But I Did Mow the Lawn
In between rainstorms, I managed to mow the lawn. However, when I took out the Bolens--the lawn tractor just repaired--the mower deck was not working!! It was acting a bit "funny" the last time I used it--threatening to shut off in the heavier grass. This was a problem it had last year that the repair shop fixed. I am wondering now if whether when they pulled the engine to fix the tractor's latest issue something was not properly connected?
Anyhow, that left me with the John Deere and three flat tires. I got them pumped back up with the compressor and then could not start the tractor because the battery was dead. I am pretty much prepared for most contingencies, so I hooked up the battery charger and went off to do some errands.
I stopped at my hay man across the way to pay my bill and we sat and chatted for quite a while. He is an industrial developer and we talked about the pending application for the concrete plant in the middle of the parkland. I got some valuable insight and opinions. We had the hearing on Thursday night, but, as I've said, the public comment portion is not done yet, so any information I can gather to help me make my case is good.
Then I went to the feed store to get some alfalfa cubes for the Boys.
I am feeling really sorry for the Boys. They seem to be spending most of their time in the barn, hiding out in the stalls. I'm not sure what bugs are bothering them, but I'm pretty sure it's the mosquitoes. With all the rain, the little blood suckers are breeding like crazy. I do have fly sheets on everyone but I also may need to go to the heavier duty models--the PVC vinyl ones. It could be that the mesh on the orange ones is not fine enough.
I have Mosquito Halt spray, which is the best for keeping mosquitoes at bay, but again, I hate to overuse it as it's pretty powerful stuff. And, I can always set the fans in front of the stalls to help blow the bugs out, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant for the Boys outside.
I think I need to see if my fogger is working and do some fogging at least around the barn. I'd do inside too, but I now have four or more nesting pairs of barn swallows with hatchlings and I certainly don't want to poison them.
I so enjoy the noisy little birds in the barn despite some of the mess they make. They are good bug catchers and they always have a comment to make when I'm inside. They don't seem to dive bomb me or the horses, but if one of the outside kitties goes in there, they are ever ready to defend the home territory. You have to admire their courage.
In the meantime, I do wonder what they are saying in all the chatter when they see me. I'd hope there's a bit of welcome, but I'm not so sure. Maybe if I learn to listen, I'll get some more ideas for how to keep the evil developers out of the natural environment. *G*
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I hate Mosquito Halt too, but I do use it - it's the only thing that really works.
ReplyDeleteEquipment trouble is a pain, hope it all gets sorted out. The grass should be taking off like crazy with all this rain.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, so are the mosquitoes. I don't like to use that stuff either, but if it works it's better than getting bit by the little blood suckers. I'm going to try the Avon Skin So Soft again this year and see how it does. It seems to work for the flies but I don't remember whether it kept the mosquitoes off.
I'm pretty sure I could probably bale my lawn for hay at this point if I had the right equipment. It's just growing so fast!
ReplyDeleteI've pretty much given up on fly sprays. They never seem to work very well. I've never tried the Mosquito Halt, though. I close up the barn and fog it about once a month, which seems to do the most good. I don't have any swallows to worry about, though, and I keep the chickens, ducks and horses out of the barn for at least a day after I do it.
I think it's going to be a bad year for bugs :(
Lucky you to have rain. The wheat crops are really threaten and many regions in France are in drought O_o
ReplyDeleteHere, in Italy it just starts to get hot.
I got burnt shoulders today.
I am moving Diva Teena in the Appenines, less hot and less mosquitoes but more horse flies. One never wins against the bugs!
Would you please send us a little rain? We are in a drought that is just shy of terrible. I'm watering everything I can reach in the pasture just to keep it from croaking; it looks like winter grazing out there (eek).
ReplyDeleteColor me cynical, but NONE of those sprays seem to work for anywhere near the touted length of time. I've been breaking up a 40lb Raybon block and feeding it supplement style to try to keep the flies down. We have fish in the water tank and a sulfur block out there too, although mosquitoes aren't much of an issue right now because it's so doggone dry around here.