberries that get stuck in your teeth? Those are the seeds! If you tried to sandpaper them, they'd be smaller than the sand on the paper! (Hmmm! Maybe the sand would germinate! Just a thought!) ;-) They're VERY small! But I agree! Scarification can really speed up some things.

Ladybug, were your seeds dry or damp when you stratified them? If they were dry, try it damp if you ever want to try it again. I always fold the seeds I'm going to stratify in a small piece of moist paper towel and stick them in a zipper baggie before I stick them in the fridge. I did that last year with wild strawberries (red and yellow ones), and then took them out of the fridge and left them in the paper towels and watched for germination. It worked, but I was too lazy and didn't get them off the paper towels and into soil soon enough, and they died anyway, but if I had been a little more on the ball, it would have worked out well. I'm gonna do it again later this summer. Wild/alpine strawberries--Fragaria vesca--are very small but amazingly flavorful berries. And they don't run.

When you use the moist stratification method, be sure you're only doing the ones you actually want to germinate, because once they've been wet, you can't save them anymore.

Skybird

Just thought of something else that really helps me - automatic vent openers on the cold frames. Without them, I'm sure I'd forget to open the cold frames some day and everything would fry.
A friend of mine in Golden has a very pretty sunshed similar to Digit's picture and he forgot to open it on a sunny day and lost his plants. I recommended he get a vent opener. They don't need electricity.

If manure piles mean wealth then I'm rich!!

I would have to say my personal favorite is my broadfork. Work wonders on helping amend this odd soil. Next would have to be the set of chairs under the trees that we sit on and enjoy the wonder of it all.

Oh, that's very pretty, Lucky!

I took the camera with us today with the intent of showing our little nook under the wild plum tree. The plum blossoms are just starting to open and if I'd get the angle right, no one would see what a strange pruning job I'm doing on it.

But, then I asked myself what would the picture be of, other than a couple of folding lawn chairs and a cooler with maybe a blooming branch above. There isn't anything to see except dirt, the neighbor's garage or the other neighbor's raspberry/grape jungle. Plenty of dirt.

You've got a very pretty yard and a nice place to rest.

DigitS

stevation - I am hoping that when we get our taxes back, soon I hope, I can afford to do it. I love the sunshed that digit has. I was hitting him (hubby)up on the idea of a lean-to type on the southeast side of our house. That would put it in my garden (where I am building) and give me a "starter". I think I am going to stop in at the library this weekend and check out some books on sunrooma and greenhouses. I can get the materials reasonably since I work in a lumber yard, I just need to figure out which materials and what type of greenhouse. Please send me your suggestions. I don't want to put up anything like a hoop house or PVC because we do get really strong winds and high snow drifts in the winter. My daughter dug an igloo into one of our drifts last year.

cnetter - glad you recommend the auto-vents. I am going to make them manditory on the greenhouse/lean-to when we get it done. Maybe I can have my own greenhouse tomatoes this winter (dreaming)

skybird - I dry stratified them, I did not even think about trying wetting them, oh well next year, or maybe later this year. What do you think about putting them in the "gel". My son and I handseeded them this time, boy was that fun! Don't drive after that :)

digit - hey, I have all of them: chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks, and boy do they get loud, but they are good eating and great at the bug cleanup. The ducks and geese love grasshoppers! Glad Guinea hens are not on that list, they are mean little buggers. :)

B

"I just need to figure out which materials and what type of greenhouse. Please send me your suggestions."

I recommend double walled polycarbonate. Over the years it's withstood winds exceeding 100 mph, hail and me falling on it. Also it hasn't yellowed. It's not as clear as glass, but much lighter and more durable.
I've had it in place for over a decade. But, maybe there's something newer out?

Each to his own, but I prefer wet stratifying by planting seeds in trays and then cold stratifying them. Did this for a few thousand rose seedlings and am now doing it with daylily seeds. This way, I don't damage the growing tip - on some crosses I only got one seed and I'm paranoid.

