Other projects this summer

So, in addition to fish, I'm sure a lot of you have other things you have been working on. I have been doing (or trying) a lot of gardening, some of which turned into stuff I am proud of.

Here's my Thai Hot Pepper plant- I think I should have topped it early on to make more branches, but the few that are there actually keep making more and more peppers! The first ones are just now getting about fully ripe. Cat for scale





And I also have this one huge tomato plant, it kind of got too heavy to support itself to there are poles in there to try and hold it up. It looks sort of crappy now, but it was amazing earlier in the summer



Also, see my other thread about hiking partners, that is something of which there is still much to do this season!

So, what have you guys been working on/growing/doing this summer?

We started a pond for the GSAS pond contest...35G planted with water lily, marsh marigold, pond iris, forget me not, water lettuce, water hyacinths and a handful of White Cloud Minnows. The plants did great...the fish not so. I don't think they bred for us. I was just pulling plants today and moving them to a 55G for winter holding and still don't see any babies.

We also started a vegetable garden this year. When we lived in the country we had a huge garden. We gave it up when we moved to town but have missed the fresh produce from it. So set one up again. Good harvests on tomatoes, onions, basil, squash. And one big pumpkin growing for the kids.

We just spent Labor Day Weekend hauling about 1/2 ton of plant material out of our flower beds. We are huge gardners really. Its why I am drawn to the plants in the tanks too but I'm taking it slow there as there is more to that I think than soil gardening.

We sold our motorhome this last weekend. End of an era for us of about 28 years of camping. Feel like its time to let the kids camp and we stay in a motel closeby. Was sad but time to do it. Its hard for us to vacation like we used to as we watch the grandkids pretty much 7 days a week (our one daughter works two jobs). Life is short so we are trying to make the best of things as they are.

In general we have had a pretty busy summer and the last few weekends have zoomed by. I told John that this weekend is going to be a down weekend. No projects...he just laughed at me.

LuminousAphid wrote:So, what have you guys been working on/growing/doing this summer?

With the fish hobby been busy taking down a 56g column and setting up a 72g bowfront. The bowfront is acrylic and needed a lot of buffing out but now looks almost like new. Thats all done and enjoying raising some bichir in it.

With my work closing down been busy selling everything off and now that we were bought out, been palatalizing and getting things ready to ship. Soon the rest of my time will involve looking for new work.

In the meantime cleaning out the garage. Lots of cleaning to do....

Thats it for me, who is next?

Funny, I also started a "pond", but all it turned into was a holding area for water hyacinths that just kept growing all summer. Also, I got some good mosquito larvae out of it to feed my fish.

I have been trying to get to some cleaning too, it's always the least fun thing to start but it always feels so good when you're done and can sit back in a clean house/garage/yard.

Sorry to hear about the motorhome, it was probably the setting for a lot of good memories. It's funny, some people get a motorhome to tour the country when they retire, but it seems like you did things the other way around my roommate has a pumpkin plant too, but it doesn't seem to want to grow anything besides flowers. Do some types of pumpkin need to be pollinated?

It was just too hot this summer my strawberry plants died, my blueberry bushes caught some weird disease and they died, my carrots got fried, and the cucumber only produced one little cuke. My Dahlias and Lavender LOVED the heat though  

MorganEA wrote:It was just too hot this summer my strawberry plants died, my blueberry bushes caught some weird disease and they died, my carrots got fried, and the cucumber only produced one little cuke. My Dahlias and Lavender LOVED the heat though  

Doh! That's about how well our veggi garden did too. But our flowers did awesome!

LuminousAphid wrote:Funny, I also started a "pond", but all it turned into was a holding area for water hyacinths that just kept growing all summer. Also, I got some good mosquito larvae out of it to feed my fish.

I have been trying to get to some cleaning too, it's always the least fun thing to start but it always feels so good when you're done and can sit back in a clean house/garage/yard.

Sorry to hear about the motorhome, it was probably the setting for a lot of good memories. It's funny, some people get a motorhome to tour the country when they retire, but it seems like you did things the other way around :)my roommate has a pumpkin plant too, but it doesn't seem to want to grow anything besides flowers. Do some types of pumpkin need to be pollinated?

We had a great time in our motorhome (it was a small one 22') but it was just time to let it go. Still had it on jacks when we put the for sale sign up...never even got it out this year.

As for pumpkins...I don't know...we ended up with two fruits...one is huge...the other is so so. We still have lots of flowers too. so Not sure.

Thought I would share some pictures from my backyard  

Nice pics Morgan...love the hydrangea

Here's some of my pretty pretties

Nice thread!

I put on the other half of the roof that needed done, of course it was during that hot streak in July, I roasted like one of your peppers! Got a great tan though. Before that the wife and I had to build a fence around the 24ft pool we setup for the kids. licensed childcare she runs requires it. Also worked a bit in the garden, next year no big projects need doing so we are planning a trip to Yellowstone with the kids. After 2 years of wasting my vacation time on a roof it's well needed. I love golf and got quite a few rounds in, next year hopefully a few more.