According to a recent physical examination, I am "tan-with-pink-undertones and my capillary refill is brisk".
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| Bumblebees are amazing. 51 F and they are out there pollinating. This image has Ground Ivy, Deadnettles and Wild Lettuce in the frame. |
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| More chaos being bent to the plow |
The first tilling is rough. It chops up the trash and mixes it with enough dirt to accelerate decomposing. If I hit this again in a week and then a week after, it should be good-to-go and only the coarsest corn stalks will be visible.
I do not adhere to the belief that soil must be tilled to the molecular level. My belief is that most of the work can be done by bacteria and fungi if I make the conditions hospitable to them.
Gutters
The only other notable activity was that I stuffed reticulated foam into the gutters to fend off their filling with leaves.
Frank, one of my coffee drinking buddies favors the foam type guards.
I imagine they will still pick up catkins, flower petals and other junk but perhaps they will dry out and blow away. If not, maybe I can brush them off instead of prying out half-frozen goop.
What about UV deterioration of the foam?
ReplyDelete"Made from multi-polymer foam that is both lightweight and durable and is formulated to perform in all weather conditions. It contains a UV coating to protect from degradation from the sun."
DeleteThe foam will shrink up a little bit, so it's not a panacea, although it will help a little.
DeleteSingle story house? Have a gasoline-powered leaf blower?
ReplyDeleteMy Stihl (an older BG 85 "consumer" unit) has a half-length fixed "snout" that accepts a few different twist-on extensions: narrow and wide, and one that's only slight tapered at the outlet.
It also accepts 2 lengths of 2.5" shop vax extension wand (which came with my shop vac, and more lengths are available cheap), with the assistance of a little duct tape. A 3" 90 degree PVC elbow doesn't quite "screw on" to the shop vac wand, but duct tape again. The fixed snout + 2 lengths of wand and the elbow allows me to reach the gutters to blow them out. 3 minutes to add the shop vac wands, elbow and duct tape, ~4 minutes to walk around the house blowing stuff out of the gutters. I finally bought a pair of extension wands ($3 at the Thrift Store, but about $12 at Home Depot) and permanently attached the elbow, so now it's about 60 seconds to begin.
FYI, Hobby Lobby sells a 9" diameter mirror for about $5, Wooster Brush F6333 Lock Jaw Tool Holder (<$10 Home Depot, Lowe's, Amazon), 16"of 1/2" EMT, a 1/4-20 elevator bolt (they have large diameter smooth flat heads, "specialty" fastner drawers at HD,Lowe's), some epoxy (I used JB Weld but almost anything will work), a beam clamp (Lowe's, Home Depot electrical dept, ~$2) and you have an inspection mirror that will go on a 16' extension pole.
Epoxy the elevator bolt to the mirror back, when cured screw it into the 1/4-20 female threads on the beam clamp (with a nut to lock it in place), put the clamp on the length of EMT, clamp the EMT in the Wooster F6333. screw that to the end of the pole, Presto!, you have a fully adjustable long reach inspection tool. For greater inspection detail 10-16 feet up, person 1 runs the mirror tool, person 2 uses 6-7X binoculars.
Leaf guard is the way to go
ReplyDelete20 years me no clean gutters
Leaf guard is the way to go
ReplyDelete20 years me no clean gutters
I'll second. I still go up on the roof once or twice a year for inspection, but I haven't cleaned a gutter since 2009, I have I have to contend with pine needles.
DeleteIn the top photo, is that a stalk of Asparagus sticking up there?
ReplyDeleteYes sir.
DeleteCongrats on not being White. Sounds like you won the lottery. Don't waste the advantage.
ReplyDelete