Catie George

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I'm wondering about a cheap, bulk source of chalk to try this.

I have some glass skylight windows that add too much heat in summer (but are wonderful in all other seasons). Previously I covered them with aluminized bubble wrap insulation, which is a pain to install because of the wind that rips along our roof.

I know weightlifters have bags of chalk, for "gription." Where can I get this stuff cheap?

Looks like hardware and feed stores sell it as 'line marking powder'or powdered agricultural lime.(Stone) - chalk is calcium cabronate. A lifetime supply, or 50 lb bag, for about 20 bucks.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I never thought of using temporary chalk paint on windows. I wonder if there is an easy way to make it a bit more durable (rain resistant).

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260625-why-the-french-are-painting-chalk-on-their-windows

"Why French people are painting chalk on their windows in the heat"

"As record-breaking heat sweeps over France, some shops are running out of a simple, cheap and unexpected product – crushed chalk.

Known as Blanc de Meudon, or Meudon whiting, it is normally used to make paints or as a cleaning product. But faced with punishing temperatures, there are reports that ingenious people have been using the chalky material as a home remedy against the heat, covering windows in schools and private homes.

Mixed with water, then painted on glass, the result is a milky, whitish coating that lets in some light but reflects the heat. And a growing body of research suggests that there may be some solid science behind the DIY cooling hack."

I wonder if mixing it with washable kid's school glue would make it last a little longer (while still being easy to eventually remove).

I love the idea.

(And yes, exterior shade cloth makes a huge difference, too).

Do you have access to dolomite/dolomitic lime? It's crushed magensium-rich limestone.  Potentially not ideal if you have very alkaline soils, as it will raise the pH, but about 13% Mg by weight (plus 21% Ca). It's a very common soil amendment.

My dad once spent most of a summer ripping 2x4s into 1"strips, then ripping those strips into wedge shaped strips  then hammering those wedges into the gaps between the logs of a very drafty, unfinished log house, then adding chinking to cover.  Might be a better air seal than  furring strips.

Can you focus on weather/draft proofing one room with your stove?

I am an outlier - I use septobac. Not as often as the package says, but occasionally. My parents started using it in the 90s, including for reducing the odour in RV sewage and in an, ahem, 'unapproved' septic at a weekend home, after being recommened it by their sptic pumping guy in the 90s... Definitely made a difference in the second 2 use cases..

One of those things where i dont know if it works, since we have never had septoc issues... But, we've never had septic issues, despite not pumping our septics or being paranoid abot what goes in them. I spend maybe $20 on septobac a year, which is cheap insurance. I had the septic pumped when i moved in 2 years ago, will probably do it again next fall to see how it looks. Mine isnt accessible in the winter (hatch is under a foot of dirt)  which makes me a bit more cautious. A cousin's septic system failed midwinter, and that was a nightmare.

Lt Hauler wrote:Like the thread, this is a difficult task these days.  I like to go on hikes and have been looking for rocks, cool wood and things to pickup to make into unique presents.  Your thread got me thinking.  Any cool rock ideas?

I actually just gave a 6 year old a few cool rocks as a gift. A pretty chunk of local coloured marble and a rock with some nice fossils. Apparently he was thrilled. Kids are great.

Mindat.org can be really helpful for interesting rock hunting. I have never been to Alaska, but picked up some really fascinating volcanic rocks on the shore of BC.

Lately I have been using smooth rocks and an oil based paint pen to make no-fade garden markers for my fruit trees and bushes. One day I'd like to try carving the labels with a Dremel.

Walking sticks are nice gifts.

A local library cut up a small branch with a miter saw into think slices, drilled a hole at the top of each slice ,strung them on strings, and turned them into Christmas tree ornaments for kids to decorate.

I strongly prefer the Radius Ergonomic brand grips over a traditional D style. Never thought I'd fangirl a tool brand, but here I am. Only downside is that their tools are very strong - and quite heavy.


I like short handles for digging, long handles for prying and for shovelling.  For shovelling, a long handle is more ergonomic for me, plus, lifting my heavy Radius tools gets tiring.

It's finally summer - gardening season is in full swing here, which finds me spending WAY too much time in the heat and sun, coming in craving a cold, refreshing drink before heading back out. (Especially since my AC situation is somewhat lacking).

I've rediscovered home made ginger ale. Somehow mildly sweet, yeasty, bubbly ginger water hits the spot when I'm dehydrated.

(Ginger Ale - Combine approx 3.75L of water, a tiny pinch of yeast, 1-2 cups sugar, a small glug of molasses, and a finger of minced ginger in a soft 4L water bottle. Screw the top on, leave it in a moderately warm place, refrigerate after the bottle is hard, in 6-48 hrs, to keep it from exploding. Avoid glass. At the lower sugar level, this is pretty close to a commercial sports drink, and only mildly alcoholic if you stop the fermentation once bubbly. To serve - pour in glasses over a strainer if you dislike chewing ginger pieces).  

What do you make to drink while working outside in the summer?

Thekla McDaniels wrote:I have a lot of wind, though not as hard as tou, but I find that the wind is hard on the young plants.  I have been trying to think of physical structures that would slow the wind, shelter the plants.  

So far all I have come up with is pallets joined at the edges in zigzag.  And long “berms” of stacked corkwood.  And T posts pounded in and upright poles and branches sort of woven in to parallel horizontal wires attached to the T posts.  I guess a giant brush heap might work.

Good point about wind, physical barriers, and baby plants!!

I tend to buy cheap plants that are essentially rooted cuttings. I like to protect them when they are young from  weed whackers, bunnies, etc, with old tin cans. The Saskatoon that died was the only shrub where the tin can was knocked off over the winter, and the tip-killed plants were dead above the level of the can, and are resprouting from the base. Makes sense that the tin cans acted as a windbreak.

 We did have an unusually harsh winter, with colder-than-rated for my zone weather with no snow on the ground, after a bad drought. Fingers crossed things aren't as hit next winter when better established.

Update:

I managed to kill all of my hardwood cuttings, thanks to unexpected life events last spring.

My focus for my windbreaks is changing a little from strictly beauty to prioritizing native plants.

I've been horrified at how few pollinators I have here - I'm surrounded by farm fields and thickets of invasive shrubs, with little value to native pollinators.  I have been having pollination issues on my fruit, and it's not uncommon for me to not see a single bee or butterfly the whole time I am in my yard. It's a little better this year than last year, bur still shocking. I don't think it's a chemical issue, as I have a ton of birds and usually a ton of amphibians.

Lilacs - lilacs live here, I have some that came with the house, and they are invasive and grow wild here, I don't really want to add more, as my mom is quite allergic to the scent.

Viburnum - very good idea, although maybe likes more water?
spicebush good idea, will keep an eye out

I didn't follow my own advice and tried 2 stone fruits on clearance last spring - over the winter, one died and one almost died.I definitely should work on more windbreaks before trying stone fruit again.

In my first windbreak/fruit bush area, One Saskatoon died, the other has grown a lot and is happily suckering already and is producing its first fruit! I intend to propagate it, but it will be too tall for the front. A few other things have survived but aren't thriving yet, lots of tip die back over the winter. One of the U Sask cherries is suckering, the other is forming fruit. Honestly, a whole fenceline of Saskatoons and bush cherries would make me very happy...  

I started on the back wind break - most of my willows also died, thanks to the black walnut. One hybrid willow has made it, as have 2 cedars and a black raspberry.