WINE GARDEN

[NorthernWinos]

Much happiness in the Wine Garden this morning...It's raining...

Got ½" in the past 3 hours....This will make the vines grow like crazy, they are starting to look a little ragged...

The Juneberries should fill and ripen, will have to spray for fungus again...The Raspberries will be very happy too....

The Strawberries should also plump up and and get nice juicy....this will bring out the slugs tho....

Garlic is really looking good this year....that's it between a couple rows of Strawberries, the row will be planted in a new location this fall.

I am sure all the wild fruit will benefit from this rain....looks like we will be getting a little bit more this PM.....

Life is Good!!!

 

[Wade E]

Looking great there NW.

 

[grapeman]

I will gladly send some more rain back over to you. It has been raining on and off again today since before noon. The Wine Garden is looking great! If you think things are looking ragged, you should see other folks stuff out there! Your is great as usual- love makes a difference.

 

[uavwmn]

NW, Y

our garden is beautiful!!!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Appleman....would love to have a little more rain....in a perfect World an inch a week would be nice....

Our crops, fruits and veggies are doing fine...seems the only thing that starts to suffer are some of the perennial flowers, I tend to plant them a little too thick. The newly seeded grass likes some extra water too.

Are your veggies and fruits doing good with all your rain???? You are actually lucky to get so much rain with your sandy soil...lack of rain could be devastating.

Sure is too much moisture in the Nation's Bread Basket....such a disaster for so many people.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Went out to check on the young orchard of various fruit trees....saw they were getting pruned again....

Then there is a mystery....
One row of newly planted native fruit bushes is doing great....the other row the bushes are equally as good.....but....the landscape fabric is just in shreds....it came off the same roll as on the other row......figured some chipmunk or something looking for nesting material....

Then...yesterday evening in broad daylight this scroungy deer walks right through the yard headed over to the newly planted baby grass growing along that row of bushes...

Guess it must be tender and tasty and my ravaged landscape fabric must be made by deer feet.....

Our dogs are not doing their jobs.

 

[grapeman]

You are probably right about the deer. The pictures I take at Willsboro that you ask about the black plastic- the deer fence around the vineyard is the only thing that saved the plastic from the deer hooves. The stones on the plastic not only help hold it down, but also cover holes made by the deer before the fence was put up.

 

[NorthernWinos]

People say hair will keep deer away......I am so 'lucky'....I lost HUGE amounts of hair this morning...If I put it in a bucket it would be a bout 4 quarts....

I am going to put it outside for the birds to make nests...or scare the deer away....It would scare most things away if they saw that.

I still have hair, but at this rate it's 'Hair today-Gone tomorrow'.

So it goes.

 

[Wade E]

NW, are going through treatment again?

 

[NorthernWinos]

Yes...started 2 weeks ago....It really sucks this time....

I try to keep a good attitude....but some days are pretty painful...lots of cramping and reactions to the drugs....Much stronger meds this time....with lots of side effects.....Never know what each day will be like.

 

[rgecaprock]

NW, I admire your attitude and resoucefulness and your giving nature.
Most would be devistated loosing their hair. And I remember my sister, age 39 loosing waist length hair in the shower in one day during her treatments. You are a gift to all.


Ramona

 

[OilnH2O]

NW, hang in there on those treatments, and thanks TOO for reminding us that you are not out of the woods (so to speak

) yet! Prayers and positive thoughts from your forum buddies can help, I'm positive.

About those deer... THAT'S another issue !!

 

[jobe05]

I haven't been here in a while due to my time constraints. My wife and I are starting a business starting July 16th, and have been overwhelmed with the details of having your own business, plus I'm keeping my other job...... the 60 hour a week one..............

But when I think I'm having a bad day or I get over whelmed........... I come here and check to see how your doing NW........... I can read your post and visit with you in your wine gardens for an eternity, even though it's only a couple of minutes. Your more than an inspiration, your exemplary in everything you do and the way you share your life, your thoughts, your possessions. For that, I thank you.

