The Seeds We Sew
Hello all, Helpful Hank Here,
Well another year has come and gone for me. A year that has been filled with many challenges but with much hope. Friendships hanging by a shoestring now on the mind and friendships stronger then every.
Life is about change and believe me my life has changed plenty. For me this has been a time of growth. However, as the year came to a close I realized how much that I have gained and will gain as a result from this year of change.
I have a birthday tradition that I started back in 1986 after a particularly bad year (1985) and bad beginning to 1986. I decided to send out a birthday letter to my friends and family Thanking them for being a part of my life. Whether they were supportive or the catalyst that set about change, they all affected my life and got me through another year.
Sometimes the only way we will walk through a door is by being shoved through it with a good push on the back. So it’s important to remember and give that’s for those pushes on the back. As, used right, move you to a better place.
Life is always in motion. It is not about living it is about living well. Living well has nothing to do with how much you make. It is about how well you treat others, how strong your faith is in yourself and, in your higher power
Living well means letting go of those things that way you down and holding on to those things that lift you up. It is about not only remembering those lessons learned but using that information to make your life better. It is about taking time to celebrate share and enjoy. Whether you are celebrating a little moment or a grand moment in life or just a life. Whether you are sharing a tear, some laughter or a blue berry poppy seed muffin at Koffee with one of your best friends Share it whole-heartedly. If you are no enjoying your life despite its difficulties or tough times. If you cannot see its bright moments and use them to shine the light on the darkest moments so that you can find you back to those bright moments, then you are not living well. So live well and enjoy life.
I want to share a little project I just finished. I recently found the top of a large ceramic vase jar (The kind you put large bamboo poles in for display.) I’m guessing the rest was broken. There was enough there to use for my project. I took three Bamboo Poles to create my supports. I wrapped them with wire so they stood in a tripod fashion I lined the inside of the vase top covering the opening on the neck with some screen and then some small palm leaves and banana leaves. I filled with dirt mixing in some miracle grow and then gave it a good watering. The next day I planted some Celosia/Cockscomb, and around that, I planted Morning Glory seeds. My hope is that the Morning Glory Seeds having nothing to climb up will climb down the legs and through the wire wrap creating the feeling of cascading water as the flowers fill the planter and trail down the supports, while the celosia, which is flame like in its blooms, will create the feel of fire. Thus giving me the floral equivalent to fire on water. We shall see how it turns out.
The Celosia is a good plant for this climate as it can tolerate the dry hot heat. In addition, The Morning Glories ng Glories like full sun. This is a fairly easy project to do as all you need is some sort of container (preferably one with a v shape to it as those work well in a tripod type stand) 3 good sized pieces of bamboo, some wire, some screen (optional) a few palm or banana leaves, some dirt with a bit of fertilizer mixed in and, your plantings. The trickiest part is getting the wire wrapped so that the stand is stable.
I wanted to mention to All that we are indeed starting to get closer to new local election. You may have already been to a few campaign rallies maybe not. In any event, take a look at candidate for city Council Michael Gallardo. In his current position, he is the Editor of Talk Magazine as well as many other endeavors that he is involved in. He will be on the campaign trail here in Palm Springs and you can probably get a list of his appearances or at least where his next campaign stop is on his face book page. Michael I believe is a hard working individual who feels he can bring about and be a part of change for the better here in Palm Springs. If you catch one of his speeches let him know what you think. This way they know what we as citizens of Palm Springs can make an impact on how our town is run. He’s a good guy he’ll listen. He’s a voice of change.
Well soon I’ll be back to working on my kitchen cabinets again I’ll be glad to get those upper done and this project wrapped up and put to bed. My project after this will be to redo the awnings on the front of the house.
Well that about wraps it up for now. Remember keep the sunscreen on. While we have experienced a little cool down the sun is still out always is. So whether it is sunny, hazy, or cloudy, the sun still comes through with those harmful UV rays so keep the block on. If you get to hot why not go to the movies? It’s air conditioned, your not using your air at home and there are plenty of great movies out right now. I just saw Ice Age dawn of the Dinosaurs in 3D with my best friend and her daughter. We stayed cool and enjoyed a fun movie. It was a nice little break from the heat. Don’t forget to use the valley’s cooling centers.
