Good morning!!!!

[Thomas]

blackflies[/B]. It seems that they "peak" for the season the day that I till the garden and become a "Mr. Potato Head" from their feasting..

.....................
If the blackflies don't show mercy this coming weekend Mrs. & I will be planting the veg garden after day light.
Sat the trimmer done to take break and swarming black cloud of those buggers.

 

[sodamo]

Drew, I’d be tempted to seek volunteers from your beneficiaries. If you do, let us know the response.

 

[toppop52]

Drew, I’d be tempted to seek volunteers from your beneficiaries. If you do, let us know the response.

That would be interesting.

 

[toppop52]

One of a Ellen’s snakes that greeted me, there were several others. Most were around 3’

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Drew, I’d be tempted to seek volunteers from your beneficiaries. If you do, let us know the response.

Dont think I'd want them to know where i lived...

 

[jbrumberg]

I slimed the leaking tire on the rider (again). It held air so I mowed ~1 acre of weeds and walking paths. This will be a great year for wild strawberries and blueberries and the native wildlife. Ticks are bad this year; I already started doing the "tick check" before I enter the house. Walking around with a #150 tick attractor is not recommended for tick avoidance. I will spray some clothes with that tick repellant spray that I bought last year, but never applied to anything. DEET messes with my lungs; I rarely use it.

PJS- I am sorry to read about your friend. From your description he reads to have been in decent shape. 51 is way too young.

David- Are you collecting any rainwater after a system flush?

RNG- ".... heritage and character" I am sure it was not intended for fragile minds and egos. Your experiences with this jerk are like some lower level of of punishment for "not nice people" in the hereafter. Not only do you have to deal with bad slope; you have to worry about getting sudden surprises tangling up.

Thomas- It was fairly breezy today walking the dog and mowing which kept those little buggers away. I will probably not be so lucky when I start tilling the garden; that really riles them up. I agree about planting early before those little bloodsuckers get airborne. Good luck to you and the Mrs. planting this weekend. I hope that you and your wife do not end up looking like Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. I'll be breaking out the old bugnet head cover soon.

I used to chop them up and/or at least scatter them with my little fixed pitch RC helicopters. I hit something based on the sticky stuff on the props. I would not try that with the "Flying Cuisinart" with its finely balanced and sharp 9" props.

 

[sodamo]

More than asked:

Shell vs Shuck - What's the difference? | WikiDiff

As nouns the difference between shell and shuck is that shell is a hard external covering of an animal while shuck is the shell or husk, especially of grains (eg corn/maize) or nuts (eg walnuts).
As verbs the difference between shell and shuck is that shell is to remove the outer covering or shell of something see sheller while shuck is to remove the shuck from (walnuts, oysters, etc).

 

[sodamo]

Currently have a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove.
As for recipe, just a variety of what I’ve made last 50+ years, basically nothing measured.

Onions + garlic sautéed in Olive oil
About 2 lbs ground beef
1 lb Hot Italian sausage (removed from casings)
Large can diced tomatoes
Can tomato paste
Large jar Ragu Heart Smart Traditional
Bay leaves
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes
4 packets Splenda

Wife says it is tasting really good - I believe her as I see she tastes every time she stirs it. Just hope there is some left when about 10 friends come over this afternoon for Happy Hour.

 

[daugen]

Toppop, snakes are on the move, this guy greeted me this afternoon and he didn't budge an inch.
All I had was my phone camera, but guessing it's a rat/black snake.
All I know is red on black, friend of Jack, red on yellow, kill a fellow
and in all cases, stay away

all these spaghetti sauces sound yummy

no way I would have the final food bank recipients help, plus most of them don't have cars.
The volunteers there, all guys like myself, many look like retired Northerners, will come out and help.
Bunch of geezers picking potatoes.

Ran weedeater for two hours, just did not have the energy to mow after that, but got the gardens all cleaned up.

86 degrees, 102 heat index, soaked through two complete sets of clothes.

 

[ronjhall]

Toppop, snakes are on the move, this guy greeted me this afternoon and he didn't budge an inch.
All I had was my phone camera, but guessing it's a rat/black snake.
All I know is red on black, friend of Jack, red on yellow, kill a fellow
and in all cases, stay away

Snakes and me are a no no. Glad we do not see them that big around here. I do not kill them. But do move them in a direction away from me.