Weed eating and putting out poison for fire ants.. We have had a lot of rain and mounds popping everywhere. I guess the rain makes the ground soft, they are vey active. Hands are tingling from the weed eater.
What's everybody doing today?
- Thread starter Grimm
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For northern folks who don't have fire ants... Below is fire ant mounds in one of my pastures. In a bad infestation there can be as many as 40 million ants per acre. I have 45 acres of pasture. You do the math... couple of billion at least. Treating my pastures would cost about $1000 per year...
A few of these spots in the pasture are cow pies. Most are fire ant mounds. There can be as many as 200 mounds per acres. Until recently i cut my own hay, had an old baler. It had a chronic twine feed problem because of wear. I'd have to stop, slide under the baler and redo the twine feeds.
It never failed... If i had to crawl under the baler i''d slide into a fire ant bed hidden under the hay. Hated when that happened!!!
A few of these spots in the pasture are cow pies. Most are fire ant mounds. There can be as many as 200 mounds per acres. Until recently i cut my own hay, had an old baler. It had a chronic twine feed problem because of wear. I'd have to stop, slide under the baler and redo the twine feeds.
It never failed... If i had to crawl under the baler i''d slide into a fire ant bed hidden under the hay. Hated when that happened!!!
In the far north we didn't have fire ants, but some other variety that could build a mound the size of a chest freezer over time.. In the yard I kept after them with home made and killer being careful to not displace them and have them relocate to a building..
The most fun was to find a bound in the pasture about 3' across and a foot or so high.. Then hover over it with the brush hog mower on the tractor until it was flat...
The most fun was to find a bound in the pasture about 3' across and a foot or so high.. Then hover over it with the brush hog mower on the tractor until it was flat...
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Had some high winds last night, it blew in a storm. Started out with heavy rain then turned to snow.
On Thursday I went down to the feed store and picked up a load of pasture seed, horse and chicken feed, dog food, insecticide and miscellaneous parts. They just happened to have a sale on Dewalt tools. So I added a cordless greese gun, a 14" metal chop saw, a 12" compond miter saw with stand and extra blades. It's nice when I go shopping alone.
On Thursday I went down to the feed store and picked up a load of pasture seed, horse and chicken feed, dog food, insecticide and miscellaneous parts. They just happened to have a sale on Dewalt tools. So I added a cordless greese gun, a 14" metal chop saw, a 12" compond miter saw with stand and extra blades. It's nice when I go shopping alone.
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Amish, I hope your husband is doing OK.
Mo, sorry to hear about the deaths in the family.
We were running low on water so I did a curbside order from Samsclub. They only had 2 of the 5 cases though so I'll have to go back again when they restock. I also had online orders from Lowes and HomeDepot. Popped in to Hobby Lobby to look around for stuff. Stuff costs too much there and they can get away with it because all of the other craft stores in the area shut down. The new window from HomeDepot hasn't come in just yet but the other stuff (the backer rod & caulk) came in. Also had some stop moulding for the window for the inside. Lowes had the stop moulding for the outside and some Lexel. I looked around Lowes for some stuff I saw online but didn't order because I wanted to make sure it fit properly. It's for a custom lightsaber project. Good thing I went and checked because the size I thought would fit was too small. Had to go 1/4" larger. I'm trying to stay cheap on the build- reusing scraps or getting really cheap parts. After browsing in Lowes I went for my pickup and there was a very long line so I went back out to my truck, moved to the curbside pickup spot, and put in that I wanted curbside. The guy came out rather quickly with my order.
Then it was off to Home Depot (its on the way home). App needed to be updated and didn't give me the option to even view my order or do curbside so I had to go in. The associate inside was very nice.
Got home, unloaded my stuff and some stuff I forgot to unload the other day, brought in a new bag of cat food, fed the kitties, started putting lightsaber piece stuff together, went to check on Mom and she wasn't feeling well. Her Dexcom alerted her that her sugar was dangerously low and she almost passed out while I was talking to her. Got her a bunch of stuff with sugar and Dexcom made a sound to let her know that her sugar was back to safe levels. I did a finger stick to verify that it was low. Got down to something like 32. It was back up to 70 before I left the room. I'll be checking on her again soon.
Mo, sorry to hear about the deaths in the family.