Oh folks, If you can help out making Sandwiches at Well in the Desert Mondays at 9 we sure could use the help. As, Rev Kev says Many Hands Make for light work or word similar to that.
One last thing, check out nh8wear New Items have been added and you can help Support Marriage equality with each purchase as 10% of the profits go to those charities. You’ll also be supporting that entrepreneurial spirit as this is one of the ways we make our living.
Well till next time folks, Keep cool and enjoy the rest of the summer
Thank you to my readers for all your comments and support on and of my blog.
Helpful Hank
Here’s a tip for you can find out what’s going on in the Coachella Valley at The Desert411. You can desert. With a Comprehensive restaurant guide as well. You can join free and keep abreast of what’s happening here in the desert - HH
You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
Showing posts with label nh8wear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nh8wear. Show all posts
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Helpful Hank of Remembrance and Celebration
Hello Folks, Helpful Hank here. I trust Everyone had a happy 4th of July. We spent the day working on projects and then had friends over for a BBQ and capped the night off with a dog walk downtown Palm Springs.
Well we finally finished the lower set of cabinets I’m happy to say. Now We just have the uppers. It has been a project so far. Getting the lowers done has allowed me to work on some other projects while my spouse was home.
One of the projects we worked on were curtain rods. We had wooden curtain rods and because of the weight of the curtains they had begun to bow. So we decided to look for new ones.
Last time he was here we had gone out and priced them and they can get pricey. We found some end caps that we like so I suggested that I make the curtain rods ourselves with steel poles. What we ended up doing is buying steel pipe for plumbing. We cut it down to size and using black spray paint and a hammered bronze spray paint I was able to create the look we wanted for a fraction of the cost (Each ten-foot section was $6.49.) and all we needed was a hacksaw and some spray paint. They are much sturdier then the wood poles and fit in to our décor nicely.
Recently I had the opportunity to bake a carrot cake ( I use my Grandmothers recipe with a few minor changes as it she made the best I had ever had, I was getting ready to make the cream cheese frosting when I realized I didn’t have powdered sugar. My solution is one that I have used before. I took granular sugar and two cups at a time placed it in my blender and on the pulse setting, I ran the blender on liquefy and blended it until it became powdered sugar. It needs a bit of blending and the reason for using the pulse setting is that the sugar can settle and not move. Using the pulse setting helps to prevent that.
As we celebrate our Independence from British rule, we also celebrate those ordinary people who 40 years ago stood up to be counted at the Stonewall Inn. Just as our fore fathers and fore mothers stood up to tyranny in the 1700’s so did the Ordinary people at the Stonewall Inn. They were just the fringes of humanity who where morning the loss of someone they felt a connection to. (Judy Garland) on the day she was laid to rest. They were not the popular people but they were the ones who had nothing left to lose. To paraphrase what Divine said in Hair Spray. I’ve had it up to here and my diet pills have worn off. I know the feeling.
These folks said enough is enough and How dare you on this day. Pushed to the edge they snapped like a branch in a hard wind, much like our ancestors did when they through the tea in the harbor.
On June 28th at apx 1:03 A.M. the Street Queens, Dykes, Radical Fairies and others decide to fight back. Though this wasn’t the first gay bar to have its patrons fight back this was the one that changed history. When all was said and done we as a community started to see that we did not have to live our lives apologizing for who we are. They fought for our independence as a people. Much like our solders who fought for America’s freedom.
So As we celebrate the 4th of July let us also not forget that Sunday 40 years ago, Street Queens, Dykes and Radical Fairies fought for freedom even if they didn’t realize the magnitude of their battle at the time. With this freedom (independence) comes responsibility. That is never to forget what they fought for and, to continue to fight for freedom.
As a country we continue to fight for freedom as a community we must as well.
So three cheers to the colonist who fought for independence from British Tyranny and three more for those ordinary people who did so as well at the Stonewall Inn 40 years ago. For without ordinary people who put themselves in extraordinary situations for the betterment of others, knowingly or unknowingly, they changed history and gave us the modern gay movement. It is up to us to keep their momentum going until total equality is reached. Freedom isn’t Freedom and less the least of us has it.
