Monthly Archives: October 2022

October, 2022 – Warm and Dry

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No rain for the last 2 weeks of Sept and first 3 of October – nothing but sun and temps in the 20s – but finally got some single digits and some much needed rain in the last week of the month. Dropped off car to have oil strainer for the turbos replaced under a recall notice. Good thing it was covered as it was 7 hours of labour; 9 liters of oil; a dozen gaskets, seals and washers; and assorted filters, bolts and clamps. Had our 4th Covid shot and the heat pump serviced. Drained and refilled the spa for the first time (will do it in fall and spring).

Made a presentation on “Canada in a Troubled World” at the Kelowna Roundtable (great fun), had an excellent end of season ride to Vernon on the back roads and bade “mata ne” to Mizuho when she left on the 19th for 3 weeks in Japan. After her departure I had 3 concerts – Charles Richard-Hamelin playing Chopin, Brandon Isaak (Yukon gold at a house concert – check him on Youtube), and a three-person vocal opera group in Vernon.

On the home front, planted two maple trees and two new bushes, extended the top step leading to the firepit-to-be, sanded and spar urethaned the two oak wine barrels, and prepped for the change of seasons by, inter alia, storing 1,000 ft of garden hoses. Also stained all the cedar posts, soffits, front of garden shed, etc. The stain I used originally is no longer made but found something similar (redwood rather than cedar). Spread many pails of poppy seeds and lavender trimmings outside of the fence, along the driveway and around the area near the well head. Did some work with Bob. Aiming to wrap up a bunch of projects before winter, including the barrier fence in front of the spa and cutting/piling lots of branches and felling some trees. Mizuho would very much like me starting work on our bedroom door before she gets back.

Garden on the left enlarged by a meter, garden in the foreground is new as are the two trees. Driveway to the lower entrance is now narrower and will be less stark. Next step is to put some road base crush down and pack it. Next spring shall run irrigation to these areas.
compacted road crush – will need a bit of refinement in the spring but a great improvement
This is the oak barrel before a bit of sanding and coating
Barrel at the front entrance and the freshly stained wall.
Barrel on the porch
Extended the garden blocks (will need more) to form an area where the fire pit will go. Some sort of hardscape will go where the gravel is now. The rocks on the left will be set in concrete to finish the stairs, hopefully before it gets cold.
Rocks now set in concrete, garden created and azalea planted. One or two more azaleas in the spring, and extending the irrigation.
Used some rocks to extend the garden and placed 5 bob buckets of dirt and compost. Plan to make an arbor at the back of the garden beside the deer fence for some grape vines and to shade the lettuce in the spring.

And that’s all for October. Hope all is well in your world as it is here (although Taisho is clearly underwhelmed with my care vis-a-vis the care he receives from his mistress).