New trip!

Well I'm heading back to Boston to visit O again. I will really try to finish the patio this time. The tree is down and out of the way. Got some other small projects and the site seeing and visiting the Melrose Social Club is always fun.

As for the rest of the summer, my travel plans are as follows:

The Africa trip is out for this summer cause everyone that was interested in going has now backed out. They have good reasons and they have assured me that it will happen next year. I hope so. Germany and Italy will be coming up in July and then Costa Rica in August. Looking forward to these two trips. Germany and Italy are kind of open trips right now, Alicia is planning some of it. Maybe I will ask for a sitting with the Pope and I've heard the restaurant Olive Garden trains their chefs in Tuscany, so maybe I'll look for their chef school, LTS. She has planned out the Costa Rica trip, Canopy watching, zip lining, and white water rafting. Can't wait for all that. Got to make sure my life insurance policies are paid up.

There is a chance that I could go Carabou hunting in the early fall, but haven't finlized that yet. Carabou are Santa's reindeer. The trip consist of flying into Montreal, then flying North to the frozen trunda in a puddle jumper, then taking a waddle boat to a camp site on an island.

We will also be taking a trip or two to Las Vegas, maybe one in October for work and for sure one in December for Alicia.

Any takers on any of the trips are welcomed. Till next time, Arrevaderci, Jorge

The fields are full of glory!

Got to go to the Farm (God's Country), and it was beautiful. Green and growth everywhere. The dewberries are still going strong. Some real big and juicey ones. I eat dewberries everywhere, left and right, north and south. My tomatos are setting wonderfully, lots of them. The green beans are going out of control. The peppers are coming on. The basal is unbelievable. I always have problems with corn, I don't know why. I have a few peaches and plums also.

The fields are full of black-eyed-Susans, what a beautiful sight. While walking I walked up on 3 seperate deer in 3 different locations. The does are dropping the fawns now so the does are out alone. They stay near the fawns but not close and if something comes close they bolt up and pretend to be hurt as they trot away so that you will follow them and not find the fawn.

My hay field will be cut today. Hope to get about 25 big round bails.

Ah La Bonne Vie, Till next time, Jorge

Back at The Homestead!

Well just got back from visiting O and had a wonderful time. One of the places we visited was called Ipswitch, I think it is spelled correctly. This is a place I would not mind spending more time at, say a whole day. Alicia and CJF get along great. We all played tennis and baseball, two of my favorite sports. I would much rather play a sport then watch it on TV. We also worked on house projects, another of my favorite things in life. I am really enjoying working with rocks. Building rock walls and steps. I have always had an interest in rocks but have never really been around them, now I know why my interest.

O got what I think was a terrific bargain on a book she has given me to read, only 25 cents. I am really enjoying this book. It is somewhat challenging for me as I have always had a very tall wall to overcome in reading books(never read a book or Cliff notes before Alicia gave me a book to read about a year ago). This book is about 500 pages of small print, yuk. But what is keeping me going is the subject.

The book is titled "Crazy Horse and Custer" by Stephen E. Ambrose. I have always had a facination for Crazy Horse and Custer, sometimes I think that I have always looked up to these two men. Reading about their lifes is just out of this world for me. I have always been interested in the life of Indians. Somehow I feel like I can relate to the life of the Sioux. One interesting thing is that the Indians beleive in the circle of life. Something I also believe in. Where as the white man believes in a linear path to life. I can see both points of view, and they are detailed in an excellent way in the book.

Till next time, Jorge

I'm Off again!

Well I've been at the homestead for a couple of days and then I'm leaving back up to Boston with Alicia day after. I wonder if one flys west all around the world will you go back in time, since you subtract hours as you travel west, or will you loose a day out of your life, or will you end up on the same day you left. Well here I am talking about time again.

There must be a Zillion dewberries at the farm. I've been eating them left and right. I also ate all the strawberries I found, not much. It was nice to see everything lush with green in God's country.

Until next time, Jorge

I survived another trip!

Well I'm back from Virginia again. Even got to see O's sister J and her family in Maryland. We went to a Colombian Dance and Music festival (featuring El Tayrona) which was nice but didn't get to do any projects for J as I was only there for a couple of days. But I did consult with them on installing crown moulding and baseboards, plumbing issues, light installation, and carpentry.

