Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a prosperous new year! It won't be as difficult as we are told it will be!

Comments About Government

So many people seem hung up with the idea that "American Democracy" is "at risk" or "under fire". It is not. In fact, the government of our Republic is operating more or less as it should be running. It was devised to be limited, affording the States and citizens the maximum amount of choice.

That is why I encourage the repeal of Roe vs. Wade. This action returns choice to the States. Ideally, I would prefer that this choice be left to the individual; however, the repeal is a step in that direction. It seems to me that those angered by the Supreme Court's decision wish to have the federal government dictate terms to the States. I discussed the repeal with one individual, and he said that the States and individuals shouldn't be allowed a choice.

This attitude is a product of arrogance to some degree, but mostly due to the "dumbing down" of the populace. Ignorance has been encouraged. It's useful to convince a population that the federal government needs to be expanded for various reasons like "protecting women's rights". "We can't trust rednecks in the South to do what's right." Yes, a self-proclaimed enlightened individual in Massachusetts actually made that remark!

This comment also shows the growing division between parts of the United States. The "us versus them" attitude may smack of the rivalry witnessed during a sports game; however, it is more deeply seated and more dangerous. There are individuals in this nation who feel that they can pass judgement on individuals in other regions, despite never having visited these areas. It makes little sense, but it is reality. Most commonly, it is the well-educated who wish to boss around those whom they label as "uneducated".

The irony continues in other aspects of life if you take the time to stop and look around you! It would help life if people switched off their mobile phones and actually spoke with others in person, not via e-mail or video chat. Then, perhaps, folks would realize that we all pretty much have the same view of government: leave us alone!

Site Updates

I've added one film & one TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Honeybees

Before I left for the West, I installed 1 1/2" thick insulation around the bee hive. It worked out quite well. Take a look here.

Mom said that she would feed them through the winter. Hopefully, that will be enough, because I was unable to reach the target weight. It's so difficult establishing a bee colony without fields.

Donna and I are planning to plant wildflowers along the edge of her driveway and along my frontage in front of the apiary in a continuous swath. They should help a lot. Just need to get the trees felled first!

Road Trip!

I am now in Arizona and had plenty of time to think about things along the way. I have driven across the country ten times! Here are some highlights:

I stayed in a Queen Room at the Historic Route 66 Motel in Tucumcari
It is stylized in what I know of the late 1960s style. Comfortable place.

I experienced some icy road conditions between Santa Rosa and Moriarty, New Mexico. They were not sanding or salting, just plowing the two inches of snow into ice. Nasty!

"The Best Fudge Comes From Uranus!"
Yup, that's the catch phrase of a store in Missouri. It's a UFO-themed tourist stop. Since it's on the other side of the Interstate, I didn't even think about stopping. Visit their website here.

Site Updates

I've added five films to the GRS database.

Two new photos are on the page:

Enjoy!

Honeybees

I'm feeding the colony again. I install feeders in the afternoon, and it appears that the 'bees are collecting before they cluster for the night. The weight of the colony is rising despite cold nights and no more foraging. The feeder is probably being robbed; however, I believe that my colony is collecting a majority. Today, I added a second gallon feeder. The other one still has some left in it. I'll fill it as soon as it's empty. I installed 1/2" thick insulation under the bottom cover. I hope that it stops any cold upward drafts.

Camper

I replaced two pairs of leaking fresh-water lines. I had a significant leak. That leaks appears to have stopped. I'll know within a week if all the particle board dries out. Also, the subfloor was being affected. Fingers crossed all is well now. The water pump doesn't cycle much anymore.

Site Updates

I've added four films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Honeybees & Grapevine

The honeybees are still collecting supplies for the winter. I weighed the hive on Sunday, and it was still 13 lbs underweight. That's not too bad. Three pounds in a week during the autumn. I still think that I'll need to feed them.

Though, it could be much worse. My neighbor Chris, who also just started a colony this year, said that he had only a few frames drawn. It is a sad thing that it's so difficult to start honeybee colonies. I'm going to feed mine as long as I can do so.

I've learned from last time. I have cut two-inch-thick, closed-cell foam insulation to enclose the walls and top of the hive. I will seal them together with duct tape. Donna showed me her niece's thriving bee hives. She has four now. Two would have been swarms. Of course, she lives in Rhode Island, which has much more temperate weather.

The grapevines still haven't dropped their leaves. I figure they will do so within a week. Then, I'll trim the stems and mound gravel around the rootstocks. Also, I have fencing that I can install between the posts in a vertical orientation. A photo will be forthcoming to show what I mean.

Autumn

I like seeing the leaves turn on the trees. But when the leaves drop into the forest, it's electric! The bright yellows and orange blanketing the forest floor is something to see. I walk through my woods every day, and I really enjoy it when the leaves are just down. The forest seems so vibrant!