We I recently joined a church down in the desert here. Bloom In The Desert Ministries is a warm and welcoming congregation whose modo is “We Welcome All Who Welcome All. For any member of the glbt community it can be a struggle to reconcile who we are with faith. We learn from an early age in many cases that the two cannot exist in harmony. That they are at odds with one another. It can take a great deal of time and some of us are never able to reach the place where who we are enhances our faith as it should.
Well that about wraps it up until next time keep safe and sound. And folks, if you can come on down to Well In The Desert Monday Mornings at 9:00 A.M. and help with "Sandwich Mondays". that would be super. nh8wear has introduce their new signature t-shirt I support Marriage Equality as well as their new Hartland Hearts T and American Pride T-Shirt
One last thing, I’d be remiss If I didn’t say something about MJ (50) and Farrah. Fawcett (62) Two great talents gone to soon as one sang.
Michael’s influence and impact on music and his charitable ways, (Regardless of what personal demons real or imagined that he may or may not have battled.) will never cease. He was a phenomenal talent. He was as much the people’s prince as Dear Diana was the people’s princess. My whish is that he is at peace watching over his children. I watched a bit of his Memorial Today and thought it to be a very fitting touching tribute to the man. My heart broke for his kids. No child should have to be that young and lose a parent. It’s hard enough at 46.
Farrah was a Pop Icon who actually had some acting chops. I liked her in Charlies Angels (though Sabrina was my favorite.) and was amazed at her ability in Extremities and the Burning Bed. It was sad to see this sweet woman suffer as she did. I hope her son Redmond can get his life together for his own sake.
May they along with Fred Travalena ( 66-Comedian/Impressionist), Gail Storm (87-Actress) Karl Malden (97-actor), Steve McNair(36-Form NFL Quarterback), Robert McNamara ( 93-Former Secretary of Defense), Billy Mays (50-Pitchman of products and half of the show The Pitch Men) may they all rest in peace.
Folks we have Heated up here in the desert with our typical summer weather pattern.
Please remember to keep yourself hydrated, use sunscreen and wear hats.
Helpful Hank
You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals : Here
Bloom In The Desert Ministries
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Well we finally finished the lower set of cabinets I’m happy to say. Now We just have the uppers. It has been a project so far. Getting the lowers done has allowed me to work on some other projects while my spouse was home.
One of the projects we worked on were curtain rods. We had wooden curtain rods and because of the weight of the curtains they had begun to bow. So we decided to look for new ones.
Last time he was here we had gone out and priced them and they can get pricey. We found some end caps that we like so I suggested that I make the curtain rods ourselves with steel poles. What we ended up doing is buying steel pipe for plumbing. We cut it down to size and using black spray paint and a hammered bronze spray paint I was able to create the look we wanted for a fraction of the cost (Each ten-foot section was $6.49.) and all we needed was a hacksaw and some spray paint. They are much sturdier then the wood poles and fit in to our décor nicely.
Recently I had the opportunity to bake a carrot cake ( I use my Grandmothers recipe with a few minor changes as it she made the best I had ever had, I was getting ready to make the cream cheese frosting when I realized I didn’t have powdered sugar. My solution is one that I have used before. I took granular sugar and two cups at a time placed it in my blender and on the pulse setting, I ran the blender on liquefy and blended it until it became powdered sugar. It needs a bit of blending and the reason for using the pulse setting is that the sugar can settle and not move. Using the pulse setting helps to prevent that.
As we celebrate our Independence from British rule, we also celebrate those ordinary people who 40 years ago stood up to be counted at the Stonewall Inn. Just as our fore fathers and fore mothers stood up to tyranny in the 1700’s so did the Ordinary people at the Stonewall Inn. They were just the fringes of humanity who where morning the loss of someone they felt a connection to. (Judy Garland) on the day she was laid to rest. They were not the popular people but they were the ones who had nothing left to lose. To paraphrase what Divine said in Hair Spray. I’ve had it up to here and my diet pills have worn off. I know the feeling.
