Why I Oughta...

The tree that you see in the middle/right of this photo (the one with a singular trunk that splits into two about two feet from the ground) is a Buckthorn.  This particular Buckthorn is located a short distance away from the "far southwest corner" that I showed in our landscape plan earlier this year.   (You'll note that there's another Buckthorn that is shown in that post and marked for removal.) And a quick look at the listing from the Morton Arboretum tells you all you need to know about the tree: I had a few Buckthorns identified by our landscaper and landscape designer and marked for removal, but with the temps cooling off, I figured it was finally time to get back there and take a look at them and see what I could do myself.  I found a couple of small ones and then used the Google machine to quickly identify that I was, indeed, dealing with Buckthorn. A look at the leaves - not to mention the broad, yet pointy thorns on the main part of the tree - m

There's a few more post-worthy items that I came across at the big Estate Sale up in Twin Lakes including this Millers Falls plane.  My brother-in-law has a few vintage tools and a couple of nice planes, so whenever I come across one, I usually check it out.  Normally, if they're Stanley and less than $5, I will grab them. This one is from Millers Falls - which I had not come across before - and they were asking $12.  So, needless to say, this one didn't come home with me. As for Millers Falls, turns out, they were trying to make planes that were *different* than Stanley.  And that red background - behind the work mark - was part of their key difference.  From this "Old Tools Heaven" post : When the Millers Falls Company introduced its new line of hand planes in 1929, it needed a way to differentiate its products from others already on the market. The identity problem was compounded by the fact that all of the new models were knock-offs of existing Stanle

There I was...sitting at my desk one early morning when I started to see some suds falling from the skies.  I knew what was coming next.  And I was excited.  The window washing rig was about to roll by my spot.  And, for some strange reason, I like seeing this.  It both fascinates and terrifies me.  I've posted about this experience every few years here on the blog.  Here's my 2016 interaction at the Aon Center .  This one was when I was in an office facing due south. Here's my 2012 interaction at 20 W. Kinzie when I was at Google .  This one was facing due south, too.  The photo in this post is facing west and what is most interesting (to me at least) is that the rig that they're on is built specifically for the Aon Center.  It hugs the contours of the building and allows the guys to get close to the windows. 

After having posted a bunch of items that I passed on (or 'got away') at a recent Estate Sale, I figured I'd post some of the items that we *actually* bought - starting with this cast iron toy.  The King of the Ball Tossers tagged along with me to the sale and he asked if he could have a little bit of 'pocket money'.  Sure, I said.  He naturally gravitated towards the toys and found this vintage cast iron horse and buggy "fresh milk" delivery wagon.  It is three-piece with the horse/harness, the delivery wagon and the driver being independent pieces that each latch to each other.  We picked it up and they were asking three dollars.  I coached The KotBT to go up to the Estate Sale host and say:  "What's the best you can do on this toy?"  Of course, the guys were warm-hearted and smiled when he opened the negotiations.  He quickly waved his one dollar bill and the guy said:  'for you....I'll take it'.  And that's how we we

On the left, you can see the tiny Everlasting Revolution Hydrangea plant that I put in last fall.  I showed an early Summer view of this thing when it was barely poking out of the mulch .  This one has always been smaller and a bit behind the other one. That one on the right is the Tuff Stuff Red Hydrangea that went in on the same day .  I posted an early June photo of this one, too here on the blog .  You can see the difference in these two, but also, if you look back at those posts I linked above, you can get a sense for how these have grown over the past two months.  Also, in the middle of this photo is my Weeping Cedar .  I planted this tree in May and it seems to have established itself a bit and hasn't experienced any needle drop like, ahem, other trees.  I cut off the top of the tree in this photo, but you can get a sense for the limbs that it has added and how it appears to have bulked up a bit.  Back to the hydrangeas, though.  You'll note that NEITHER of

Continuing the series of items that 'got away' from a recent Estate Sale up in Wisconsin.  First there was the telephone chair .  Then Da original Mare primary poster .  Then the Snoopy bank from my childhood.  Today, it is this set of beautiful Christmas ornaments.  I've bought plenty of vintage glass Christmas ornaments from Estate Sales and Garage Sales over the years.  But they were almost always a deal.  Like $1 a piece.  As you can see in the photo above, this sale had a heckuva collection.  Some really nice ornaments.  But they were asking $5 a piece for each of them.  Too rich for me.  I took this photo on Friday and knowing that they cut the prices on Saturday, I went back.  And all of these were gone.  At 50% off, they're closer to being the right price for me.  But alas, they weren't meant to be.  Seems that how I value these is off from the market?  Good data point for when I come across more ornaments in the future.  Seems that $2.50 is the po

Back in June, I planted two kinds of pumpkin seeds in the far reaches of our backyard from the packages you see above:  Big Moon and First Prize Hybrid.  I seem to have failed to post about the seeds or seedlings to date in the [ garden dairy ].  But, today, that changes.   For the past week or two, I've noticed A LOT of flowers and quite a bit of bee activity.  Like they were drunk on pollen after hanging out in the various yellow flowers that these vines have put out.  Turns out...they were busy bees.  (get it?!?) It seems that our pumpkin vines have started to fruit.  Here's a look at the tiniest of pumpkins that you've ever seen: I don't know which of the two varieties this one is.  But, the more pressing matter is the race against the clock.  We have just a month and a half until this thing needs to be on our front porch.  Will it get there in time?  I have these pumpkin pedestals on hand that I hope to put into place as this (and others) grow i