Since I will be a "snowbird" this year, I have offered my Kubota to John for the winter. He snapped it up and collected it on Sunday. He is going to spread gravel on a second driveway and use the tractor to clear snow. Don't worry about it, as he is the guy from whom I purchased the vehicle! Of course, I'll get it back in the spring.

Site Update

I've added four films.

You may have noticed the two new icons in the entry pages. They allow you to navigate through the entries as they were entered. It can be a great way to pass the time. They look like this:



Here is the customary link to the GRS database.

Cellar, Honeybees, Plants

The cellar is covered and ready for the worst that winter can provide! I am now concentrating on getting the rest of the lot ready for winter.

The bee colony is about 16 pounds underweight. I'm monitoring the weight and will feed it when it's cooler.

The grapevines are almost finished. The leaves of the fruit trees are turning. The hops are just about done.

Site Update

I've added 11 films and two TV programs to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Cellar

I finally have the time to upload some photos of the cellar floor! You'll notice how grey it is compared to the bulkhead footing. "Green" concrete is actually more gray than more seasoned concrete! I marked the year in the floor for posterity, because this structure will easily outlive me. The safes are slightly proud of the floor, which is good. The floor drain is flush, and the floor locally slopes slightly towards it.


Next year, we'll fill-in around the safes and walls where the plastic sheets left air pockets. No big deal. We'll add some mortar when we resume work on the block walls.

Next task is to cover everything for the winter. John and I will build a temporary roof on Saturday using pallets, planks, and plastic. Also, I have some old steel roofing from my neighbor James, which will be useful.

Honeybees

I was feeding the colony for two days. Then, I saw the hive being robbed. I'll wait to feed my hive until it's cooler. High temperatures of mid to low 50 degrees will minimize the robbing.

Cellar

John and I poured the floor today. It's nominally 3-1/2" thick. It required 50 80-lb bags of concrete mix. Yeah, that's two tons! Considering that I moved and emptied all but one bag, I feel pretty good.

I had installed a drain and two safes. I leveled them. I did have the drain too high, so we cut the drain for the bulkhead and used it. A quick fix that worked. I don't have a finished photo yet; however, you can see what it looked like after I lined the stone & footing with plastic. The 6-mil sheet will help reduce moisture from rising through the stone. The plank down the middle allowed access to the middle of the pour. See it here.

Camper

Both the furnace and water heater are working well. It was in the 40s overnight last night! I believe that I've caught up with the updates and problems. The oven thermostat is failing. I couldn't find a replacement, so the entire unit with the stove will have to be replaced.

That's a job for early autumn or late spring. I have decided to drive to Arizona and stay with Mike. He's happy, as am I! I'll take the Dually. Yes, it'll be expensive. But I want to do it while fuel prices are reasonable. Plus, it has cruise control. The Mazda does not, and it is tiresome on the long stretches in the Southwest.

No Honey

The honeybees were patroling the two supers but drew no comb, which means no honey for me. I will need to feed them, so they have enough to get through the winter. Next year I should have honey.

Camper

I have previously reported that the water heater and A/C unit developed faults, which I rectified. Now, the furnace is showing its age. I tested the delivered pressure with a homemade manometer. (You know that I love making these DIY gauges!) The pressure was about half what it is specified to be at a minimum.

I was able to locate a replacement solenoid valve. Since my trouble with the water heater, I've learned that the solenoid in pressure valves weaken over time. I assumed the same trouble here. I was rewarded, as the furnace seems to be working correctly. Of course, it only runs during the night when I am in bed. I sleep lightly so I can hear when it fires, or doesn't!

The water heater had been misbehaving. It would "explode" when unburned gas was suddenly ignited. Of course, this situation would also blow out any flame that may have sprouted. I believe that the reason is that the ignitor could move out of the gas cloud. I have rectified that problem, and have not experienced any explosions. (The explosions are no risk to me, as the water heater is enclosed in steel. Instead, it blows off the grill, some times several feet away!)

Cellar

Since I have last written, John and I poured the bulkhead footing. This footing could not be part of the main footing, as they are separated by 8 inches in the vertical dimension. The form was completed and backfilled, to prevent a blowout. See the result here.

John and I used my transit to check the level of the guide nails in the wooden forms. These nails make it easy for us to know when the top of the footing is level. (We did the same thing for the main footing.) Would you believe it, that we were within a 1/16 of an inch all the way around the form?!

The footing worked out well. There are some inclusions at the bottom of the footing because I overfilled inside the forms. They will be either filled with concrete, or, more likely, be filled with crushed stone. Take a look here.

The next step is to pour the floor. John and I had been enthusiastic about pouring the cellar and bulkhead floor together. I've decided that we will just pour the cellar floor for now. The decision was made according to my level of energy. Pouring the bulkhead floor would mean two trips with the Dually to buy concrete mix.

