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Walkin’ in High Cotton

Posted on August 17, 2010 by auburnchick

Ok…so that’s not cotton that Pele is standing in.

What you see, in fact, is a yard full of weeds…so tall, in fact, that Pele doesn’t have to bend his head very far to chomp down on them…

There’s no telling what’s hiding in there…dog poop, tennis balls…you name it, and it’s probably there…

The grass is so high that Molly is rebelling – choosing instead to do her business on my porch.

Ugh.

I guess I’ll be pulling up my big girl pants and getting outside, in the heat and humidity, and mowing the mess that I’ve allowed my yard to become…

I can hardly wait.

(Sarcasm reigns supreme.)

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Posted on July 27, 2010 by auburnchick

When the AuburnChick family built the ole homestead seven years ago, the landscapers put in what looked to be a harmless tree…

I was not asked where I wanted the tree to be located.  Instead, the landscaper planted it smack-dab in front of my gorgeous front window.

However, over the years, I developed an affinity for the tree.

It became home to one nest almost every season.

I loved the shape of the leaves.   I only recently found out it was some sort of pear tree…not the kind that produces fruit though.

And yet, as the years passed, the tree grew…

And grew…

And grew.

Soon, it was one of the tallest in the neighborhood.

You might remember that last summer, I did some heavy pruning.

But the foliage came back.

In addition, it looked like a second tree had sprouted.

Although I loved the tree, I did not like the way it blocked the view from my window.  Nor did I like it blocking the view of my window from the street.

I mean, my yard is ugly enough.  The window has the potential to leave an onlooker with some kind of favorable opinion of Chez AuburnChick.

For the last couple of years, I pondered the idea of having it chopped down.

I was growing concerned that the roots might make their way to the foundation of the home, and heavens only knows that I have enough problems as it is.

Well, Chicky mentioned this issue to Guy Friend.

Guy Friend, being a guy and all, showed up at my house one afternoon eager to help.

I was working in my classroom that day, so when I got home, I found Guy Friend…sitting on a ladder…saw in one hand and axe in the other.

Uh huh.

Chicky was supervising.

Uh huh.

Guy Friend hacked away at my precious tree and left it in the following condition…

Unfortunately, the stump remained, so I opened up the yellow pages and called in an expert.

He came over to give me an estimate, but he chuckled when he saw the size of the tree, claiming it was not worth his while to send out a crew.  He offered to saw the trunk for $40.

Well, me in my cheapness decided to call Guy Friend’s mom to ask if Papa Guy Friend could use his chainsaw to finish off the job.

He was more than willing (Chicky is so blessed to have a Guy Friend with such great parents), and they came over on Sunday and got rid of my tree.

I sucked in my breath when I took a step back and looked at my house (don’t mind the weeds…I have been a lazy gardener this year)…

What a difference, eh?  Look at the view from inside the house…

I’ve been leaving the window’s blinds closed to help lower the temperature in the house, but I am looking forward to cooler weather when I can leave the blinds open again to enjoy the view.

All that is left to do now is run by Home Depot to purchase stump killer…stuff you pour on that helps the stump and its roots to rot away.

Oh, and how did I thank Papa Guy Friend and his sweet wife?

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

A Diary of a Lawn in Progress

Posted on July 5, 2010 by auburnchick

June 11, 2010

Dear Diary,

I don’t know what happened, but over the last three years, my owners have seen fit to let me go.

Oh sure, I realize I am out of that baby stage, but was it really fair to expect me to have to take care of myself?

Once upon a time, I was lush and green.  I was the envy of those who drove past.

Great care was taken of my back side too…

Now, I hang my head in shame as walkers cross the street to avoid looking me in the eye.

I feel so exposed with my roots laid bare for all to see.

Woe is me.

June 18, 2010

Dear Diary,

Glory, hallelujah!  My owners seem to have taken pity on me.

Well, the truth is, they were shamed into doing something about me.

