Our Engineered Garden

Christmas was nice

2012-12-29T19:27:00.001-06:00

I hope that everyone's Christmas was good, and the one here was fantastic! Me and brother Greg cooked enough food to feed an army - and of course everything was prepared outdoors. Although it was certainly a long day of cooking, we had a good time doing it for the family. There was brisket, turkey, chicken, homemade scalloped potatoes, homemade baked beans, homemade apple pie, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and dutch oven cobbler....Oh, it was good stuff! The only problem was - there was way too much food for us to eat.
Anyway, I want you to see the brisket and scalloped potatoes that Greg made......

In other news, I constructed a couple of new planters on the property that are on posts, and the hope is to have some type of vining plants in them next spring to flow over the side and hang down. That's the idea, at least...Daddy told me that we had enough planters on the property now, so I guess my building is finished. Lol. Anyway, here's one by the road....

Also, the compost bins are pretty full now, but there's still room for quite a bit more in one of the 6 bins. I'll be on the lookout for more bagged leaves after this weekend, and hope to locate a few. Speaking of the compost - here's Jude "helping" me empty the bags into the bins today. :)

I sure do love that dog.......

Jeff

Muscadine grape wine

2012-12-14T19:40:00.001-06:00

I've certainly been waiting for this day - the one where I finally put the homemade muscadine grape wine into jars for storage. Me and a buddy of mine put it together 6 or 7 weeks ago in large glass carboys, then divided the wine up after letting it ferment until finished.With 5 gallons and 1 quart ready for the pantry, all of the hard work involved has certainly paid off. Oh, it's really good too - not too sweet, and the alcohol content is pretty high. Hiccup! Lol. Anyway, here's some photos...

I've also been doing some gardening of course, and the broccoli is finally ready to harvest. In all, there are 5 plants - with this one performing the best. I'll most likely add it to salads or something, because that's about all I eat these days - salads....

I'm also constructing a couple of new planters on the property, and here's Jude sitting all pretty next to one of the posts that has been concreted into the ground...

In other news, my brother has deleted his gardening blog - just in case anyone is wondering. He might make another one in the future, but not anytime soon, apparently.
We both are gearing up for the big Christmas meal that he and I are cooking outdoors, and preparations have been made for quite a feast. No dressing this year, because it'll be homemade baked beans, brisket, ribs, turkey breast, chicken, cobbler in the camp dutch oven, and stuff like that....Yeehaw!!!! I'm gonna get my redneck on.......
Anyway, that's what is happening here...

Jeff

Trying out the smoker

2012-12-01T18:04:00.001-06:00

With 4 whole chickens brined throughout the previous night and a pretty slow day planned for Saturday, it was time to try this little homemade electric smoker out. It had been seasoned earlier in the week with a pound of bacon - so was ready for the real deal, finally.
As it was coming up to temperature that morning, 2 problems arose:
1.The thermostat had to be bypassed - as Emily referred to in the comments of the previous post
2. Once that had been done, the small inline fuse inside the hot plate blew - causing me to have to bypass it as well.
However, life was good after those issues had been addressed. My little onboard thermometer mounted to the top lid read about 210 degrees throughout the entire cooking cycle, and I removed the chicken after leaving it in their for 3 hours. A quick probe of the meat with a meat thermometer registered 190 - which was far higher than it needed to be. Oops....Yeah, I overcooked it, but it still was very moist - due to the brining that took place the night before. Anyway, here's my "not so perfect" plate of chicken halves that were gladly shared with my parents.

It was good to get the problems worked out before the big event later in the month, and also get a feel for cooking times with everything. I'll check the internal temperature of chicken at the 2-hour mark next time, because that'll probably be about right, I bet.

