Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: April 26 - May 2, 2026

nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I’m sitting in the truck in front of the facility where dh will have his procedure done. The night in the hotel room was a nightmare. The bed is from hell uncomfortable. I would have been better off in the truck. My lower back in the mornings hurts so much I can hardly move. I slept in a chair and when dh woke me up I was almost on the floor and basically couldn’t move.

Bless his heart he is in a lot of pain but managed to get me up. We both slept in our clothes. I’ve got on a pair of shorts that are close to falling off.

Pray for me that I make it through this
 
ginnie6

ginnie6

Veteran Member
We live under some ancient oaks. Insurance made us have the one closest to the house cut back a few years ago. We got a young guy, an arborist, not just a tree cutter, to come out and look at it. He said it was healthy and had probably been around since the late 1800's. I told him I wanted as little damage done to it as possible and he completely agreed. Then he came back with his sister and shimmied up that tree with ropes and such and trimmed it up. We have to redo the deck around that tree this year but I love that tree and the shade it gives us all summer long. Plus you can barely see my house from satellite photos when it has leaves.
I was supposed to go to my sister's today but dd needs me to keep the kids for a couple hours so that's been postponed till Friday. I don't like planning things on Fridays as dh is usually home but it can't be helped sometimes. Its supposed to rain more today and I will take it.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Wildwood said:
@SouthernBreeze we are under a huge pecan tree that is closing in on a hundred years old. There is a limb extending out over our roof and it's not the healthiest. We had someone look at it and since they believed it was what they call a Champion tree here in AR and cutting the limb might be too much to cut off of the tree at one time, we need an expert...pretty sure that kind of expert is not in my budget. I've never seen a pecan tree that big.
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We have 8 of these monster oak trees, including the one that's dead, in our front yard, alone. We have a huge 40+ something year old pecan tree, a huge mulberry tree, a wild cherry tree, 2 hackberry trees, and sweet gum trees, plus, several tall pines on the rest of the property. From the air, you can't see our house during the summer, because of the canopy. It sure makes for good shade when it gets so hot, but they worry me when we have storms come through. Cary called the man who has the company that took down the other tree. He is to come out and give us an estimate on how much this one will cost us. $4500 was the price of the last one. We sure don't need anymore firewood right now, so I don't know what we will do with all the wood. Cary might just give it away to someone who needs it more than we do.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Prayers said for you, Judy!

As far as the weather goes, I just remind myself that it's not zero and icy. It's in the 50s here and breezy. I'm fine with that. It's heavy hoodie weather. Many Iowans have heavy, medium, and light weight hoodies, and -- yes -- we periodically wear all three at once! LOL.

My little tree is looking much better this morning. It's leafing out and has about a dozen new buds for branches. It's due for another feeding at the end of the week, and then I need to leave it alone. It's still not as as nice as I would like, but I'll see what the summer does for it. The growth is highly uneven. I hesitate to do any shaping since there aren't that many branches. I'll evaluate it again this fall.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Only reaching 73 degrees, today, and I'm chilled. It's so damp outside from all the rain. Finally, everything is soggy wet. It rained and stormed all night which meant we didn't get much sleep. It was still raining when we got up this morning. I think the rain is gone for a while, but much cooler temps for the next few days. I'm thinking about turning our little propane wall heater on.

Not much going on, today. I've got boneless chicken breasts marinating in the fridge to bake, tonight. Don't know what I'll make to go with those, yet. Housework is all done for a while, there's not really anything to do. Makes for a rather boring day.

Still praying for you and your DH, Judy.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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anna43 said:
One good thing about paint, if you decide you don't like your choice, it can be fixed with a new can of paint.

The first house we owned, we painted a color that turned out looking pink. I don't recall what it was supposed to be, but we hated it. It took a few years before we could afford to repaint, and the new color was a shade of green. We lived in a neighborhood of ranch houses all exactly alike so I guess the pink might have been different enough to stand out!! My current house was originally Colonial Blue paint from Sears and repainted with it several times. Sears is gone so two years ago when I had it painted, I chose a color as near as I could find to the original ... and while it looks much the same, I like it much better.

Another not so productive day here. I wrote checks for bills, went to post office to mail them, to bank to renew a CD and to the library to return overdue books. Bible study in the afternoon and then stayed and visited for an hour.

Rain in the forecast for a shower tonight so no working outside again tomorrow. I just hope I remember to cut asparagus before it gets too old. I'd like to get a couple more packages into the freezer. One of the ladies at the senior apartment complex wants rhubarb and I told her to help herself.

