Gardening 2024

[cineater]

We can grow nuts in the Fruit Arboretum:

Botanically, nuts are a type of dry fruit that have a single seed, a hard shell, and a protective husk. They are usually high in oil and enclosed in a leathery or solid outer layer. Some examples of true nuts include acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts.
However, what we call a nut in the kitchen or supermarket may be different than what is considered a nut botanically. For example, peanuts are actually legumes, and almonds are surrounded by a fleshy coat like a plum. The fruits of the cashew, almond, and pistachio plants are also not true nuts, but are rather classified as “drupes”. A drupe is a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk.

I'm thinking the nut tree should be the responsibility of the overall lead.   

[cineater]

Sandy and I talked about it.  Not really worth it to rebuild the lawn mower.  Let her have it to see if she can sell it to a guy for parts.  I chickened out on learning the circular saw too.

We have another week of extreme heat and humidity.  I soaked all my beds and they are going to have to get by on that.  Damn, it's dark by 8:00 now.

[cineater]

Open up our Monday morning news, big picture of Marsha in your face.  Was not ready for that.

Dawn wants to do something like a scavenger hunt called geocachers or letterboxers.  Not familiar with those and I don't have the time to set it up but I've got somebody who says they want to do it so I'm squeezing it in.  It's suppose to bring people to the gardens.  I'm worried about them digging through our beds or ants in the check in box.

And the head of the property said something to the facility management team about paying for some of the work we need done for the garden. Wants them to walk the property with me.  Is she talking about fixing the other drainage problem or the herb beds?  I'm tried of trying get the funds for shit or scavenging for it.  And getting dragged into all these projects and meetings.

Yeah, that picture of Marsha just knocked me on my ass.  My sail fell on my head.

[cineater]

Holy shit!  She didn't even flinch when I said $700 a bed times 6 beds.  Problem is she's running out of money in that pot and needs the information now.  May not be able to do it all this year and have to pick up the rest next year.  Are you fucking kidding me?  We've always paid for this stuff out of our pocket.  Says I should have talked to her sooner before they spent it on other things.  Er, wasn't I just in here a few weeks ago talking about where to get grant money for this project?  Wonder if they would consider concreting the greenhouse floor or our paths?  We'll talk about that after I get my project.   

This is why I am no good at sales.  I'm always watching other people's pocket book and not letting them spend money.     I'm kind of your direct opposite of a used car salesman.

[cineater]

Promised the write up to her by Thursday on the renovation and costs.  Submitted before noon today.  Woohoo I'm coming in early.  The team pulled it together.  They got the price down to $3300.

And it gets better.  The Fruit Arboretum is going to use those new steel beds they have been advertising for the blueberries.  Very easy to install, anybody can have a raised bed without a lot of work.  I've been wanting to demonstrate those.  The Herb girls didn't want to use those.  The blueberry beds were a next year project we can move ahead of schedule since we aren't doing the boardwalk.

Keeping my rep for bringing those projects in early and under budget.  Truthfully, I'm the kind of person who wanted those things done yesterday but I'll settle for scheduled and funded.

[cineater]

Oh no, somebody called and they are cleaning out their father's house and wants to give us all the garden tools.  I'm going to let Kevin handle this one.  Hoarder house and Marsha's stuff, I've done my time.

[cineater]

Ran into Tilden this morning.  He starts work on the bridge next Friday and is the kind of guy who plows through until it's done.  Scheduled the cinder block pick up with Leslie while collecting a few seeds to grow for the parks next year.  And gave a tour to the ladies from DAR.  I was only supposed to be dropping by to water the pots.   

We're cranking up our fall work with an eye on next year.  Leads finished off their plant orders from the plants we'll have this fall and are sending me in their orders for next year.  I was far too idle with the gardens these last couple of months.  This is the pace I like to run at.   

[cineater]

God, I'm an idiot.  I informed the demo garden team I'm willing to be their overall next year.  Beka is going to step up to replace Marsha.  Beka's one of those people who is good for your soul.

You know, that's my baby out there and I can't let it go.  I'm beat up, I'm old, I'm tired and I'm just going to ignore all that. 

[cineater]

Tom and I finished off the large rack with shelving.  The Arbor group installed the new steel beds.  Shit is moving along except Tilden got called out of town and can't work on the bridge for two weeks.  Kevin is getting into finding stuff for free.  He brought us boxes we can use for the plant sale and these cute little shovels.  He still has to go check out the other, this person died and we want to get rid of their shit.

[cineater]

Shit!  Long story short but I'm going to be on facebook live with a St Louis celebrity.  It was suppose to be a simple tour with pictures of the plants.  Now it's going to be a possible 170,000 viewers.  Okay, stop talking to me.  The other people are freaking out.  I was cool with it, okay fine, I can talk to anybody and ignore the phone.  Stop freaking out, you're freaking me out!     My real concern though is how many of my former clients are going to see that and know where I hang out?  It's been a very long time but some of them might just be getting out of jail.  For the most part I got along fine with my clients.  They might want to stop by and say hi but some of them have serious mental health issues.

We're burning up out there.  Fortunately we cool off tomorrow for a little while and I can water all my beds.

[cineater]

And shit again.     We got another $500 donation for the Fruit Arboretum.  (Finally spelled that word right!)  That's great, but they accept the donation but, don't add it to my budget and continue to show the expenses coming out of my budget.  My budget this year is going to show I'm over.  Hate that but I'm spending that money.   

I was wrong about the honey bee.  It doesn't detach it's flight wing muscles to buzz pollinate.  It's the Bumblebee, Carpenter and a few others.  The honey bee only pollinates around 5 percent of the flowers it visits where the native Mason bee does 90 percent.   I've got my vision back so I can explore my interest in bugs.