Pruning Saturday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

What should you prune from your day?

What do others think need pruning but you think is just fine?

(Inspired by Helia's forsythia)

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Having pruned my finger, I'm not sure I should be allowed near anything sharp these days!

I'm afraid I pruned too much from my to-do list while recovering so today will be busy.

Top of my list is laundry (started and two more baskets queued up.)

I'm exercising because I won't get to it tomorrow.

Then I shower and wash my hair, not sure how my finger will cope with that. I've bumped it a couple of times today and it hurt a lot, and that is with the bandage on. The finger cot won't fit over the bandage. So I'm not sure what to do. Soaking in salt water last night went fine. A bit of discomfort but no pain.

After hanging out the sheets, I'll start in on the bbq.

Dh spent all of yesterday working on month-end so didn't get to taking the bbq apart to see why the flames are the way they are. I don't bbq so didn't notice it before this - apparently it has been in bad shape for months. White flames coming up the sides are not normal but I can't convince dh of that. No wonder he's afraid of fire - he has no idea of what is normal fire and what is dangerous. Fire is one of those things that if you ignore it, it only gets worse.

Once I've identified which parts need replacing and pulled the warranty info, we'll go into the city to pick up the anniversary cakes and get bbq parts.

Then I suppose the afternoon will be spent on yard work. Ironically, one of our forsythias needs pruning badly. The suckers have overgrown onto the front porch so they need to be cut back since you have to sort of beat your way by it as you come out the door.

[OKay]

Good Morning!

I'm pruning time spent on the computer. I have a vivid visual in my head of Cowinkles PC gremlins "getting me" if I spend too much unproductive time here. Maybe the visual is so vivid because I just finished reading the last 2 Hunger games books???

I'm loving having "normal" summer days - filled with activity and chores from dawn to dusk...... but with very little drama. Working without drama is refreshing and energizing!

[Twins' Mom]

I *think* the recommended way to prune forsythia is to prune out the longest canes 1/3 each year to keep the shrub smaller but maintain the graceful shape?

I've been up since 6:30ish when dMacs woke me up to keep him company. No "must do" plans for the day (thankfully!) but I think dh and I need to have a "planning session" today. I may try for a pedicure and I also have a package that I need to get to the post office. I think dh will go to the very large outdoor festival here tonight but I don't have much desire to go. (Drunks, smoking, overpriced food, heat and way too many people.) He has VIP tickets that he borrowed from someone; I feel bad about not wanting to go but the group he wants to see doesn't even start until 9:30....

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

On my forsythia (which is a northern gold version and isn't intended to grow tall) I get 'suckers' that are very tall. The bark on the suckers is different than the bark on the proper bits so I cut them back guilt free. They won't bloom in the spring, anyway, so there's no point keeping them around. As I recall, a forsythia will not bloom on new growth, either, so if you are trimming it, you must do it now so the growth from now until fall will be old growth next spring.

First load of laundry is on the line, second just buzzed. Dh just came down from his shower so it is not my turn.

[DeeClutter]

Pruning.....and I was ADDING to my list. I feel fairly energized this morning.

Working without drama is refreshing and energizing!

Oh, I think you are SOOOOOOO right, Okay! Maybe that's why I feel energized this morning -no drama -at least not yet and I'm hoping it stays that way.

I'm with you, Twins. I wouldn't care to go to an event such as that either! In fact today is the golf tournament for GP (campground) and there will be festivities all day -I'm so glad right now that I don't golf! DH will be working all day on this event. They have a steak/chicken dinner in the recreation hall later today along with lots of prizes/door prizes. At 8 there is a band and open to the whole campground at that point. However, by then I'll be ready to stay in. DS-R/DDIL & dgs7 will probably go down for a time so chances are we won't have a campfire. It's been raining all morning but the sun is out right now, but the radar doesn't look very promising.

I need to stay busy and keep my mouth (food wise) NOT busy. I've been home for four weeks and have gained about a pound or 2 in that time. Not good!

I'm just now eating breakfast (9:40). Cooked steel cut oatmeal for the first time since I've been home. Made enough to last about 3 or 4 days. MT taught me to do that.

DH got his little fireman (squirts water out of a hose) on to the berm and working yesterday. Fire chief (who also has RV here) from town came by to see and of course now they want one. Had a hard time getting this one and that was probably 4 years ago. Know dh is enjoying having time to do things around here that he has had no time for in the past. He & the other maintenance worker got the water wheel (with great difficulty) up on the berm too. But that has some work to go to get it working. He did finish planting all the rest of the perennials yesterday however.

Kathryn, I find (being one-handed) I have to wash my hair over the sink since I can only use my right arm to do it. Hairstyles are kept relatively simple for the same reason. I simply can't raise my left one to my head. In an RV shower it would be almost impossible to hair wash in the shower one-handed.

[Emptynester]

Twins is correct about the way to trim forsythia. Cut 1/3 of the branches off at the ground each year. If you trim the branches 1/2 or any where above the ground they with spread and not make a pretty bush. KIC is correct about it blooming on old wood - but too old and it won't bloom either.

We were on the road by 7:03 after getting gas. But the wind was already blowing. We are following Rt. 30 the Lincoln Highway from Elm Creek, thru Kearney, Grand Island and Columbia, NE. There we will pick up US 81 and take it north to SD. After we turn north the south wind won't bother us anymore.

This has been a day of trains. Rt 30 parallels the main rail lines thru NE. So far we have seen at least 15 trains of 100 or more cars. The eastbound ones are on the siding waiting for the westbound ones to pass. They are neat to see.

[DeeClutter]

Forsythias -we had 3 on the north side of our house. Every once in a while dh would prune them way back -too far for my liking. I have noticed that the new owner hasn't done anything with them in 2 1/2 years. They are beginning to look a bit straggly. However, our beautiful, flowering crab he cut down to practically nothing. I tried to do slip from it and grow roots -didn't work. If it would, I'd put a tree up on the berm. Our dks gave that to me many Mother's Days ago & it was simply beautiful every year -blooming after everybody else's did for some reason.

Breakfast is done so now should get on with my LONG l**t.

In answer to LucyLee's 'concern' last night about Harriet (well, sort of). You're right, LL, Harriet has been sort of 'missing'. See she was here this morning but she hasn't posted since Thursday. We're hoping everything is ok there, Harriet, and you're just busy. Please Know you're being thought of with much love.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Shower is done. The finger cots work when dh puts them on and takes them off me, but they can't be used by one person, it takes two. I tried taking it off on my own and it snapped out of my hand over the wound.

I've also soaked in salt water this morning and am airing right now. Will put on a bandage in a few minutes.

BBQ was worse than I imagined, the venturi tubes had come off. Needs new tubes and burner. Dh is upset with me that I took it apart but it needed doing before we left for town and he's still having his breakfast.

[Sadie]

Good Morning Dear Ladies,

We got sunshine here today.

Okay the Thunder apparel is flying off the racks here!

Hoping all is well in Harriet's household.

Called the motel in NY to re-confirmed our reservation, told them we are still planning to be there.

Work day here for me.

Got to help dbrother.

Take a shower and head to work.

Wonderful day to all!