Pouring just the cellar floor means only one 2,400 lb trip. Yes, I admit that I'm wimping out. Think about it: working a day in the office, then driving 45 minutes in a Chevy truck, loading 2,400 lbs of concrete mix into it, driving back--albeit in a "concrete Cadillac"--, and then unloading it. That is enough work for one day--or a week!

I have become quite strong. In fact, John admitted that I am stronger than he is right now. And he's never a weakling, just older than me. Though, I must draw the line at moving more than a ton of concrete twice in one day.

To put my current strength into persepective: today, I easily shifted a fully loaded fridge/freezer for Donna, my kind neighbor who provides my camper and me with electricity and a Wi-Fi connection. She said that she planned to recruit "two big guys" to move it at the weekend. I think my strength may have startled her so I explained that I had been moving tons of concrete mix.

The next steps for the cellar are to level the height for the cellar floor. I think I need another tractor bucket load of crushed stone. Then, I should have sufficient crushed stone to the top of the cellar footing. I don't want to run out of concrete mix while pouring the floor! Next, I will spread a layer of 6-mil plastic on top of the stone. It will reduce the amount of moisture seeping into the underside of the floor.

James, my other generous neighbor, gave me some old, steel fencing. I have the rusting net weighted-down in the driveway. It will make a good mesh for the floor. Yes, I even plan to reinforce the cellar floor. Do the job right! I will cut the fencing into smaller pieces next week before the floor pour.

James also gave me some old steel roofing. The stuff is excellent! I'm using it to protect the bulkhead footing from the rain. It's galvanized, so it's only slightly rusty on one side. Sure, it's not useful for a roof, because it's twisted; but it's perfect for my purposes!

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of year 2022's project!

Site Updates

I've added seven films to the GRS database. This batch includes a new favorite! Please, take the time to enjoy it!

Bees

I have dismantled the purple hive and returned it to Mom. We'll set up an electric fence at her place and establish a new colony in her hive there.

The population of the white hive is decreasing. The queens of honeybee colonies know to reduce laying by the sinking of the sun in the sky. It's puzzling to me, as the queen doesn't set foot outside the hive once she is mated. The information must be transmitted to her via tha colony. Fascinating!

Japanese Beetles

The grub killer is down. I should have a lot fewer Japanese beetles next year. I have plans to plant onions between the grapevines. They should repel the blasted beetles.

Today, I dug up and covered an area near the affected fruit tree and blueberries. Garlic and onions will be planted there in the late autumn and spring, respectively. I hope it smells terrible, Japanese bastards!

Cellar

Laying the first course of concrete blocks is completed. It's a slow job to ensure that the rectangle is square and even. Though, thanks to John's fortitude, the total deviation is no more than 1/4 inch!

I have installed drains in both the bulkhead area and the main cellar. Also, I had a revelation, which will allow us to pour a continuous floor underneath the bulkhead and the roof. This decision will save us a lot of time. It will remove a step, which will save me bonking my head on the lintel when entering the cellar.

Unfortunately, the cellar will not be finished this year. "Like most things: we were ambitious... and rubbish!" It's not the end of the world. I'll cover the walls for the winter.

I decided to fill the walls with concrete. It'll be hell; however, they will never move. I am in the process of drilling into the footing and installing vertical rebars. Rebars will be placed vertically as we build the walls. I cannot install vertical 'bars the entire height because it makes laying blocks a nightmare. Instead, I will install rebars every three or four courses.

Combined with the drainage system, this cellar should withstand anything. John says that he knows where to go in the event of a nuclear attack!

Without further prelude, I shall share a shot of first course. You will notice that only one drain is uncovered. I use traffic cones to warn us away from them while we're working. The 2x10s make perfect rain shields for the walls. I don't want to have to bail out water from inside the blocks! Next step is to frame the bulkhead footing. You can see that it is partially completed. Take a look by clicking here. It's a lot of work!

Site Updates

I've added five films & one television program to the GRS database. Please, enjoy!

Bees

The purple colony has failed. I confirmed that there was no queen and little brood. There are a few large cells. I believe that the queen didn't work out, and the colony attempted to raise another queen, which also failed.

The colony in the white hive is thriving. Bees were actively patrolling the top super. No drawn comb yet. The goldren rod flow started a week or so ago, so there's pollen to forage.

The bees found water collecting in a low, plastic lid. They like it more than the terra cotta dish with stones in it that I had left out for them.

Japanese Beetles

They've learned to stay away from the trap. I'll apply grub killer when I purchase a spreader. I've been killing them when I can do so.

Cellar

Work on the cellar is proceeding well. I've filled inside the footing with crushed stone. Also, I purchased 1,600 pounds of mortar mix. It's under the new, blue tarp in the left of this photo:


Then, I began work on the perimeter drain. This perforated, flexible four-inch plastic tube allows water to flow to the dry well. (I forgot to report that the dry well was able to keep up with two hurricane's worth of water back-to-back.)

