# Happy Spring 2012!



## Capt Worley PE (Mar 20, 2012)

Made it through another winter. Cooking hotdogs and brats to celebrate!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 20, 2012)

There wasn't a winter in New England this year. It's pushing 80 today, I'm pissed, and my ass melded with my car seat at lunchtime.


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## Flyer_PE (Mar 20, 2012)

I still can't believe I'm dressed in shorts in March in Northern Illinois. This is a first.


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## Ble_PE (Mar 20, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> It's pushing 80 today, I'm pissed, and my ass melded with my car seat at lunchtime.


Not what I wanted to picture this afternoon...

I'm just hoping we don't get a blast of winter in April sometime.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 20, 2012)

It was pushing 90 in your neck of the woods the other day, I doubt you have much to worry about.


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## engineergurl (Mar 20, 2012)

84 degrees, wind gusts of about 20mph, sunny and wonderful... except for the green clouds of dust and the green powder coating everything...

I think I'll make some pasta salad and flip some burgers on the grill tonight...


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## envirotex (Mar 20, 2012)

Wearing boots for probably the last time 'til next winter today...55 this morning, mid 70's the rest of the week, that will be spring here. Next week, we'll be in summer time.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 20, 2012)

Flyer_PE said:


> I still can't believe I'm dressed in shorts in March in Northern Illinois. This is a first.


Same here in Southern WI.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 20, 2012)

Spring in Denver ends up meaning a 2' snowstorm to kickoff spring break...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 20, 2012)

engineergurl said:


> 84 degrees, wind gusts of about 20mph, sunny and wonderful... except for the green clouds of dust and the green powder coating everything...
> 
> I think I'll make some pasta salad and flip some burgers on the grill tonight...


I was in the South last week on a trip and had pine pollen all over my car. Fortunately, my allergies have mostly dissipated as I've gotten older, but it was still not a lot of fun.


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## Chucktown PE (Mar 20, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> engineergurl said:
> 
> 
> > 84 degrees, wind gusts of about 20mph, sunny and wonderful... except for the green clouds of dust and the green powder coating everything...
> ...


Supposedly it's not the pine pollen that bothers people. While you can see it and it looks horrible (this coming from a guy with a yellow car that is supposed to be black), it's the oak/grass pollens that would have driven you nuts. So says a friend of mine who is an allergist.


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## engineergurl (Mar 20, 2012)

Chucktown PE said:


> VTEnviro said:
> 
> 
> > engineergurl said:
> ...


I call bull hockey on that one... I ONLY have issues with pine... worthless trees anyway all they are is wildlife habitat and pulpwood... it's not like you can even burn them in your fire place.... grumble grumble grumble...


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## pbrme (Mar 20, 2012)

^ Just don't try to burn those treated trees, they let off a toxic gas.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 20, 2012)

Pine trees are basically all we burn here in CO fireplaces. We don't really have much choice otherwise.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 20, 2012)

The pine issue isn't a big deal in the Northeast where things are mostly deciduous, but I have visited my ex-in-laws a couple of times when it was in season and it wasn't a thrill.


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## EM_PS (Mar 20, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Made it through another winter. Cooking hotdogs and brats to celebrate!


What winter? Old man winter was definitely 'light in the loafers' this year, and Spring appears to be AWOL - I guess hello summer


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## Supe (Mar 21, 2012)

We had zero snow this past winter, and I couldn't be happier.

As for the allergies, I'm glad there are no pine in this area, as it does a number on my asthma. Damn near everything else under the sun makes me sneeze and my eyes water like there's no tomorrow.


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## Capt Worley PE (Mar 21, 2012)

engineergurl said:


> I call bull hockey on that one... I ONLY have issues with pine... worthless trees anyway all they are is wildlife habitat and pulpwood... it's not like you can even burn them in your fire place.... grumble grumble grumble...


Where's he love for pine? Whole houses are built of the stuff, and that's just about all we ever burned in the fireplace.

Just went with the O-M all beef franks last night. We all sat around on the porch and grilled. Even the two outside cats showed up. Good times.