I pray that life will always be good for you, even when some days are worse. I think I speak for all when I say that I wish I could be as inspiring for you as you are for me.

Thank you and God Bless.

 

[NorthernWinos]

NW, I admire your attitude and resoucefulness and your giving nature.
Most would be devistated loosing their hair. And I remember my sister, age 39 loosing waist length hair in the shower in one day during her treatments. You are a gift to all.


Ramona

Ramona....It must have been very hard for your sister....We are all attached to our hair, and someone with waist length hair looses her identity...Hope it grew back thick and lovely as before....

 

[NorthernWinos]

Thanks everyone for all your caring thoughts and wishes...glad my ramblings bring anything good to anyone.

So...this morning I am picking strawberries and see little gobs of hair hanging down around my vision, I pull it and a little wad was released into Nature....being mostly gray it looked like fishing line drifting through the air. I had to have a shower as we needed to go on a shopping trip...so I sat on the steps and brushed...each stroke filled the brush, I slipped it into a bag to tie in the fruit trees to deter the deer...Waste not - Want not....Jim said to quit...I gave him the option of me leaving it outside or having it in his food or shower drain......

So we go shopping and we are sitting at a light....a man is pushing a young woman in a wheelchair...I notice she is wearing shorts and has no legs....only stubs above her knees...The I notice she has two prosthesis arms..... And I am whining????

Life is Good!!!!

 

[swillologist]

Hang in there NW we're going to make it through this. They tell me I have the stuff now. I start treatments next Thursday. They call it Mantle Cell Lymphoma. We're going to whip these things. Things in the garden and orchard have taken a back seat for a little while while we get a grip on this thing. I'll be thinking of you NW next week when I start the treatment. I hope have the same courage that you have shown here. Good luck NW!

 

[Scott]

Both NW & Swillologist keep the strength and many prayers are with you.


Swillologist, I am also in central Iowa let me know if there is something I can help with.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Swill....I am so sorry to hear that you too have to deal with this demon....If you carry the right attitude you will get through this. I am sure your family and friends will be by your side and everyone here will be praying for you.

I am on my 'off-week' of no drugs and feel as crappy as the last 2 weeks....next Tuesday I go back for IV treatment...not looking forward to that as the last infusions were pretty stimulating to say the least.

The first time when I went into treatment I was recovering from intestinal resection surgery, pretty weak and scared, plus pretty strung out on Diladid and Oxycodone...Then I saw the poor souls sitting in the rooms receiving treatments...kicked myself in the butt and realized I was not that bad off and that I could get through it.

I hope your treatments will go smoothly and painlessly....Lets keep intouch and compare miseries.

My gardens are not receiving the TLC they deserve, but it really isn't that important. Jim is keeping the yard mowed and garden weeded and it actually looks pretty nice around here. We pick the strawberries and have been giving most of them away, am going to have a neighbor come and pick the rest.....I have plenty of strawberry juice preserved for wine, as well as many other juices...and now our household wine consumption has dropped in half...So, many things just aren't as important as what we tend to make ourselves believe.

Take it one day at a time...enjoy today.....
Today is a gift...that's why it is called the present.

 

[Joanie]

NW, as I've been sitting here printing and cutting out labels for the wine I bottled this morning, I've been thinking a lot about your post. You said your gardens not getting your TLC isn't that important. I disagree. Your incredible gardens bring me joy when you post your amazing photos. I imagine everyone you share them with feels exactly the same. Your gardens help define who you are and what matters to you. Because they matter they are important. Your grapes, and crab apples, and roses, and choke cherries, and all the rest wouldn't be as amazing as they are without you.

I know you don't have the spunk to tend them right now. Not to worry. They will wait until you're feeling up to it.

 

[rrawhide]

I echo everything that Joan said - she is right on - - -

just remember 'every day is a good day but some are just better than others'.

out prayers are still with you -

you too, Swill - - -

hang tough and keep looking up.

later
rrawhide