You see, one afternoon, AuburnChick was doing her thing, which doesn’t seem to be a whole lot other than job hunting and watching World Cup, when her doorbell rang.

Some guy in a lawn care uniform was standing there scratching his head.

Because they stood outside, I was able to overhear the conversation…

“Ma’am, do you mind me asking what happened here?” he asked while waving his hand over me.

“Yeah, well, for starters, let’s blame the economy.  I’ve been looking for a job for almost two years, and, well, subbing doesn’t pay a whole lot, so I’ve had to let some things go.”

“Well, Ma’am, it’s really a shame.  See, I’m from TruGreen, and I’m out here doing quality control…”

[I know AuburnChick well, and she braced herself for a sales pitch.]

“…and it’s obvious to me that your yard is experiencing severe drought stress.”

Yes, yes.  You get her, I thought to myself.

“Yeah, I’m really ashamed, but it was already on its way out, so I figured why spend money on watering when there’s really no point.  After I find a job, I am going to start all over and put sod down.”

“Well, Ma’am, I think you can still save your grass, without having to sod.”

[I know AuburnChick well, and when she smells savings, she starts circling like a hungry wolf.]

“Oh really?”

They proceeded to talk lawn medicine while I prayed.

The next day, the heavens opened up, and water came down like manna from heaven.

And it came down and came down.

I remember the man telling AuburnChick that she would have to water each zone for 45-60 minutes.  I know she gasped when she pictured the water bill, but her mind was on the bottom line…saving hundreds by not having to resod me.

Wouldn’t you know it, but my thirst got quenched every other day that week.

In the meantime, a nice young man came and gave me treats…food to make me grow.

Lord have mercy, but I was a happy yard!

Look at the difference in just a week…

There’s green in there!

Hope reigns alive!

July 5, 2010

Dear Diary,

Things are really looking up around here.

First of all, my owner, AuburnChick, has been thanking the good Lord for His provision of bountiful rain.  She only watered one day in the last two weeks, and that was by mistake because her new droid phone weather app said it wasn’t going to rain, but it did.

Not only has it been raining, but AuburnChick actually got herself off of the couch and edged and mowed!

My back side was in sore need of a trim…

She got a good little blister on her hand thanks to the two hours of work it required to clean me up…

I laughed because she got what she deserved…having delayed taking care of me for so long.

For a few minutes, I even sported a mohawk…

She worked and worked, clearing out the vines that had crept up the poor little pine tree that resides within my domain.

She even got out the ladder and cut off the vines that had encroached from the back neighbor’s yard.  She collected quite a pile, let me tell you…

She smiled the satisfied smile of a cat that has just beaten her prey.  See, that pile on the left?  Well, it’s her’s.  The one on the right is the neighbor’s.

Ever the competitive one, that’s for sure.

She kept on smiling until she spotted something on the bottom of her shoe.

Dog poop.

She thought she’d been smelling something foul while she worked.

She didn’t realized she’d stepped in it, unnoticed, while out working.

Serves her right for ignoring me for so long.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Friday’s “Done” List

Posted on June 13, 2009 by auburnchick

A disclaimer about my small list…I was tired and a bit down in the dumps.  So, I didn’t aspire to get much accomplished.  I did get a second wind late afternoon, though…

Friday’s List

  • Fed dogs twice
  • Cleaned and refilled inside water bowl
  • Swept inside the house and the porch
  • Revamped my resume and job hunted online
  • Visited local Workforce Center for job referrals
  • Listened to Revive Our Hearts
  • Dusted lamp shades (see photo below)
  • Fixed Chicky’s dehumidifier – who knew that you had to clean the dust from where the air gets sucked in?!  It’s working properly now!
  • Vacuumed Chicky’s room
  • Scooped dog poop
  • Removed dry clothes from the line
  • Took out the trash
  • Watered plants inside and out
  • Made two bowls of chicken salad using two rotisserie chickens from Publix
  • Finished watching Heroes season online
  • Knit on my Leyburn Socks (I’m up to the leg now…almost done with Sock #1)
  • Read a few chapters of my book, Blowback

Now, a few photos.