I wrapped the perimeter drain pipe in landscaping fabric and covered it with crushed stone. After the walls are done, and I backfill, I'll keep 6-8 inches of stone against the walls. The benefit of this stone is two-fold:

1. it allows surface water to quickly drain to the perimeter pipe &
2. it stops frozen ground from pushing in the walls.

(If there's no water in the material near the walls, it cannot freeze. Remember that water expands when it freezes. Good for fish, bad for the walls of bermed buildings!)

Also, I wrapped the drain to the dry well with landscaping fabric and covered it with crushed stone. I probably won't keep filling above it with stone. Instead, I will cover the area with more landscaping fabric and backfill it with draining material.

I almost made it all the way around the footing with one 50-foot roll of perforated drain pipe. It was 36 inches short. No problem, as I have several unions and some 4" solid pipe with slits cut into it.

Recall, my failed water well project? I used pipe from it. The great thing about plastic is that it never ever rots! All I had to do was wipe it off and blow out the leaves. To poorly quote George Carlin: the Earth just needed us to make plastic.

I used local stones to keep the perimeter drain against the footing. (I'm running low now--NOT!!) Then, I could cover the drain without concern that it would shift. Below are a few photos of the process:


What, you may ask, is landscaping fabric. It's a woven plastic that allows water to drain through it but stops most everything else. It's usually used to stop weeds from growing in flower beds. In this case, it will stop the crushed stone from diffusing into the earth beneath it. But, more importantly, it will stop any soil above it from clogging the stone bed.

It's much like the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail:

"None shall pass."
"What?!"
"None shall pass."

I have a photo to show you what I mean. It's a close-up of 3/4" crushed stones--the same stuff that I use for drainage. It has been on the ground for a couple of weeks. John and I have walked on it. You can see that it is slowly moving into the ground. This ground is fairly packed, too.

Below is an image of the three-foot-section that I had to add to finish the perimeter drain:


Yesterday was a long day but a productive one! I was very pleased to finish the entire drainage system in one day. That's why I forgot to sweep the footing before snapping a photo. Please, excuse my footprints:

Even the Kubota wanted a little recognition, which is well deserved, as it sneaks its bucket into the frame!

The next steps are to lay a course or two of blocks. I have purchased nifty, steel block spacers that will maintain the correct mortar thickness when two are pressed into the mortar bed before laying a block. "Stay tuned: same Bat channel, same Bat time."

Home Happiness

Since I'm going to be living in this camper for the foreseeable future, I have been improving it. I replaced all the blinds and shades. The replacements are so wonderful that it's difficult to explain why I waited so long.

I guess that I was afraid of the cost. I was happily mistakened, because three custom shades and four custom blinds were shipped to me for less than $300! Yes, I did buy during a 1/2 price sale.

Being the stickler for detail, I also installed blinds keeps. These plastic doodads keep the bottom of the blinds in place. The camper originally had them; however, those keepers have long since solarized and have snapped off.

The shades are thick, light-blocking units. They are wonderful! With them drawn, I could probably sleep during the day without a problem. And, I'm a light sleeper.

I replaced all the interior light fixtures, save one, with new units. These "Euro" fixtures are slightly larger. And that made replacing the fixture in the shower stall impossible. That's a good thing because I now have many spare LED bulbs for it!

It took me quite a bit of time to acquire LED bulbs for the new fixtures. They are different than those they replaced. I haven't replaced all the bulbs with LEDs. I just replaced the ones that I use all the time. You'd be really surprised how many lights there are in a camper. My smallish (19 & half foot) camper uses more than a dozen bulbs just inside!

I have also replaced a switch that always required a momentary dip towards "off" to work. Sure, it's a minor annoyance. I just think that if I address problems as they arise, then I will keep ahead of them.

Bees

I watched the white colony rob the purple hive. I installed an entrance reducer to give the purple colony a smaller entrance to guard. Their numbers continue to decline. I suggested that Mom set up an apiary at her place next spring. It wouldn't be too expensive.

Japanese Beetles

I found and destroyed Japanese beetles on the blueberry bushes. At least, they aren't on the fruit trees again. The beetle trap seems to work. I'll wait to apply the grub killer a bit long.

Cellar

I removed the inner form, cleaned the area, leveled the dirt. Also yesterday I dug a hole for in-floor safes. They will be flush with the floor and encased in four inches of concrete. That'll make them pretty secure! I concluded the day by installed landscaping fabric inside the footing.

Today, I started covering the landscaping fabric with crushed stone. It will allow any water that finds its way under the footing to drain to the perimeter drain. Even with the tractor to move the stone to a makeshift ramp, it's hard work! I moved about a yard and leveled it. That amount is about 60% of the volume inside the footing.