I planted alpine strawberry seeds one time and had remarkable results. The plants were/are so cute and so were the berries. Unfortunately, a little too cute for DW. She was amazed that I went to the bother for such tiny plants. Okay, I had to admit that I needed 3 plants to harvest a tablespoon of berries on a good day but . . . they were so good in a bowl with vanilla ice cream. Right now, I don't think I can find more than 3 plants out there in the corner of the yard.

My sunshed is built out of standard 2x4's with cedar fence board and batten siding. (The shed matches the west side fence.) The shed's south side is built with redwood 2x4's and sheathed with 3-year, UV-resistant, 6-mil film. The north wall and roof are insulated with fiberglass and then sheathed on the interior with insulation board with aluminum facing.

Billie, I wouldn't really recommend this construction for a sunroom but it is very functional as a utility building. I'll try to get a picture of the northside of the building this afternoon when the light is better.

Steve

cnetter - glad to hear your review on the polycarbonate. That is the material I have been looking at for a few years. I was just pricing it out. Not too bad when you compare it to glass or some of the alternatives. I'm not really finding too much "newer". I guess the greenhouse technology kinda stalled. Thanks for the thought on planting the seeds, then stratifying them. I guess that would be more natural to them. I collected a bunch of "rugusa rose" hips last summmer that I wanted to start this summer. I plan on planting them between my place and the neighbors as their dogs seem to think that it is fun to tease my dogs while I am gone.

digit - DH just does not appreciate the worth of alpine strawberries. Send her out to pick them in the mountains, she'll appreciate the value of growing them at home after that! We used to go up and pick the alpine strawberries and the wild blueberries in the summer. You always had to take an extra long hike if you wanted to take any home!! It's better than picking the cherries right off the tree. Anyway, my greenhouse is not going to be a "sunroom" as it will not have any access to the house. I am just looking at, maybe, putting it against the south wall to keep it out of the worst of the wind and let it absorbe some of the lost heat from the house. It might also help to insulate the water heater that is in the house, but we still have problems with one of the lines (unknown entity) freezing. So much for "if we built a new house we won't have all the problems". Yeah, whatever! I'm just thinking that if I built a little "lean-to" type, and I use the heck out of it, then, maybe, in a few years I can justify building a bigger one. I have 40 acres, it not like I have to conserve land. And besides, I plan on retiring on that piece of ground if they don't bury me in it first! Yes, I am really conservative. "If it is not used, get rid of it" my motto for life, sometimes, if it benifits me :)

Ok, I will quit now. I welcome any more suggestions you folks have. I will keep you informed on what I plan to do with it. If I can figure out how the thumbnail thingy works, I will post a picture of what I am talking about, just, please, don't hold your breathe on that!

" I collected a bunch of "rugusa rose" hips last summmer that I wanted to start this summer. I plan on planting them between my place and the neighbors "

Oh my, deja vu!
I did that sometime ~1990. Eventually those roses got replaced by others I needed the space for.

My little greenhouse -- The north wall actually existed before anything else. I built it to hold up a lean-to greenhouse that was moved from another home.

After a few years, I removed the little lean-to and built a roof and the open south side.

Very functional if not much beauty and with not much light behind me and the camera . . .

Hey, its not supposed to be the "Rockafeller Estate" right. It's just a po' folk greenhouse. I'm so poor I can't even afford the or! Sorry, bad joke. I like things that are "rustic". I might have talked my husband into the lean-to thing yesterday. Hoping to confirm that tonight so I can start leveling the area, or maybe I will just start anyway. I just want functional. It will be in my garden which, I think, will make it more functional.

I am thinking about trying to make rose hip jelly and tea if I can even get those seeds to start.

I was abusing my hay fork yesterday. I used it to remove all those tumbleweeds that did not tumble during the winter. Worked much better than the flat shovel that I normally use. I could flip it over and rake them away too. Right now I really wish I had a tiller. Maybe next year.

B

My dear, sweet hubby bought me a new garden tool the other day (see link below). Can't wait until the wind dies down, so I can get to work on my veggie patch. Of course, he had to comment that "see I support your hobbies too!", since he bought himself a new dirt bike a few weeks ago. I would say my hobby is cheaper, but I think mine is just spent in smaller increments. It probably adds up to as much as his in the long run though.