These folks said enough is enough and How dare you on this day. Pushed to the edge they snapped like a branch in a hard wind, much like our ancestors did when they through the tea in the harbor.
On June 28th at apx 1:03 A.M. the Street Queens, Dykes, Radical Fairies and others decide to fight back. Though this wasn’t the first gay bar to have its patrons fight back this was the one that changed history. When all was said and done we as a community started to see that we did not have to live our lives apologizing for who we are. They fought for our independence as a people. Much like our solders who fought for America’s freedom.
So As we celebrate the 4th of July let us also not forget that Sunday 40 years ago, Street Queens, Dykes and Radical Fairies fought for freedom even if they didn’t realize the magnitude of their battle at the time. With this freedom (independence) comes responsibility. That is never to forget what they fought for and, to continue to fight for freedom.
As a country we continue to fight for freedom as a community we must as well.
So three cheers to the colonist who fought for independence from British Tyranny and three more for those ordinary people who did so as well at the Stonewall Inn 40 years ago. For without ordinary people who put themselves in extraordinary situations for the betterment of others, knowingly or unknowingly, they changed history and gave us the modern gay movement. It is up to us to keep their momentum going until total equality is reached. Freedom isn’t Freedom and less the least of us has it.
We I recently joined a church down in the desert here. Bloom In The Desert Ministries is a warm and welcoming congregation whose modo is “We Welcome All Who Welcome All. For any member of the glbt community it can be a struggle to reconcile who we are with faith. We learn from an early age in many cases that the two cannot exist in harmony. That they are at odds with one another. It can take a great deal of time and some of us are never able to reach the place where who we are enhances our faith as it should.
Well that about wraps it up until next time keep safe and sound. And folks, if you can come on down to Well In The Desert Monday Mornings at 9:00 A.M. and help with "Sandwich Mondays". that would be super. nh8wear has introduce their new signature t-shirt I support Marriage Equality as well as their new Hartland Hearts T and American Pride T-Shirt
One last thing, I’d be remiss If I didn’t say something about MJ (50) and Farrah. Fawcett (62) Two great talents gone to soon as one sang.
Michael’s influence and impact on music and his charitable ways, (Regardless of what personal demons real or imagined that he may or may not have battled.) will never cease. He was a phenomenal talent. He was as much the people’s prince as Dear Diana was the people’s princess. My whish is that he is at peace watching over his children. I watched a bit of his Memorial Today and thought it to be a very fitting touching tribute to the man. My heart broke for his kids. No child should have to be that young and lose a parent. It’s hard enough at 46.
Farrah was a Pop Icon who actually had some acting chops. I liked her in Charlies Angels (though Sabrina was my favorite.) and was amazed at her ability in Extremities and the Burning Bed. It was sad to see this sweet woman suffer as she did. I hope her son Redmond can get his life together for his own sake.
May they along with Fred Travalena ( 66-Comedian/Impressionist), Gail Storm (87-Actress) Karl Malden (97-actor), Steve McNair(36-Form NFL Quarterback), Robert McNamara ( 93-Former Secretary of Defense), Billy Mays (50-Pitchman of products and half of the show The Pitch Men) may they all rest in peace.
Folks we have Heated up here in the desert with our typical summer weather pattern.
Please remember to keep yourself hydrated, use sunscreen and wear hats.
Helpful Hank
You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals : Here
Bloom In The Desert Ministries
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Volunteers with Bee stings and Power Tools that bite
Helpful Hank
Hello All Helpful Hank Here, I would like to talk about a few things today. Tool use safety, The Well in the Desert and, Bee Stings.
Well this past weekend my partner and I framed in Mishaps that led to one trip to the Emergency room and thankfully not two trips. Friday night I was making a hat rack. I had finished cutting my pieces turned off the saw and as it slowed down, I moved a piece of scrap off the platform of the table saw. The blade met my thumb as it was slowing down and took a chunk. No stitches but a lot of pain. Then on Monday My partner who is allergic to bees was stung not once but 3 times all at once. Luckily he is not as allergic as he once was (three strikes and you are out heck one strike and you are out.) he ended up with a bad case of hives and feeling like shite.
