Update for the week....

Friday I took my second midterm...I'm not sure why they call it a midterm when it occurs in the 8th week of a 10 week term. It took 35 minutes and that could be bad or good.  I double checked my answers before turning it in, but it seemed pretty straight forward.  I had a couple of quesions I really wasn't sure on in the multiple choice but I picked the best answer I could and moved on. We'll see what the results are.  So far I have at least a 96%.  I only missed one question on the last midterm.

I woke up Saturday with a cold- just in time for Egils which happens almost every year.  Still there was a lot to do so after a leisurely wake up, I headed outside about 9:00.

I decided to tackle the invasive blackberry vines that like to intermix with the grape vines.  While I was pulling them out I also pulled the grapevines onto the trellis and off the neighbors fence, pruning away dead wood as I went, since I didn't get the canes pruned this year. I also pulled up the nightshade and the vetch as I went.

With that finished, I moved to the tree infested corner of the back yard and pulled out the rest of the tree cotyledons.  It only took a few minutes but it was important to take care of it before it became impossible.  Later in the day I came back and pruned the oregano in this pot and put it on the dehydrator along with some marjoram or thyme.


The garden beds were a mess- absolutely full of weeds from tip to tail.  I pulled all the big weeds out but there were thousands of little grass and weed sprouts everywhere. So I took a break and went to Jerry's and bought the garden plants and seeds and a hand (not gas or electric powered) rototiller to use on the beds. I used the hand rototiller to loosen the soil and the little weeds. It worked marginally well but I finished up with a hand rake.  Then I assembled a trellis out of the old cattery for the beans and planted the plants and seeds I'd purchased, at least some of them; I bought some seeds for fall and overwintering to plant later. I tested and repaired the garden sprinklers (three had gotten broken off at the main hose) so that the watering system is working over the entirety of the garden.  I planted basil in my wooden planter and I will need to figure out how to make sure it gets enough water.  I left in the onions that have gone to seed with the hope that I can reseed from them before I pull them out.

The trellis for the beans along with the three volunteer squash of unknown variety as well as the zucchini, cucumber and hills of pumpkin, yellow squash, pattypan and butternut.

There are six varieties of tomatoes, Early girl, beef steak, roma, and some heritage varieties.  I got quite a few peppers this year.  I think there are four plants of banana peppers, an orange, a yellow, and a red sweet and a jalepeno. Between the tomatoes and peppers are carrot seeds.


I pulled out the carrots that were bolting rather than growing roots and reseeded with beets. I read that carrots don't grow well next to parsnips and that's what is planted in the middle of that box.  Maybe that's why they decided to bolt or maybe it's because the seeds overwintered.  I don't know but they were taking up space and not producing so they had to go.

It was overcast all day but the lawn was dry so I mowed it. Then I ate lunch (admittedly it was 2 or 3:30).

After lunch I cut out and assembled three t-tunics to the point of hand finishing.

Sunday, I woke up with a headache throbbing through my sinuses and sore muscles in places I forgot I had muscles.  Nothing I did seemed to be an immediate fix for the sinuses so I stayed home and dozed or worked on hand sewing while I alternated hot presses on my face, head, and neck. I kept the dayquil and tylenol in a good rotation as well. I also hit the vitamin C and zinc every four hours.  By late evening the throbbing had stopped and this morning I am congested and tired but my head isn't threatening my well-being.