Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: April 19 - April 25, 2026

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Wildwood

Veteran Member
moldy said:
Made a short run (well, longer than it needed to be due to road construction) into town to drop off a basket for auction for a non-profit and hit the grocery store. I didn't pick up everything (because you can only get so many of an item at the sale price, of course). I almost stopped at the nursery, but didn't. I'm kicking myself for not starting things from seeds like I usually do.
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As hard as you work and with all the things you are going through, you shouldn't beat yourself up. Some years starting those seeds isn't the priority. DH tried his best to get me to take a break last year and I refused. My garden was one disaster after another. He pointed out the resting on the seventh year thing which I had never done but I still wouldn't listen.

I don't think I canned one thing from my own garden last year, just a massive amount of squash that was gifted to me. There was enough tomatoes to keep me in tomato sandwiches all summer and that was enough lol.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Some years are just a struggle!

Gardening is more than growing food to me, it's also exercise and another reason to be outside. Not everything works out! I've learned a lot in just the last couple of years. One example: each state is different, each garden site is different: Central Iowa has more wind than Central Ohio. I've learned to take that into account when planning water schedules or staking tomatoes, not to mention some varieties of veggies that I grew in Ohio don't do as well here. I've had to adjust.

But that's some of the fun, and no matter what, I usually make time to plant or buy some marigolds. They are pretty, low effort, and hard to kill, LOL! Some years, that's all that has grown decently. But that's changing.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
It's early in the day, but I'm taking a break. I got all of my flowers set out in the planters, except 3. When I went out to begin the planting on the large planter on the deck, I cleaned off all the dried leaves covering the top. What did I find? All 3 of the begonia I had the year before had over wintered and were coming up. So, that left me with 3 begonias I bought with nothing to put them in. I walked out to my mini barn, found 3 more planters ( we grew bell peppers in them one year, but were now empty), so I plan to put the last 3 begonias in those 3 planters. These 3 will go on the front porch. My giant elephant ear is now repotted, too. I did a little more in cleaning up in the yard flowers, plus, cut down more small oak saplings that I have to fight every year. That's what I get for living under these old oak trees. Laundry is all done and put away. Kitchen all cleaned.

Cary spray washed the house while I was doing my thing, then we stacked a bit of firewood. We both were so tired, we came in the house for a break. I doubt I'll do anymore, today. I still have supper to cook.
 
P

philkar

Veteran Member
Meemur said:
Some years are just a struggle!

Gardening is more than growing food to me, it's also exercise and another reason to be outside. Not everything works out! I've learned a lot in just the last couple of years. One example: each state is different, each garden site is different: Central Iowa has more wind than Central Ohio. I've learned to take that into account when planning water schedules or staking tomatoes, not to mention some varieties of veggies that I grew in Ohio don't do as well here. I've had to adjust.

But that's some of the fun, and no matter what, I usually make time to plant or buy some marigolds. They are pretty, low effort, and hard to kill, LOL! Some years, that's all that has grown decently. But that's changing.
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I am with you Meemur! Gardening is more than growing food to me too! We are expecting rain over the weekend so we too are hustling to get outside stuff done! Anyone ever planted English champion peas? This is my first year and I am impressed. Pods are about 6 inches long and they haven’t filled out. They are loaded and vines are about 5 ft tall. We have had scant rain and haven’t watered. We will see! Anyone ever grown Cherokee tan squash which are actually pumpkins. We are planning on trying those too. Will plant in the next couple of weeks.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
I plant heirloom sugar peas, PhilKar. I'll look into English Champion peas. I've never heard of them.

I just came online to let folks know that I'm aware of the various tornado warnings. I may have to head for the basement soon, but I think the greater problems for my area are straight-line winds and 1" hail. I covered some of the onions with 1/2 milk jugs, sunk into the dirt, with mulch over the top. The potatoes aren't tall enough to be in danger.

Hail is now starting . . .

Added: confirmed tornado on the ground north of me, approaching Huxley. I'm headed for the basement now.
DO NOT WORRY. I'm well north of West Des Moines, where there's another potential tornado.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
We've been under tornado watch for several hours. It ended at 7:00 so done. We had a severe thunderstorm roll through earlier including lightning tripping something and the power going off briefly. It came back online before the generator could take over. The generator did kick on, but the power was not off long enough for it to transfer. We did get rain although I don't know how much. We needed it but could do without the warnings. We did not get excessive wind i.e. not over 60 mph and no hail so all is good. It is still rumbling thunder so we may get more rain. School dismissed early otherwise the kids would have been on the busses when the storm hit ... a good call.