This past week the concrete blocks arrived. They're not what we wanted; however, they'll have to do. Worst case, we'll have to fill the walls. That would be fun--NOT!

I'll finish filling the footing and install the perimeter drain next weekend! I'm worn out now! I cover the safes so that they won't fill with water. Two five-gallon buckets conveniently fit perfectly! Below are some photos:

Flowers

The sunflowers are full of huge flowers! One hop plant is flowering, finally. It looks like a male. I want to keep only females. They provide the best cones. I'll verify that it is a male and dig it up and offer it to someone who doesn't mind.

Bees

The purple colony continues to decline, despite every other day feedings of 2-lbs of sugar water. I am now sure that drifting is occurring. Short of relocating the colony, I have no recourse.

I would be happy to move the hive somewhere else; however, I fear an attack from a bear, once it is outside of the electric fence. There is at least one active bear who traverses the lot, as I have posted. So, I'll continue to feed the purple colony.

In contrast, as seems usual in nature, the white-hive colony is booming. Bees were "hanging out" on the landing board. I had added a honey super to provide them with more hive space. The additional real estate helped but didn't solve the problem, so early this morning I added a second super. The first super was being patrolled but had no drawn comb yet.

The additional super made a difference, because today the only bees outside were fanning. It was a high-80s day so they were using their wings to drive air through the hive. Think of that next time the air-conditioning compressor clunks to life, and you cringe at the future electric bill. You could be fanning yourself cool!

Vineyard

I installed a beetle trap about 50 feet away from the vineyard. It has collected some of the bastard Japanese beetles. I still flick and stomp beetles from the grapevines.

I discovered one of them on an apple tree. I promptly killed it. This discovery made the decision. I purchased enough grub killer to cover, in the prescribed amount, my weed-grass along the road, in the vineyard, and in the orchard. That should reduce the invaders. I just need a day of--a sure bet--forecasted steady rain before I can apply it. Till then, I'll kill beetles by hand, and enjoy it!

Normally, I hate to destroy life. But these Japanese beetles are voracious. They can skeletonize the leaves of the weed-like grapevines quicker than the 'vines can grow leaves! Bastards will get what they deserve!

Cellar

John and I managed to pour the footing last Saturday. For some reason we ran out of cement. (Recall that concrete is one part cement, two parts sand, three parts stone.) It demanded a quick response. I found a pitiful amount of cement at the local hardware shop. I set my sights on the "big town" near me.

With big towns comes big ignorance... I did manage to buy most of the concrete mix that they had in stock. Yeah, the just-add-water stuff. It did save our project, at a cost. I thank Andy for his selection of one-ton trucks. My Dually, which was his pride, didn't really notice the 2,500 pounds in the bed.

Yes, 2,500 pounds is more than one ton. I was desperate. Upon later examination, all the leaves in the springs weren't fully collapsed. One leaf still wondered what all the bother was!

The engine, a monstrous 454--7400 Vortec, as Chevy liked to name it--took notice but didn't really care. Amazing machine. Thank you, Andy!

The results of our efforts were rewarding. But before that unveiling, I need to show the forms covered with plastic. I wrote that I had protected the forms from rain, but never posted an image. Sorry: my mistake.

Here's the footing with the outer form removed. The inner footing is more challenging to extract, because it had to be nailed from inside the forms. Yes, removing the inner form is a pain in the butt! I have since accomplished the task. I will post photos next entry. Until then, here's how's the footing looked.

I placed pipes in all four walls to allow water to drain through the footing. It's important to drain under the future concrete floor to remove any possibility of heaving during the winter. The drains are smaller than the standard 4-inch; however they will do the job. Take a look at one.

I will ensure that the underfloor volume is free of water by lining it with landscaping fabric before installing stone. The fabric creates a barrier to prevent the stone from migrating into the small depth of sub-soil. It's probably overkill, as the sub-soil resides only a few inches above a solid piece of granite.

Really, it's cheap insurance for an already good drainage system. A few hundred dollars spent today could save me thousands of dollars of unexpected flood in the future.

Site Updates

I've added four films & two television programs to the GRS database. Please, enjoy!

Bees

I've installed the tacky mat and screened bottom board in the purple hive. Despite feeding it, there's no growth. I fear that workers are drifting to the white hive. This transfer could spell disaster for the purple colony. I'll continue to feed it.

Vineyard

All vines are growing new canes. I'll let them grow unchecked. The main problem now is the Japanese beetles. I had sprayed the grapevines with a commercial insecticide twice. It doesn't work! I'm now spraying with a homemade mixture. If it doesn't work, then I will have to use larva killer. I hate to kill everything in the vineyard, but I need to take control of these blasted Beetles!

Cellar

Running the rebar inside the forms was a lot easier than I expected. Ha! Take a look here!

