What Is The Best Rust Remover?

 I had been planning on gathering ideas on rust removers and doing an experiment to see what worked best and cheapest.  Then I ran across this YouTube video where Tim McLaughlin has already done all the work, testing from muriatic acid to Coke.

It is a great video... check it out!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE9XiVbWumQ&list=PLcZvfBR9ILmckARWVTSlDE5yC0MD-Vj_2&index=23  

UGH! Too Soon!!

 

Bay Tree Update

 I’m showing off how well my bay tree is doing. The brown on the leaves is sun burn... I put it out too fast.

 

It grows about a foot a year which means I have to give it a hard prune every two years.  Bay leaves for everyone who wants them!  However this year I’m going to try air layering to see if I can make a couple or three new trees.  I think it would be fun to have a bonsai bay tree!

Finally Finished: The Shed Kon Mari

 After long, long years of working at it, the shed is finally DONE!  My hands have touched everything… many decisions have been made.  All that has been kept has a place and a purpose. 

 

Down the center are beams and ‘wheeled’ (wheel barrow, yard wagon, and so on).  Himself is busy getting it swept out.

 

These 1 foot deep shelves useful things from chemicals to spigot covers.

 

The 2 foot deep shelves hold my creative stash.  Here you will find such things as bonsai needs to my rock & mineral collection to mosaic supply and more.

 

My 3 foot shelves have seasonal things like holiday decorations, yard decoration, and so on.

 

This is my wood stash.

 

Tools, with different kinds of soils on the old pew.  The work table is to the far left (I forgot to put the trash bin lid down).

 TA-DA!!

Grapefruit Tree from a Seed

 Here is a fun project I’ve been playing with for a few years.  I’ve grown a grapefruit tree from seed.  It has gotten large for a plant that has to come inside for the winter.

 These don’t make it any easier to move either!  Who would have thought they are a thorn tree?

 

I’m giving some serious consideration to chopping it back to the top of the lower half.  Maybe I’ll try air layering what I take off the top…  But then again; do I need two?

A Week Late...

 

My Potted Succulents

 One of the planting beds I am doing this year is a desert garden.  Specifically, succulents with a couple of prickly pears who survived the big freeze.  I’m still working on setting up the bed but the succulents are ready to go.  Each has been repotted from their nursery pot I bought them in.

 

It is important to quickly repot succulents after you buy them.  Most from “big box” stores are in really bad moisture holding soil or are way too root bound.

 

This grouping has the same basic needs.  The tall one is Crassula Tetragona (Miniture Pine Tree because of its shape) and comes from South Africa.  The draping one is a Sedum Adolphii Firestorm.  It is a hybrid developed for its color.  And is the Echeveria "Cubic Frost".  Another hybrid bred for color.  Of course someday I’ll have to repot but I think it looks nice for now.

 

This is a “Money Plant” Jade, so named because the leaves remind some of coins.

 

Next is my Portulacaria Afra- aka Elephant Bush.  This one is destined to become trained into bonsai form.  For now it just needs to grow… a lot!  It comes from South Africa.

 

Here is a Kalanchoe.  They are easy to grow with pretty leaves and a red flower.  They come from Madagasgar. 

 

 I had never seen an aloe like this one!  It is called Aloe "Purple Haze".  It is another hybrid with its heritage also from Madagasgar.

 

 It must be happy... it has put up this flower spike.  I'  update when it blooms out.

 

Finally is Stonecrop  “Golden Carpet”.  Stonecrop are spreaders so likely I will be repotting this year.  I love the bright  yellow color!

 I have a couple of trailing succulents that survived the Big Freeze.  I haven’t yet repotted them so that will be something to show you latter.

 

 

Is Math Still Being Taught?

 While out on errands today, Himself and I stopped at Sonic for some nice cold slushies.  Total cost - $5.02

Car Hop delivers them and Himself hands him $10.02.  He does not have enough to make our change.  When he gets back, he hands over $4.98.  Excuse me?!  

Himself tries to explain how to make the correct change THREE times.  I finally reach my limit and snap... "Wrong change! Take it back and bring me a FIVE DOLLAR BILL!!"

He walked off looking like Bambi... and brought back my Fiver still looking like Bambi.

Only With The Army...

 The entire US Army medical healthcare system is changing out its method of record keeping, setting appointments, making referrals, and getting prescriptions.

EVERY. SINGLE. THING.

This began in March and was to be "ready" on 3 June.  It is not ready.  But the freaking morons in charge cut off the old system the end of May.

According to the BS Army 'happy note' (aka Army lies) says "thank your patience" and in Teri speak "you are screwed thru at least Aug for anything to do with healthcare".

SO... we have to get a bunch of medical done by the end of Jan 2024 and the Army has effectively FUBARed our schedule...

The Benefits of Repotting

When repotting my new succulents, some dropped leaves with the handling.  When that happens just lay those leaves on TOP of  a bit of soil (I used a large terra Cotta catch dish).

Then ignore them.  Really ignore them... no water, no poking.

In some weeks you might see a cute baby plant growing from a withered leaf; like the one in the 6 o'clock position of the dish.

Or maybe not... but the experiment is free and easy!