Drip irrigation system for the raised bed and molasses tubs

For the last few years we have steadily added on to our raised bed gardens.  Some buckets, some molasses tubs and some cinder block raised beds.  Here in south Texas the gardens have to be watered daily.  We had been using soaker hoses on timers but it just wasn't working well.  The hoses further down the line didn't get enough water and the plants suffered.  This year we decided to install pvc pipe drip systems on timers. 

This is the front area.  Its very simple, with pretty much just straight runs.  We started with this to get the hang of it.  It was so simple to put together we went ahead and started on the back garden.  We had originally thought to use hose from spigot to the garden but I thought it would be better if we went pvc all the way.  No kinks.

When we got the front done, Sandy inspected it and said good job.

This is a shot of the back garden before we installed the drip system.

This is what it looks like at the spigot.  A few turns to get it going the right direction.

Another before shot.

The system is about 80% complete.  Since we didn't use hose for the beginning we ran out of PVC pipe.  I figure 3 or 4 more pipes and I can complete the system.

Each set of beds has a shut off valve.  I can adjust the flow of water here as well as at the spigot or turn a bed completely off.  I still have both raised beds to plant as well as 4 of the tubs so it worked out great for now.  I will get the system completed in the next few days and get the rest of the garden planted as well.  I plan to plant lots of tomatoes in the hopes of a good year and that I will have plenty to can.  I have had to buy store bought canned tomatoes. 

Beach Reach News story

This was from a couple of years ago but Hannah said its pretty much how it was.  Anything you can imagine was happening.

The beach reachers were always in teams of at least two and if they went out anywhere they had to have a guy with them.  It seemed sexist at first but was soon apparent that having a guy with them was a very good idea. 

Working on the garden

We got the fence put back up around the raised bed garden and got it about 1/3 of the way planted.

I am going to plant extra tomatoes this year and pray I will get enough to can.  I am out of home canned tomatoes and there is just nothing like home canned tomatoes.

Beach Reach for Hannah

Hannah went to beach reach this year with the Baptist Student Ministries.   She had great stories to tell and stepped out of her comfort zone a few times as well.  It wasn't all work and no play they did have a couple of hours one day that they got to spend at the beach. 
I'm really proud of Hannah and her heart for the lord.
I had originally written that Hannah went to beach reach for the second year but I was wrong.  She did go to Port Isabel last fall but it was for a community outreach project.  OOPS

This is the group that came from Kingsville College.  Texas A &M

Do you blog?

     I am interested in reading others blogs and I was wondering if any of my readers have a blog.  If so I would love to read it.  I know a couple of you have blogs but leave a comment anyway and I will do a post with your blogs listed.
     It will help us get to know each other better.

     Also, is there anything you want to know?  Anything you want me to blog about?  Let me know and I will see what I can do.

Have a great week.

Buckwheat hull pillow

Buckwheat hull pillow?  That sure sounds strange.  I have one and I sleep on it and I really like it.
Here is how it all came about.

I have an Amish friend who has a botanical mail order business.  I'll post his address in a bit.  His name is Simon.

I frequent Simons establishment quite often because I like to buy my herbs and spices in bulk and his are priced much cheaper than anywhere else I have found.  Plus I get to pick his brain when I have an issue and if I go pick it up I don't have to pay postage.

Anyway, one day we were talking and I said something about night sweats and he recommended a buckwheat hull pillow.  He said his wife sleeps on one because she is very hot blooded.  He said about four pounds of buckwheat hulls would make a small pillow but big enough to work just fine.  I ordered the buckwheat hulls and when they came in I made myself a pillow.  Its probably about 18 inches square.  I used muslin and made a simple pillow.  I also use a regular pillow case and just fold it over.

I have been using my pillow for at least 6 months and am quite pleased with it.  The research I have done says that it should last about 10 years.  Quite a bit longer than a conventional pillow.

This is what buckwheat hulls look like.