You’ll probably remember the pictures I posted of the pile of tree branches beside the curb.  One of my online friends questioned whether the pile would get picked up.

Check out this wayyyy cool truck…

When he was done…

You know what this means?

Now I can start trimming the trees in the back yard!  Woo Hoo!

Oh, and I thought I would share a picture of my lamp shade…

That’s about six months worth of dust.  What a difference the extra effort makes!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Peer Pressure

Posted on May 29, 2009 by auburnchick

The other day, when I pulled into my driveway, this is what I saw:

That is the area between my house and my neighbor’s.  For years, we’ve talked about landscaping the area around those green boxes.  We’ve never actually gotten around to it, though.  Apparently, she decided to take action.

I offered to help plant them, assuring her that I would follow her instructions since my thumb refuses to turn green.  She got the jump on me when she started work the next morning at the early hour of 8:00.

I was shocked when I went bouncing out of the house, showered, face made up, and wearing a fun, summery green skirt and white polo.  It was the last day of school, and I wanted to visit Ms. D, the Attendance Lady, and wish her a good summer.  The last thing I had on my mind was digging up grass and, thus, sweating thus requiring another shower.

I left feeling extremely guilty and called my good friend, Rabbitrescuer.  She told me not to worry.  If I was lucky, she would be done when I got home, and I could sneak into the house unnoticed.  Bad, but guiltily true.

And she was right…the work was done…

While my neighbor was slaving away, I stopped at the school, said my “End of the School Year Goodbyes,” and drove on to Lowe’s to pick up my own plants.

Yeah, I caved to the pressure…the pressure to pretty up my own yard.

A few pictures will illustrate the need for improvement.

Remember how the Mr. and I dug up the trees beside the garage?  We tried planting new shrubs, but they died.  I guess you shouldn’t plant them in the middle of winter.  Insert “I told you so” in the Mr’s direction.

I came home with two Knock Out Rose plants and two packages of Mammoth Sunflower Seeds…

I don’t know if you can read the brown label, but it claims that the roses are “Trouble-free shrubs…that suit any lifestyle.”

We’ll see.

Here’s what it looked like after I planted everything:

I planted sunflower seeds in the plant-less areas below:

The front right corner of this bed…

The small space in front here…

This narrow planter, which will be moved to ground level after the flowers start growing…

And two small pots (recycled from the Knock-Out Roses)…

Maybe, one day, I’ll get nicer pots.  As you know, I tend to wing it around here.  Changes come as slowly and as inexpensively as possible.

Speaking of recycling…my neighbor, kind lady that she is, saved the grass she removed from our new flower bed and told me I could use it for my yard.  My biggest dilemma?  Which bare spots to cover?

The seeds I planted a month and a half ago did not take.  So, I needed to do what I could and start somewhere…

I know.  It’s bad.

Here’s how I look at it.  The grass that I have is, at least, green.  Planting the seeds forced me to begin watering my grass regularly (so much for saving money).  At least the homeowner’s association can’t complain too much.  Thank goodness they can’t see the backyard!  It would take a truckload of grass to fix that area!

Anyhoo…getting back to the flowers…

I took the pictures hoping that in a couple of weeks, I’ll be able to post updated pictures of flowers that are actually GROWING.

One never knows…miracles still do happen sometimes.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

The Grass is Always Greener…

Posted on April 27, 2009 by auburnchick

In the neighbor’s yard.

Why?

Because when you neglect it for two years, things start to go to pot.

Today, I bought this…

To fix some areas in my yard…

Ok.  It’s not just a few areas.  It’s pretty much the entire front yard.

First, I raked the yard to loosen up dead grass clippings from the fall.  Rooster cleaned up the the dead grass that sat in piles on the sidewalk.