So here we go. Rule number one: When using power tools such as saws and other cutters. Use the guard. That is what it is there for. Rule number two: Don’t move items away from saw when it is still moving. Rule number three: Don’t rush or be impatient.
Rushing and being impatient is what nearly cost my thumb and got me a trip to the emergency room. It also put my Kitchen Cabinet project back a week or two, as without use of my left opposable thumb I’m stuck in neutral. (That’ll learn me.) It is Ironic as I tend to be the person who always follows these rules whether it is out of fear of accidents happening (case in point) or out of respect for the power of the tool. (A bit off both) T he one time I let my guard down or up as the case was. Bam. So be careful folks and learn from my mistake.
It seems at least at my hose we are having a bit of a problem with aggressive bees. They like to hang around the grape arbor and citrus trees. I often will see to bee’s rolling around on the ground one on top of the other looking like they are fighting. I thought maybe that there is a queen near by and they are fighting to be her mate. As it turns out it is the female workers who sting and leave there stinger behind in the skin after which; they die. Now while my husband didn’t need an epi pen this time (which he should have and we will get) it is a must have Item for those with sever allergic reactions to things like bee stings and nut allergies or any other sever allergies. Sever allergic reactions can send you into anaphylactic shock. This can quickly become game over.
Here is what to do if you are allergic to bee’s and, get stung. If stung, try to look for the barbed stinger in the case of a bee sting and carefully remove it by flicking it or scratching it out of the skin from the stinger sack. Using a business card or credit card works well. You don’t want to pull it out with tweezers if at all possible as it squeezes more bee venom into the blood stream and can make things worse.
Volunteering
I know I harp on getting involved. Especially when it comes to the marriage Equality issue. There are other volunteer opportunities as well. My Husband I participated in one such volunteer opportunity for the first time this last Monday. (and we plan to continue to volunteer) at Well in the Desert here in Palm Springs. It is called “Sandwich Monday’s”. What is “Sandwich Mondays”? well it is making Sandwiches for those who have less than. It is a piece of cake to do and a lot of fun. Bloom In The Desert Ministries (An all-inclusive Ministries.) organizes this. They need volunteers. It is every Monday from about 9:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. You will walk away wanting to do it again and feeling good about things. I will provide all the information you need to participate at the bottom of this column.
I am always looking for people to share volunteer opportunities with me as it is a great way for anyone to give a bit back. If you have a roof over your head, food in the refrigerator, a mode of transportation, (We took our bikes.) clothes on your back, you should get involved. There are people with much less, getting involved in volunteering opportunities. Isn’t time you got involved? You’ll be amazed at how good you end up feeling.
The vegetable Garden experiment.
Ever since we moved to the desert, I have been attempting to grow a vegetable garden. My big problem is that the area I am using is a crab grass field. So I built raised planters put down my weed cloth and planted my seed. The problem is this the crab grass grows up through the same hole as the vegetables as they sprout, leaving me to wonder what good is weed cloth. So while some of my plants do o.k. others don’t. I decided to experiment a bit and planted some of those plants that were not doing so hot in the raised planter directly in the ground.
Making sure to pull as much of the crab grass as possible (as best I could roots and all) up and removing from my planting area. I then plant my seeds, in this case sunflowers, corn, beans and, some flowers. So far, they seem to be doing O.K. My corn stocks are getting larger then the ones planted in the raised planter, and my sunflowers and bean plants are looking healthy. We shall see. I will keep everyone posted. I also made sure to put down small bark as mulch after planting my seeds. This not only helps hold the water in but it also helps keep the crab grass as at bay as you can.
My vegetable garden is for the most part full sun. I have some plants in there that like partial sun and some plants that are in wire baskets ( notorious for drying out) What I have done to provide some shade and to keep the baskets from too much direct sun light (which will dry them out quicker) is to use umbrellas to shade them. I have some of the colorful umbrellas that hook on to chairs via clamps and then I picked a few up at thrift shops. Not only does it give a bit of whimsy to your vegetable garden. It shades the plants that need it. They are easily moved around as well.