The excess heat the last two days plus the wind and now rain finished the tulips. I'll need to deadhead them tomorrow. My Mother's Day peonies are budded and showing color.

I straightened one of the apron fabrics this morning but still need to press it. It will be too wet to work in the garden tomorrow and I got dishes and laundry done today so maybe I'll get to vacuuming and dusting the house and scrubbing the kitchen tomorrow. If I manage that perhaps then I will cut out the aprons. Doubt my back will last that long however I have a book I need to finish by the 29th so have a good excuse to sit.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
I'm fine. I haven't been outside. There was small hail, but I'm sure the plants are OK.

There was rotation over West Des Moines that moved into Des Moines, but the storm passed through with just some pea-sized hail, per the news.

That nasty line has now moved through. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed and read.
 
feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
Doing OK here. Tornado warned storm passed about 10 miles north of us.

It's been a fun day (not). Prep for colonoscopy. It hasn't been quite as bad as my previous one. Procedure scheduled for 9:30 AM. Hopefully all will go well. it will be my second time under general anesthesia in three days.

Feel sorry for the several towns hit by tornadoes tonight. Prayers for all of those affected by the storms.
 
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hd5574

Veteran Member
We grow mostly heirlooms....and save seed...or put seed in the ground, cucumbers, kale, spinach,okra,beans, peas...we grow snow peas...use them in the pod stage...and can eat...as peas later..I have a friend who truck farms...and sells bedding plants..got Purple Cherokee maters....and green peppers from her..will try dehydrating peppers this year..they wanted $6 for one larger pepper plant..I will also chop freeze peppers..

Praying for all in the bad weather...and those in the deep south who have lost houses to the wild fires..also praying for rain here we are way too dry...
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
philkar said:
I am with you Meemur! Gardening is more than growing food to me too! We are expecting rain over the weekend so we too are hustling to get outside stuff done! Anyone ever planted English champion peas? This is my first year and I am impressed. Pods are about 6 inches long and they haven’t filled out. They are loaded and vines are about 5 ft tall. We have had scant rain and haven’t watered. We will see! Anyone ever grown Cherokee tan squash which are actually pumpkins. We are planning on trying those too. Will plant in the next couple of weeks.
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I've grown them before and let the seeds get away from me. Would you mind sharing where you got your seeds. Deep South Homestead put them back on the radar a few years ago and sold the seeds on Etsy for several years and then quit. I ordered from someone else on Etsy but they weren't true Cherokee Tans.

The originals from DSH were prolific. They were the vining type. A lot of folks are selling a bush type and they aren't the same. Also a lot of folks are selling Seminole pumpkin seeds and calling them Cherokee tan. I'm so aggravated at myself for not being more diligent with the original seeds.
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Yesterday was just a me day. I went to quilt guild for sew in day and stayed till well after lunch. I finally got my friend to go with me and she loved it. I knew she would and she doesn't get out much so it will be good for her. Then we stopped at a goodwill pound store we just found out was open near us. I managed to find some pants I can cut off to be either shorts or capris for summer and a couple tops. I got quite a few things for twelve dollars. Interesting thing though, I paid with my card because we also passed a roadside stand selling pepper plants and stopped and I used my cash to buy dh two pepper plants. She was going to pay cash and her total was 8.01. They cannot accept pennies there so were going to round it up to the nearest nickel, which made them four cents. She wouldn't do that so I used my card and she paid me. Now if they do that to everyone they stand to make some money by weeks end. She couldn't figure out why....I told her just one more step towards a cash less society.

Grands today for a good while. DD has houses to show to a client coming in from out of town. Then dh and I are going to get a load of mulch and go look at those pepper plants again lol.
 
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WanderLore

Veteran Member
Good morning all of you. Getting more coffee.
Upcoming projects..get tractor going and do some scooping clean up.
Oil change on me and daughters vehicles. Told her we will do it. It's not hard.
Grandsons truck is acting up so he can't come as he's working on that. Great young man.
Steam clean the living room carpet.
No planting much yet. Not for another week at least.
Supposed to probably be storms tonight I don't know, the radar is iffy.
I have had a lot of pain lately with my sciatica it was really bad yesterday, so I slept in my lazy boy instead of the bed and wow what a big difference. So far loving the warm weather.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
81 degrees today with possible severe weather coming in late afternoon. Tornadoes possible. I need to get outside and finish my planter plantings. That will be it for outside work for me. I don't have anything else planned for today other than another load of laundry. Tomorrow will be house cleaning day.

