Friday, April 08, 2011

It's apple blossom time

Once again. I shudder to think how many apples we will have to pick up off the ground this fall. But that's a long way off right now. For the moment, I'm enjoying the blossoms. There are three apple trees in the photo below. If you look closely, you will also see the new lawnmower and Callie.

A very spring-time view of our yard and garden. There's rhubarb on the lower left. Click to enapple-ate.

I got the new lawnmower on Thursday. Turns out that I bought one very similar to the old one, and from the same place. The old one had a Briggs & Stratton engine, the new one has a Honda engine. But it's essentially the same lawnmower, although it's smaller and lighter. They improved the grass catcher attachment, which is good to use this time of year when the grass is thick and heavy. And overall it works fine.

We also found inner tubes for a few wheels. The tire on the brouette (wheel barrow) went flat last year, as did the little tires on the diable (hand truck). We rely on both of these tools to move things around in the yard, so the flat tires were extremely inconvenient. I thought we'd have to replace both the wheel barrow and the hand truck, but the local mower/tiller/tractor dealer had inner tubes to fit them. So I will soon be trying my hand at changing little tires. Wish me luck.

15 comments:

  1. Cool. Once you're practiced, can I bring our trailer jockey wheel over and have you change the inner tube on that as well?

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  2. Bonne chance! Those wheels with inner tubes are a pain.

    I think we traded ours out for solid ones at some point, but you may have no problems with your solution and will be saving some $$$.

    Your photo is seriously beautiful. It's like that here also. I think I see fairies (Callie) this time every year.

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  3. Good luck changing those tires! Used to find it very fiddly on a bike.

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  4. Beautiful apple trees. They look perfect for spreading a small blanket under and reading a book.

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  5. That is a beautiful spring picture! Our apples blooms haven't started here in Ca yet. I see many apple pies in your future ;-)

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  6. Our Cherry blossom time has just ended and most other fruit baring trees. The pine trree on the left behind the apple tree is an Indian pine, AKA Deodara tree. They are all over Los Angeles and line many of the streets here. They are native to the slopes of the Himalayas. Nice picture.

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  7. I don't believe you've ever mentioned how much land you have. Good luck with the inner tubes.

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  8. Never mind. I just saw Ken's blog.

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  9. Are you aware that you live in Paradise?
    Your Friend, m.

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  10. How breath taking, I'd love to wake up to that every day. Instead I look out my window today and it's snowing, has been for 2 days now, big white beautiful flakes. Lord help me, I need spring!

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  11. I can smell those apple blossoms now! Hmmmm.

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  12. simon, you bet!

    judy, thanks. I'm not patient when it comes to that kind of work. But I'll give it my best shot.

    evelyn, yes, the wheels cost nearly as much as a new wheel barrow, and we could get a new one with a solid wheel. But we figure that we ought to try the economical (and ecological) solution first.

    niall&antoinette, yes, I used to change bike tires, too. It can be challenging!

    diogenes, except that all the yard work that needs doing stares you in face while you're sitting there...

    desiree, yes!

    mike, cool. Cherry trees are beautiful, especially in bunches!

    starman, ;)

    mark, yup. :)

    paradykes, hang on just a little bit longer!

    ron, it's nice when they flower. Pretty soon the blossoms will be a memory.

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  13. Just lovely --I hope you have a view of that tree from the house.

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  14. It looks so lovely. We still have bare trees and snow in the shadowy recesses. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 20C and rainy. Maybe that'll bring out the blossoms.

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