Inspiration On A Saturday Night

But will my neighbors still love me and do I care?

Gardening Update & How To Build A Drive-In

Cub's still busy planting.  The last time I was there the back field wasn't even plowed yet.  This time he's planted eggplant, squash, peas, carrots, pole-beans and okra.  I imagine this will be an abundant crop for the neighborhood and absolutely beautiful once it's in full-bloom.

In the meantime, all that work and you have to have a little fun.  Detroiters are inventive people and what better place to have some fun and relax than in the garden.  Cub and his friends built a make-shift large screen t.v. and headed to the Georgia Street Community Drive-In!  He also had a bonfire going.  The only things missing are a pool and snack-bar.  What a great way to watch the NBA.    I'm sure summer nights will be spent here and hopefully will enrich a child's memories years later.  

What a great guy.

Shop Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for Humanity, located in Ann Arbor, offers everything from lamps, to tile, to pink toilets!  You'll have to overcome a bit of dust on some items but your money goes to build homes.  You never know what you might find there.  I've seen new paint, mortar, 1950's heard boards, 1920's bedroom furniture and 1960's credenza's.  Clean up the slate to the left and lay it in your 1950's split-level home!

Every week they're adding more.  

Salmonella-Coated Tomatoes

Just about everyone knows that the majority of our vegetables in winter comes from Mexico.  After the most recent CDC announcement and having battled my own version of Montezuma's Revenge, I KNOW that a bacterial-laden Beefmaster will probably kill me.  Searching the internet, most naturalists have stated that soaking tomatoes in a watered-down form of vinegar and salt removes most of the bacteria.  Nothing works on lettuce, though.  Mexico's water/fertilization is based on human waste and so far, these specifically fertilized tomatoes haven't affected anyone in Michigan (yet).   

I can't hold out until Michigan's tomato season has arrived.  I spend the extra money for organic tomatoes these days (and you can probably hear me bitching about it all the way out the grocer's door!).

Still, if you find yourself in the unlucky position.... oh nevermind.  See below post regarding Montezuma's Chocolate.

Corn Gluten As Weed Control

Because I have children but hate weeds, I started using a natural weed killer made from corn gluten.  I couldn't care less about crab grass on my lawn.  My concern was placing pesticides in a vegetable garden.  So, for $13.99, I ordered this product in early Spring from Greenfeet.  So far, as you can see, barely any weeds (and I want you to know I was rained on just to take this shot - not fun when you're sick with a child-generated natural colonic!).

A few facts about this product:  It's effective against Barnyardgrass, Smooth Crabgrass, Curly Dock, Green Foxtail, Black Nightshade, Orchardgrass, Shattercane, Purslane, Wooly Cupgrass, Giant Foxtail, Lambs Quarters, Buckhorn, Quackgrass, Velvetleaf, Annual Bluegrass, Dandelions, Creeping Bentgrass, Black Medic, Redroot Pigweed, Catchweed Bedstraw, Clover, and other common garden weeds.

When used as directed, Weed Prevention Plus will not harm beneficial insects, soil organisms, pond, or stream life.  There's no waiting, warnings, or worries.  Safe for children and pets.  Weed Prevention Plus is composed of 100 percent corn gluten meal.  Children and pets can play on the lawn immediately after application.  Safe for vegetables, flowers, and lawns.

Since Weed Prevention Plus kills only the root of sprouting seeds, it can be used with confidence around established plants, including transplants, flower beds, shrubs, and roses. When your flower or vegetable sprouts have true leaves, it is safe to apply weed prevention plus even up to the day of harvest.

(UPDATE:  As of June 22nd, I have had next to zero weeds.  This product works and who knew that starchy sugars could kill a weed?)