We were running low on water so I did a curbside order from Samsclub. They only had 2 of the 5 cases though so I'll have to go back again when they restock. I also had online orders from Lowes and HomeDepot. Popped in to Hobby Lobby to look around for stuff. Stuff costs too much there and they can get away with it because all of the other craft stores in the area shut down. The new window from HomeDepot hasn't come in just yet but the other stuff (the backer rod & caulk) came in. Also had some stop moulding for the window for the inside. Lowes had the stop moulding for the outside and some Lexel. I looked around Lowes for some stuff I saw online but didn't order because I wanted to make sure it fit properly. It's for a custom lightsaber project. Good thing I went and checked because the size I thought would fit was too small. Had to go 1/4" larger. I'm trying to stay cheap on the build- reusing scraps or getting really cheap parts. After browsing in Lowes I went for my pickup and there was a very long line so I went back out to my truck, moved to the curbside pickup spot, and put in that I wanted curbside. The guy came out rather quickly with my order.
Then it was off to Home Depot (its on the way home). App needed to be updated and didn't give me the option to even view my order or do curbside so I had to go in. The associate inside was very nice.
Got home, unloaded my stuff and some stuff I forgot to unload the other day, brought in a new bag of cat food, fed the kitties, started putting lightsaber piece stuff together, went to check on Mom and she wasn't feeling well. Her Dexcom alerted her that her sugar was dangerously low and she almost passed out while I was talking to her. Got her a bunch of stuff with sugar and Dexcom made a sound to let her know that her sugar was back to safe levels. I did a finger stick to verify that it was low. Got down to something like 32. It was back up to 70 before I left the room. I'll be checking on her again soon.
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Did morning chores with little granddaughter, then off to the hospital to sit with husband. He's doing ok on just 02 with the nasal cannula now, so that's an improvement. Still on two different antibiotic IV's. At noontime, my favorite cousin and her family came in, brought a big lunch spread they got from chic fil a, and homemade dinner rolls with butter and angel food birthday cake and gifts. Layed it all out in the family waiting room for me. We ate and visited, and it was a good party. They peeked in and saw husband a bit, too. Came back home a bit ago, and did a few more chores. Little granddaughter is staying home while I go back in till this evening. Lots and lots of phone calls today.
Taking a quick break.
Raining n wind eariler, walked the pups anyways.
It stopped when we were done with the walk.
Got a few supplies in town..
Headed to my friends to check on their critters n walked the pups on their land for a bit..
Home now putting stuff away
Now chores..
Raining n wind eariler, walked the pups anyways.
It stopped when we were done with the walk.
Got a few supplies in town..
Headed to my friends to check on their critters n walked the pups on their land for a bit..
Home now putting stuff away
Now chores..
processed a rack of wood, Coffee time
Plants Covered, Bushie on top of the ride while Me just Chilling waiting for the Chill to Come and Hopefully Go Away for at least 6-7 months...!!! Yeah, I Know 
with that...!!
with that...!!
Been waiting 2-1/2 weeks for a 'full sun day' (when the sun shines uninterrupted from sunrise to sunset) to make a list tonight of the solar patio lights I need to 'rehab'.
Finally got it today
.
No, they do not all run forever, but some do
.
Finally got it today
.No, they do not all run forever, but some do
.
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it is really windy and cold again, hope no goat kids get born overnight. They are in the barn but it is cold in there too. We planned the goat kids a month after the lambs but it was actually warmer in February when the lambs were born. Stupid weather
Peanut: we had fire ants in Florida, nasty things!!! I got bit stepping in a mound one time at a project site, and the damned contractor laughed like crazy, watching me hop around trying to get them out of my jeans and boots. It wasn't funny to me at all
Didn't do much today other than take care of the animals and take dog for a hike
Peanut: we had fire ants in Florida, nasty things!!! I got bit stepping in a mound one time at a project site, and the damned contractor laughed like crazy, watching me hop around trying to get them out of my jeans and boots. It wasn't funny to me at all
Didn't do much today other than take care of the animals and take dog for a hike
Care and feed animals
Making fire
Pushing snow 2 feet did fall so far -1f
...Soon ........*Easter 
hope it wont snow
Making fire
Pushing snow 2 feet did fall so far -1f
...Soon ........*Easter hope it wont snow
the continuous snow fall is getting a bit tiresome, and over such a big area, it is around -4C hereCare and feed animals
Making fire
Pushing snow 2 feet did fall so far -1f
@Bacpacker can take care of that for you. He loves to weedeat
Is it your birthday or Hubby’s.