Everyone have a great and blessed day!
 
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hd5574

Veteran Member
WanderLore said:
Good morning all of you. Getting more coffee.
Upcoming projects..get tractor going and do some scooping clean up.
Oil change on me and daughters vehicles. Told her we will do it. It's not hard.
Grandsons truck is acting up so he can't come as he's working on that. Great young man.
Steam clean the living room carpet.
No planting much yet. Not for another week at least.
Supposed to probably be storms tonight I don't know, the radar is iffy.
I have had a lot of pain lately with my sciatica it was really bad yesterday, so I slept in my lazy boy instead of the bed and wow what a big difference. So far loving the warm weather.
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I have heard that you can cut garlic and tape it to a wart...and it will kill the wart
 
D

Digger

Veteran Member
Hubby saw his kidney dr. Wednesday. He has a stone in each kidney. Since he has passed so many, they are going to just have him come back in 6 months. But come back sooner if he has problems. While in the big city, we found out my cousin was in the hospital with heart issues. I knew he was having some trouble when I talked to his wife a couple of days before. He will probably get a stent today. We visited them a couple of hours so it was late when we got home. My cousin was doing better than I expected. He actually looked really good and was talking and joking like he always does. He and his wife are both in their 80s and she could work circles around a young person.

Yesterday we went to the bigger city to the East of us for hubby to see a regenterive health clinic. They are helping him with his feet. Most of the damage seems to be from the diabetes and not his back. That's good. He has to do their therapy's at home, twice a day, and come back in 90 days for retesting. They will adjust his therapy as needed. At least the one price covers as long as it takes. Insurance will not cover it. Of course they don't, but they will cover amputations when it gets that bad. :bhd: Hubby is sick about the money, but we can afford it. And he may need to take care of me some while I recover if I have to have surgery. My son is really worried about us. But the Lord will look after it all.

I took 11 turkeys out of the incubator this morning. I had to help one out. If it makes it, i will have 12. I have already gotten a couple of messages about them off the poultry sites on FB.

We are getting rain this morning. And are supposed to get more this afternoon and evening. I would like to go put out and fertilizer between the rains. The gardens and fruit trees need it. It's probably late, but I do what I can. I would like to finish planting my garden next week. I still have a lot of tilling to do for that to happen.

Today is a big laundry day. I got behind with all the dr visits this week.

Have a blessed weekend everyone.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Laundry is washed and dried, but hasn't been folded and put away, yet. Planters all planted. I have a snake plant that needs to be separated and repotted. I'll do that tomorrow, unless it's raining. Helped stack a bit more firewood. Made meatloaf for supper. I used a new recipe, and it fell apart in pieces, so scrambled meatloaf it was, LOL. It still had a really good flavor, though, along with taters, pinto beans, cornbread, and a stir fry for me with a half piece of scrambled meatloaf mixed in.

I just finished cleaning up the dishes and kitchen. I'm tired, and ready to relax as the storms move in, overnight. I hope it doesn't get bad. We need more rain, though.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
philkar said:
Wildwood the seed for Cherokee tan squash came from shortcakefarms.com. Territorial seed also carry them but were out.
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You've got the good ones...I had no luck with any of my leads. I could get them directly but I'm five or six generations from a legitimate, on the records, full blooded Cherokee ancester and I'm pretty sure that's too watered down...you have to be a certain percentage. If I get them this time, I won't be letting them go again. I have other ancestors but it's a little here and a little there with other tribes mixed in. I remember shortcake farms now that you mention them.

Edited to add....I checked them out and they now have the bush variety too instead of the vining but oh my goodness, their sight is full of good stuff.
 
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Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
If you're still having problems with the wart, see if the free clinic will help:

Fountain Clinic (Marshall, MI): this clinic provides medical care, prescriptions, and optical referrals for uninsured/underinsured residents (269-781-0952).

Unfortunately, OTC chemicals aren't usually strong enough to kill persistent warts, but you might get lucky.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
Digger said:
Hubby saw his kidney dr. Wednesday. He has a stone in each kidney. Since he has passed so many, they are going to just have him come back in 6 months. But come back sooner if he has problems. While in the big city, we found out my cousin was in the hospital with heart issues. I knew he was having some trouble when I talked to his wife a couple of days before. He will probably get a stent today. We visited them a couple of hours so it was late when we got home. My cousin was doing better than I expected. He actually looked really good and was talking and joking like he always does. He and his wife are both in their 80s and she could work circles around a young person.