Jeff

A new smoker for the Christmas feast

2012-11-27T20:38:00.000-06:00

Smoking meat has been a longtime hobby of mine, and these hands have built countless homemade smokers over the past 20 years....Since my brother Greg has an unbelievable passion for grilling and smoking meat these days too, I volunteered our services for preparing the upcoming Christmas feast - with every bit of it being cooked outdoors. He's got all kinds of deluxe model charcoal grills and smokers - whereas my old electric Brinkman smoker has seen better days. So, I decided to do some research on various models - then construct my own. What I discovered was an easy one to make from a metal garbage can - although there sure wasn't a shortage of critics concerning it's safe use with food contamination from zinc poisoning.....
However, most people forming their opinions on the matter have never worked in a maintenance environment for the past 26 years, and also with the privilege of welding or cutting galvanized metal on numerous occasions. That's where I come in - True, hands-on experience and with more metallurgical intelligence than the average Alabama redneck....Lol. The claim is that the zinc coating from the metal garbage can is released in vapor form when subjected to the moderate temperature inside the homemade smoker which is generated by an electric heating element - therefore subjecting meat cooked in it to harmful zinc exposure which is bad for humans consuming it. Sigh...........This is the point where I seriously have to tell myself not to scream.
Fact: Zinc coating is easily removed from metal by applying the flame from a torch or welding electrode. I've done it tons of times, and what happens is a white, fluffy substance is released from the zinc - as well as some white/yellow smoke. Have I inhaled it? Of course. Everyone that works with cutting or welding galvanized steel does. If exposed by alot, you simply drink a glass of milk afterwards to keep from getting sick from it. Period. Keep in mind - these tasks are being performed at temperatures well above 800 degrees. This little heat source in the smoker? Sheesh. A person would shout with joy if they could somehow build a temperature of 250 degrees inside the can. So, is there a possibilty that meat cooked inside it under these circumstances could become exposed to zinc poisoning? Um, definitely not.....
So, with all of that said - I have built one. For about $60, I made this garbage can smoker in no time at all. Sure, I could purchase another Brinkman for another $15-$20, but what fun would that be? Plus - this one will hold more meat, and also use less electricity. :)

It's pretty simple - just sit a single element electric cooking thingy in the can with the cord ran out the side, and place a smoker box on top with wood chips inside it that have been saturated with water, plug it in, and you have smoke.

I placed 2 cooking racks at strategic locations inside the can - which of course are supported by 1/4" bolts fastened to the sides. Because of the sheer weight of a turkey, I would definitely place it on the bottom rack if cooking one. However, chickens and ribs would be placed on the top rack.

Anyway, I'll season the entire inside this coming weekend with a test run on a pound of bacon, then this little dude will be ready for some action at Christmas. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jeff

A day with Jude

2012-11-24T22:19:00.000-06:00

Today was a nice sunny day, so me and Jude spent lots of time together outside playing. She's gonna have to visit the vet on Monday, because of some swelling on her neck, and I sure hope it's no big deal. As you can see, she's my best buddy in the whole world. Anyway, here's some pictures of her and I together - A very rare thing. But, I had a photographer on this day. :)
As you can see, there is lots of lettuce growing in the garden.

But this wasn't a day for the garden. Instead, it was all about playing with Jude and her favorite toy of all - the frisbee. Boy, she's cocked and ready to go, ain't she? Lol.

One thing's for sure - if you put it out there where she's got a chance at catching it, she'll get it every single time.

Anyway, we had fun together, and have some good pictures from it too. I'll leave you with this one to show how much she means to me. She's my buddy....

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving

2012-11-21T13:18:00.002-06:00

And I'm thankful for what's been left in my life, and also for new things that have entered into it. I have my family, of course Jude, new hobbies and friends, and of also a new love. This is an extremely difficult month for me, but I have learned to adapt to my new life accordingly. I know that many of you want to see my new lady friend, but you'll just have to wait! Besides - things are still in the beginning stages of our romance, and I don't wanna scare her off.
Anyway, here's some new things to show you and talk about....
These 10 gallons of muscadine grape wine were put together about 2-3 weeks ago - then this picture was taken. You can even see the yeast on top of the first one, and it'll be clear, reddish liquid once finished later. Only one is mine, because my friend Barry is the brains behind this little operation. I'm just the recipient of his help and knowledge.