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## ktulu (Mar 21, 2012)

Hell I never stopped using my grill when 'so-called' winter came through. Here is what our winter looked like.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 21, 2012)

This winter sucked. I live someplace with 4 distinct seasons, and we basically just went from fall to summer (GFY to some).

I hate scraping ice and snow off my car, I don't like shoveling, and sub-zero temps are pretty darn cold. But I like winter. I am an avid snowshoer, I like cross country skiing, I enjoy watching the snow fall. And we didn't get shit here this year.

The thrill of going out in shirt sleeves for the first time is ruined because it's warm to the point of being uncomfortable. I shouldn't have to turn on the AC in New England in March.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 21, 2012)

Because our winter was so warm, alot of the pollens that hit those of us with allergies never really "settled", so this spring we're getting hit with all 3 allergy types (trees, grasses, weeds). Usually it's only the trees in the spring, but this last week has started getting miserable.

Time to make my usual investment in Zyrtec &amp; Kleenex...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 21, 2012)

I think investing in the weed might be more lucrative.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 21, 2012)

It's been my experience that weed isn't traded publicly...


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## Ble_PE (Mar 21, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> Time to make my usual investment in Playboy &amp; Kleenex...


Ummm, that's a little personal don't ya think?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 21, 2012)

Why would I invest in Playboy when we have the interwebs?


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## Chucktown PE (Mar 21, 2012)

We usually bypass either Fall or Spring on a regular basis. This year it seems that we bypassed both Winter and Spring. We had one week where it was somewhat cool (highs in the 40s) and that was it. My grass is fully green now, flowers are blooming and the fish are biting. I do enjoy having distinct seasons but I'm really glad the warm weather is here now.


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## pbrme (Mar 21, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> Because our winter was so warm, alot of the pollens that hit those of us with allergies never really "settled", so this spring we're getting hit with all 3 allergy types (trees, grasses, weeds). Usually it's only the trees in the spring, but this last week has started getting miserable.
> 
> Time to make my usual investment in Zyrtec &amp; Kleenex...


"I caunt, Mim says theys spoars"


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## Master slacker (Mar 21, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> It's been my experience that weed isn't traded publicly...


Tell that to the college kids in the Wal-Mart parking lot next to us a few weekends back. We were loading groceries and the kids sat in their car as an "interesting" car pulled beside them and things got exchanged. We started laughing and they knew the jig was up. They grinned and hauled ass.


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## snickerd3 (Mar 21, 2012)

its still march and I have a half dozen mosquitto bites already and I was outside for less than an hr.


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## Road Guy (Mar 21, 2012)

I got at least a cord of wood that I split myself early fall, had one fire the entire winter... no clue what the hell I will do with a cord of wood this summer..


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## snickerd3 (Mar 21, 2012)

camp fires in the yard with hotdogs and smores


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 21, 2012)

Master slacker said:


> Dexman PE said:
> 
> 
> > It's been my experience that weed isn't traded publicly...
> ...


You should have meandered off somewhere and called the cops on them. I'd head back into Wally Mart for a beach chair and bag of chips and watch the fun.


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## Ble_PE (Mar 21, 2012)

Road Guy said:


> I got at least a cord of wood that I split myself early fall, had one fire the entire winter... no clue what the hell I will do with a cord of wood this summer..


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 21, 2012)

This sounds like a problem best solved in the morning.


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## Master slacker (Mar 21, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> Master slacker said:
> 
> 
> > Dexman PE said:
> ...


Meh, they looked like the band geek, innocent puppy type of kids. To answer questions on a police report about a small bag of weed is nothing I care to do.


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## Chucktown PE (Mar 26, 2012)

No-see-ums are out in force now. I hate those frigging things. They made baseball practice miserable. I'm hoping the heat arrives soon and kills the bastards off.


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## Capt Worley PE (Mar 26, 2012)

Played Farmer Brown this weekend. We got a lot of flowers from the local farmers market, and planted tomato, squash, cucumber, and green pepper plants as well as seeded some carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 26, 2012)

Got the ball rolling on getting the landscaping in the backyard. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to fill-in some of the low spots in the grade so it's ready to start laying out sprinkler systems. Based on my survey (yes, I actually surveyed the yard), I still need about 20CY of fill dirt to get the yard built up to how I want it, so for the next couple of weeks I will be stealing dirt from the adjacent lot (still under construction with a ton of extra material the superintendent said I could have) by the wheel-barrow load.


