Tag Archives: Gardening

Colder Temperatures

December 16, 2025 Kasanje Leave a comment

Last night the temperature dropped to single digits for a span. This prompted several outside activities to prepare for the cold.

I covered the strawberries with leaf mulch and doubled up the row covers. Water hoses were disconnected and covers placed over the spigot.

Buckets and other vessel’s normally filled with water were turned over and their contents spilled out on the lawn.

We had snow the previous week, so much of the preparation was already partially completed.

The last chore for further cold weather is getting my tires refilled. The cold pressure has reduced the psi in my back tires by nearly 6 points.

The back tires are the new pair I got from the dealership. The mechanic said they didn’t see any signs of leaks and the drop in pressure was just the cold weather.

My next appointment will be in March for tire rotation. Shouldn’t cost more than $25. Then I’ll be set to drive for a good long while.

Daily Writing, Errant Literary

Do you ever see wild animals?

November 28, 2023 Kasanje Leave a comment

We regularly get squirrels and deer each season. The deer are always trying to get into our vegetable garden and most years they succeed!

Racoon

I have this old photo from my hometown. This is at Fort Warden State Park just outside the Cablehouse Canteen, circa 91′.

Interesting Moth

This fellow was found inside our greenhouse one afternoon.

Red-Tailed Hawk

They stalk prey under the canopy in the early mornings.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbits

There are three species of rabbits native to North Carolina. In my region, we get these Eastern Cottontails.

Abandoned Kitten

Well, this wasn’t really a wild animal. But it did take a while to clean him up and find a nice family to adopt.

Errant Literary

Garden Memories (May 2019)

November 26, 2023 Kasanje Leave a comment

We have planted our garden for this year.

There will be tomatoes, corn, beans, peas, and peppers in the circular beds and some along the outer edge.

Radishes, strawberries, okra, eggplant, and Swiss chard are being placed into the central parallel beds.

The outlying beds will contain a mix of lettuce, kale, watermelon, squash, and cucumbers.

I have also planted out two varieties of bamboo in the woods.

Daily Writing, Errant Literary

Share five things you’re good at.

November 25, 2023 Kasanje Leave a comment

Five items that I excel at are: Computers, Gardening, Sailing, Photography, and Learning. But I don’t want to talk your ears off, so I will just detail a single thing I am good at today.

Green Thumb

I’ve always had a knack with plants.

When I was a child we had a large garden that wrapped around the remains of a boat. I can recall snow peas, sugar snaps, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and rocket.

We lived in a step-van parked behind a house. The property was surrounded by fields of wheat and a lone apple tree stood to one side near my fathers knife workshop.

Where I live now there is also a garden. It is not nearly as large as my childhood garden, but we still put effort into working the soil and tending the greenery.

I have acquired over the years a habit of saving my seeds whenever I eat fruit. I have successfully grown Avocado and Tangerine trees here in North Carolina, despite the harsh winters.

In the backwoods area of the property I have planted Golden Bamboo and Timber Bamboo, the later of which has come in handy for construction projects in and around our home.

Errant Literary

Facepalm

February 20, 2020 Kasanje Leave a comment

I was out digging the corn patch this morning, and I hit the cable line.

Now I’ve got no internet for a while.

So, no DDO Hardcore League 2 event for the time being.

Errant Literary

Garden

May 28, 2019 Kasanje Leave a comment

We have planted our garden for this year.

We have tomatoes, corn, beans, peas, peppers, radishes, strawberries, okra, eggplant, Swiss chard, lettuce, kale, watermelon, squash, cucumbers, and possibly bamboo shoots.

Errant Literary

Bamboo

May 7, 2019 Kasanje Leave a comment

It’s the growing season, and I am starting to see my bamboo plants recover.

I had an unfortunate incident years prior where a company (Asplundh) came to clear the trees near the power lines and then saw the bamboo on my property and decided to include it in the trimming.

I’d like to emphasize “on my property,” it was well outside of the electric company’s easement.

Luckily for me, there was enough root structure left to transplant the bamboo elsewhere on my land. Skip ahead 3 years, and I finally have a recovered plant.

I could say a lot of nasty and violent things about the company, their employees, and likely even their families and extended relatives. But I will spare you that. Let’s just leave it at “F*** Asplundh.”

Errant Literary

Backyard project

October 4, 2018 Kasanje Leave a comment

I’ve been thinking for a while that I want to terrace a portion of my backyard for additional growing space.

I have been watching YouTube videos and am particularly fond of the Primitive Skills channel.

Since I have an abundance of red clay available, I think I will be able to manage similar constructs. Though, of course, I will be using an actual shovel since I am in a hurry.

I do have two varieties of bamboo planted, however, they are not plentiful enough to use.

Perhaps the greatest challenge with all of this is all of the mosquitoes.