There's tons of lettuce in the garden, and a fresh salad is had at leaast 2 nights per week for supper. I really like it, and it helps maintain a healthy weight, too.

Also, here's a recent picture made of me on August 1st that I wanted to show ya. I'm smiling again as you can see, and also starting to gain weight. So, I would say that the hardest times are over at last, and only good ones will be experienced in the future.

So, there ya have it - my post to get ya caught up with my doings around the property. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving together, and mine will be spent with a new attendee this year. ;)

Jeff

I did it

2012-11-09T20:31:00.001-06:00

The blog has been messed up for about a month, and I finally took the time to figure out how to fix it. Although it's not exactly the same as it was, at least you can navigate it as was possible in the past.
Anyway, it's the reason why I haven't blogged in over a month, and hopefully I'll find the motivation to keep this site up like days past.
I guess I should start by updating you on what's going on around here.
Lettuce, broccoli, and onions are the only things that remain in the garden, and salad in the evenings after work have become a regular thing for the past couple of weeks. There's lots of lettuce to eat, and some has even been given away.
I've been working a lot and of course the days are now shorter - so, not much is taking place as far as outdoor activities go.
I do have another wooden planter to build sometime though, and guess it'll just have to be constructed on a weekend or upcoming holiday. I'll show it to you...
Jude is still doing well, and we still play in the evenings when time permits. I should really make more time for her during this time of year, but it's kinda difficult when there's so much for one person to do.
As leaves continue to fall from the trees, the big haul for the compost bins is just days away, now. There's 2 bins full of finished compost from last year's bounty - so, it'll only be 4 bins to work with this time around.
Anyway, that's what's happening around here, and I hope everyone is doing well.

Jeff

Planting some things for fall

2012-10-03T19:19:00.000-05:00

First of all, let me assure you that you're not dreaming - I'm actually blogging for a second time in only a week. :)
Life has slowed down somewhat, and I finally have time to relax and do some of the things that make me happy - like blogging, and showing some photos of what's going on around here.
A trip to WalMart this evening after work coaxed me into purchasing some onion and broccoli transplants, because they were right there in the garden center calling out to me..... You know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, with most of the raised beds occupied with beans and peppers right now, I decided to plant this fall crop in the 4x8 raised bed next to the blackberry patch. It gets full sun - even during winter, and is just a good location for anything year-round. Thankfully, The compost is finished already and I was able to top the raised bed off with some of it. Here's a picture of a wheelbarrow full of homemade compost.....

And here's the raised bed topped off with the compost, and planted with onions and broccoli....

I also wanted to show you how the sweet potatoes were doing. Yeah - you guessed it....The lack of foliage is gonna cause the yield to be extremely low this year, because maximum photosynthesis didn't occur. :( Oh well, I was busy doing other things while the grasshoppers were going to town on them....Sheesh. I'll do better next time.

Let me show you something else......It's actually a surprise - and was even a shocker to me. You see, I put several curbside pumpkins in the compost pile last fall, and a volunteer cucurbit germinated later in the spring. Originally I thought it was a pumpkin of some kind, but fruitset later revealed that it was actually an ornamental squash....Oh well, at least they are kinda pretty.

In other news, Jude is still my best friend, and I can't stress how much she means to me. She's always there waiting for me when I get home, and we play together every evening when I get home from work. I honestly don't know what I would have done during the previous year without her in my life....

Anyway, that's what's going on around here right now...Take care.

Jeff

Final days of this year's garden

2012-09-29T20:49:00.000-05:00

With the month of October just a couple days away now, it's almost time to put the garden to sleep for the winter. In reality, I'm ready for it to happen. This is because I'm burned out for the year - pretty much. It's just that there's more for me to do around here now since living alone, and it was a struggle to tend to things outside as I have in previous years.
Not complaining though - simply making a statement. :)
Anyway, I haven't shown many harvests this year, because let's face it - it hasn't been a typical year around here. So, I decided to show one for a change.
Here's a big harvest of green beans that was picked after my trip, and I was literally begging people to take them off of my hands. You see - the freezer is filled completely to the top already, and I just can't handle any more....