The hulls are loose but when you lay your head on them they stay in that shape.  They allow air flow so you never have to turn the pillow to the cool side.  They repel dust mites which is a great thing and they are cheap and natural.

I like my buckwheat hull pillow and recommend them to anyone who sleeps hot or lives in a hot climate.

If you would like to send for a bulk herb and spice catalog here is my friends address.  Remember that ordering things this way takes time because nothing is computerized.  He doesn't take credit cards.  Most people send him a blank check and when your order is finished he will fill it out including the postage and send you a bill telling you how much he made the check out for.  That seems very scary in our world but that's how he does business.  Another way is to send him a money order but you must be careful to make sure you send enough money.  He says many time people don't send the correct amount and so he sends out their order but they rarely seem to send him the monies still owed.  My niece just sends a blank check.

South Texas Botanicals
4156 Gaitan Lane
Beeville, Texas  78102

40/40 update

     I am on day 8 of my 40/40 challenge and I think I am going to make it.   Maybe not last all 40 days but I am sure I will hit the 40 bag mark soon.
     I am already up to 24 bags and I haven't even done my project for today.  I am only counting the bags of things I am taking to the rummage sale.  I have not factored in the bags of stuff I have just taken straight to the trash can.

Creating less waste

     I have recently come across blogs and stories about people who are trying to live a waste free or less wasteful life.  I was intrigued.  I wondered if that was something I could do. I have already cut way back on paper towels, Kleenex and even toilet paper by using a bidet and cloth wipes I make from old t-shirts.  I am pretty sure that I would never be able to live a waste free life but could I at least cut down on the amount of waste I create? 

     Yesterday I decided to make a few washable bags to take with me to the grocery store to see how much I could buy without using the disposable plastic bags on the roll.  I made 4 cloth bags with shoe string ties from materials I had on hand.  After all, if I go and buy more stuff to make stuff to waste less stuff it makes no sense, at least to me.  Anyway, I took my reusable shopping bags and the cloth bags with me when I went shopping.

     I figure by using the cloths bags I saved getting 6 plastic bags.  I even used the cloth bag to buy to bulk rolls.  The checker just looked in the bag and rang up two rolls.

     In the produce department I used the bags on jalapeno peppers, avocados, and tomatoes.  I shopped at the vegetable stand and the grocery store where I save getting two plastic bags to haul the vegetable in the plastic bags.  In other words I bought 4 items at two stores thereby not getting 6 plastic bags.  I know its not much but take that times several shopping trips a month times 12 it could really add up.

     I looked around while I was in the produce aisle and realized that I could buy carrots separately and save .11 cents a pound, just by putting them in a bag myself.  Wow

     I think next time I shop at the deli I will take along jars in a cooler to see if they will slice the meat and cheese and put them right into the jars and save the packaging on them.  They can put their packaging label on the top.  I will let you know how that goes.

     I will be making more of the cloth produce and bread bags to use on my shopping trips.  I am just one person, but I can do a little.

     Do you have any tips on living a less wasteful life?

I was out of pocket for a while

I've just returned from spending almost three weeks in Kansas.  A while back they had a horrible ice storm and were even declared a disaster area.  I got there about 3 weeks into the clean up and it was still quite a mess.  I can just imagine how bad it was at first.

While I was there my family worked like beavers cutting limbs down and hauling them to the burn site which was only a mile away from moms place.  They worked tirelessly.  I cant work as hard as those young people so I watched the children.  They said that helped a lot.

We have been working to get the farm back in good shape.  When my step dad got sick it sort of fell into disrepair.  But my family has been working very hard to change that.

A few of us have partnered and gotten a few calves to raise for meat.  We started out with six but are down to four.  The first one died of who knows what but the second died while I was there by being attacked by three pit bull dogs.  Needless to say we were not too happy about that.  Those dogs should not be running loose destroying livestock.  I was pretty ticked.  My dogs alerted us to the fact that those dogs were in the corral with the calves.  Even calves are expensive now day so it was a big loss in investment.