At my sister's, AMA, I got to do some drainage work, repoint some of her brick, and some gutter work. I also got to go to the Spy Museum. One really needs about 3 hours to really go thru it all or one can do it in about 1 1/2 hours skimming. OB got food poisoning so we had to deal with that for a day, now wait a minute it wasn't anything I did, it was from the school lunch. But she did have to buy the school lunch cause I didn't make her lunch, uh.

Until next time, Jorge

I'm Back!

Back from Virginia. Checked in at the Farm today. The dewberries are coming into season. I found some nice juicy tasty ones and ate them up right away.

It was cold and rainy in Virginia. But had a good time with AMA, RB, and OB. Took down some wall paper, did some gypsum patching, and painted the kithchen. Had lunch with OB at her school, went to the park and she road her bicycle. Went out to dinner at OB's favorite places, Sydoo's and Noodle something a few times.

Hope OB didn't pick up any bad habits and she doesn't get into too much trouble after hanging around with me.

On the plane I was able to read a book O had given me a while back. "Cuentos From My Childhood, Legends and Folktales of Northern New Mexico" by Paulette Atencio. I enjoyed the book. I liked the legend titled Marina La Malinche and really liked the tale titled La Morena Linda, which was my favorite.

Arrivederci, Jorge

I'm off again.

I'mmmmm leaeaea-ving ooonn an airr-plaaane, don't know when I'llll be back a-gainnnn.

Just kidding. But I am leaving tomorrow to go to Virginia and visit my sister AMA. I'll be back at the homestead on Sunday for three days, then off again to Virginia and Maryland till the 27th to visit my sister again and hopefully O's sister J. Then I'll be back at the homestead for 5 days then back to Boston with Alicia to visit O again.

L, Sounds like you are having a terrific time in NYC with her friend Kate. Hope you enjoyed your first live concert in 20 years.
You'll Take Care, Jorge

Happy Easter and reading

Hope Everyone had a terrific Easter.

One of the things I never used to do was read books. I never even read any books in school, I couldn't even read the Cliff Notes. I just could not justify sitting down for any length of time to read a book. Now don't get me wrong, I do read magazines, newspapers, and technical articles. I just could not concentrate enough to read a long book.
About a year ago Alicia gave me a book to read and told me that I would like the story so I read it and I did like the book. I think it was called Babylon. Now since I've been flying around a lot Alicia and O have given me a few books to read and I've liked them. It seems like I am a captured soul on an airplane with nothing to do but sit for hours, so I have time to blow.

On this last trip to Boston I read a book Alicia gave me titled "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I really liked this book. It was about a father and his small son who travel somewhat empty roads in search of safety after I think a nuclear war. The book brings together the strong bond between the father and son and the lessons the father teaches the boy in order to survive. The book also makes one realize that our lives today are made very simple with todays technology and that we have lost track of the simple things in life that are necessary to survive.
I found the following two quotes from the book very interesting. "You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget" and "How does the never to be differ from what never was".

And so time is important some times. Jorge

Boston In April

I had a great time in Boston this past week with O and her family. We got to work on many things and also visited with most of my "Melrose Social Club" friends. The major projects were releveling the patio and demolishing a small rock wall and rebuilding it as a larger rock wall, K even helped. K is a talented pointer when it comes to mortar. We almost finished but didn't cause the weather prevented us from finishing as I saw snow in April.

O also took me to Portsmouth, a beautiful looking city with houses over 250 years old. We had the best hot chocolate while it was snowing in a wonderful place. I wouldn't mind spending more time there. She also took me to Maine, another place I wouldn't mind spending more time in. Now I've traveled to all four corners of the continental US. I've been to north of Seattle, south of San Diego, and Key West, so I would really have to go to Edmundston to say this but I was close.

New Hampshire and Maine have great mottos, "Live Free or Die", and "The way Life Should Be". I can really relate to them.

