Bindweed

Isn't this flower just lovely?

NOT!

I grew up knowing this as Morning Glory.  You never found it growing in people's gardens.  You would find it in alleys and in over run properties.  I know the wheat farmers judge each other by how clear their fields are of Morning Glory.  But, this is not the lovely blue flower that climbs on peoples porches.  This is Bindweed, a very noxious weed.

 

Unfortunately, our yard is crawling with it.  A couple of weeks ago, we went to  an outdoor festival at the Tukwila Community Center.  There we learned that the bindweed's seeds can lie dormant in the ground for 20 years!!!  I've tried all the safe methods on them, such as vinegar, but it seems to act like a fertilizer to them.



Here it is climbing all over the fence in the back where our raspberries grow.

We just have to be vigilant and pull on them whenever we see them.  It's a huge job.  They send out runners that go for yards under the ground.

To clear this 10 x 10 foot patch, we had to go through and dig out all of the bindweed and the spreading buttercups.  It was a big job, but we did it.  The Fletcher Urban Farm is on it's way.

 

 

When I left the farm, I gave my Muckboots to my friend, Cynthia.  I said I would never wear them ever again.  Well, here I am, wearing Terry's Muckboots that I gave him for Christmas two years ago.  He has tiny feet, so these are just a little too big for me, but when planting the garden, I really needed them.

We covered the soil with wet newspaper, and the pathways with cardboard.  Then covered it all with straw.  This should cut down on weeds and keep moisture in the ground.

Here is our first picking of the raspberries and blueberries.  I put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer to get them frozen, then put them in bags and seal them with my Foodsaver.  This combo of raspberries and blueberries is fantastic in a Smoothie, or a sauce for German Pancakes.

 

 

I found the idea for these mini German Pancakes on Facebook.  You make them in a muffin tin, and they are just delicious.

Wedding in Las Vegas

Last week, Terry, now my DH, and I went to Las Vegas to get married.  When we first decided to wed, everyone was wanting to come to the wedding.  Jeesh, we did that years ago.  We wanted it to be just between the two of us.  So, we decided to elope to Las Vegas.  From all the shows and movies I've seen, it appeared as if you just walked into a chapel and did the deed, but we had to put a bit more effort into it to get what we wanted.  Simple, traditional, inexpensive, and not tacky.  Sorry, but that is a hard combination to find there.  We finally found the Graceland and Storybook Chapel.  They were wonderful!  For the price we paid, we had a choice of Elvis singing Viva Las Vegas, or $60 worth of pictures.  We opted for the pictures.  We got to hear Elvis sing in the two weddings before us, since we arrived early.  He was a gorgeous Elvis, about 6'5'' and very handsome.  His costume was amazing!!!  If you ever want an Elvis wedding, this is the place to go.

Our ceremony was precious, and our Minister was Jean Claude.  He gave a beautiful message, Terry and I exchanged vows and rings, and we were done.  We asked about getting a cab, and the limo driver offered to drive us home for the same price.  It was our second limo ride of the day, since we had gone on a Timeshare presentation earlier, and were driven to the site in a black limo with another couple from our hotel.

 

Below is a picture we had taken in one of the bars where we cooled our jets before leaving for the Chapel.  I asked a woman at the bar to take it for us.  She was waiting to meet up with an old sweetheart from 35 years ago who was on his way to join her there.  I was checking out every single man who came in the door and was disappointed that he hadn't yet arrived when we finally had to leave.  I hope she found happiness in her reunion .  She was so nervous!

 

 

Here we are getting into the limo for our ride back to the Casino.

 

After the wedding, we walked around on Fremont street, enjoying all of the people and crazies.

The next morning, friends of ours who live in Las Vegas met us for breakfast, and we walked Fremont once again with them.  Downtown Las Vegas is the place to be during the hot summer days.  It was in the 100's every day we were there, but the large canopy that spans several blocks on Fremont shades you from the direct sun, and many of the establishments have misters outside to help you stay comfortable (and buy more drinks from them).

The last morning there, I got up at 5:30am, unable to sleep.  I went down to the Casino which was almost deserted and started playing the Michael Jackson slot machine.  It is so much fun, very loud, with speakers by your ears.  The chair vibrates with his music, and Michael comes on the screen dancing, and kicking wild cards onto the slots.  I wound up with $713.00.  Now I know the best time to play the slots.  It's nice to come home from there with money in your pocket.

 

So, we are back at work here at home, trying to combine the two households and getting the "Urban Garden" established.