Then, I used my neighbor’s spike aerator to make the soil more receptive to the grass seed…

I distributed the seed using my fertilizer spreader and then adjusted the sprinklers to properly water the yard.

I’m sore from the raking, and my hands are done…

I really hope this works.  The seed was much cheaper than sod.  If my thumb magically turns green, I’ll try my hand at the back yard.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Spring=Working in the Yard

Posted on April 26, 2009 by auburnchick

Whew!  I’m tired!  The arrival of Spring has brought with it the usual yard work maintenance.

Earlier this week, I cleared some very sticky and tall vines from my backyard.  The vines were so bad that they had wrapped themselves around one of my healthy trees and were slowly choking it.  I pulled out a ton of weeds and dragged it, along with a dead tree trunk, to the curb.

On Saturday, Rooster was going to mow the grass.  Before he could do it, however, I realized that I had tons of weeds to pull.  Simply mowing over them would be an invitation for them to visit again.  So, I sprayed myself down with sunscreen, donned a visor, and headed outside.

Three hours later, I had amassed the following pile (this is after the city picked up my previous pile):

To give you an idea of the ground I covered, take a look at the view down the side of my house:

The entire length was covered with weeds of all sorts…prickly ones, dandelions…you name it, and I pulled it.  Now, it’s all clear, along with the rest of the front yard.

Pulling the weeds was not easy.  I got the bright idea of sitting on a small stool, which I scooched up as I progressed.  Let me tell you…the stool does not have a cushion.  Let’s just say that my cheeks (and I don’t mean facial) are severely bruised right now.  I think it’s from sitting on the edge of the seat and then sliding the stool forward and collapsing on it each time.

Not pretty, my friends.  Especially when trying to sit gracefully in church.

I still have a lot of work to do in the yard.  I’m going to buy some grass seed and attempt to grow it in the front.  My neighbor suggested that I rake the yard to loosen the dirt, then aerate it with a tool she loaned me (pictures will follow) and then spread the seed with my fertilizer spreader.  That sounds like a job for later this week.

I need time to recuperate from yesterday.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

One Down, One To Go

Posted on May 20, 2008 by auburnchick

Wow! Life’s been hectic the last few days!

I stayed up late Friday night and finished the first Tidal Wave sock.

I had to try it on, even though it’s a little too big since Chicklet’s friend has 9 1/2 size feet!

When I turned the heel, the yarn either changed colors or appeared to because of the slip-stitch heel called for in the pattern. I don’t know if you can tell, but the yarn, at this point, is absolutely vibrant — totally different from the leg.

I fully intended to spend Saturday and Sunday knitting up the mate, but regular house work got in the way.

Whatever would AuburnChick be doing that would take her away from knitting, you might ask. Well..enter in Mr. AuburnChick

Why, oh why, do men think they can go for years without caring one iota about the yard and then, Presto, Change-O, in one fell swoop, stick their noses in and wreak havoc?

These…

used to be here…

and here…

I didn’t get a picture of the mini-tree-like-things that were also in these flower beds. Mr. Chick went out, bought a saw, and cut them down to nubs and attempted to shovel them out. In the process, he managed to pull something in his back, leaving one huge hole and a mess that, guess who, had to clean up.

Grrr…

Yes, folks, I had to use my pristine knitting hands to finish what that over-ambitious man-thing had started. I even told him that I had better not mess up my knitting hands…I had a sock to finish on a very short deadline.

No such luck.

My hands were a wreck afterwards. I had to dig moats around each plant, breaking as many of the roots as possible before partially disabled He-Man could pick up the shovel and finish the job, with me lifting each plant, allowing him to strike at the remaining roots, freeing them one-by-one.

I was done knitting for the next two days. My right palm was very bruised.

Sigh…

I did pick up the sock today and managed to finish almost two full pattern repeats during Littlest Chick’s athletic awards ceremony. The pattern is so easy that I have it memorized. I’ve decided that I won’t have time to block them. I’ll simply be thrilled to hand them over when I’m done. I have lots more projects in the works!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

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