Also, a bag of peppers and tomatoes were picked - although I really didn't feel like displaying them in the open, as usual. Anyway, here's a peek into the bag...

Since pest control has been pretty much non-existent for the past month in the garden, the bugs are really taking to the plants, now. Oh well, I'll just nuke the whole thing with Spectracide before removing the plants during cleanup, and this will help keep the numbers down for next year.
Another 2 or 3 harvests of beans are certainly likely to take place, but that's about it, I guess.
Of course, there's still the sweet potatoes in containers yet to be picked, but you can expect that the yield will be very low this time around. Grasshoppers removed at least half of the foliage from the plants a while back, and this really reduced the growth rate for the tubers...
Oh well, maybe it's time to reduce the size of the garden so that I can more easily keep it maintained? It could happen. Besides - at least 75% of the total harvest this year was given away to friends and family....

Jeff

The world traveler is home

2012-09-28T20:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks everyone, for your nice comments left on the previous post. They were greatly appreciated, and a few even put a smile on my face. Especially the one by Barbee...Me - a hottie? Haha.....No way. But thank you for your vote of confidence. :) Maybe I'll find my gardening partner someday, but for now I'll just have to settle for Jude as being the perfect girl in my daily life. But, I'm always on the lookout!!!! Lol.

Anyway, I have returned from my trip to Europe and wanted to share some of the experience with you.....
It's been several years since I traveled abroad, and memories of just how brutal flying across "The pond" had of course been forgotten about - or at least the extent of it. Until coming home from my trip yesterday, that is.....
Man - flying from Paris, France to Atlanta took over 9.5 hours, and the big redneck doesn't fare too well in such a small seat. I can't sleep, and my Restless legs syndrome kicks into high gear every single time....However, I made it somehow and am now safely back at home. :)
Amsterdam was pretty cool, and I really wanted to stay longer than the time that was alotted for it. Paris was just "ok", and I'll likely not return anytime soon.
But let me tell ya......Russia, and even the countries that were formerly a part of the late Soviet Union just plain rocks......
It's cheap, the people are extremely friendly, and the culture is remarkable. I would certainly know, because I have traveled to the Ukraine 3 times, Amsterdam twice, of course to Paris, France, Prague (which is in the Czech Republic), to London, England and lastly to Frankfurt, Germany in the last 12 years.....Haha, you would have never thought it - would ya?
My favorite place of all? The Ukraine - hands down.......even to sit in a packed auditorium filled with common peasants to see a recital by a traveling dance troupe is so fulfilling.......or, to watch a newly-released movie in a theater when the dialogue is completely in Russian is just so awesome.

Anyway, let me show you some pictures of my latest travels....

Imagine how a person feels when they go to the restroom to find this waiting for you to relieve yourself with....Yeah, it freaked me out the first time, too. Going #2 has an entirely new meaning...

These 220 volt receptacles just aren't too friendly for the power converters that you can buy, and I wish my adapter had an extension on it.

Can you believe the size of this petunia? (At least I hope that's what it is) Anyway, I just had to take a photo of it next to my really big hand....

This bottle of Russian vodka held around 16oz. I would guess, and only cost $1.75. Yeah, and real Russian vodka is so smooth you can easily drink it straight....No wonder the men over there drink so much of it. Lol.

And, I just had to get this beautiful flask - even if it never gets used for its' true purpose....

Anyway, it was a very rewarding experience, but Jude was certainly ready for her master to come back home.....Dad told me that she just moped around the entire time that I was away...
All I know, is that the $228 parking fee that was waiting for me at the airport in Atlanta when I went to leave was much more than I wanted to pay...Sheesh.