@Ekatarina and @Tirediron one of you should make me a snow lantern
. I posted a pix on here somewhere that it was on my bucket list for this winter. We never had the right snow 
. Ours was icy, sharp and wrong 
and you need snowman snow to make one 
@Mountain trapper good to see you.
Tirediron,
Consider yourself lucky with the snow. We have had maybe 6" all winter. It's dry. Fire bans being reinstated. The creeks and rivers are low.
Consider yourself lucky with the snow. We have had maybe 6" all winter. It's dry. Fire bans being reinstated. The creeks and rivers are low.
not so good, our snow won't provide much if any ground moisture, it froze hard in october, but the run off is big, this last 18 " might put a bit in the ground, it was just starting to thaw when it hit, on the bright side not much bare ground to freeze dry this year, so we will take taht
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Went to the wake for my cousin. My brother is down from upstate for it. Cousins came up from south Jersey to go with us and then on to dinner. He goes home tomorrow morning.
Thanks Lady, Like I need something else to do right now 
!!!
Got to work at 5:30 this morning, got off at 2. Same thing tomorrow. Got home and fixed a couple things with my Kubota. All good with that. Still need to do an oil change and swap some other filters. But not today. Did get about half the yard mowed. Made a couple rounds around the field. But decided 6:30 was late enough and still needed to take care of the chickens. U keep my pellets in buckets, had to dump 2 bags of feed I got last night.
Currently watching the UT vs UT basketball game. I'd bet I'll be in bed during half time.
!!!Got to work at 5:30 this morning, got off at 2. Same thing tomorrow. Got home and fixed a couple things with my Kubota. All good with that. Still need to do an oil change and swap some other filters. But not today. Did get about half the yard mowed. Made a couple rounds around the field. But decided 6:30 was late enough and still needed to take care of the chickens. U keep my pellets in buckets, had to dump 2 bags of feed I got last night.
Currently watching the UT vs UT basketball game. I'd bet I'll be in bed during half time.
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@sonya123 saw the Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park areas were hit hard with wildfire and destroyed homes. That is one of my favorite places on earth, mostly because I haven't been to too many places but most of all because I have lots of fond memories from being there.
I guess that's not in your area and hope your area isn't still suffering drought.
Worked today, it was incredibly busy. Glad that is over with. Schedule will be a little different this coming week due to Easter. Starting to see buds on the trees. The hope of spring.
I joined this forum because it was called homesteading and country living. At the time I was hoping we'd be able to get our own home again after selling our last one and a whole lot of things happened that didn't lead to that.
I guess that's not in your area and hope your area isn't still suffering drought.
Worked today, it was incredibly busy. Glad that is over with. Schedule will be a little different this coming week due to Easter. Starting to see buds on the trees. The hope of spring.
I joined this forum because it was called homesteading and country living. At the time I was hoping we'd be able to get our own home again after selling our last one and a whole lot of things happened that didn't lead to that.
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- Dec 3, 2017
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Long day at the hospital, husband must be feeling better because now he's grumpy and wants out. Ha. Not yet, for sure. Little granddaughter texted me what she was doing every half hour, so that was entertaining. Making a grilled cheese....dance party with U2, collecting the eggs, locking up the chickens for the night, a shower, using my lap top to watch the bad lip readings for Star Wars and Walking Dead...
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@Amish Heart sorry for a grumpy husband but hope he gets to feeling and doing better quickly.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
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Thanks!
Grumpy does mean he's more aware and can breathe better so it's not all bad.
Although he did get into it with a nurse this morning over a catheter. He can be very difficult normally.
Grumpy does mean he's more aware and can breathe better so it's not all bad.
Although he did get into it with a nurse this morning over a catheter. He can be very difficult normally.