There are vegetables and fruits that can do well in hanging baskets as long as you keep them watered properly. Vegetables such as peas, beans and, Strawberries. Two key factors to keep in mind are making sure you have a large enough hanging basket and making sure that you’re not losing dirt. It is important that you use a good base for your baskets that will line the basket solidly while allowing enough dirt to plant in. I like to use a good Spanish Moss. Other Mosses work as well. Avoid plastic encased by moss as I find that it doesn’t allow the soil to breathe as it needs and in turn can cause root rot. It is always best to plant hanging baskets in part shade or create part shade like I did with umbrellas. Depending on where you hang them at and the climate they can be watered as little as every two days. Planting them in good soil is key. I start with a good gardening soil, and if I am recycling soil from last year, I always use Miracle Grow. I mix it in with the dirt in a large bucket. I water the soil for two days before I transfer it to my hanging baskets. I feel it helps to work the fertilizer into the soil. (another good all-purpose fertilizer is VF-11.) I then take my conditioned soil add in some vermiculite to it and I’m ready to go.
After my soil is prepped and ready I line my baskets with the moss. I then fill with the dirt and water letting stand for a day. By doing this I get an indication of how long the dirt in the basket stays damp. If it dries out real fast, you might want to find a different place to hang it.
Trees are a great place to hang a hanging basket. They provide filtered sunlight in spring summer and early fall which helps to keep the water in the soil. I also like to fertilize lightly a few weeks after I have planted my seeds as a little boost. Keep your baskets watered properly and soon it could be flowing over with peas, beans and Strawberries.
Other edibles that work well in a basket are herbs of all kind. From Sage to Parsley, Oregano, Basil and, Thyme.
Another option for lining your baskets is to use live moss. You can pick up a flat for under twenty dollars at places like Lowes or Home Depot. Face the plants outward so that the dirt faces in fill with soil and plant seeds. Using live moss makes it easier to plant some seeds in the sides of your basket so that you have them sprout outward from the basket. There are many ways to plant your baskets even incorporating edible flowers such as Nasturtiums. All it takes is just a little imagination.
Dogs and Palm Seeds
This is the time of year that the Palm Seeds tend to drop from the palms. I don’t know if any other pet owners have this problem but my dogs love to eat them. They chew and chew on them like they would a bone then swallow them. (it is not for lack of raw hide and dog bones as they get plenty of them.) I am unable to find anything that says Queen palm tree seeds are poison to dogs but, in my research I did find out that Sego palms are highly toxic not only to dogs but to little children as well. There toxicity is fatal in most cases from what I could ascertain. Good to know as we tried to grow some segos when we first moved down here. They are pretty but to finicky for my taste. They were always turning yellow.
I would like to take a minute to mention my Friend Jonathan Taylor’s newest web site TheDesert411. Get the skinny on all you need to k now at http://www.thedesert411.ning.com join today and ask about his advertising promotions for your business
Well that about sundown on this column
Regards,
HH
Hints and helpful tips; don’t over water plants there is a tendency to feel that because we are in a hotter climate that we have to water more. This isn’t always the case. If your soil seems damp then leave it in most cases. Conversely, as well don’t over water. This can cause root rot.
You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Bloom In The Desert Ministries Web Site is: www.bloominthedesert.org
Hey all This weekend Joshua Tree is having it’s Gay pride celebration at Studio Godot in the Art Queen Complex 61855 29 Palms Highway 3233565922
Saturday, June 27, 2009 6:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. Phone # 323-356-5922
e-mail jsmsyd@yahoo.com
Also, if you get a chance see the movie Outrage it is well worth it.
Don’t forget to check out nh8wear Express your need for Equality they now have the signature shirt that says I support Marriage Equality. Check it out at http://www.printperfection.com/nh8wear
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
Hello All Helpful Hank Here, I would like to talk about a few things today. Tool use safety, The Well in the Desert and, Bee Stings.