Jeff

I'm here - just been busy

2012-09-16T15:19:00.000-05:00

A reader contacted me by email the other day - kindly showing concern for my well-being and whereabouts. So, I wanted to take the opportunity to address his email - as well as share what's been going on around my home as of late.
With my new life comes all sorts of activities - not just gardening or fishing anymore, but tons of concerts and of course dates with extremely hot babes. Haha. Here's a picture of one of the bands from Summer Slaughter at the Masquerade in Atlanta last month....It was pretty brutal, Lol. With a name like "Exhumed", what would you expect? In all, I have been to at least 8 concerts so far this year, and Gwar with DevilDriver will be the 9th one attended that takes place in October at the Masquerade...

I decided not to show any pictures of my babes, because some things are just too sexy for this blog...We're talking so hot that I send them pictures of fire extinguishers to their phone - so that they have one with them at all times in case of spontaneous combustion. :) Yeah - no comparison at all when thinking of the past.
So, gardening just isn't the only thing that occupies my time these days.

Of course, I have also been reluctant to share alot in my life here now, because my former spouse (who came from the very womb of Sodom and Gomorrah itself) can use it as a looking glass into my life. Oh, she's looking - she can't help it....and I hope that she suffers as I have someday very soon. Everytime she tries to get back up, I'll be there to knock her back down, too. Whore.

Now, where were we? Ah, yes.....things going on around here....
Well, I love my new job and my employer really cares about me. Besides that - the pay is great, too.
Jude is still doing great, and we still play together outside when I get home from work each day. Thankfully, the weather is nice these days too - because summer just takes it right out of her. Here's the little stinker waiting for me to come outside....

I've also been able to spend quite a bit of time with my brother, and he is even in town right now.
Anyway, I'll give some updates on the garden, and even share some photos as well.
In all, it was a very good year for the orchard and garden. Tomatoes were in abundance as usual, and several large Cherokee Purple tomatoes were taken to work for sandwiches with my buddies at lunchtime.
The apple butter made from my apples turned out great, and everyone has enjoyed it. If I haven't posted about it yet, here's a picture of the batch.

Me and my buddy Barry used several plums to make 10 gallons of the best wine that I've ever tasted....Boy, it's really potent, too!
The muscadine grape vines produced 17 gallons of grapes - which have been frozen whole until we can make some wine from them later. It should be some good stuff, and I can't wait to try it. Here's a few of the grapes....

The late planting of green beans has been outstanding, and the freezer is packed full of goodies like this from the garden. Gosh, so many have already been picked already....

The bell peppers have been plentiful too, and I'd guess at least 30 have been picked from the 5 plants so far. Lately, they've been given away to friends, because like I said earlier - the freezer if full...

Tons of upcoming activities will take place very soon, and I'm even going to Italy in upcoming days...Who would've thunk it? A stop in Amsterdam will happen too along the way, and I've always wanted to see that place....
Anyway, that's pretty much what's happening around here in a nutshell - and thanks for the email, Frank.

Jeff

My brother in the garden

2012-08-10T18:01:00.001-05:00

Here's a first - a picture of my brother with the garden in the background. Jude is wanting to play frisbee, of course - and it was a nice day to be sitting on the planter bench.

Transition in the garden

2012-07-29T21:53:00.001-05:00

Dog days of summer are here, and the garden has undergone a complete transition since the first of the growing season. All of the watermelons are gone of course, and mostly things like beans are growing there now.
Only apples and grapes remain to be picked in the orchard, and I went ahead and picked this lone apple on one tree. Jude just sees it as something to throw into the air, and seems pretty happy about it.

Watermelon #2 for the year

2012-07-15T15:14:00.001-05:00

I know - only 2 watermelons harvested for the entire season is unheard of in my garden, but that's exactly how 2012 will be remembered. Several environmental issues contributed to it, but mainly disease brought on by the unbelievable amount of cucumber beetles, I think. Anyway, I couldn't help but take this bonus shot with Jude in the background.

