Pioneer Woman at Heart

  The tree baffles are up, but the second one will need some work.  The bottom branches are lower on the other tree.  Anyway, we'll see if we can save our apple tree harvest this year. If you are interested in how we built our tree baffles (a device to keep raccoons/squirrels from climbing up the tree to eat the fruit), here is the source with the "how to" on how to build one with a 5 gallon bucket. Source: Welcome Wildlife, Tree Baffles... Update:   The tree baffles work!  I happen to look outside at just the right time and a raccoon was at one tree, looking up confused.  It ran off.  Our $4.00 buckets paid off.  You could possibly get them free if a restaurant could save buckets too. (Source:  Menards) Temporary fencing has been installed around the green/wax beans now.  We simply used inexpensive plastic fencing on a roll, zip ties and wooden tomato stakes.  It's high enough to keep the rabbits out, but low enough we can ste...

  My husband and I were comiserating about the heat, and he could not believe I did garden work (the weeds are out of control).  He said something about Friday, and I said, "huh?" I could not believe Friday as snuck up on me this quick this week.  It cracks me up, when there are folks who assume, since I do not work a regular "job" that I have all the free time in the world.  Ha!   Yesterday I froze water in tins, so the chickens could walk in them and cool off.  They loved it!  The heat and humidity has been grueling for all. Regardless, laundry went out on my solar powered dryer (clothesline).   It's too hot to cook, and too hot to do dishes - chicken salad on cucumber slices.  I used blended cottage cheese in place of the mayo this time, as I had heard it was just as good, less fat, and more protein.  I have to say, it's pretty good.  We can't tell a difference.  So, when organic/non-gmo mayo gets too expensive, an...