Harmony in a hammock

This miserable weather has me thinking about our hammock trees.

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We have two perfectly placed oak trees in the backyard with two perfectly placed hooks in the bark that have been a source of many a sound snooze for friends, family and likely unknown passersby when we aren’t around. They look a little like this though I can’t seem to find a good photo in my albums. The hammock trees are about the best place to flake out in nice weather which I plan to do when this winter is over.

However in recent years the trees have grown and begun to swallow up the hooks and one tree is starting to show his age and may not weather the test of time. We’re working on some pruning that may help but I hope to get a few more years out of our lovely hammock trees.

We also need a new hammock. The old white, many-stringed behemoth that someone brought back from Mexico has lost my confidence. It is time for a new one. I’ve been perusing the internet and while their prices are a bit steep it is a sound investment in weekend rest!

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And of course it couldn’t hurt to have one or two (or three) for the boys!

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This looks historically haunted

Is it just me or does the place where my old swing used to be look like we’ve been hanging people?

I think it is time to take these down or put a swing back up. I found this behind some overgrowth in a now rather unused part of the yard. Nice for Hallowe’en but that’s about it.

While I am not a member of the local historical society I suspect that none of the members could find evidence of hanging in these parts. Not a lot of suspected witches up here in the Kawarthas.

We had a good time old swing but your time is done!

Well this seems a handy tip for seeds and spacing. Good idea!

Three Pea Homestead: Plants - People - Planet

I was reading a recent post from cyber friends at Milkwood Farm and this handy little diy gadget caught my eye; I thought it was just so clever (definitely came as one of those “why didn’t I think of that” moments) that I just had to share.

See the full post at the Milkwood Permaculture Blog

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If you feed them, they will come

Well it appears we have hummingbirds this summer and either fewer or weaker bears.

A few weeks ago I talked about how we had lost the old feeder to the bears. I’ve installed our new feeder and while it indicates we don’t have scores of these little guys, we do have a few.

This new feeder seems suitably sturdy and up to the task. I’ve spoken to the neighbours and the bears are definitely still in the neighbourhood but they have either been outdone by this or have another source of entertainment and candy this year.

If a tree falls… will the neighbour hear it?

Well they didn’t hear it but they did see it.

I got a text message last week from my neighbour with this photo attached and the subject, “Did you know?”

I did not.

I made my way up this weekend. It’s going to be tough to tie a yellow ribbon around this oak tree now. Or the pine tree it took down. Must have been that bad storm everyone was talking about.

No real damage and no one hurt. Only a foot or two away from the powerline into the house though. Close one.

Well my neighbour and I cleared what we could and the pros are coming this week to buck up the rest. We will have campfire wood and my friends who rely on wood stoves will get the rest. Oh and there may even be some chips for the garden that can kill off the rest of my evil vines and general pile of crap near the septic tank.

So I guess just as nature intends, everything comes full circle. From mighty acorns…etc.

Oh poop! What to plant on the septic bed?

When you have a place in the country you think about poop a lot.

Wait, let me clarify. When you aren’t attached to a municipal water system you generally have to rely on a septic system. Or outhouse if you are particularly rustic.

With a septic system comes great responsibility. You yell at people who try to park on or near it. You chuck yeast and yoghurt down the drains to keep it healthy with good bacteria. And you rue the plants with thick, virulent roots that grow nearby in the fear that one day you will have to dig up the whole stinky mess.

This is what we are dealing with now. I’ve cleared out all the vines and junk from this spot last year. Now I need to find some solid, hardy perennials that will not interfere with the septic here, cover up the general ugliness of this side and potentially high “White October” the giant submarine sized propane tank.

I want to keep that Orange Blossom shrub but I’ve got an empty canvas other than that.

I found this great resource from Purdue University. I think I will use a lot of their advice. Of course I will listen to any advice from anyone out there as well.

Landscaping Over Septic Systems with Native Plants

That’s some good poop to ponder.

Humming along

Last year saw the demise of our hummingbird feeder.