Lots and lots of rain

2012-07-11T21:18:00.001-05:00

That's the way it goes - it doesn't rain a single drop for weeks, then you wonder if It's ever gonna stop. Last week - rain totes were empty, right now they're completely full.
In other news, the sweet potatoes have finally decided to get on with it, and started putting on significant growth, as shown below. .

Late season plantings

2012-07-10T01:36:00.001-05:00

Most things have played out already for the year, and have been planted for a second time to reach maturity just as summer is winding up - things like squash and cucumbers, of course......
But, this is also the time I always plant beans every year, because you get a huge yield when things cool down later. A variety of bush bean is planted here in the picture.........

It rained

2012-07-08T10:15:00.001-05:00

And it rained quite a bit, too. In fact, my rainwater storage is at 25% again, which is a welcomed sight during the oppressive heat right now. However, an abundance of blossom end rot will be present on the tomatoes in upcoming weeks, but that's ok.
Speaking of tomatoes, here's a nice Brandywine that grew between the wire mesh of the trellis. I'll have to cut it out with a knife to save it.

In other news, the butternut squash is finished, and a new planting of summer squash has already taken their place in the 4x9 box next to the woods.

The garden is drying up

2012-07-05T18:41:00.001-05:00

As is prevailant throughout most of the country, the lack of rainfall is taking it's toll in the garden. Luckily, I had almost 800 gallons of rainwater in storage, and also planted very early this year - so, Jeff and Jude have done better than most in the area. However, the rainwater storage is now empty and there are no signs of any rainfall in the future. So, plan B is in the making already.Anyway, I wanted to show you some of the tomatoes that were harvested already. That Cherokee Purple in the front really sticks out, doesn't it? Oh....it was good........

The plants don't look as good as during most years, but they're still producing well. Since the corn was recently removed from the swc's on the left, suckers from the tomato plants on the right were rooted in their place. That'll give me a second round of tomatoes just as summer is beginning to end. Jude's poor dog pen in the background....I really need to do something with it. She runs free now, and it just sits there looking ugly. Blech.

I planted some pole beans in the main raised bed, and they should really take off soon, too. I like to do a late season planting of beans rather than early season, because I get twice the yield that way. Just my observation.....

Anyway, I'll post more when time permits.

Jeff

Plum butter?

2012-07-01T12:14:00.003-05:00

The grapes will be bountiful this year - most likely surpassing last year's harvest of 10 gallons, I bet. Since it hasn't rained in quite a while (like 4 weeks), I'm still having to water the vines every two weeks to make sure the grapes get to a nice size when mature, too. With the rainwater storage system now depleted, that means hauling buckets of city water about 100 yards in excessive heat to keep things from dying. Boo!!!!!!

Here's the planter bench that overlooks the garden with marigolds and phlox growing inside. I show this bench periodically for Granny up in Washington, because she seems to like it, I reckon. :)

And even though this looks like ketchup in a styrofoam plate, it's actually plum butter. As I was juicing the plums recently, I looked at all of the leftover pulp and thought "there's gotta be something that I can use this stuff for"....Anyway, I just made 5 half pint jars of very thick spread, or what I would refer to as "butter" - although I have no idea what it'll be used for later.

In other news, it is extremely hot here now - reaching well above 100. Jude is staying in the shade and drinking plenty of water, but doesn't eat much when summer hits. Her weight has dropped significantly - as it does every year. Anyway, I'll be glad when things cool down a bit - for her sake.

Jeff

Blackberries were abundant

2012-06-30T07:02:00.002-05:00

It was a good year for blackberries, and me and my buddy Jude ventured out into the patch and picked a gallon of them last week. Most years I go for a whole lot more, but there's no need for that many these days. Shoot, that's four cobblers or at least 24 pints of jam - I figure.....Anyway, with 12 pints of jam just made from last year's berries in the freezer, a gallon is just right. To those that know my dog - yes, she ate plenty......lol.

Quite a few of these assassin bugs have been found in the garden lately, and they sure are welcome. With the unbelievable number of cucumber beetles this time, I need all the help I can get.