O took me to see many places. One of my favorite was and is South Boston. Where we had lunch at a really nice restaurant. I think I've come close to ODing on Tostones. O is an excellent host. Time can be wonderful. Jorge

My Life (Till the Present)

I've been getting ready for a trip to Boston to visit O and her beautiful family. Just for info, I'm going to be traveling for about the next two months visiting family. Alicia will be with me on one of those trips.
I've been going through a personal set back in my life this past year and it's been very hard on me. In the past I've always said I've been blessed to have had a wonderful life. I haven't said that anymore. I say blessed but I've had some tragedies in the past. My parents dying when I was in my 20's, my marriage problems in the beginning, our family dog dying 1 1/2 years ago, and my two uncles dying this past year, amongst other smaller events. But even with these events the good has always out done the bad. But this new event has been really dificult. But deep down I know that I have had a blessed life.

I would like to thank the close people in my life who have made it easier on me. Of course the closest person in my life is Alicia. There is nothing in the world I could do to show her my appreciation and the proudness I feel and have always felt for her. Next is O, a very close person. I could say too much about her and what she has done for me, and most folks would get bored cause I could go on and on. I could never do enough for her. I've known her for a very very very long time. Since I was a teenager and she was a small girl. From the first time I remember her she has always had a big smile on her face and she has always laughed quite a lot. She has always put a smile on my face, and she has also helped me through the years when I've needed her. Too many good things to say about her so I'll just say she's extraordinary.

Then there's my brother and sister. They've always been very supportive of me. I am very lucky to have a brother and sister like them. Then there's O's sisters and mother. Her sisters are wonderful people. I enjoy spending time with them and talking to them. They can both talk up a storm and have great insight. I've known them for a very long time also but because of life's circumstances I've gotten closer to O. It's a pleasure to be with them all. Their mother is a very caring person. I think of her like my mother, what else can I say about her. It's during hard times that people's qualities come shinnning through.

Another group of people that have lifted my spirits lately is the Melrose Social CLub. A group that O introduced me to. What a wonderful group. Besides O, there's K, a beautiful person who is very thoughtful. She has very dreamy eyes, and knows my weaknesses, chocolate and cookies. Then there's L, a very energetic and witty person, who's opened my eyes to new things, including blogging. Then there's LH, a terrific person who loves many of the things I love in life, like nature and animals. Then there's Lu, a lovely exciting person who embraces life's adventures. When I met Lu for the first time we talked and talked for about 2 hours. We share the love of hard work and the adventure of getting it done. And of course there's the families of the Melrose Social Club members. What an amazing group. This is how I see them through my eyes.

I know that I am and have been a very lucky and blessed person no matter what happens and even if I don't say it. I truly feel like giving thanks to all the people who have touched my life and brighten my life.

Life's an Adventure and You Just Have to Live It! Jorge

Lawn Grass Care

My 30 plus years of experience has shown me that most of the time there is no need to buy expense weed and feed fertilizers. Lawn grasses thrive on three things. They have to have sun and water in moderaton, and then they need to mowed often, usually once a week while growing.

As long as lawn grasses are growing and you mow at least once a week the lawn grasses will choke out any weeds. Most weeds like to grow tall and thus will be prevented from going to seed if the lawn is mowed often and the weeds that are short will be choked by a vigorous growing lawn.

If the lawn grass needs extra nutrients to grow more, they benefit the most from 13-13-13 fertilizer. Triple 13 fertilizer is usually very cheap and has all the needed ingredients to make the grass grow. Do not apply more then once a month during the growing season.

Again, weed and feed fertilizers are expense and the weed killer in them will actually stress out other plants and can even kill a tree if applied under the canopy. So, for a perfect lawn make sure the lawn gets sun, one inch of water a week, is mowed once a week, and if needed no more then one application of triple 13 a month.

Till next time, Jorge

Spring has Sprung !

Yesterday was the first day of spring and the Azaleas and the wildflowers are coming on. To the right I have included some pictures of Azaleas at the homestead and Wildflowers at the farm for your enjoyment.
Next time I think I will write about lawn care. Ofcourse this will be my opinions from my 30 plus years of taking care of my lawns and pasture land. I might have some unconventional views on this subject, but I know it works.

