Spring is on the way

jlmarta

i think spring is finally here. Trees are leafing-out, flowers are blooming. It's lovely. 

If anyone wants a tree that's a direct descendant of the world's best-traveled maple tree, ol' Fred (Frederica?) is beginning to put out seeds. Soon they'll be 'helicoptering' down all over my yard. I'll be happy to send you some - just addy up. If you prefer, I can send you rooted starts instead of the seeds. 

Some of you have already heard about Ol' Fred. He (she?) is a member of the family and has travelled to the east coast and back again, living in California first and then Oklahoma, Delaware, Washington State, and back to California. Because of the seeds, I guess we goofed when we first named him Fred. Or maybe male trees also put out seeds, I dunno. He's the one in the center of the photo - up against the back fence. 

Anyway, it's starting to be another lovely spring. 

Enjoy it, Y'all..... 

peter4jc

I wanna see the waterfall!

jlmarta

Why won't this fershlugginer forum let me post a video from my iPhone?  Any of you genii (plural for genius?) got any suggestions?  

Thanks. 

jlmarta

peter4jc said:

I wanna see the waterfall!

Wouldja settle for half a dozen maple seeds??  

jlmarta

The best i can do is a 'still' taken just before it was completed. I've tried every way I can think of to post a video. Other guys can do it - why can't I??

Yakster

I think you have to upload your video to YouTube and then use the YouTube link to show it on the forum.  That's the only way I've ever been able to do it.

jlmarta

Thanks, Chris. I tried that, too. It didn't work. 

WaterNerd

Would love some seeds PM sent

jlmarta

WaterNerd said:

Would love some seeds PM sent

Gotcha covered, Bro..... 

jlmarta

Well, lookie here what the oldfart done......

Anything for you, Peter my lad. @peter4jc. You say ya wanna see the waterfall, you gonna see the waterfall. 

https://youtu.be/hbL-Phz9SSk

Remember, I've still got to plant a few shrubs and a few flowers and then replant the ground cover that got trampled during construction but, hey, life's a work in progress, right??

And Chris @Yakster, thanks to you, I tried one more time at YouTube and it worked this time. Go figure....   

jarubla

Marty, I am ready for spring!!

peter4jc

Nice video, Marty!  Taken from your favorite chair, cigar in hand, no doubt.

That's a well-trained bird you have there; didn't move a feather during the video shoot.

Yakster

Very nice water feature, Marty. Thanks for sharing. 

Amos_Umwhat

Killed my first tick of the year today.  It's official.

jd50ae

First tick?

I have killed hundreds. I think that this is going to be a banner year for the disgusting things.

3 different kinds but the lima beans are especially prevalent.

Anyone know of a spray/fogger that is safe around horses and other critters?

Amos_Umwhat

Usually we'll be into the hundreds by this time, too.  For the past couple years, though, we've been letting the chickens forage, and the tick population has steadily declined.

silvermouse

We use permethrin treated nesting material that the mice take; it kills the ticks in their larval and nymph stages on the mice. It has helped a lot on our property.

jd50ae

silvermouse said:

We use permethrin treated nesting material that the mice take; it kills the ticks in their larval and nymph stages on the mice. It has helped a lot on our property.

I will look into it. Thank you @silvermouse

jd50ae

Amos_Umwhat said:

Usually we'll be into the hundreds by this time, too.  For the past couple years, though, we've been letting the chickens forage, and the tick population has steadily declined.

Too many wolves, coyotes and large flying predators.

silvermouse

We buy the stuff premade and loaded in cardboard tubes, the trade name is Dammix, kinda expensive; if you want you can make your own with cotton balls and the insecticide and load it into toilet paper tubes, or better yet heavier shipping tubes cut into 5" long pieces for a lot less $$.

jd50ae

SPRING---?? Its going down to 38 tonight----again.

First_Warrior

Spring? 74 degrees yesterday and 6 inches of snow tonight. NC mountain weather.
The Goldfinches are back at least.

Amos_Umwhat

jd50ae said:

Amos_Umwhat said:

Usually we'll be into the hundreds by this time, too.  For the past couple years, though, we've been letting the chickens forage, and the tick population has steadily declined.

Too many wolves, coyotes and large flying predators.

so I thought also, @jd50ae , but it turns out to be only partially true.  We let them out late afternoon, they put themselves to bed at dark, then we shut the coop.  The dogs did run a coyote off about a week ago that I think was stalking them.  I also got worried a time or two when the Bald Eagle that hunts at the watershed was floating over the chicken yard, but I looked and NO chickens.  They seem aware of that danger, anyway.

We have New Hampshire Reds, so they don't wander too far from the coop.  I'm told that Guineas will patrol the whole area.

We did loose 4 chickens to the flu this winter, but although we've got possums, raccoons, foxes, bobcats, hawks, eagles, coyotes, skunks, and I did see a pair of wolves one winter a few years back, the bigger threat has been worms and flu.

Oh, and they'll kill and eat snakes.  Any snake.

jd50ae

I thought I was seeing things when I looked out my BR window and saw what looked like a chicken running free. Nope. Evidently they have discovered a way out of the pen. They are smart enough to wander around under the trees so I haven't seen any vultures, eagles or falcons dive bombing the place and evidently the dogs are use to them and leave them alone. We will see how it goes, but my wife, (The Beastmaster) says there is nothing to worry about. Interesting.

peter4jc

The flowering crabapple... she is a'flowerin'! 

jlmarta

Nice looking place, @peter4jc. That waaayy up, tippy-top window I see - is that your smoking room?

peter4jc

jlmarta said:

Nice looking place, @peter4jc. That waaayy up, tippy-top window I see - is that your smoking room?

No, the front two thirds of the upstairs is a walk-in attic.  The smoking room is at the back of the house.

Guitarded

Love the stone work around the windows and door. 
Very classy, as expected from @peter4jc. 

Albinfk

My crabapple is popping also. Can't remember what the sun looked like it's been so dismal. Nor'easter rain storm on the way to boot.

TX98Z28

silvermouse said:

We use permethrin treated nesting material that the mice take; it kills the ticks in their larval and nymph stages on the mice. It has helped a lot on our property.

I am not **** on you at all, only letting others know that Permethrin is very toxic to cats, makes them extremely hyper active. If anyone has cats as pets don't use that insecticide in the house or around the property. Malathion and Bifenthrin are my go to products for outside around the property, kills everything, mosquitoes gone, ants gone, everything gone.

TX98Z28

^D o g g i n, was the word auto edited above no idea why it was auto edited.