John and I will pour the footings next weekend. I covered the footings with plastic to keep out water. It's a good thing, because we experienced a deluge yesterday. The hail was large enough to hear it banging on the camper's roof! The drainage around the cellar footing performed well. I wasn't worried

Site Updates

I've added ten films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Bees

The bees continue to work hard. The purple hive is still much smaller. Only a few of the 10 frames have been drawn. The population should increase soon as the new bees hatch. Let's hope! I continue to feed it.

I installed the tacky sheet in the white hive, because it already had a screened bottom board. I'll install the screened bottom board in the other hive when I next fill their feeder.

Vineyard

The silver buds are not waking up on the top cordon. I'm going to let them grow fairly freely from the base. I'm concerned that they won't have enough energy for next year, if I don't. I've been removing any bud that's not along the six-foot line.

A long term solution for this problem would be to install a screen vertically between the uprights and allow a few canes, from each grapevine, to grow up them. Since grapes bear on the same year's wood, they would bear fruit. Then, I would cut the canes down every autumn. I don't know what else to do.

It's not a traditional solution. I would treat grapevines like hops. But it works for hops. Also, it would eliminate injury from the winter. I'll see if I come up with another solution before this fall. Maybe leave some canes that turn brown and see?

Cellar

There is good news! John and I built the forms for the concrete footing. This structure will support the concrete while it cures into the footing. Then, we'll lay concrete blocks on the footing to build the cellar walls. Here's a photo!

The next steps I will accomplish alone. I need to cut four inch pipes to fit in between the planks. Each wall needs a path to allow water to flow through the footing. They will keep the crushed stone under the floor drained of water. I could drill a hole in the floor, if I need a drain inside the cellar.

Next, I will install two runs of rebar. They will make the concrete reinforced. The steel provides the tensile strength, which concrete lacks. Reinforced concrete is the basis for all modern buidlings and is exceptionally durable!

I need to collect the materials to make concrete. I'll have crushed stone and sand delivered. I need about five yards of each aggregate. I'll pick up the Portland cement with the Dually. I'll see if they will load it into the bed.

Otherwise, I'll buy as much as I can move with a cart and make two cart trips, if needed. I had about 600 lbs in a Lowes cart last week. Two cart loads would be give me the dozen 94-lb bags that I need for the footing. That amount includes a few extra bags. I'd hate to be short cement right at the end of pouring!

Twenty Years!

Thursday is the twentieth year anniversary of this website! One of the kids at the grocery store remarked that she was born in 2022. Then, she corrected it to 2002. Ha, I have a website that's older than her! I also have clothes that are older and still fit well. Not too many folks can make that claim. Frozen pizza for supper--I've earned it

Site Updates

I've added six films and a TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Happy Independence Day!

Bees

The one hive is still weak. Though, I see foragers returning with pollen. I'm still feeding it. The other one has a large population and had just about filled the bottom box so I added the frames to the top box and a beetle trap.

Small hive beetles are newcomers from abroad. They lay eggs unknown to honeybees until they overrun the 'bees. The trap, which I installed, is simply a plastic container partly full of olive oil. It has openings on the top that allow the beetles to fall through, but not the 'bees. The honeybees chase the beetles around the frames. This trap fits between the frames.

Soon, I will be installing tack pads to monitor mites. These tacky sheets are positioned under the bottom of the hive. As long as the hive has a screened bottom board, they work well. The beekeeper can then watch the frequency of mites dropped by the 'bees as they groom one another. If the density of mites on the pad--count per square inch--becomes too high, then I will give them medicine.

Vineyard

The silver buds have been slowly awakening from the base of the grapevines. Since I am concerned about them missing weeks of growth, I removed all silver buds below those on the six-foot-high cordon wire. My intention is to force the 'vines to bud from the cordons, forming vertical spurs. I'm still learning. Fortunately, grapevines grow like weeds.

Trellis for Hops

Speaking of weeds, my neighbor suggested using cattle fencing as an inexpensive trellis for my hops. I still haven't had any hops flowers, so I can keep only the females. John had mentioned that they probably don't flower, because they are not in the ground. Well, five of them are now!

I secured the cattle fencing to the trunk of a bull pine tree. At the base, it is held in place by two plastic tent stakes. Click for a photo.

Hops are perennials; however, their growth should be chopped to the ground every autumn. That's when I'll lower the fenc--err--trellis to the ground and collect any hops cones. Stay tuned to see their progress!

Orchard

The fruit trees are all growing well. I did mulch around their bases. I need to adjust the ties on them tomorrow. It's impressive how well they are doing! I snapped a couple of photos last week and have stitched them together here.

Site Updates

I've added six films and a TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Bees

The hive with the replaced queen seems to be OK. I found eggs a few of weeks ago. The population of workers is smaller than the other hive, which is thriving. Hopefully, the weaker one will strengthen! I will continue to feed it.