Yesterday we went to the bigger city to the East of us for hubby to see a regenterive health clinic. They are helping him with his feet. Most of the damage seems to be from the diabetes and not his back. That's good. He has to do their therapy's at home, twice a day, and come back in 90 days for retesting. They will adjust his therapy as needed. At least the one price covers as long as it takes. Insurance will not cover it. Of course they don't, but they will cover amputations when it gets that bad. :bhd: Hubby is sick about the money, but we can afford it. And he may need to take care of me some while I recover if I have to have surgery. My son is really worried about us. But the Lord will look after it all.

I took 11 turkeys out of the incubator this morning. I had to help one out. If it makes it, i will have 12. I have already gotten a couple of messages about them off the poultry sites on FB.

We are getting rain this morning. And are supposed to get more this afternoon and evening. I would like to go put out and fertilizer between the rains. The gardens and fruit trees need it. It's probably late, but I do what I can. I would like to finish planting my garden next week. I still have a lot of tilling to do for that to happen.

Today is a big laundry day. I got behind with all the dr visits this week.

Have a blessed weekend everyone.
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I'm in the same spot with my garden. If that rain had just held off another day or two, I'd have it all tilled and planted. I have mixed feelings though. If the rain is hard enough, it could have damaged my tomatoes and washed out some of my seeds. If I'd gotten it all done a couple weeks ago, this rain would have been perfect.

Did you have any luck with the decoration flowers? Decoration where my aunt is buried is also this coming weekend...she and her husband raised money and fixed up the cemetery where she is buried...it was bad. It's to the left right after the rodeo grounds. His family is buried there. Of course someone came in and stole big sections of the nice chain link fence they had installed around the whole thing. Everyone knows who did it but not a lot you can do about it.

I hope the clinic can help your DH. If they can, it will be worth every penny. We've had so many losses beyond our control in the last few years, that we're learning to roll with the punches...sort of...at least trying.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
WanderLore said:
I have a wart on one finger I get it on the same finger every year. I got Dr Scholl's wart remover it's a freeze thing, it was $7 at Dollar general and many applications worth. So my daughter did that for me yesterday we'll see if this works
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Warts are strange things. The old timers believed someone could buy your wart from you and it would go away. I've seen my grandmother do it on more than one occasion. I sold her a troublesome wart when I was twelve and after years of struggling with that ugly thing on my knobby little knee, it went away.

About five years ago, I ended up with a crop of them on one hand. One was by my nail bed and caused a big old ugly groove in that fingernail. I hated it but wouldn't go to the doctor because our deductible was several thousand dollars at the time and it was just a wart. There was a couple more on my fingers of that hand and they were big too, and irritating. One day, they all started shrinking and eventually went completely away along with the groove in my nail.

I'm convinced, until they have run their course, they will just keep coming back.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
I've had friends who've had to have some warts frozen several times. When they're on the face, hands, or somewhere that catches zippers or clothing, it's worth finding a lower cost clinic and getting them treated. It's a prep. You don't want to snag a wart on a saw blade during a project and then have it get infected, which I've seen happen.
 
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moldy

Has No Life - Lives on TB
The wind here is fierce! Hopefully it will bring some rain with it. Got my errands run today - even managed to buy a couple tomato plants. Getting anything into the ground will have to wait until next weekend, I think. We are supposed to have rain all weekend (I hope so - we need it desperately). Managed to work the main job, meet with a client for a side gig, hit walmart - grocery - nursery - bank, and sell a few Ebay items. It's been a decent day.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
We must not have gotten much rain in Wednesday's storm because the top of the soil was already dry today. Under the crust is still too moist to be messing with planting. Temps are in the upper 60's and lower 70's for the next few days and I'm debating putting tomatoes out part time to start hardening them off. Just wonder if lack of sun will affect them. Guess not worse than me forgetting to turn on the light!

My electric bill came today and shows my usage way up for the last month. Can a LED grow light draw that much power?

Got the vacuuming done today and some dusting. Worst part was dumping dirt and cleaning the filter. I did remember to use a dust mask this time.

I harvested more asparagus today and along with what I got earlier this week I blanched and froze two meal sized packages one serving each plus had a serving for supper. I love asparagus but it's on my bad list so try to limit what I eat. I'm hoping for enough more to freeze a few additional servings and have a few more to eat.
 
feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
Sorry about being so late posting, I couldn't seem to stay awake this evening.