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## Chucktown PE (Mar 26, 2012)

Dude, 20 cubic yards by wheelbarrow. That sounds like a bitch.

As a side note, and maybe this doesn't go in this thread, I'm looking at putting in a sprinkler system as well. However, I want to install a shallow well so I don't have to pay for water. I've read some info online about it and I think where I am I can hit water at 40 feet. Anyone have any experience with this?


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## Capt Worley PE (Mar 26, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> Got the ball rolling on getting the landscaping in the backyard. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to fill-in some of the low spots in the grade so it's ready to start laying out sprinkler systems. Based on my survey (yes, I actually surveyed the yard), I still need about 20CY of fill dirt to get the yard built up to how I want it, so for the next couple of weeks I will be stealing dirt from the adjacent lot (still under construction with a ton of extra material the superintendent said I could have) by the wheel-barrow load.


Protip: Call the city and have a separate tap and meter installed for the sprinkler. That way you just pay water fees instead of water/sewer fees you'd pay if you fed the sprinklers off the house.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 26, 2012)

^^^ Our waterbill is setup based off of a winter-use baseline. They basically average our usage from Nov-Feb and use that to calculate our sewer &amp; water rates. Then they establish a tier system based on that average: There's a Tier 1 rate for indoor use (~$4 per 1000gal for up to 5000 gal), a tier 2 rate for outdoor use (~$5 with a max based on irrigated area), then have tiers 3 &amp; 4 to handle excess use with progressive costs based on excess use.

The joys of living in a semi-arid area within a water conservation district. They take their usage very seriously.


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## Supe (Mar 26, 2012)

Bring some of that dirt my way, Dex. There is a low spot in my backyard between the neighbor's property line and the middle of mine (high at fence, dips, back up in the middle, then gradual slope towards other neighbor). Because of it, the grass in that area is a nightmare. Even a light rain makes you feel like you're walking on a sponge, as it gets all muddy and perpetually "squishes" beneath your feet for days until it dries out.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 26, 2012)

Most of the dirt we have in the backyard is clay, so it gets the same way. It makes the top 1/2" get very slippery and nasty and the grade below it rock solid once it dries. The material I'd be hauling in is a sandy top-soil material which should help when I rototill it in.


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## cdcengineer (Mar 26, 2012)

Dex - took some Aussie friends to Canyonlands and Arches this past weekend. Couldn't believe the temps. in the desert. Trees were budding in your neck of the woods. Heck, I barely have snow in my front yard here at 9,950'.


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## cdcengineer (Mar 26, 2012)

Dexman PE said:


> It's been my experience that weed isn't traded publicly...


It is in Colorado


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 27, 2012)




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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 27, 2012)

Damn, I've give good money to see Canyonlands and Arches again.


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## cdcengineer (Mar 27, 2012)

Only $10 per vehicle, but the airfare from NE might make that a bit more expensive.


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## mudpuppy (Apr 8, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> Damn, I've give good money to see Canyonlands and Arches again.


I'm headed out there the day after Thansgiving. Planning to do the White Rim trail at Canyonlands. Hoping to mountain bike it while some of my friends drive. Camping out there two night.

cdc is right, airfare is horrendous, looking at $500+ to fly into Grand Junction. Not much less to Salt Lake City.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Apr 8, 2012)

Moab is an awesome town, you'll love it.

The two parks are something like 25 miles apart, but you feel like you are in completely different places. If you get the chance, Mesa Verde is about 3 hours in one direction, Petrified Forest several hours in the other direction. Both are amazing places. Walnut Canyon and Meteor Crater are also in the vicinity. did an amazing roadtrip of the desert southwest in 06, I'd be happy to play travel agent.


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## mudpuppy (Apr 8, 2012)

Last spring I did a big tour of Arizona (my dad spends the winters near Tucson and I go out for a week every year). Hit Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, stood on a corner in Winslow Arizona, saw Meteor Crater, and toured the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. It was an awesome trip.