Contract

The new contract is going well. There are some challenging aspects. Working from home is a lot easier than I thought it would be!

Plants

The grapevines didn't "wake up" the silver buds further up the trunks, so I removed the new trunks that were forming. I've been removing any bud, as long as there's one higher up.

All of the fruit trees are doing well! I've been weeding and will put down mulch tomorrow. I hope that it will not only keep the weeds down, but discourage insects from boring into the young trees.

I planted a Butterfly Bush. It supposed to be desirable by honeybees, also. We'll see.

Cellar

The drainage worked well. I tested it by simulating an inch of water for 24 hours over twice the area of the cellar. That would be the worst that could ever happen here. A hurricane that stalls overhead. It passed my timed test. Then, I repeated the test and that was acceptable. I filled the pit with stones and covered the entire area with landscaping cloth. That will keep out everything but water.

John and I leveled base for the cellar. Next, we can build the forms for the concrete footing. There will be a separate footing for the bulkhead door, since that area is about six inches higher. We'll pour the cellar footing first, lay a couple of courses of blocks, then pour the bulhead footing against the blocks and cellar footing. It sounds complicated. It really isn't! I'll post photos once I get the cellar footing in place.

Site Updates

I've added five films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Bees

The queen of one of the hives didn't produce eggs. She may have been sterile, killed, or flew away. That explains why that colony was so aggressive! Fortunately, she was insured so I collected a new queen and installed her. The bees are calmer and have been expelling larvae. Hopefully, they were from the other queen or a laying worker. So far no eggs, but the new queen has only been released for a few days.

New Contract

The new job is going very well! I am borrowing one of their laptop computers and work from the camper. It's wonderful! I can work on personal tasks while the computer crunches numbers. Writing of such, I replaced the kitchen faucet. The original was leaking a little. The new one looks very similar except with smoked handles, instead of clear.

Fruit Trees & Grapevines, etc.

The plum trees arrived, and I have put them in the ground. All of the trees are showing leaves! I cut down a short hemlock to allow a little more morning light on the plum trees. The trees all have different shaped leaves. Pretty cool!

The grapevines have woken up. I removed all sprouts except the highest one on each cane. The hope is that they will eventually grow from the spurs and hang down (with weights). If not, I'll grow another cane as high as possible on the original canes. I have removed a number of tiny clusters of grapes. I will only allow the mature 'vines to bear fruit on the spurs.

The Lingonberry bush has new growth and flowers! I think it's going to flourish. The Huckleberry is slow to overcome transplanting shock. Its leaves are glossy so it should be OK.

The blueberry bushes have lots of fruit. I didn't trim off as many canes this past March, which is the reason. Blueberry flowers only form on last year's growth.

Cellar

I ran into a problem with drainage for the cellar. I couldn't find a path to a low spot to drain the perimeter drain. The current idea is to dig a spot near the foundation as deep as possible. Then, it could be filled with crushed stone and covered with landscaping fabric before putting fill over it. I could test the dry well to ensure that it could keep up with the flow rate from a hurricane. I need to determine the footprint of the dry well, since I have about 20 inches depth below where the perimeter drain will be.

Site Updates

I've added five films & one TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Orchard

The single pear that wasn't budding is showing signs of life! The two plum trees should arrive today. My goal is to get them in the ground today. Also, the grapevines are starting to bud. I'll spray them all with dormant insecticide on Sunday, once the wind stops.

Honeybees

I installed the honeybees a week ago. Both packages look healthy! The queens should be released by now. We've been feeding them every couple of days. I'll continue to do so until three frames are drawn and full of honey, etc.

New Contract

I'm beginning a new contract in a couple of weeks. It's for a Virginian firm. I'll drive there, be trained with their procedures, be issued a laptop computer, and then work from home.

This "remote" thing will be something new to me. It will give me time during the day to check on my place. I hope to move into my place when I return. I need to organize the camper and move it to my generous neighbor's hook-ups.

Site Updates

I've added five films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Orchard

One pear is still dormant. It has been cool, so no real surprise! I have been billed for the two plum trees, so they should be shipping soon.

Cellar

I was happily digging away when I hit what is called locally ledge. It's a term for bedrock that is just below the surface. It brings annoyance and dread to many builders!

The troublesome bit of ledge is right in the middle of the excavation site! And it is only a foot below grade! Short of blasting, I have no recourse. So the cellar will be half the size that I planned. There are a couple of positive points. It will cost quite a bit less to build it, and I reduced the thickness of the rafters, which means less fill and money.

Collecting materials has been going well. I just got the Dually inspected yesterday so I can use it to retrieve the larger items like rafters and plywood. It's excellent having an eight-foot bed!

I need to do a little more digging and then I can level the hole. Then, I'll start building the forms and place the rebar for the concrete footing. I have a new rebar bender/cutter ready to go.