Temps are forecast to dip to freezing Friday, so I'll need to cover the tub of impatience that is planted. I got rid of the blankets I used to have so will need to find something else to use. I think if I put a tomato cage in the center of the tub and drape a blanket (or whatever) over and put bricks around the bottom it should work without blowing away or crushing the plants.
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If you can, use something shorter than a tomato cage, or lay the cage on its side. You will trap more soil heat that way...impatiens are VERY frost sensitive.

Summerthyme
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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Judy... I don't understand why beds at hotels and motels are SO uncomfortable! The last time we stayed at a motel, it hurt both of our backs so bad, we got up at 2 am and left to continue our trip! Generally , if we vacation (very, very rarely), we take a tent, air mattresses and sleeping bags...and we sleep better than in any hotel!

You and your hubby are in our prayers.

Meem... trees often start very slow for at least the first 3 years...but what youncant see is they are putting down roots and growing large root systems (if the soil allows it), before they begin much top growth. I never worry too much about how they look, as long as the leaves look healthy, and branches aren't dying. I think you'll be happy with it in another year or two...and you can do some pruning for shape then.

Remember, pruning during the dormant season encourages growth. Pruning during the growing season slows growth. In fruit trees, that means its best to prune suckers and branches growing the wrong direction (inward, rather that upwards and out) in the summer. Regular pruning is done when they're dormant.

Summerthyme
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
Meemur is right, my coat closet is full of winter coats (heavy, medium), mid-season coats (heavy, medium, light), jackets (light, medium) and a couple raincoats with zip out linings. Closet is full and it is all one person. I guess I should add new/old/medium to the list too. Then the shelf above has a box of gloves and a box of scarves. Got to be prepared for any and every type of weather in Iowa.

Today is in 50's with light breeze so not too bad out. We had a shower early this morning so still too wet to garden. I was just looking at my backyard, and it is so pretty ... dandelions and creeping charlie are blooming purple and gold ... pretty but BAD. I also have a lot of wood's violets blooming which are pretty but not good in the lawn. Guy is coming to mow, in fact I hear him now. My neighbor has mowed three times already and his grass does not dare sprout a weed ... looks like a green carpet ... he'd do well in an HOA ... glad I'm not in one!!!
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
anna43 said:
Meemur is right, my coat closet is full of winter coats (heavy, medium), mid-season coats (heavy, medium, light), jackets (light, medium) and a couple raincoats with zip out linings. Closet is full and it is all one person. I guess I should add new/old/medium to the list too. Then the shelf above has a box of gloves and a box of scarves. Got to be prepared for any and every type of weather in Iowa.

Today is in 50's with light breeze so not too bad out. We had a shower early this morning so still too wet to garden. I was just looking at my backyard, and it is so pretty ... dandelions and creeping charlie are blooming purple and gold ... pretty but BAD. I also have a lot of wood's violets blooming which are pretty but not good in the lawn. Guy is coming to mow, in fact I hear him now. My neighbor has mowed three times already and his grass does not dare sprout a weed ... looks like a green carpet ... he'd do well in an HOA ... glad I'm not in one!!!
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Cary is pretty particular about keeping our lawn looking nice. He puts weed killer on ours. It kills all the weeds, but it doesn't hurt the grass. We have zoysia grass on our lawn, so it looks like a golf course. Lush and green, and it doesn't grow too fast.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
My late dh used to use weed and seed every spring and kept it looking okay. The creeping charlie came along later after he was no longer able to maintain the yard. I bought some weed and seed and tried to spread it but someone had put the spreader away with product still in it and it was a solid rusted mass, and I was unable to fix it. I doubt it was dh because he always cleaned tools before putting them away and it wasn't me because I never ever leave a tool dirty. My dad always insisted on tools being cleaned and back where you found them which was a good habit to learn. Dh was the same. I sort or remember someone borrowing it but don't recall who it was. I guess I could buy a new spreader and product and give it a few rounds to see if I can get the weeds back under control. There are a lot of other weeds including rag weed invading. During the drought years I didn't want to do anything because killing weeds would have left no green because it was too dry for grass to germinate and grow and we aren't supposed to water outside.

I just spent two hours trimming back the lilac hedge and then cutting the trimmings back to fit into the burn pile. I'm exhausted!!
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
I'm leery of the chemicals in weed killers but I am sensitive to a lot of chemicals. Our drinking water comes from a well and I'd rather have weeds than ingest those dangerous chemicals. Our weed eater and mower keep things knocked back enough for me. About the only thing I'll use is the extra strength vinegar but we rarely need it.
 
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W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
moldy said:
It's been a bit of a rough day- more due to my attitude than anything, but going to the courthouse to try to appeal property taxes (which doubled) was not fun. I am so angry with my state right now. it seems they do something every single day to tick me off.
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We can lock ours in at a certain age but they just happened to give us a pretty good hike on our last year. Unfortuntately most of our land is on a seperate parcesl from our house and it goes up.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
More rain and storms, overnight. We were without power for 4 hours. No damage, here. It's too soggy and wet outside to do anything out there. More rain possible for tomorrow, too. I looked on the drought monitor for our area, and it looks that our drought is almost over for now. I think more rain is forecast for next week, too.