Jeff has been working out of town helping get a new gas plant up and running.  Its good money because he works long hours but I miss him when he is gone.

He bought me a new computer and I am using it today for the first time.  I have a lot to learn with it.  Windows ten and all.  Ugh.

I'm still plugging away at my 40/40.  Getting rid of a bag of stuff a day for forty days.  I think its something I need to do five days a week for a couple of years, lol.  How does a person collect so much stuff?

I have decided that I am going to try really hard to not buy things.  I have plenty of things and I don't need to buy any more things.  I'm trying to simplify my life not add more crap to it.

I also decided that anything I drink cannot have calories or artificial sweeteners except my hot tea at night, I can put honey in it.  It silly to drink soda pop and waste so many empty calories.  So that means I will be drinking only tea and water  now.  I like unsweet tea, which is just tea anyway so that's a good thing.

Why do they call tea. unsweet tea and sweet tea anyway?  Shouldn't it be tea and sweet tea?  That's how I've always referred to it but here in south Texas even the dispensers say sweet and unsweet.  That's just another thing that makes me go hummm?

Learning Math

I saw this idea on Facebook and made one of these math helper games up this morning.

                      I will replace the cardboard piece with a craft stick as soon as I can find mine.

                                  This seems like a fun way to learn addition and subtraction.

To use, just have the child place the correct clothes pins on the cardboard or craft stick for the addition or subtraction problem you give them.

This math tool can easily be stored in a zip lock bag.

I printed the numbers on both sides of the clothespin to save time when setting up.

 

40 bags in 40 days

Starting tomorrow, I am doing a challenge. I'm going to try my best to declutter for the next 40 days. A bag a day. It's perfect timing because our extension unit is having a rummage sale at the Mathis public library in April 8th. I'll be killing two birds with one stone or a whole flock of birds with forty bags. 
I've challenged my husband to do this in the sheds. 
Anyone else want to do this challenge with me? It can be big bags or small bags. Anything you do is a step in the right direction. You can post before and after pictures on my page. 
Let's do this.

I emptied 8 of these little bins and put labels on some I'm keeping.  I'm also organizing so I will be able to find things easier.

 

I got a jump on this and went ahead and started today because I have a meeting tomorrow morning.  If I accidently do more than 40 bags it sure wont be a bad thing.

 

 

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Giant Paper Clips

Today I embellished these giant paper clips.  They are 4 inches long.  I think they will work very well in my planner.  Of course I will pick a favorite or two to use and Joy wants a couple.  The rest will most likely find homes soon too. 

To make I cut the shank off the back of the buttons with a side cutter plier thing.  Then I cut a piece of felt just smaller than the button.  I laid the felt down then the paper clip (making sure to place it so that it can be slipped over paper) (you don't want to glue the button to the wrong end), then I put some E6000 glue on the button and placed it on the paper clip and felt.  I then picked the paper clip up carefully and pressed the felt on real good.  Now they are laying in a place where they wont be disturbed for the next several hours.

I would take better pictures but I don't want to disturb the paper clips until they are good and dry.

 CAN YOU BELIEVE TOMORROW IS FEBURARY FIRST?  What happened to January?  I think it only lasted two weeks instead of four.  I must be getting old  because time sure flies.  If I was ninety years old I bet I would get up and  it would be the next day before lunch.  He ha

Baby afghans

Lately I have been crocheting baby afghans.  I am working on a very complicated one for a sister in law and when it gets too much for me I put it down and work on something not so intense.  Since I started the fancy one I have completed two more simple baby afghans.  Both in the Call the midwife pattern.  The latest one is the gray, pink and white one which I added a fancy border to.  The white one can easily have a fancy border added either in white or other colors or left as is. 
I seem to go through phases where I sew a lot, weave a lot, crochet a lot or whatever.  Right now I am crocheting.