Well this past weekend my partner and I framed in Mishaps that led to one trip to the Emergency room and thankfully not two trips. Friday night I was making a hat rack. I had finished cutting my pieces turned off the saw and as it slowed down, I moved a piece of scrap off the platform of the table saw. The blade met my thumb as it was slowing down and took a chunk. No stitches but a lot of pain. Then on Monday My partner who is allergic to bees was stung not once but 3 times all at once. Luckily he is not as allergic as he once was (three strikes and you are out heck one strike and you are out.) he ended up with a bad case of hives and feeling like shite.
So here we go. Rule number one: When using power tools such as saws and other cutters. Use the guard. That is what it is there for. Rule number two: Don’t move items away from saw when it is still moving. Rule number three: Don’t rush or be impatient.
Rushing and being impatient is what nearly cost my thumb and got me a trip to the emergency room. It also put my Kitchen Cabinet project back a week or two, as without use of my left opposable thumb I’m stuck in neutral. (That’ll learn me.) It is Ironic as I tend to be the person who always follows these rules whether it is out of fear of accidents happening (case in point) or out of respect for the power of the tool. (A bit off both) T he one time I let my guard down or up as the case was. Bam. So be careful folks and learn from my mistake.
It seems at least at my hose we are having a bit of a problem with aggressive bees. They like to hang around the grape arbor and citrus trees. I often will see to bee’s rolling around on the ground one on top of the other looking like they are fighting. I thought maybe that there is a queen near by and they are fighting to be her mate. As it turns out it is the female workers who sting and leave there stinger behind in the skin after which; they die. Now while my husband didn’t need an epi pen this time (which he should have and we will get) it is a must have Item for those with sever allergic reactions to things like bee stings and nut allergies or any other sever allergies. Sever allergic reactions can send you into anaphylactic shock. This can quickly become game over.
Here is what to do if you are allergic to bee’s and, get stung. If stung, try to look for the barbed stinger in the case of a bee sting and carefully remove it by flicking it or scratching it out of the skin from the stinger sack. Using a business card or credit card works well. You don’t want to pull it out with tweezers if at all possible as it squeezes more bee venom into the blood stream and can make things worse.
Volunteering
I know I harp on getting involved. Especially when it comes to the marriage Equality issue. There are other volunteer opportunities as well. My Husband I participated in one such volunteer opportunity for the first time this last Monday. (and we plan to continue to volunteer) at Well in the Desert here in Palm Springs. It is called “Sandwich Monday’s”. What is “Sandwich Mondays”? well it is making Sandwiches for those who have less than. It is a piece of cake to do and a lot of fun. Bloom In The Desert Ministries (An all-inclusive Ministries.) organizes this. They need volunteers. It is every Monday from about 9:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. You will walk away wanting to do it again and feeling good about things. I will provide all the information you need to participate at the bottom of this column.
I am always looking for people to share volunteer opportunities with me as it is a great way for anyone to give a bit back. If you have a roof over your head, food in the refrigerator, a mode of transportation, (We took our bikes.) clothes on your back, you should get involved. There are people with much less, getting involved in volunteering opportunities. Isn’t time you got involved? You’ll be amazed at how good you end up feeling.
The vegetable Garden experiment.
Ever since we moved to the desert, I have been attempting to grow a vegetable garden. My big problem is that the area I am using is a crab grass field. So I built raised planters put down my weed cloth and planted my seed. The problem is this the crab grass grows up through the same hole as the vegetables as they sprout, leaving me to wonder what good is weed cloth. So while some of my plants do o.k. others don’t. I decided to experiment a bit and planted some of those plants that were not doing so hot in the raised planter directly in the ground.
Making sure to pull as much of the crab grass as possible (as best I could roots and all) up and removing from my planting area. I then plant my seeds, in this case sunflowers, corn, beans and, some flowers. So far, they seem to be doing O.K. My corn stocks are getting larger then the ones planted in the raised planter, and my sunflowers and bean plants are looking healthy. We shall see. I will keep everyone posted. I also made sure to put down small bark as mulch after planting my seeds. This not only helps hold the water in but it also helps keep the crab grass as at bay as you can.