Doing laundry and baking more bread, today. I only have one loaf left in the freezer, so I'll be making 2 or 3 loaves, today. Poppy seed loaves and cheese caraway loaves. I might just make 2 of each.
 
D

Digger

Veteran Member
Wildwood, if you see a tan diesel truck driving slow and a gray headed woman scoping out your garden Sunday, it's just me. I always love looking at your garden. We will be in for decoration. Family from out of state are coming. We use to be kids together. Now we are the older generation. Time flies. Dinner at the fire station I think and a couple of hours visiting.

Today is my MRI to see what is going on with my ear. We stopped by friends house yesterday to drop off eggs. The husband is also our pastor. He prayed for both of us before we left. He works at a shop next to his home. He got off his equipment to talk minute and pray. His wife is my best friend. We don't get face to face visits a lot. But we talk on the phone every week. We call it our therapy sessions. It keeps us both in a better frame of mind.

I have sold all but 3 turkeys. I haven't tried much the last couple days. I have had grandkids and we both have medical appointments. I will try again late today.

I transplanted my celery to the grow beds. I hope it does well. The celery at the stores is usually pitiful. Hubby was awake when I came in. I am going to have my second cup of coffee with him while he has his first.

Have a great day everyone.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
WanderLore said:
Our high tomorrow will be 49. What the heck?
Looks like we'll have a day or two of colder weather. I've got to mow again but it's rain every day.
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Our high today will be only 70 with low tonight at 50. We'll definitely be using our propane wall heater. 3 days of these temps, then going up again. With all the rain, it will be a damp 70 degrees that just chills you through and through.

Our grass needs mowing, too. Hopefully, Saturday, if it dries up some. If not, Monday.

2 loaves are on their first rise right now. Poppy seed bread.
 
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Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
It's in the 50s here, with spotty showers. I've got on the medium weight hoodie, under a light rain jacket. The humming birds are back in my area, per a park ranger, but I haven't seen any that I'm sure about. I have seen some fast-moving little birds dart into the shadows. I'll keep watching.

I finally spotted some honey bees. They were on the lilacs down the road. I hope everything that's blooming will be okay. We're supposed to get a hard freeze after midnight on Friday. I'll keep holding off planting the starts, but they are ready to either go into the ground or a larger pot.
 
feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
I got a pleasant surprise today. Normally I have cut my own hair the last five years. Currently I am not able to do so due to the finger amputations. I stopped at a barber shop this morning. To my surprise, the barber was one I had used for years back in Kansas City. He sold that shop and retired three years ago. He moved here to help out his 93 year old mother. For many years his brother had owned and operated a barber shop here. After three years he had gotten bored and missed the interaction with the customers so he reopened his brother's old shop. He and the barbers who had worked for him in Kansas City had cut my hair for about 20 years. He's only open Wednesday through Friday here. He even trimmed my beard. $16 plus I gave him a $4 tip. Well worth it!

From there I had a good lunch at the senior center (turkey and dressing) so this has so far been an outstanding day. I just wish that I could get my strength back. I had a hard time standing up from the barber chair.
 
D

Digger

Veteran Member
Got home from having my MRI. Had a snack. Then went outside to work. When we came in, there was a message from my ENT. The MRI showed no tumor, no growth, and no lesions. Praise God! I have to call tomorrow to make an appointment to follow up. There is some minor fluid in my sinus. I don't know if that would cause my hearing loss. But today was good news
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
Digger said:
Wildwood, if you see a tan diesel truck driving slow and a gray headed woman scoping out your garden Sunday, it's just me. I always love looking at your garden. We will be in for decoration. Family from out of state are coming. We use to be kids together. Now we are the older generation. Time flies. Dinner at the fire station I think and a couple of hours visiting.

Today is my MRI to see what is going on with my ear. We stopped by friends house yesterday to drop off eggs. The husband is also our pastor. He prayed for both of us before we left. He works at a shop next to his home. He got off his equipment to talk minute and pray. His wife is my best friend. We don't get face to face visits a lot. But we talk on the phone every week. We call it our therapy sessions. It keeps us both in a better frame of mind.

I have sold all but 3 turkeys. I haven't tried much the last couple days. I have had grandkids and we both have medical appointments. I will try again late today.

I transplanted my celery to the grow beds. I hope it does well. The celery at the stores is usually pitiful. Hubby was awake when I came in. I am going to have my second cup of coffee with him while he has his first.

