I CAN DO IT!

Today there was a lull in the rain, so I went outside and pulled my garden stuff – and stored it away until Spring 2020. I could not believe my eyes when I saw those 2 little cantaloupes on the vine – I have waited all freaking Summer for cantaloupe and watermelon, and got nothing! Now, that Autumn has arrived … they show!

The cantaloupe vine finally started putting out fruit TOO LATE in the season! So … into the garbage can these went :-(

AND I managed to drain, tip (to drain completely), and store the rain barrels too … BY MYSELF!

Tipping was tricky with the 1^st barrel – and I did drop it; but the fall wasn’t that high from the stand Bob built me to the river rock it fell onto; so, I think it will be okay. I don’t think it cracked … and even if it did, it is the one that the store sliced and sold to us damaged (which I did not notice until I set it up THIS Spring >;-P I was not happy to see that!); it would not be that expensive to replace if I need to go down that road. The rest of the barrels weren’t that hard to tip because I had found a rhythm and a way to scoot them back a bit before tipping them over:

Rain barrels drained & stored in the carport – Bob would be proud of me. And he would be laughing, and teasing me about being “a he-woman”. LOL!

I pulled the pots of geraniums off the front porch, and stored most of them under the front porch in storage bins – putting 3 of the potted geraniums into the shed because there was no room for them in the bins. Next year I will buy more bins; I LIKE geraniums, and they multiply every year.

And I pulled and stored the hoses too:

Geraniums pulled & stored: most were stored under front porch - these 3 in the shed.

Trellis' & Hoses pulled; & stored in the shed.

Then, I tackled the garden beds themselves – general cleanup, as well as pulling plants that needed to be pulled; laying those down for mulch to be turned into the soil next Spring; I moved the roses, sedums, and cactus from the front of the house, and put them out back where I can pull them quickly under the carport protection when stormy/freezing weather comes our way.

And I also moved the herb pots into the carport area until I can get to them to pull and dry inside ….

Eggplant – this will not survive the cold nights, but I hate to yank it out by the roots just yet …

My 24 YO Miniature Red Rose Bush: I bought this with my first LV paycheck back in 1995. The chives are about 22 YO – they came from Bob’s Aunt Marjorie Pentilla; I keep this small amount for myself, and pass some “extra” out to friends. NOTHING did well this year - the weather was c.r.a.z.y.

Herb Pots: Rosemary, English Thyme, & Oregano.

Bob bought me this Miniature Yellow Rose Bush as a Mother’s Day gift in 2000. Hopefully next Sprin/Summer will be more merciful to it ...

Herb Pots: German Thyme, Marjoram, & French Tarragon.

Hens-n-Chicks Sedum & Teddy Bear Cactus.

I put the wire cages in the carport with the rain barrels … and walked out to view the carport area street-side; Candy doesn’t want anything showing in the car ports except lawn furniture – yes, she is THAT persnickety:

Wire cages pulled & stored under the carport with the rain barrels.

Satisfied enough with outside cleanup, to please myself, I brought the geranium clippings I removed from the mother plants into the house and set them in water prepped with Miracle Grow, hoping they will root and not rot – I normally multiply my plants in the Spring, but they were really too tall to fit into the bins under cover, so I had to snip them this year. I hope they will thrive and give me new plants ;-)

Geranium clippings: some of these mother plants are 25 years old. And they have been moved from pillar to post – from Raymond, Washington (where I got my first plant), where we lived for a while … to here, where I added a few more: those ‘new’ additions are about 18 years old ;-) They will last FOREVER if cared for and stored properly.

Geranium clippings put in miracle grow and placed in a sunny window (my 'seedling/cuttings start' window).

And I went for a walk around Lake Sacajawea with Pam too – and was invited to go with Pam & Frank up to Elochoman Lake, next time they go; I said I will do that :-D I have not been there in decades, and I like being in the backcountry.

I like doing stuff like that … I MISS DOING STUFF LIKE THAT. I have not done anything backcountry in a year’s time, and I really do miss that.

I am SO THANKFUL for friends that know me – and understand me; and know what I need.

((((THANK YOU YESHUA!))))

It has been a busy day – but also a productive day; tempered with friendship time too.

I feel pretty darned “accomplished” today :-)