New activities taken up during COVID-19

[Browneye]

Setup a hydroponic vegetable garden.
Building a Koi pond in the atrium.

Took nearly a month to finish the pond, but was well worth it. Must have made a dozen trips to Lowe's, and had to rent a jackhammer to chip out the old landing steps. 350 stones and a lot of sweat later, it sounds like a gentle stream. Very soothing.

 

[Art Deco]

Took nearly a month to finish the pond, but was well worth it. Must have made a dozen trips to Lowe's, and had to rent a jackhammer to chip out the old landing steps. 350 stones and a lot of sweat later, it sounds like a gentle stream. Very soothing.

The water flowers ... floaters ?

 

[Art Deco]

Nothing quite as constructive as all that, here... But I am psyching myself up for a summer decluttering... gonna Marie-Kondo my condo!
Still riding now and then (though without an office commute Mon-Fri, since I'm on telework now, I find I ride a lot less overall, than before the pandemic.)
Some great streaming... Netflix "Dark" was amazing! And some great online streaming -- revisiting all of the episodes of James Burke's three "Connections" series; the original series (made in 1978) I vividly remember watching (and loving it!) during 9th grade physics class...

Did you read the companion books as well?

 

[Browneye]

The water flowers ... floaters ?

Yes, water lettuce and Hyacinths. We got 5 of each for $2 a plant and they rather over-stocked us. LOL

 

[Buckdubay]

Took nearly a month to finish the pond, but was well worth it. Must have made a dozen trips to Lowe's, and had to rent a jackhammer to chip out the old landing steps. 350 stones and a lot of sweat later, it sounds like a gentle stream. Very soothing.

Really nice!!!

 

[christob]

Did you read the companion books as well?

Only the first one!

 

[Taylor57]

Hittin golf balls and ridin my ebike. I have been trying to get in at least 10 miles a day and 5 rounds a week

 

[Art Deco]

Yes, water lettuce and Hyacinths. We got 5 of each for $2 a plant and they rather over-stocked us. LOL

Hyacinths . To plant them you just toss 'em in the pool and stand back IIRC. I haven't planted or stocked ours in years... outdoors and filled by rainwater. I'll post a pic sometime. Anyway, awesome job Browneye.

 

[Art Deco]

Only the first one!

Me too.

 

[Art Deco]

Hittin golf balls and ridin my ebike. I have been trying to get in at least 10 miles a day and 5 rounds a week

How many miles do you walk on a round of golf? Or do you use a cart?

 

[Art Deco]

I re

Connections was a great PBS series. I remember one about how the stirrups gave raise to the whole feudal system.

I remember that too. Try shooting a bow and arrow on a moving horse and be able to hit anything. Stirrups made a tribe of Mongols? able to aim and hit the target out of spear range.

 

[Art Deco]

Setup a hydroponic vegetable garden.
Building a Koi pond in the atrium.

My wife is the hydroponic queen. She emptied out a couple of "salad boxes" so I snapped a couple of full and empty pics for you. The light is very red ... apparently that is a big part of making those work is high powered lights. Attempting to post photos
1 An empty box ready to plant
2 Boxes with greens

3 The overhead lights adjust up and down as plants grow, and the red glow blasts thru the back window like a red light district
These "salad boxes" do not need a water pump, but they use air pump and airstones like an aquarium. A box flipped open - you fill the top with water


5 AeroGarden brand all in one countertop units for tomatoes, peppers, and herbs
these have a pump as well as a light and are a rather expensive toy.

6. That harvesting thing I mentioned. Not hydroponic, just squash season.

 

[Browneye]

After burning thru a few of the aerogarden thingies, the lights only last one session, she said she wanted another one and I said let me build you one.
This is a flood tray with 20 grodan 4" cubes and 8 T5 lamps...

 

[Art Deco]

After burning thru a few of the aerogarden thingies, the lights only last one session, she said she wanted another one and I said let me build you one.
This is a flood tray with 20 grodan 4" cubes and 8 T5 lamps...

Looking good. Looks like what she was growing earlier ..basil,dill,thyme all healthy.Hope you like basil pesto , that's what she uses.

 

[Browneye]

The outdoor hydro-garden...drip system from a reservoir...fabric pots with coco-coir:

 

[Art Deco]

This is Barb now. Joe showed me since I am the gardener. Impressive. Not used to seeing beans grown hydroponically. what are the plants bottom left?

 

[Art Deco]

Oh, and it looks like you got this covered, but the Aerogardens now come with led not fluorescent. Mine still going strong after 5 years. Nice for winter herbs, and lettuces. most other things are too large. The salad boxes are much more productive for those of us who are not handywomen and can't build our own.

 

[Browneye]

The big hydro garden has the bush beans, they got huge. In front there's sage, chives, and there was spinach, but it went to seed - we ate what we could and then replaced it with some basil.
First time we've tried the hydroponics thing outdoors - way better than growing in the ground, but it's not cheap. At least not for the first go-round.

It's so much easier to feed plants in a hydro garden. They just go nuts. We use General Hydroponics organic nutrients from the pot shop. LOL.

 

[RandallS]

Everything tastes better when you grow your own! I am referring to food of course, I imagine there are members on these forums who expand their product lines beyond that.

 

[RandallS]

My new activity is sleeping in, mind you it's not just the pandemic. I retired in 2014 but did some selective consulting work until about a year ago. All those years of 6am starts. But now I only get up early for an early tee time. Oh yes, I'm riding my bike(s) more often of course.