Valley Gardening: Lift up 4-H 'pool,' take down weeds

Life is good in the neighborhood! Mom’s Garden continues to take shape. I hustled on Thursday and got the Butterfly bushes planted, along with some tall Phlox before the rain started. This rain has been pretty awesome—unless you have your hay down, I guess. 

There’s just something about the electrical charge, and I’m thinking Nitrogen that plants get when the moisture comes from the sky. It can’t be replicated from a bottled fertilizer. So just sit back and enjoy—because more is coming. 

Usually you can time the rain with Stampede (last week) and the 4-H Fair that is happening next week.  A shout out to all parents, grandparents, etc. that you need to take your little ones up to the fair! Lots of projects, animals of all kinds and food. I don’t have the schedule, but I’m sure you can find it online, or in the Courier. There are usually lots of activities for kids. And, the Barbecue and Livestock Sale is next Friday. Thanks to everyone who participates, and especially to those who actually purchase animals and support the kids who work so hard all year.

It would be great to see more Alamosa businesses represented in the stands. Give me a call at 580-7838 and I will send you in the right direction for joining the 4-H ‘pool’. For many businesses it is hard to buy an animal on your own, so a number of folks, from La Jara, to Center to Monte Vista to Alamosa join together to help buy the animals that aren’t getting the higher bids. You can help—every donation helps. Thanks.

Isn’t it amazing how fast the weeds have been growing? Not being able to go over to our duplex for a month sure makes me ashamed of some of my weeds. Thinking I could sponsor the tallest Kochia weed and I would win, but only for a couple more days, because their days are numbered! It is kind of depressing to see the weeds ALL OVER town—especially when businesses don’t care. It’s kind of an attitude of “why should I care, no one else does”!

I also have to wonder why I should conserve water when government entities don’t. Last week after it had poured cats and dogs, the sprinklers were on the very next morning—it was absolutely soaking wet everywhere! Why should I care?

I’ve been pretty down (and outspoken) on the shelter up the road, for a number of reasons. Reasons that I am willing to talk to anyone about. That being said, a man stopped me at the grocery store yesterday morning and thanked me for giving him a place to rest. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about so he told me. Last year when he was having trouble walking long distances, I welcomed him to sit on the benches in front of the Green Spot. He is/was not the type of person we have problems with. He didn’t litter, he didn’t throw his cigarette butts down, he didn’t pick the flowers, he didn’t do his drug deals, he didn’t try and plug his cell phone in to an electrical cord, he only rested….and respected. I was very happy to receive his thanks and I am very happy that he now has a job and is a productive member in our community. He only rested. Congratulations, Mario…and thank you!

I will be planting a lot of Iris in Mom’s Garden this weekend—thanks to Mary Ellen Fleming, George Garcia, Mike and Crystal Hudson and Martin Gonzales. Their donations of Iris in the purple and white range leave me wanting some yellow ones—anyone out there, got some I can dig? If you haven’t already thinned your Iris, now is the time—get after it, so they have time to set down roots for the fall.

I hope to also dig some Peony bushes from Vickie Eagen. I’ve never had peonies in a garden before, because they take up so much room, and once spring is over the Peonies are over. Mom’s Garden does have plenty of room so getting ready to dig up eight plants. For the record, I have not watered Mom’s Garden for over two weeks!

As I was driving to work last weekend I noticed 40 plus cars parked in the lot across from the Visitor’s Center. These folks were crossing the road (highway) to ride the train. I am trying to figure out what the difference is, in parking for the train vs. parking for a convention center—in the Motorways Building.  I’m not sure what is going on with this building—is it structurally safe, has it received occupancy, are the walls bulging, what would it take to make it useable? And who should it belong to? Let’s get it figured out, and let’s get that parking lot purchased and saved for our downtown—who owns that parking lot, anyways? Let’s get it done—sooner over later!