Mesa Verde looks cool, and I'd also like to see Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 9, 2012)

From the seedlings we planted two weeks ago, we planted 40 carrots and 18 peppers in the garden. Need to make another garden for the onions and cukes. We also still have some lettuce seeds to be planted.

Picked up some weed and feed for the front yard. need to get some atrazine to kill out the bahaia, too.


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## Supe (Apr 9, 2012)

Bahaia? The belly dancer?


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 17, 2012)

Planted 16 cucumber and 13 white onion plants this weekend as well as a ton of lettuce and carrot seeds. carrot plants are starting to mature nicely.

Today, I hope to get 60 border blocks so my silly azz doesn't mow over the gardens.


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## snickerd3 (Apr 17, 2012)

thats a lot of cuccumbers and onions...


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 17, 2012)

I got 5 seed packets for a buck at Walgreens. All those plants were a result of the seeds, so i guess it turned out well.

But the cats think we made it for them to use as a litterbox. we'll see how all that turns out.


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## snickerd3 (Apr 17, 2012)

spring can go take a flying jump into the brick wall...I hate this time of the year


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## mudpuppy (Apr 17, 2012)

^totally agree!


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## engineergurl (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay, the back fence has all new posts on it and no longer is about to cave in, the yard has had it's weed and feed turf builder, and the back flower bed is started. Progress is made.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 18, 2012)

Put atrazine on the front yard last week. we'll see how it does on bahaia killin'.


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## Otter (Apr 18, 2012)

snickerd3 said:


> thats a lot of cuccumbers and onions...


My cucumber, it's bigger.

Vegetables can be really sensuous, don't you think?


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## engineergurl (Apr 21, 2012)

In order to solve a few problems in the back yard, ie a dogging mud path and some trenching that tore up some grass due to repair work recently, I am installing a flowebed. Border is in, loosened the dirt by hand for the first half and then a friend heard and brought me a rototiller this morning, weed blocker is down and now I have about 5 plants in the ground. Hope to finish this weekend!!!! I love playing in the dirt.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Apr 21, 2012)

It was beautiful here today. Met some folks from a dogwalking group and went to my favorite spot for an easy 5-mile loop. First time I have been able to get my dog out totally unrestricted since she got $1500 worth of fishing line in place of her torn ACL. She overdid it, and is basically refusing to stand up this afternoon, but it's a step back to normal health. I loaded her up on Rimadyl when I got home, but she's still very uncomfrtabke. One of the women I was walking with had a 5-month old black Lab being trained for service work. Epic cutness ensued.


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## knight1fox3 (Apr 23, 2012)

It was a great weekend for doing yard work (not to mention Earth Day on Sun.). Laid down 4 yards of shredded mulch via two 5-gallon buckets. Back is a bit sore today though...LOL. Also got around to thatching portions of the lawn and split/moved a good number of hostas. They tend to get gigantic if you let them get out of control. Everything looks good though.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 23, 2012)

Finally got some decent rain this weekend. Carrots are going good, but cukes and peppers probably have a 50% survival rate. Lettuce is starting to pop up.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 23, 2012)

I needed the rain for my grass. I spot watered with city water last month for probably about 8 to 10 hours total and my water bill was $180. Ouch.


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## Ble_PE (Apr 23, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Finally got some decent rain this weekend. Carrots are going good, but cukes and peppers probably have a 50% survival rate. Lettuce is starting to pop up.


Planted our veggies this weekend. Put out cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and zucchini. Will plant some watermelon and cantaloupe next weekend after I get our last raised bed filled with dirt.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 23, 2012)

Eggplants?

Yuck.


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## Capt Worley PE (May 16, 2012)

We spotted our first cuke yesterday! Down to five cuke plants (three in ground, two in pots), two squash plants in pots. Five or six in ground carrots (cats decimated them), five pepper plants (3 ground, 2 pots) and two tomato plants.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jun 4, 2012)

We picked our first squash yesterday!

Based on the local prices for produce, the cukes we've gotten so far are well on the way to paying for the garden.


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