My vegetable garden is for the most part full sun. I have some plants in there that like partial sun and some plants that are in wire baskets ( notorious for drying out) What I have done to provide some shade and to keep the baskets from too much direct sun light (which will dry them out quicker) is to use umbrellas to shade them. I have some of the colorful umbrellas that hook on to chairs via clamps and then I picked a few up at thrift shops. Not only does it give a bit of whimsy to your vegetable garden. It shades the plants that need it. They are easily moved around as well.
There are vegetables and fruits that can do well in hanging baskets as long as you keep them watered properly. Vegetables such as peas, beans and, Strawberries. Two key factors to keep in mind are making sure you have a large enough hanging basket and making sure that you’re not losing dirt. It is important that you use a good base for your baskets that will line the basket solidly while allowing enough dirt to plant in. I like to use a good Spanish Moss. Other Mosses work as well. Avoid plastic encased by moss as I find that it doesn’t allow the soil to breathe as it needs and in turn can cause root rot. It is always best to plant hanging baskets in part shade or create part shade like I did with umbrellas. Depending on where you hang them at and the climate they can be watered as little as every two days. Planting them in good soil is key. I start with a good gardening soil, and if I am recycling soil from last year, I always use Miracle Grow. I mix it in with the dirt in a large bucket. I water the soil for two days before I transfer it to my hanging baskets. I feel it helps to work the fertilizer into the soil. (another good all-purpose fertilizer is VF-11.) I then take my conditioned soil add in some vermiculite to it and I’m ready to go.
After my soil is prepped and ready I line my baskets with the moss. I then fill with the dirt and water letting stand for a day. By doing this I get an indication of how long the dirt in the basket stays damp. If it dries out real fast, you might want to find a different place to hang it.
Trees are a great place to hang a hanging basket. They provide filtered sunlight in spring summer and early fall which helps to keep the water in the soil. I also like to fertilize lightly a few weeks after I have planted my seeds as a little boost. Keep your baskets watered properly and soon it could be flowing over with peas, beans and Strawberries.
Other edibles that work well in a basket are herbs of all kind. From Sage to Parsley, Oregano, Basil and, Thyme.
Another option for lining your baskets is to use live moss. You can pick up a flat for under twenty dollars at places like Lowes or Home Depot. Face the plants outward so that the dirt faces in fill with soil and plant seeds. Using live moss makes it easier to plant some seeds in the sides of your basket so that you have them sprout outward from the basket. There are many ways to plant your baskets even incorporating edible flowers such as Nasturtiums. All it takes is just a little imagination.
Dogs and Palm Seeds
This is the time of year that the Palm Seeds tend to drop from the palms. I don’t know if any other pet owners have this problem but my dogs love to eat them. They chew and chew on them like they would a bone then swallow them. (it is not for lack of raw hide and dog bones as they get plenty of them.) I am unable to find anything that says Queen palm tree seeds are poison to dogs but, in my research I did find out that Sego palms are highly toxic not only to dogs but to little children as well. There toxicity is fatal in most cases from what I could ascertain. Good to know as we tried to grow some segos when we first moved down here. They are pretty but to finicky for my taste. They were always turning yellow.
I would like to take a minute to mention my Friend Jonathan Taylor’s newest web site TheDesert411. Get the skinny on all you need to k now at http://www.thedesert411.ning.com join today and ask about his advertising promotions for your business
Well that about sundown on this column
Regards,
HH
Hints and helpful tips; don’t over water plants there is a tendency to feel that because we are in a hotter climate that we have to water more. This isn’t always the case. If your soil seems damp then leave it in most cases. Conversely, as well don’t over water. This can cause root rot.
You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com
Bloom In The Desert Ministries Web Site is: www.bloominthedesert.org
Hey all This weekend Joshua Tree is having it’s Gay pride celebration at Studio Godot in the Art Queen Complex 61855 29 Palms Highway 3233565922
Saturday, June 27, 2009 6:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. Phone # 323-356-5922
e-mail jsmsyd@yahoo.com
Also, if you get a chance see the movie Outrage it is well worth it.
Don’t forget to check out nh8wear Express your need for Equality they now have the signature shirt that says I support Marriage Equality. Check it out at http://www.printperfection.com/nh8wear
Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow
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