Here was the last of the plum harvest - which was juiced then put into the freezer for later use. I've got enough to make a double batch of plum syrup, and also another batch of plum jelly. In all, a gallon of blueberries were picked from the bushes - then frozen for making syrup with later. I can't wait to make it for my daughter Brooke. She loves my homemade stuff.

In other news, I'm trying to play catchup from having to work so much, and the garden has progressed much further along than indicated, I'll try to post pretty regularly over the next week to get caught back up.

Jeff

About the melons.....

2012-06-18T21:21:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows that I have always taken pride in being one of the most prominent vertical gardeners over the past few years - especially when it comes to heavyweights such as melons and pumpkins. Well, this year is no different, and a total of 13 plants are currently growing.As can be expected, a few pitfalls always seem to happen along the way - mainly losing a melon or two, or even vines not performing as usual......This year, my grief began early - as it's never a good thing to walk out to the garden and notice something like this -

Yep, the watermelon fell out of it's slings, and broke the stem......Dangit! It was already about 5 pounds, too. I hate it when that happens.......Oh well, that'll teach me to not check the position of the knee highs every single evening....

The largest growing right now is a Moon and Stars that's reached about 10 lbs. already, and some rope and bird netting has already been put into place to keep the same thing from happening to it.

I noticed another small watermelon that was completely covered up with various sizes of leaf-footed bugs. When I see something this significant in the garden, it's time to abort normal hand-picking for pest control, and put the proverbial "Shock and Awe" campaign into action.....Yep, Spectracide concentrate is my choice.

However, sometimes the good guys show up and take care of things for ya... :)

Anyway, that's it for the melons right now.... :)

Jeff

Other developments in Jeff's world

2012-06-15T17:57:00.002-05:00

Longtime followers of my blog know how I enjoy building things. Well, part of my rehabilitation was to construct something new that would increase the aesthetics of the landscape. No longer do I have to ask if it's ok to build something in a particular location - I just do whatever I want. That's the way it should've been all along.....Anyway, here's a planter I added to the yard.

The harvest of blueberries is unbelievable this year, and syrup will definitely be made from the ones that make it to the freezer. Man, these things are both plentiful - and good......

Pickles have been made at least 3 times already, and I'll try my best to eat them all before next season arrives. It's just difficult for one person to consume all of this food. Ya know?

In other news, the heat is beginning to cause the garden to diminish somewhat. Powdery mildew is showing up on the squash and cucumbers, and of course every species of bug has now made it's presence known.....Onions have been pulled and are curing for storage, and beautiful days of spring are long gone now.....

A new beginning, a new life

2012-06-12T19:20:00.000-05:00

That's what I have - especially since everything that had became a permanent fixture within my life was ripped from me during the previous year. My only son is gone forever, my former spouse has moved into another town, and I have a completely different job.It goes without saying that I cry everyday for the absence of my son. It hurts. I want to scream. I want to hurt someone for causing me to live with this pain - but it must be dealt with on a daily basis for the rest of my life. I will never recover from it, but at least I have adapted to life without him in it finally.
My former spouse.....what can I say? She was - and always has been an opportunist - a whore when I met her, and a whore even to this day. Enough said. Oh, and I forgot........with the intellect of a 12 year old..there.

I told my employer to stick it. Why? Because I can, and because they did me wrong. Sometimes you can show people better than you can tell them. Ha!

So, that leads me to the point to where I tell you what's been going on in Jeff's life..... I started a small blog back in February to give me something to do, because let's face it - I had to be rebuilt literally from scratch. Yeah, I'm really fortunate to be writing this right now.....I have been very happy as of late though, and fortune has smiled upon both me and the garden. It is the best year so far, and the orchard has really done well. The big surprise was the plums, because both trees had a bumper crop this time. One tree alone produced three 5 gallon buckets full, and is being used to make wine right now.....The other provided fruit to make some beautiful jelly, and in all - I made 16 jars of it.

The corn did exceptionally well, and here's a picture of part of the harvest. I know my buddy Kris in Georgia is loving this picture right now......

