Topic: Ah, retirement! (Read 11876 times)

Stormbringer · « **on:** March 30, 2004, 11:31:52 am »

For the first time in twenty years I have a garden. There are plenty of squash already on my vines. I've grown roma mini tomatoes; the plants are strong. Pie pumpkins I've grown from last thanksgiving's seeds are coming up in abundance. It's a small plot but it's a great start. Life is fine.

Stormbringer · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2004, 12:51:31 pm »

I went out this morning to check my plants and was surprised to see tiny squash already forming under flowers that actually have yet to open on four of my vines. I counted about 10 per plant and these are small plants yet. These plants have a 75 to 90 day maturity. The other plants have a similar maturity except the Roma tomatoes but I've got them in planter boxes. I have examined my potted trees and the one of the Paw Paw trees is showing leaves. The other is alive and has immature buds but is not doing well. The fig OTOH is leaving out already. The banana tree is approaching fruiting age and has a three foot offspring. The oranges and grapefruit trees lost quite a few leaves going out doors but are recovering. They are a few years away from producing fruits. And I may have to build a sunroom for them when my home comes through.

Toasty0 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2004, 12:56:22 pm »

Home ownership...nothing like it in the world. I just spent an hour trimming my 6 foot tall rose bush and loved the feel of the warm Sun shine on my back as I walked the yard.

Best,
Jerry

Stormbringer · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:00:15 pm »

Yes. I believe you are right. Mine is still a couple of months off, but I'll be out there too and loving every minute of it. 6' rose eh? You know roses have a way of extracting revenge on those that trim them.

762 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:08:50 pm »

"Yours must be a great realm if gardeners are held in such high esteem." - Faramir, The Two Towers

Stormbringer · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:19:33 pm »

Gardeners and farmers are the lifeblood of the world.

Plus gardening renews a connection with nature in a way more solid than an occasional leisure outing into the wilderness can. When I get around to building my own home several years down the line it will likely be out of town in a wooded area. Close enough I can commute for work but away from the city enough to be able to do whatever I want on my property.

Sirgod · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:08:32 pm »

That is truely great news Storm. I'm very happy for you My friend.

Stephen

TB613 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:17:41 pm »

Your plants are blooming while gardeners around here have at least another month to wait before working the ground and a month to two months before killer frosts are not an issue depending on how close to the big lake that they live. Congratulations on your gardening enjoyment.

Stormbringer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:25:37 pm »

On very rare occasions we can get a frost this late but normally not but every 5 to ten years or so. I think i'm safe here. Still up where you are at people use cold frames to start some crops early don't they?

I should add that the squash are so far along because I brought some that had been started in a green house and set them out. That is why they are so far advanced. It is a little early even here for them to be that big this soon, otherwise.Tthe pumpkins are just emerging though vigorously and faster than I expected. I planted the squash and pumkins along with some corn which has also emeged from all but one hill.

I will plant cukes, beans and melons in the same rows later. the climbers use the corn stalks as a trellis and the plants use different nutrients and generally support each other. Particularly, the legumes fix nitrogen in the soil that helps the corn along and the corn "trellis"supports more beans.

TB613 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:55:19 pm »

Yes we use cold frames however, you still need to let the frost come out of the ground and you are limited to how large an area you can cover. Right now you would be working with mud on top of a layer of ice. We can an do get a head start by starting our plants inside though.

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2004, 04:29:22 pm »

It's been 10 years, 1 month and 30 days since I retired from the USAF...got my 30 out of the way, and have enjoyed nearly every minute.

Good luck Storm, it's fun when the check hits the bank, and all you did was hang out at home

Mike

Stormbringer · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2004, 04:36:11 pm »

Coming from your neck ofthe woods, you are probably one of the few people on the board that knows what a paw paw tree is. Can you tell me anything about thier growth rate, robustness, disease resistance?

hey are not native to my area being an eastern native fruit tree and all. Of four that I bought through mail order; two are alive, one producing leaves, another with one live branch and immature buds; barely alive. They are several years old and not doing well at all. There may be a third coming up from the root of one of the "dead" ones. I cannot tell because my mother plants stuff in containers that already have plants in them making identification hard.

Stormbringer · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2004, 04:38:13 pm »

Yeah, but I'm a greeeeeedy right winger so I must get another job to support my evil life style.

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2004, 04:50:54 pm »

Yep, me too...I let them hire me as a contractor doing my same job (PMEL), and let them double my pay, put the benefit moneys (because of Tricare, etc) that I don't use into my 401K, I can fiddle in the market. I hope to retire totally in 7 years, when I 55.

I did remind my wife that I promised to work the first 20, and she'd work the second 20...but she's gone and gotten a job as the Asst. Director of Omaha's largest food back...great work, but charities never pay well..

Ah well, still the retirement chack covers the house payment..

Mike

Stormbringer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2004, 05:17:08 pm »

Around here it pays the house note and utilities and food with some change left over. Nice houses, they just cost a lot less here than the east or west coasts. But in order to have money for leisure and luxury I need another job. Even a "you want fries with that?" type job would be enough but I'm going for bigger game, of course.

Stormbringer · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2004, 05:27:28 pm »

In fact I might get a "you want fries with that?" type job just so one day I can go off on the boss and tell him where to put that job. And then go on to complete my training for electrician.

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #16 on:** March 30, 2004, 05:42:26 pm »

Well, you can always check the fuses the way a Phillipino electrician did when I was @ Clark AB...run your fingers down the fuses until you feel "something"

That's the bad fuse....get clip leads..pokey ones are fin for circuit cards, but grabbing bare wires can give you a lesson in humility

Mike

Stormbringer · « **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2004, 05:48:37 pm »

Yeah not good high voltage cominginto the power distribution box. High amperage too. Still if the conductors are not exposed a good fuse would be warmer and an open burnt fuse would be cold ...with power applied. (the filament/buss would warm due to resistance. A fuse with a burned out filiment would not warm up.

Capt. Mike · « **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2004, 06:01:47 pm »

If you're gonna check temp on components..get a decent Fluke DMM amd the temp probe designed for it...get the one with a fast reaction time...Fluke skimped on some models and it can take 3-5 minutes to read the actual temperature..know this 'cause I've calibrated them

Mike

Stormbringer · « **Reply #19 on:** March 30, 2004, 06:10:35 pm »

Kinda easier to take the fuse out and check for continuity isn't it?

News:

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Topic: Ah, retirement! (Read 11876 times)