I couldn't help but laugh at myself for taking a photo of my 'water feature':
Sure a sprinkler's not much of a water feature, but I was pretty mesmerized by it and if it were 10 degrees warmer, I might have run under it! I am aware that a sprinkler is not the most efficient watering method, but I'm only half way through getting the new hose on the fence down to the veggie garden and it was the easiest way to get my thirsty plants some water (the grass needed it too).
See the hose is on the fence, but it's not quite long enough to reach to where it should and I have to cut the end off and replace a male coupling with the female one for the hose cart etc. and so on:
Can you see in this photo that something has been digging in the mulch like mad? There was also poop there for me (not visible in the photo), though I'm not sure from what type of animal. Do you think finally weeding and putting down more mulch will stop this bad behavior? Yeah, I'm kind of doubting it too:
This is my next handy girl project:
It's a gigantic wooden packing box that someone threw up on Freecycle as a planter:
So I'm thinking I'll drill a few holes in the bottom, put in some potting soil, and move an eggplant to it (I'm a little worried that 2 are just not going to make it in the single ceramic container where I have them currently). But wait...what's that paper label on the side say:
Don't you love the DO NOT DROP line? As if you would throw around a box marked ACID willy-nilly? I did a little research and it looks like this box is at least 30 years old. No signs of acid damage inside:
So this box is nearly as old as me or possibly even older...how do you think it was used for all those years? It smells like moth balls, so I'm guessing it was in someone's attic, but why they saved the box in the first place is beyond me. I'll be drilling some holes in the bottom and using a big black plastic bag as a liner--to both prevent 'acid' from leeching into the soil of a plant yielding produce that we'll be ingesting and also to try and prevent the bottom of the box from rotting out too quickly.
an animal that digs & covers thier poop sounds like a neighborhood cat! awesome box!
Posted by: jonquil | June 03, 2009 at 07:57 AM
Jonquil -- The poop wasn't covered though. Which is why I was thinking it was something else, but I guess it could just be a cat.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | June 03, 2009 at 09:28 AM
Hi Heather,
It was great meeting you and your hubby. Sorry I haven't been by in awhile. Ya today it was finally a little cloudy and we got a little break..almost feels like a day off..but not really! Love the box and yes good idea on lining it. Love all that old stuff and can't wait to see what you come up with to plant in it.
Take care,
Carole
Posted by: Carole | June 03, 2009 at 07:48 PM
Love the box. Great find and can't wait to see what you put in it. Herbs? Flowers? There is a katydid on my wall. Love that photo.
Posted by: Layanee | June 03, 2009 at 10:34 PM
I hate to tell you this, but you may have raccoons. I've had that problem lately, and they do leave uncovered poop. It's kind of big. Bigger than cat poop. Raccoons are highly interested in earth worms and grubs. I've watched them eating under my bird tree for weeks now. I made the mistake of taking away the bird seed and they tore UP my lawn and garden. Sigh. If you want to live trap them, here is a secret: They loooove marshmallows.
Posted by: Blondie | June 04, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Carole -- It was great to meet you too! I'm waiting for the truly beautiful weather to arrive as it's been too chilly for my taste, but I'm sure I'll be complaining that it's too hot any day now.
Layanee -- It will be an eggplant I'm pretty sure, maybe some basil too. We just remembered to turn our calendar page and I found the katydid too. It's so funny, I don't remember what photo I used for which month until I turn the page. Glad you're enjoying it!
Blondie -- Oh, we have raccoons for sure, they've been hitting our garbage cans for years. Your comment about the size of the poop makes sense. I think it was larger than a cat's. I once paid a man a fortune to live trap 10 raccoons and then I gave up, it was too expensive for me.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | June 04, 2009 at 09:50 PM
Words of wisdom (and expediency) from Louresburg NM - shoot the #!!@*^!
I absolutely HATE raccoons!
Posted by: Mummer | June 04, 2009 at 11:03 PM
I would rather use an oscillating sprinkler than turn on my automatic ones that sputter, leak, and blow water all over the sidewalk!
Post a picture of the poop. I did once and got the answer I needed from a well-informed reader. (My blind guess: raccoon).
Posted by: Katie | June 05, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Mom -- If I had seen it and had a gun...well probably not, but I would have thought about it.
Katie -- I broke down and watered and of course we had 2 solid days of rain. I'm pretty sure it is raccoon poop, but if it happens again I will definitely post it.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | June 06, 2009 at 10:42 AM
That box is awesome, Heather. It should look really interesting planted up.
Posted by: eliz | June 08, 2009 at 08:21 PM
I think the vintage box would make an awesome planter. There probably aren't remains of the acid since there isn't any pitting in the wood, but lining it with plastic just to be on the safe is a good idea. - Jackie
Posted by: Jackie (Ellie Mae' Cottage) | June 09, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Elizabeth -- Thanks. It will if I ever get around to doing it!
Jackie -- Thanks. I thought so too. Again, if I ever get around to actually doing it!
Posted by: Heather's Garden | June 10, 2009 at 11:20 PM