Tree Protection: Tree Tubes vs Caging/Fencing Trees

A double post day!

There are several tree protection methods from deer, rodents, livestock, rabbits, and other wildlife. Find out the pros and cons of tree tubes and fencing / caging trees in this video!

𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 𝟏 Tree Pro Tree Tubes (60") - Pack of 25 - https://amzn.to/2DfctKF Pack of 5 - https://amzn.to/2VOCXd2 Weed Mat (w/ Garden Staples) 5' Electrical conduit for stake 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 𝟐 Concrete Remesh or Woven Wire Fence with T-posts Weed Mats (w/ Garden Staples) Aluminum Window Screen

If you spend time and money to plant fruit trees, you need to make sure they're protected from wildlife. When young, trees are vulnerable. In this video, I discuss the steps I take to protect them from mice, voles, rabbits, deer, cattle and goats. On part of my property, I have cattle and goats. On that parcel, I use t-posts to secure the fencing. I used a combination of woven wire and concrete remesh, because I had them leftover from planting last year. I prefer remesh due to it's rigidity, but either will work with proper staking. You could also use rebar (or tobacco sticks) for staking remesh (if cattle are present I use t-posts though).

9/11 - 16 Years Later

16 years ago today I had just walked to my second class that morning. I was a senior in high school. A teacher from the class I had just come from said nothing as he walked straight to the television to turn on the image of the first tower engulfed in flames. There was a silence that filled the room. Surely, these people will get out I remember thinking. Maybe a few in the building died during the impact, but it's over, right?

Family Traditions!

As some of you may know, I have a 6-month old daughter. It had me thinking the other day of the family traditions we had for holidays or during the year. Every kid remembers Christmas and all the chaos, presents, food and other things that brought.

However, my favorite family tradition besides Christmas was going to my great aunt's house every Saturday to eat lunch. She was a great cook. My mother (bless her heart) was not a very good cook. She was a great baker of breads, pies, etc, but she struggled in the kitchen otherwise. I have many stories about that, but I want to focus on family traditions. Meeting every Saturday with my cousins, uncles, aunts and my great aunt was my favorite and most memorable childhood tradition.

What is/was your favorite family tradition now or as a child (please leave your comment below)?

Cancer Sucks (Part 2)

In a previous post (found here), I talked a bit about the cancer diagnosis and treatment for my neighbor, Amber. I wanted to give a bit of an update with this post. Not necessarily about the diagnosis or treatment, but about a party we threw for her. Back in March when I had heard that the cancer had returned. I began planning a party with some of the residents on my street and some of Amber's family members. The first date fell through, because many of the parents on the street had to work a festival for their children's schools...so we rescheduled for tonight (May 21).

Painting Bedroom Furniture - Chalk Paint vs Paint & Primer

I didn't take very good "before" pictures of the furniture I painted. This is the only one I have of the dresser. I also painted a night stand and a a 3-tier basket basket holder (pictures to follow).

My wife wanted to paint all of the bedroom furniture white, the walls gray and accent in light pink and/or white. She wanted to follow the same color theme as our wedding, gray and light pink. During the time of the painting, she was pregnant, so of course we were concerned about her painting.

CANCER SUCKS

I wanted to write about something personal. This year several friends and a neighbor have been diagnosed with cancer; two of those diagnosed are in the same family. Tonight, I want to focus on one in particular though. My neighbor was diagnosed with melanoma cancer in the lymph nodes over a year ago.

The doctors said the cancer is early enough that they don't want to do chemo treatments, but advanced enough that  they were't sure if alternatives would work. She started treatments, some sort of chemo shot, over a year ago. A couple months into the treatment, the nurses finally realized that they were giving her near toxic levels of the shot. She would feel extremely sick after taking them for 2 days following. They also didn't give her anything to cope with the pain of over-medication. If she would have cut herself, she very well could have bled to death from something as small as a paper cut. Needless to say, there were issues with the recommended treatments. Through all this, she somehow maintained a full-time job.

Ways to Help Improve Your Sleep

1) Put your alarm clock out of reach

2) Reward yourself

• read a book
• play a musical instrument
• check your social media account(s)
• play a computer game