Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Yard
Hopalong:
That lag time contradicts instant comfort culture but I'm a believer! I bet you could adjust to that new bit of advance thinking and adapt in a couple weeks. It'd become automatic to "preheat" the water just as you would an oven. Wish I could do one.
The thing about traditional water heaters, though their insulation has improved, is that we use fossil energy (with its emissions) 24/7 to basically keep a huge amount of hot water hot all of the time, just in case. Like a huge pot on the stove at just below Simmer all day and night for no reason. I figured since that made no sense, neither does my traditional water heater. (Not that I can wave my wand to replace it...)
I'd love most a passive solar water heater (flat black rooftop one) with a small booster heater only as needed for long cloudy stretches. Sighhhh....
But I'm getting vicarious thrills from your builds, regardless of what/how you build!
xxoo
Hops
lighter:
I'd love love love to do solar power, but I'm tucked into a shady area, and there's never going to be that option, Hops.
Sib and I bought plants for the dry river bed this afternoon..... also picked up a $20.00 fern that's HUGE... so so lovely, from a Mexican grocery store. Beautiful produce too. I think I've seen ferns smaller for 44.00 at retail nurseries.... feel so good about that fern. It's on a tall plant stand on the front porch... it sparks joy.
::nodding::
Tomatoes, squash, herbs, eggplants, and strawberries planted today. I don't think the rosemary made it through the winter. The mint came back just fine.... it worked it's way around a big pot..... came up in 3 places.
Oh... also have lettuce in.
Lighter
Twoapenny:
You've been so busy, Lighter, it's really lovely to read that things are growing and popping back up after the winter sleep :) xx
lighter:
My sister left this morning... very early. I always have mixed feelings about it.
She's been in the yard, weeding, toting rocks, and puzzling them into place on the new dry creek beds. Since we had a torrential 5.5 inches of rain in as many hours it was perfect timing for working on the stones. Water runs from the entire neighborhood.... 2 neighborhoods actually, down to my neck of the woods. SO MUCH RAIN.... I can see EXACTLY where the water runs. Where ore rocks can go as it scraped the moss, and carried it off leaving just earth. Again. Moss can be drowned, as well.
It was alarming, but very helpful to muck about in the rain, wearing wellies, observing the water's path. Lots of neighbors have flooded basements or interior leaks, including both my elderly neighbors. One had a flooded basement, and the other had water running inside her sliding doors, and garage. I have a bit of water in the crawl space, not much.
The timing on the dry creek beds couldn't have been better, and we added a second branch onto the main one leading to the road, and storm drain, which is where the water needs to go. I cleaned gutters again the day after, moved new plantings about, and admired the potted plants on the front porch, happy from the rain. Plants like rain water. Not tap water, IME.
DD 16 in Japan.... final days of school trip, and her knee came out of socket quite badly.... she went by ambulance to the hospital, and they put it back in. She's doing OK, and in a brace she likes, which is a huge relief. This is the final day, and she's ready to be home. I'm ready for her to be home.
The journey continues.
Lighter
sKePTiKal:
Well, last week I got all the concrete blocks - from old garden area - set to make kitchen beds around the parking area. Hol secured the stacks with rebar, but advised I need longer pieces. I've had old half-rotted firewood in that area and spread wood ash from the stoves there. I'll line the blocks (there are always gaps) with weed fabric, then fill with last year's topsoil. THEN I can plant stuff!
Mowing and trimming and tree pruning/removal is next on the list. I need fuel, service the big mower, and fire it up... and need to restock some things to keep up with the work. Mother nature is persistently a demanding task master.
Ordered 100 myrtle (vinca minor) to plant over the propane tank bank. It's bare dirt and will wash, unless I get something planted there. It's great stuff; it self propagates; and with my "problem areas" of poor soil, is really useful. Grass seed I spread is starting to sprout now, since we had a day's worth of really good rain. I still need to work out the details of a fence - the basic design - to contain the dogs.
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