Hey I forgot- love my extra hoses.

Steve,
I'm totally exhausted looking at the work you go through. Tis a farm and know personally how much time is on your agenda caring for all. Beautiful pics, beautiful plantings.

I have one of those kneeling/sitting fold-up stools and I couldn't live without it. My knees aren't what they used to be, and I do most of my veggie gardening in raised beds now. That stool is the perfect height to sit and work in those beds, and flips right over to cushion my knees for weed-pulling. And when it's folded up it takes almost no space to store. I got it at Lee Valley Tools, and it's very sturdy.

Hey, I have to tell you -- my wife and I had our 19th anniversary last Saturday, and guess what she bought me? Yeah, the mini-tiller attachment for my weedeater! Very nice! Haven't used it yet but plan to this week.

OK, the truth is I had to go buy it for myself, but since she's still not feeling real active after the c-section childbirth three weeks ago, I won't hold that against her!

Wow Steve 19 years and a new baby. I know I don't have the energy for a newborn anymore. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

My husband is really good at getting me what I want. I show him and he tells me ok buy it, I'll put it together. Of course it only took 15 years of training :)

B

Thanks Billie,

I know, our little boy is a little late arriving on the scene, with 8 years' gap between him and our twins and a 13-year difference from our oldest. But when my wife told me last summer that we just HAD to have one more before it was too late, who was I to stand in the way? It turned out nice that we got our first (and only) son out of the deal, too. Of course, my daughters are well appreciated and gets lots of love, but having both now feels good and well rounded.

We're getting used to the idea that we'll be at retirement age when he graduates from college. Oh well -- might as well fill life up with good things to do, eh?

"Oh well -- might as well fill life up with good things to do, eh?"

That's what makes life worth living, Steve! :-)

Steve, the mini-tiller attachment for the weedeater has some very appropriate uses - it does a very good job at mixing fertilizers into soil and preparing a seedbed. A few tasks can overwhelm it, however.

I initially thought that I could kill the weeds in the paths with it. Pounding over wet paths with #13 shoes and 190+ lbs quickly results in concrete-like conditions. The tiller spends more time airborne than it does scratching ineffectively at the weeds. And, this is a good way to break tines.

I have a very bad back; the extra weight at the end of the shaft is a problem. Wear your back brace!!

DigitSteve

If you don't have family, you don't have anything.
You will not be bored for a very long time. I think my next day off with no games or pratices for anything is June 23, 2018! It keeps you young.

B

Stevation, I think we are in the same boat. My DH and I will have our 20th anniversary next month, and our youngest will have her first birthday a few days later. The difference is I had to try three times before I got a girl. She was worth the wait though : )

Very nice, highalt -- I think you know exactly what we're experiencing, just with the genders reversed! Hopefully, your boys have been good babysitters. Our 13-year old daughter has been a great help to us that way and the twins can't wait till their old enough to babysit little McKay (he won't be so little by then, though!).

Hmmmmm ..... my boys ... babysitting? Little girls have a nurturing instinct, little boys, not so much. They are 8 and 3, and completely rough and rowdy. They weren't too interested in her when she was an infant, but now that she is mobile, they fight over who gets to play with her. With those two for brothers, I'm afraid my "princess" may turn out to be a "tomboy".

Highalt,

I grew up with two brothers, 4 and 8 years older than me. She'll learn how to defend herself! ;-) And I was a TOTAL tomboy----but I turned out to be a passable girl too--who could defend herself!

Happy family all,
Skybird

Highalt,

I grew up with two brothers, 4 and 8 years older than me. She'll learn how to defend herself! ;-) And I was a TOTAL tomboy----but I turned out to be a passable girl too--who could defend herself!

Happy family all,
Skybird

"Hmmmmm ..... my boys ... babysitting? Little girls have a nurturing instinct, little boys, not so much."

I have 6 brothers and 1 sister. I think my brothers who were younger than my sister may not have done much babysitting or nurturing, but I don't recall it being a choice for those of us in the older group. I probably never changed a diaper until I was almost in kindergarten, but I did it with the real thing (pins and all). When my daughter was born, I was amazed at how easy it all was (all the tabs and everything).