I've kept this short for O. Till next Time, Jorge

Chocolate and Birthdays

I will explain this next week, but for now I will give you a hint. I said something like "my birthday chocolate lasted from my birthday this past February to my next birthday". So when is my next birthday? Think outside the box. This is something unconventional. This was first posted on March 12 " Exhibiting Self Control!" and comments since then.

To side step the riddle, I've come to find out that my birthday chocolate mentioned above, which came from O, was supposed to be maybe twice as much but somewhere alone the way it was siphoned off. For good cause I heard. I wonder how long that chocolate lasted. I'm guessing a long time cause it was probably rationed.

I'll give anybody who solves the riddle above a surprise present, but you will be disqualified if you ask O or if O tells you. Till later, Jorge

Can I make time slow down?

It has been suggested that I slow down and let time catch up to me. Well, I don't think I can do that. I'm afraid if I slow down that means my batteries are running low (I'm borrowing this from someone else) and I might die. So, we'll just have to live life at whatever speed were're at.

Back to gardening. Most of my tips are good for anywhere but some slight adjustments might be needed. Let's take prunning for example. I've had two comments on prunning. There is nothing wrong with prunning shrubs and trees and it is almost impossible to kill a plant or tree by prunning. Just remember not to prune right after the tree or shrub puts out new growth. Prunning during this time makes the plant spend all that energy for growth and the plant receives no benefit from photosynthesis because you have prunned the leaves. . Thus putting the plant in stress. Stress is the number 1 killer of plants.

If you live in an area that has ice and snow then you should prune before the ice and snow but after the plant goes dormant (about a month after the leaves fall off). This type of prunning should be done for the purpose of lightening the tree because of bad growth patterns. Prunning before spring is for the purpose of shaping the shrub or tree. Any subsequent prunning , like before summeror before fall, is also for shaping or for releaving some stress in the plant. Never prune within two months of winter if you can help it. Because if you do then the plant will also go into shock because all the new growth will be burned by the cold weather.


During the winter the plants spend all thier energy below ground growing new roots. When spring comes the plants with thier new roots send up more nutrients then the plant had the previous year thus allowing the plant to grow larger.

During the spring the plant uses photosynthesis to provide nutrients for the leaves, branches, and all the roots. During the summer the plant tries to stay alive by almost going dormant and in some cases will go dormant by dropping its leaves if it is too hot. The leaves loose water through evaporation and so have to drink up water from the ground to come out even. The more hot it is the more water the plant needs. More water has to come in from the bottom (roots) then leave the leaves. If there is more water coming in from the roots then leave the leaves then the plant has excess water to provide growth if not then the plant goes dormant to survive.

During the fall the plant thinks it is time to grow again until the temperature starts dropping. In the fall the plant goes dormant and sends all the water (nutrients) from above the ground down below ground to help the roots grow. And so the cycle begins again.

In the spring the water goes up. In summer the water goes up or might stop. In the fall water goes down. In the winter the water stays below ground.



The cycle of life, Jorge

Gardening

We had a very busy weekend at the homestead. We ate pizza, watched a lot of movies, went shopping, and worked on the yard( I did a lot of prunning). One of the movies that we went out to see was Premonition. It reminded me of Ground hog day, a funny movie that I really like, except this movie was sad and difficult to follow. I do not recommend this movie for those that like up beat movies.

One of things that I did at the farm was prepare the veggie garden for planting. I tilled the soil and made the win rows. There is nothing in this world when it comes to food like a home grown tomato, pepper, green bean, potatoe, or corn. Vegetable stand produce comes close, but I prefer home grown. The taste of home grown veggies is superb. Unfortunately I did not get to plant the garden last year, but this year I've got a good start. Alicia likes blueberrys a lot so I bought her a blueberry bush earlier this year, but I forgot to put a cage around the bush and the deer have been eating the tender new growth. I need to get on this.

And time goes on. Jorge

What is Time?

I have a lot going through my mind today so I think I'll write something to help clear my mind.
Easy subject.

I have not changed my clocks to what I call fake time. I am still on real time just like the rest of the world. My body functions much better on real time. I would like to be just like Arizona and Hawaii and stay on real time, but I know that would be hard to do in the central time zone.