Have a great day everyone.
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That sounds like so much fun...decorating and visiting with family. We rarely run into anyone with all of our decorating. Most of our locations have very few people other than us and nothing organized at all. It is a lonesome feeling, remembering the past times when there were folks at every stop...so wish my sisters would go with me. Thank goodness DH takes me and usually the grandkids go with us.

So far, I don't have anything in the ground except my tomatoes. I'm just overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do next. This is my last remodel and it better be right lol. I'm trying to enjoy the process. Thank goodness DH will be home a couple days...he'll usually pitch in when he can.
 
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Wildwood

Veteran Member
Digger said:
Got home from having my MRI. Had a snack. Then went outside to work. When we came in, there was a message from my ENT. The MRI showed no tumor, no growth, and no lesions. Praise God! I have to call tomorrow to make an appointment to follow up. There is some minor fluid in my sinus. I don't know if that would cause my hearing loss. But today was good news
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What a blessing...thank goodness! I know you are relieved and I'm happy for you.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
Wildwood, a couple years ago, my dd met some second or third cousins at my g-grandmother's grave. She took pictures and sent me them with names and I knew who they "belonged" to although I'd never met them. Taking your grandkids with you is a great way to introduce them to where family graves are located. I remember going with my grandparents to New York which is no longer on the Iowa map and Iconium which are both near the Rathburn Lake area. Last year my older dd and I found the cemetery at Warsaw which no longer exists and the cemetery is only accessible by walking in from the road. I feel so fortunate that Find A Grave website exists because I can visit cemeteries virtually that I could never visit personally. My g-g-grandfather is buried Military Cemetery near Marietta, Georgia ... he died at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and with a couple of clicks I found his grave ... his stone is lying flat on the ground.

Temp is to dip to 37º tonight and I didn't cover my impatience but tomorrow we're to get a hard freeze down to 30º so will cover then. May wish I'd covered tonight if it dips lower than forecast! I found a box with my covers that I thought I'd gotten rid of so have lots of choices. We had a brief shower early this morning and radar shows we're getting rain right now.

I'm planning to shop Friday (I guess it's already Friday) for slacks at thrift shops and then HyVee, Dollar Tree and Walmart. Doubt I'll have energy to do more!! Also have a box of donations to drop off at a thrift shop.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Bees are scarce around here, basically no hives to capture, although dh is not really interested in them right now. We’ve got honey that is about 4 years old and dh says it tastes off, I have asked him not to get rid of it though.

We’ve had a good bit of rain and more is expected fo the next couple of days.

Still tired and dh is not feeling good, I’m attributeing it to his procedure.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Only 69 degrees for us, today. Cary wants to mow, but we have more rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow. My radar is showing rain right now, but nothing is falling at the moment. Radars sometimes lie. Upper atmosphere moisture that isn't reaching the ground is picked up.

I got my 4 loaves of bread done, yesterday. Today, I'm baking an artisan loaf in my Dutch oven. I'll then have enough bread to last the whole month.

Spaghetti with homemade meat sauce for supper, tonight.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Said a prayer for her safety, WanderLore.

It's 43 and sunny here, with a freeze warning for tonight. I'm going to cover the chives because they are starting to flower, but everything else that came up from the ground should be OK. The starts are still on the garden cart and will come into the kitchen tonight, but I might be able to put them in ground early next week, if soil temps hit 60 degrees three days in a row (or close enough). Traditionally, we would wait until Mother's Day, but I think this will be our last hard freeze, or at least my fingers are crossed for that.

The potatoes are peeking through, and the lettuces look good (I've got both romaine and an heirloom in the containers), and the peas are making an appearance.

My little tree looks a lot better this morning. I know that it takes several years, Summer, but I think this is one of the sub-standard ones that got sold by accident. This one and several others from the same shipment don't look nearly as nice as others from a different shipment that were planted at the same time from the same nursery. There's five branches on one side and two much shorter ones on the other. However, the leader is fully leafed out and the roots that I saw when I carefully dug around looked good, so I'll see what happens this growing season.

This is the only tree in the front yard, so it's got to be nice and bushy for the birds and curb appeal. I'm not a "lawn gal," but I do want a nice-looking tree.
 
Cardinal

Cardinal

Chickministrator
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Good short vid on stocking canned goods

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crfQgwSUcqs


rt 24:22

1-whole canned chicken
2-wild salmon
3-corned beef
4-chilli w/beans
5-Beef stew
6-White beans
7-Sardines
8-Fullfat coconut milk
9-tomato paste
10-spinach
11-Pumpkin
12-sweet potatoes
13-lentils
14-chick peas
15-black beans
16-bone broth
17-chunk tuna
18-diced tomatoes
19-peaches
20-green beans
21-whole kernel corn
 
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