Frame the hole like any other window
Install a vapor barrier all 4 sides of the framed hole
If the outside wall does not hav an eve over the window. Install a drip flashing above the block
If an eve is above window no flashing is needed
Measure block, frame hole so you do not have to cut block
Yo finish
Picture frame the outside opening with 1x4, Caulk around everything. Then paint
On the inside kinda your choice. Picture frame it. Or. Use corner bead and sheet rock for a clean look. Caulk /paint
Picture frame the outside opening with 1x4, Caulk around everything. Then paint
On the inside kinda your choice. Picture frame it. Or. Use corner bead and sheet rock for a clean look. Caulk /paint
Eh, nothing, today. I was supposed to be slopping mortar under cinderblocks but...raining again. I learned my lesson after a cloudburst washed out a whole day's work! Waiting for "Oppenheimer" on the sat dishes. We have Starlink and Foxtel direct feeds out here. Wondering if I should shave...
Fire ants are cleaners of problems sometimes, But man they are an aggravation.
I have a great way of ending a hill just pour a small amount of gas on the top big enough to push a transmission fluid funnel into, Then push the fummel down till the ground gets hard pull it back up run a stick through the hole and push it back down and pick it up a couple of inches and pour a little more gas in the hole. kills the grass for a few days just where you poured it on top and kills the queen, I have killed 40 hills in a day and they didn't come back.
If you have runners wait till they are gone follow them to the place they hill and do it there too, the hill core will be as deep as the mound is high at least.
I killed one that was as big as a truck tire and nearly two feet and a half high but it took two tries I think the core was under an old tree stump instead of in the center of the dirt I pushed it down second time and it felt like a hole under the stump.
Been lazy today as usual, was up late and slept past the best working time had to do a couple of minor tasks.
Looks like a trip to the dealer to get the 3500 RAM checked out again, threw a turbo lag code and Map sensor code.
Probably related, Warranty better be doing their job and I always keep the paperwork since the Ford Focus debacle.
No blue ovals for me anymore after that. I had a lot in the 60-70-80s, but none in the 2000s for me. I would rather have a Renault.
Hope everyone has a great nights sleep and a great day tomorrow, we will be at little 2 Year old great grand princesses birthday party to see how much fun she can have!!!
GODS greatest gift to mankind!!!
I have a great way of ending a hill just pour a small amount of gas on the top big enough to push a transmission fluid funnel into, Then push the fummel down till the ground gets hard pull it back up run a stick through the hole and push it back down and pick it up a couple of inches and pour a little more gas in the hole. kills the grass for a few days just where you poured it on top and kills the queen, I have killed 40 hills in a day and they didn't come back.
If you have runners wait till they are gone follow them to the place they hill and do it there too, the hill core will be as deep as the mound is high at least.
I killed one that was as big as a truck tire and nearly two feet and a half high but it took two tries I think the core was under an old tree stump instead of in the center of the dirt I pushed it down second time and it felt like a hole under the stump.
Been lazy today as usual, was up late and slept past the best working time had to do a couple of minor tasks.
Looks like a trip to the dealer to get the 3500 RAM checked out again, threw a turbo lag code and Map sensor code.
Probably related, Warranty better be doing their job and I always keep the paperwork since the Ford Focus debacle.
No blue ovals for me anymore after that. I had a lot in the 60-70-80s, but none in the 2000s for me. I would rather have a Renault.
Hope everyone has a great nights sleep and a great day tomorrow, we will be at little 2 Year old great grand princesses birthday party to see how much fun she can have!!!
GODS greatest gift to mankind!!!
Gday Mate Glad you made the trip from Down undah,
Them gensets purring in the AVVY.
What size dish do you have outback in the outback?
Them gensets purring in the AVVY.
What size dish do you have outback in the outback?
Wanna have some fun with the ant bed?
Melt a big pot of lead and pour it into the antbed
Then dig it up
Here is an ant bed sculpture
He used aluminum. It may be cheaper than lead, use what you have
Melt a big pot of lead and pour it into the antbed
Then dig it up
Here is an ant bed sculpture
He used aluminum. It may be cheaper than lead, use what you have
A block mason?
This is intended to be in jest
All a damn block layer needs to know is 2 things
Pick up the block
Put down the block
Pick up the block
Put down yhe block
Pick up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
This is job site humor
Same as
An electrician is a plumber with his brains knocked out
Carpenters do not know how to screw they just beat wood all day
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Just spent an hour outside in the poly. Garlic, onions chard and spinach coming up quick, and some relocated potatoes. Savoy cabbage seedlings will be ready for transplanting this week, and first set of tomatoes in another week. I also started off some cosmos and sunflowers. Husband has a bit of a flu, so fire on and a chill kind of day for him, and I'm going to study.