Since I do not have a schedule or appointments, time is a floating thing with me. I really don't worry too much about time so it really doesn't matter what time those around me think it is. It used to not be this way, as those close to me know I used to always say "I never have enough time to do the things I want to get done", I used to never want the day to end cause I needed more time. But now sometimes the end of the day never comes fast enough. Enough of that.

I get up as the sun rises and I go to sleep when I get tired. The most important thing to me is to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep. I can do with less here and there but my body loves 8 or 9 hours. I also fall asleep faster then when the coin hits the floor when dropping it from your hand. But I think I will have to conform to the masses soon because flying requires one to be at the airport at a specific time. Or else now-a-days you miss your flight. So I will have to change my ways to travel.

I have to go now because Alicia's friends are arriving and she is not here yet. They are all coming over to eat pizza (our favorite food) and watch movies.

By the way did you know that as one approaches the speed of light time slows down so in theory at the speed of light time stops and faster then the speed of light time should go backwards.

And time goes on. Jorge

What's On My Mind?

I have been reprimanded for not writing in my blog. I have a lot on my mind but I think it is too much for the blog. So here is something else.

Today I would like to comment on "The Office" TV show. I liked the show, the Dwight/Andy,Jim thing and the Pam/Karen thing. Michael finally came up to the plate. Also I wonder if anyone saw the Gatorade commercial. Good commercial explaining how Gatorade was invented at the University of Florida. My place.

Spring has arrived as most of the plants and trees are budding. All the pruning should of been done by now since the plants are coming out. If you prune now you will kill all that energy.

Next I want to comment on Crapemyrtles. I feel sorry for all those crapemyrtles that people butcher during this time of year. Crapemyrtles do not have to be pruned, but if you must you can alternate cuts every year so that there is only a stub having 3 years of cuts max. Otherwise it looks terrible the way people keep cutting the trunk at the same place. I'll have to show pictures of this later.

Next I want to remind everyone that roses should of been cut on Valentines day, and trees should of been pruned by February. The next pruning time for trees would be right before the hot summer.

Don't want to make this too long since some folks have a challenge reading long passages.

Arrivederci, Jorge

Exhibiting Self Control

I would like to let everyone know that I was able to make all the chocolate I received for my birthday in February of this year last till my next birthday. I am very proud of this accomplishment.

This past weekend I moved a lot of stuff, some might call it junk but I call it treasures, to the farm. My friend who just moved to Colorado let me have the treasures instead of him moving them to Colorado. I call them treasures because I use a lot of stuff at the farm. So I save money whenever I don't have to buy something and I do have a lot of room at the farm. The challenge is keeping everything looking neat.

So now I have another place to go elk hunting.

La Vita Dolce, Jorge

March 9, 2007

Well Alicia went back to school and work, I say that but school is not that far. Alicia had her spring break this week. She spent some time in College Station, and at the homestead we had time to go shopping, eat, and spend some time at the farm. We ate our favorite things: barbecue, pizza and more pizza, and ofcourse cookies. We have turned Alicia's friends into cookie eaters. They now say "Cookies?". At the farm we fed the animals, Alicia finished tightning the bolts on the pickup bed ( we had to take the bed off to replace the fuel pump), and we finished the fence in the middle pasture so we could turn the horses out in the middle pasture and let them enjoy the new grass. C'est Tout, and life goes on.

March 5, 2007

We just got back from Oralando, and we had a terrific time. We were able to get into breakfast with the characters and Alicia took pictures with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald Duck, and some other one. I even took a picture with pluto. We went shopping, spent a whole day at Downtown Disney, ate at Bongo's, went to a Mystery Theater, first for me, and attended the formal dinner. Alicia looked really nice in her dress and she got a lot of attention from the crowd. Mainly cause most had known her from when she was a baby. She even got to walk up to the stage to accept the awards and shake hands and have her picture taken, I think she was thrilled.

I missed most of the scheduled events but some folks had seen me, very few, here and there. Everyone that knew me was asking where I was, because of the few sightings. Some were saying I think he's here, his name is on the attendee list, or I think I saw him the other day. Most people were asking each other where I was so it became a joke, "Where is Waldo". I did get to visit with all my friends Saturday night. I hope I did not miss anybody. There were about 300 people there and I probably know close to 200. We had a wonderful time.
C'est La Vie.