Site Updates

I've added five films to the GRS database and all earned full GRS ratings. Enjoy!

Orchard

All of the trees are showing buds except one pear. Good sign! The two plum trees should be shipping soon.

Cellar

I'm collecting materials and tools for the storage cellar. I'll finish digging the hole next week, when rainstorms stop.

Site Updates

I've added seven films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Orchard

Welcome to spring!

I took photos of the fruit trees; however, they didn't work out too well because the deer fence adds a confusing bunch of lines. Below part of the orchard is pictured and an individual tree.

After painting the bottom foot or so with white paint, I enclosed a few trees in the three sections of deer fencing. I left space for the two plum trees. I used the unearthed stones to surround the trees.

Orchard

Yesterday, I planted seven of nine fruit trees! Only the two plum trees are still at the nursery. I used the backhoe attachment to dig the holes. It was a good thing because I unearthed a number of medium stones, including several boulders. Did you know that the threshold for a boulder is 75 pounds? I have lots of boulders using that definition!

Site Updates

I've added eight films & a TV program to the GRS database.

Enjoy!

Monson

Established in 1746, Monson was the home of several families. Today, the area is protected in a State Forest. The roads are now trails. The Gould House has been reconstructed.

The other buildings are long gone. Cellar foundations and holes remain. It would be an easy hike in any season but late winter! There's a swamp north of the former settlement. Below are some photos that I took of the area.

Project

In addition to planting an orchard, John and I are going to build an earth-sheltered storage cellar! It'll provide me with 200 square feet of enclosed, warmish storage. I will put in a ventless LPG (propane) heater to regulate the temperature.

I'll install the batteries for the solar system in there. I'll be able to run water to it for distribution where I need it. It will be excellent to have tools and other stuff, which are currently jammed in the soft garage, in there, too.

A snag is the fact that I can't dig deeper than about 3-4 feet. I hit solid bedrock. Short of blasting, nothing can be done. It would be good to have the entire structure below ground. Oh well.

Also, I may have to put in a sump pump, if we can't run the perimeter drain to a low spot. I'll know in the spring when I finish digging and use my transit to look for a nearby low spot.

The structure will be surrounded by earth with a bulkhead entrance. The roof will be covered with a few inches of forest debris. I'll insulate the walls and between the rafters to minimize heating costs.

The previously-reported CAD package for the solid model didn't work too well. I abandoned making a model and focused on a bill of materials (BOM). John and I will review the drawing and BOM soon. Then, I'll start acquiring materials and tools.

Site Updates

I've added nine films to the GRS database including a new favorite. Enjoy!

Site Updates

I've added six films to the GRS database Enjoy!

Parting Thoughts

Telling other individuals what to do isn't tolerance.

Ignoring another's ideas because they don't align with yours is closed-minded.

Trying to force your will on another because you disagree is dangerous.

Orchard

One of the 2022 improvements to my lot will be a fruit orchard! Yes, I've already ordered the trees. My neighbor across the street ordered a few, too. They'll be a bit too young to produce anything until after a few years; however, it's part of my long term plan for self-sufficiency.

All will be grafted on dwarfing rootstocks. They limit the height to a maximum of 15 feet while still producing full-size fruit. The best of both worlds! Here's what I'll plant:

Two sweet cherries

Two apples

Two pears

Two plums

One peach

Why only a single peach tree? Peach trees are self-fertile. I really didn't need to double the other trees, since examples of each are available within pollination distance. Though, that would be contrary to my goal of self-sufficiency.

The orchard will be located just east of the solar panels. Recall the 400-500-square-foot empty area centered around the Magic Carpet Thyme? I had cleared another bed for seeds. (Both of these plans I reported in September.)

The seeds are garlic, which should help to repel many non-beneficial insects from the fruit trees. I have invested in a sprayer and fruit-tree spray. It's not organic; however, I want to maximize the fruit trees chances for at least the first year or two. I can look for an organic spray in the future. I will be spraying the grapes, too. Otherwise, I can't keep up with the Japanese beetles.

Additional Plans for 2022

My plans for another project are nearing completion. Due to the complexity, I have made drawings and am finishing a solid model. Both CAD packages are available free-of-charge. They don't work as well as their proprietary counterparts. But the price is right

Continue to return. I'll uncover the project soon!

Site Updates

I've added eleven films to the GRS database Enjoy!

Bees!

I placed an order for two packages of honeybees yesterday! I'll be able to pick them up in mid-April, depending on weather. Why two queens and bees? Mom has decided to keep bees, also. Fun!

The apiary is ready. We'll just need to set up our hives in the spring. Having two hives will mean a yield around 200 pounds!

Site Updates

I've added nine films to the GRS database and one quote:

I thought all robots were supposed to evil.
It depends on the model.
Turbo Kid and Apple in Turbo Kid

Enjoy!