My EGD and colonoscopy went well. Nothing of concern found. If anything it looked a little better than before. Doubling my dose of acid blocker may be helping. Hemoglobin reading was a little higher than just three days before. Still only 8.8 but going the right direction.
 
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WanderLore

Veteran Member
Meemur said:
If you're still having problems with the wart, see if the free clinic will help:

Fountain Clinic (Marshall, MI): this clinic provides medical care, prescriptions, and optical referrals for uninsured/underinsured residents (269-781-0952).

Unfortunately, OTC chemicals aren't usually strong enough to kill persistent warts, but you might get lucky.
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Hey thanks. We have a free clinic here in Hillsdale. But I have a doctor and whenever I've seen him about this work, it comes back in the same finger every year in the same spot. He always just tells me to get something over the counter. Which is what I do and it does good and goes away. It is going away it's getting smaller so I think the freeze thing helped.
 
W

WanderLore

Veteran Member
I've been able to somehow get all the mowing done just before a big storm hits.
Did all the air in the tires for the truck and hooked up the charger to the tractor. Other odds and ends.
Today I'm going to try to steam clean that living room carpet. And then see if I can get the tractor going. I'll still get the oil change supplies for me and my daughter's vehicles. We'll see if we can do that. I have seen Scot do it many times. It's just stuff that has to get done and I can't always pay to have everything done so I have to give it a go.
Been up since 4:30 and having coffee.
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
I had a wart on my index finger, right hand years ago. It was right on the knuckle and drove me crazy. I froze it several times and it didn't faze it. I started just keeping a bandaid on it to keep me from bumping it and it hurting, it was big, and it just disappeared one day. Haven't had one since, knock on wood! DD has one right now that she's trying to get rid of. Maybe I'll buy it from her and see if it helps!

Today is kitchen day. It's a wreck after yesterday and I have a big meal to cook today because dd and kids are coming over. On the menu are my chicken enchiladas. I'll make three versions lol. Regular, low carb, and no sauce ones. Dgd said she only wanted salad with them but I'm doing rice, cauliflower rice, and refried beans with them too lol. She will eat all of it. I may even try to make low carb refried beans as dsil is low carb.

I haven't had bread/pasta in about a week and my tummy feels so much better. Has not been easy but I bought me some low carb wraps to help ease the pain of no bread and it does help. I've got to loose some weight and keto did wonders for me before, and that was back before there were all kinds of low carb things in the stores. So I'm trying it again. Dsil is most always low carb and he keeps his weight off pretty good.
 
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D

Digger

Veteran Member
Wildwood said:
Did you have any luck with the decoration flowers? Decoration where my aunt is buried is also this coming weekend...she and her husband raised money and fixed up the cemetery where she is buried...it was bad. It's to the left right after the rodeo grounds. His family is buried there. Of course someone came in and stole big sections of the nice chain link fence they had installed around the whole thing. Everyone knows who did it but not a lot you can do about it.
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I only bought 2 small picks. I swear we used to pay $1.49 or $1.99 for the same size pick. They are $4.99 now. Most nice picks were $7 or $8. I have 2 picks from last year I will use, but i want one more at least. I am afraid the day will come when we can't decorate. But the crowds are getting smaller every year. The older ones passing on and the young ones don't keep coming.

I sold 4 Turkey poults yesterday afternoon. Someone is supposed to come get more today. We will see if they message about it again.

My son and I fertilized most the fruit trees yesterday. I just have a few in our yard to do still. We got more rain after we put it out, so that was perfect. He did his berries too. He worked while we ran to around to drs Wednesday and Thursday. He is back home so he can go to work tonight.

Hubby is awake, so I am going to have coffee with him. Have a blessed weekend everyone.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
A little cooler today of only 78 degrees. We got a fair amount of rain last night without any storms. We have a chance of rain every day through Wednesday. Some chances are better than others each day. I'm thankful for every drop we get.

Today is cleaning day. I haven't done much on the house the last few days, so it needs it. I just finished the bathroom, but the whole house needs sweeping, mopping, and dusting.

If anyone can think of a way to salvage my crumbled meatloaf, please let me know. Beef is too expensive to waste, and I have half of the meatloaf left from last night.

Speaking of warts. Never ever put any kind of wart remover on a mole! I had a small wart on one of my fingers. On that same arm, I had a dark mole that I was self conscious of. One day, while treating the wart, I put a little remover on the mole to see what would happen. Big mistake. It turned into a sore that I thought would never heal. I won't ever do that again. I thought I was going to have to go see my PCP with it.
 
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