Random crap with Uno.

[Buster's Uncle]

I almost didn't make it to Flagstaff once...

[Unorthodox]

Had some real jerks on the road today, that's for sure. 

[Unorthodox]

Something I didn't expect about the drive:

About 20 minutes north of Panguitch (a tiny Utah town who's storefronts could be used for a 1900 era piece set), there were a couple of Buckys (medical grade skeletons that had a flaw in the mold and are sold on the cheap to us wierdos) on top of rusted old tractors. 

Now, this struck me as hilarious, of course, especially as I'm kind of eyeing some land 20 minutes south of Panguitch specifically to build a sculpture garden.  The people there are old fashioned and have a differing sense of humor, and it's not uncommon for you to see "skeletons" decorating, but they are usually cobbled together from various animal bones into a roughly humanoid shape.  Someone, however, went to the expense of getting Buckys, and I can appreciate that.  I couldn't stop where I was at, but will try to get pics on the way home. 

[Unorthodox]

AH, found some pics. 

http://lifeontheopenroad.blogspot.com/2012/06/more-fun-around-panguitch.html

Though, she's wrong, that's not a skeleton under the front tire, that's The Zombie of Montclaire Moor.  (and it's probably sad I know that on sight...)

http://www.designtoscano.com/product/code/DB383020.do?code=PDINCLUDE&code=DTPLAS12

All together, we're looking at $500 in skeletons/zombie. 

[Geo]

Reporting in safe from Flagstaff in case anyone was curious.

Say hello to the observatory from me. 

[Unorthodox]

Been scheming up new designs on my trip here. 

There's been one that's been in the back of my head for a while now (2, maybe 3 years, much like the Barghest), and I think I finally know how to make it come to fruition.  If it works, it, nay, they well could become iconic, another "that's an 'dOx build" thing.  (interesting aside, gaming communities have always shortened my name to "Uno", Halloween communities to 'dOx...don't know what that really says...guess they are more 'formal' or "last name" basis?)  Also ready to work the accursed fence some more.  Been in a rut on that for some time. 

[Unorthodox]

I may just need to sculpt another skull from scratch...

Minor flaws in my last one kinda annoy me.  Was going to just use it, but what the hell? 

[Unorthodox]

Speaking of the decrepit old buildings I get to work in...

Most surreal moment today, someone scribbled their last will and testament on the wall of the building.  Word is they got lost in a snow storm, were freezing, and thought they were going to die, but had triggered the alarm, just took the guards a few to get back to the building. 

[Unorthodox]

Heading back early in the morning, just packing and getting ready for bed.

See if the kids killed all my pumpkins or not...

[Buster's Uncle]

Better than the other way around.

[Unorthodox]

Well, the kids kept everything watered...but they also didn't do any of the weeding they were supposed to. 

The Musquee variety is EXPLODING.  Very excited that it's doing well in our heat.  Cinderellas are struggling again this year where exposed.  The corn-shaded ones seem to be doing well.  Both the sugars and luminas are going well as expected, but are a week+ behind the musquee/cinderellas. 

[Unorthodox]

Planting my maize at some point this week.  (yes, maize, not corn)

[Buster's Uncle]

[Unorthodox]

Hosted something of an impromptu class last night. 

The guy who keeps buying my stuff lives over by my son's school.  Dropping my boy off for football camp Monday, he flagged me down, and needed some help with the cauldron creep he's building.  (cliche do-it-yourself build, widely known plans.)  So, we get it working, and he was fussed over lighting it.  At least he knows how important that is.

So, offered to meet him last night after dark to go over it.  He invited a few dozen folks from that local haunt group...

[Unorthodox]

So, to recap, as I left it a week and a half ago:



So, here's what I come home to.  (started weeding some, as evidenced by all the pulled weeds on the left here, kids watered but didn't weed.)



Musquee variety thriving. 



Cinderella's slacking behind.  (they did this last year too)



Luminas and Sugar pumpkins in corn batch 2.  (can't tell them apart at the moment.) 



A dozen more sprouts awaited me in the starter kit when I returned as well.  A couple of the direct sown mini pumpkin jubilee mix finally sprouted as well. 



I've made several mistakes in my attempt at the 3 sisters garden this year.  Nothing to do but learn and apply it to next year. 

1:  It's not designed for sweet corn.  I knew that going in, attempting to adapt it AS I DID was a mistake.  The whole planting sweet corn every 2 weeks to keep you in corn, and having to wait to plant pumpkins after each set of corn is just too problematic. 

2:  Idiot...I should have made many shorter rows of corn running the other direction instead of fewer long rows.  Would have allowed easier access later on. 

3: The beans...are not working out well.  I'm going to replace them with fish emulsion fertilizer.