Apparently we were attracting that rare breed of hummingbird that looks a lot like more like a black bear. And they have a little more force behind them than their ruby-throated counterparts.

So I just bought myself a new hummingbird feeder. Stopped off at the Urban Nature Store in Etobicoke and saw this feeder. With a name like this, it has to be good right?

Best Number 1 Hummingbird Feeder

We have had a feeder for as long as I can remember. We would sit on the front porch and quietly wait for that unmistakable buzz and watch the hummers dive bomb each other. It is always so tough to tell if you have one or a family around because they all look alike. This feeder has a measurement down the side that states if you watch the use within a 24-hour period you can determine the number of birds you have. I am curious to find out how many might appear.

I have always admired their desperate efficiency though I have admired it from my comfortable lawn chair, generally with a beverage in hand. Fuelled by sugar, they are much less annoying than a sugar-driven child or drunken stumbler who just won’t quit trying to get out of said lawn chair.

If you don’t know much about feeding hummingbirds, here is a nice little site with loads of information I could repeat ad nauseum but it is easier if you just visit them.

Hummingbirds.net

This site also has a nice list of plants that help attract hummingbirds. I can personally attest to the benefits of the butterfly bush. It is a humdinger!

I placed my feeders in the apple tree at the front of the house as it has always been there. Let’s hope my little friends return.

Seriously great infographic with loads of planting tips for your veggie garden

While we aren’t growing a proper vegetable garden at the schoolhouse (condo balcony veggies only!) this is a great infographic for planting, seasonal timing etc. Enjoy!

Things Could Be Worse

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It was so easy going green

Our four-year old patio furniture from Ikea has had it.

We have a little set we use on our balcony at the condo. That brown acacia stuff that we have just doesn’t weather very well. With each passing year it gets more and more decrepid looking. For awhile I kidded myself and thought it was just maturing and would turn a lovely darkened colour. It went gray and scaly. So I decided it can’t get any worse and tried my hand at painting it.

And yes for all my safey friends out there, I did wear all the appropriate personal protective equipment, except for a mask. I didn’t even make a mess except a small patch of grass I will cut next week anyway. At least the paint went downwind.

I think it went well. This test chair worked out to be very simple and I hope to get the rest done next weekend. This might inspire me to do more for the schoolhouse. I’d love to get some nice old Kawartha chairs (yes we call them Kawartha chairs ’cause we ain’t in Muskoka!) and do them up nicely. Wait and see!

High on High Park

That’s High ON High Park, not in High Park.

Not that I judge. I’m just saying that anyone in Toronto that needs to get a whiff of some (clean) spring air and some grass knows to go to High Park. Take that as you will.

When we are in the city, this is where I go to run or walk or generally chill. You see a good cross-section of Torontonians here doing all sorts. I’ve seen cyclists, jogging groups, stoner kids hanging out and those armies of moms with strollers who refuse to walk anything less that five astride. I even saw a wedding last summer.

High Park

High Park has a zoo (until this year’s city budget kills it), a giant playground (which recently burned down), great trails (which need patching)…well despite all its issues, I still love to visit.

At this time of year everyone goes to the park to see the cherry blossoms. Well not generally at this time of year but when the weather is this nice, that is.

Tourists flock here and lame joggers like me stop and attempt to take macro photos on their phones on windy days when they are out of breath. And then their batteries die. Which is why I have two lovely photos here from photographers who planned ahead and thought about what they were doing.

Now a lot of people go for the cherry blossoms but I go for Grenadier Pond and the swans.

There are a few theories about why it is called Grenadier Pond but whatever the reason it is always this nice, calming place where you can walk, run or sit by to collect yourself after a long day.

whenever I head over on a run I start thinking about things like what plants to plant, how much work will I get done on the yard at the schoolhouse and all those things I don’t have time to think about during the day. My happy place? I guess so. In the city at least.

Jesus, what is with all this happy deep thought crap? It’s like Oprah is in town or some shit. Oh wait…