Squash has really put out this time, and I've already given away 10 WalMart bags full so far....Several quarts of pickles have been made too, and this garden just keeps on putting stuff out.

Four melons have been slung already, and this nice Moon and Stars is the largest so far. With 13 individual melons planted, things could get interesting later.....

I have a new look - especially since losing 50 lbs, and feel great. No more chewing tobacco, dressing like a redneck, or sitting at home all the time either. I'm out and about constantly, and either go on a date or to see a concert every weekend. Oh, and it's not with the same lady each time....lol.

Jude continues to be the only permanent fixture in my life, and I love her with all of my being. She has helped me through some really tough times over the past few months, and I reward her often by taking her to get ice cream at McDonald's.

Anyway, just figured I'd post something since life had improved drastically. I'm stronger than ever before, but it sure was a difficult road getting here. My ex-wife would do well to stay as far away as possible, though, because forgiveness is simply not within me at this time. A special place is reserved in hell for people like her, and even my friends still can't believe what she did to me when I was already down.....Oh well, I walk as a Giant among men once more, and will from now on.....

Also, my twin brother has started a Gardening blog, and you will definitely enjoy it. His is a traditional garden located in South Carolina, and be sure to visit his Mayan travels site, too.

Jeff

Preserving a moment in time and saying goodbye

2011-10-28T15:50:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that countless things have been constructed by my hands over the past several years. Anything from decks, raised beds, trellises, sheds, planters, flowerbeds, and even the house in which I currently live.
Each was built for various reasons that would make life easier to some degree, and also to beautify the landscape in some cases. But never have I built something simply to preserve a memory - until now, that is.
A never-ending love and fond memories gone by has compelled me to build something for what once was - for it's quite plain to see that no other time during my last days on earth will there ever be anything similar to the love that we shared.
Doing this provides the closure that I need to carry on with my life as the lone soul that is destined to remain as one. So, I have built a cairn in honor of what used to exist between my former spouse and myself - so that the best time of my life can be encapsulated until remaining days have passed.
A cairn is an arrangement of stones carefully placed in a certain order, so that an important event can be remembered for years to come. It can be for the death of a loved one, or even a cherished memory - and this one symbolizes both for me.
I honestly feel as though a part of me has died, but at the same time am reminded of great times that always bring a smile to my face. Stones simply wouldn't do justice for what we experienced, and my work is most commonly performed with various types of wood.
So, through a river of tears and sweat I have constructed the very last thing to ever be created with the skills given to me as a blessing from God - so that all that gaze upon it's splendor will understand that for a short while a couple shared a love so great that no author could properly put it into words.
This is my cairn to us, and a stainless steel plate with the following engraved words is firmly fastened to it so that people will know that indeed - something special took place here :

For my love,
Lest we forget the brief moment in life when both dream and day were as one..

It was nice to make friends with other gardeners from around this great world, and I hope that my contributions will be useful for years to come. Perhaps the strength to write about life's experiences will return in a dream, but for now my words have simply faded away. I ask God several times each day to make the pain go away, but am doomed to carry it with me for what seems to be an eternity. The love of my life is no longer by my side, and I miss her more than you could possibly imagine. With a very heavy heart I must now say goodbye, and wish each and every one of you the best in life. I will truly miss you all.

Jeff

First frost

2011-10-20T19:03:00.001-05:00

Since the first late-season frost will likely arrive with tonight's 33 degrees, everything was harvested from the garden this evening. Around 5 lbs. of beans, peppers, and zucchini were added to the year's harvest total - ending the warm-season garden for the year. Oh well, at least it was pretty productive, I guess.

In other news, the loneliness of the inevitable winter season has certainly arrived - making each night as dreaded as you could possibly imagine. But, I'll make it somehow - with hopes of better days ahead. For now, the planter is what keeps me going, and should be finished in a couple of weeks - if not sooner. When it is done, my tools will be retired. With all that is being put into this construction emotionally, I just don't think anything will be left in me for building anything else. :(

EG