Just simply marveling in the magic that May brings each year. The month of May brings an explosion of color and beauty as the glory of Spring fully emerges. Sharing a few of my photo favorites from this month’s captures.
The morning car ride to work is a short drive for me. I’m typically running errands on the way into work, or making phone calls to family…catching up on the latest comings and goings.
This particular morning, I had just left home and the car radio was on and that’s pretty standard. The radio is soothing background noise. What grabbed my attention that morning was the intense discussion between the two DJ’s about the word CRITTER. The opinions were definitely opposed.
One of the DJ’s was intent upon using the word as a negative term in regard to describe an animal/pest situation, such as a mouse or rat. The other DJ debated the word CRITTER as a way to describe any animal. I was inclined towards the later view.
What I gathered from that brief discussion was I never had really thought about that word origin before… was this word, CRITTER a true Southern thing? What is a CRITTER???
According to the dictionary, the definition of CRITTER actually refers to any type animal or creature… all creatures, great and small. The word derives from the term, Creature, as a variation… in regional dialect format. The word first appeared in the early 1800’s in literature as a derivative of creature.
I’m not really sure what I think about this word after my last encounter with the critters of the belly crawling type… lizards and snakes this past weekend😳. My first encounter with a lizard was short, and shocking to both of us. As I dug into an old flower pot, digging out the old roots with ungloved hands, as I began to pull up and out with the old root system, a lizard emerged!!
He was stunned as was I. The “critter” lizard was simply lying on the driveway unmoved. As the shock waves wore off that I had unearthed a lizard, my lesson in grabbing my gloves was brought back to view.
My other “belly crawling critter” of the snake type, has been spotted in my front flower bed. Ugh!!! Action has been taken to hopefully keep the snake from returning. My eyes are constantly peeled to keep any crawling critters in full view as I walk up the front sidewalk. I think I would actually call him, Mr. Snake, a “varmint” or pest instead of a critter.
I must confess, my brain went to work quickly on this radio banter probably because we tend to deal a lot with pest control issues/ repellents inside the hardware store.
Folks tend to fall into two camps, as they are dealing with CRITTER issues… repel or embrace/make peace or coexistence with the Critters, making it a bit of Riddle. Which path to take???
Don’t get me wrong… Critters and PESTS are two different things in my mind. Pests can be destructive if action isn’t taken. The question, one must answer is the Critter becoming “Pest Like”??? In order to solve the CRITTER RIDDLE, and make the decisions that are necessary for all critters involved, both should be taken into consideration.
Case in point, Deer. What I have found is that some people welcome the deer into their yards by feeding these critters with offerings of deer corn, or other foods, providing a food source instead of hopefully letting the “critter deer” feast upon the tender garden plants themselves.
Others, repel the “critter deer” away from the delicate gardens in hopes that they will go elsewhere for a yummy treat. The Riddle… requires a bit of ingenuity of what will work well for that critter in order to achieve the desired outcome for each homeowner. Critter v. pest???
Which leads me to ask the question… How do you view that word, CRITTER??? It might not be mind boggling stuff, but maybe an exercise in how we view the outer natural world. A riddle of nature itself.
May is a wonderful time to be in the garden! Here’s a quick rundown of some of the BEST days according to Blum’s Almanac to plant, fertilize, harvest, or weed. Mark up your calendar to remind yourself, save this link, and head on down to Wilkes County Hardware to begin the Gardening season strong! Let’s get growing!
Get growing with a fantastic potting soil medium. This potting soil is “the workhorse of potting soils” and hands down my favorite! A MUST Use for transplanting!!!
Baccto is definitely in order to refill your planters this Spring. Yes, you should replace the potting soil in your planters each year by switching out the old, spent soil.
Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!!
Here’s an interesting fact… Other potting mediums price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! Baccto is priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! The price point, $8.99, for 25 pounds, $13.99 for a 50 pound bag, both competitively priced! It might be time to make the switch in 2024.
LASTLY, As a FULL service hardware store, we will LOAD these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!
May Garden Tips:
1. Water well, especially small containers… these small containers act like a “crock pot” on a warmer day, cooking those plants inside! Yikes! Go big when it comes to container gardening. You will water less. When watering with your water hose, water at the soil level not directly on the plant surface.
2. Have a plan when it comes to making your garden Deer Resistant
Be proactive in keeping pests at bay. Wilkes County Hardware has a good selection of deer repellents. Be vigilant about your routine when it comes to spraying your plants. We recommend spraying your plants at least every two weeks… AND more frequently after heavy rainfall. I have also found that my deer became “immune” to the pods… If one method doesn’t appear to be working well for you, then it is time to switch it up. I’m currently using the deer spray and granular to keep activity to a minimum in my yard.
3. Insects are inevitable as the weather warms up… these creatures come out of their sleeping slumber. Don’t wait to see what happens next, stop by Wilkes County Hardware to learn about your options.
4. You have Gardening Power! You can do this in your own time and space. Do what works well for you and keep on growing and improving.
Your garden is not only the outward sign of beauty for your home, it’s also a reminder of hope and resilience to bloom even in difficult circumstances.., and lastly an opportunity to showcase cherished memories of those you love. Let’s get planting!
Excitement and anticipation… emotions from a few weeks ago upon the first spotting of a tiny hummingbird! My first little hummingbird zipped right by me as I sat on my back porch. It signaled my brain that it was time to get busy and get my feeder out ASAP! I busily hurried along to find my feeder, throughly cleaned it, and began my first batch of clear nectar.
Are y’all ready for hummingbird season? Here in North Carolina our season officially begins each year around Late March – mid April. Ideally, it’s a good time to place your hummingbird feeder out around tax season, April 15th as they are warm season birds.
If you haven’t prepared for your tiny visitors yet, you can visit us at Wilkes County Hardware for a great hummingbird season. We have already had a few questions regarding hummingbirds… feeders, etc.
Did you know that hummingbirds tend to return to the same areas as the previous year? Hummingbirds are migratory birds and they will be eager to find a full feeder. Hummingbirds will return to the same source of food each and every year, if it is readily available. Be ready with a clean, full feeder for your favorite little hummers.
Creating A Hummingbird Habitat in your own backyard
1. Hummingbird feeders ideally should be placed 15-20 feet from a window. Shrubs and trees nearby for resting areas for hummingbirds as they feed, and a have water source close by like a bird bath or a fountain.
2. Hummingbird Feeders should be cleaned out every few days as the temperature begins to warm up and feeder should not be placed into full sun.
3. Hummingbirds will be attracted to all the beautiful colors in your yard/garden. Bright and vibrant flowers that can attract hummingbirds like Vines, and tubular flowers and some perennials are welcome sources of nectar.
4. Your Hummingbird feeder should be easily visible for your enjoyment and easy to spot by the hungry little hummingbird.
5. Be patient, it may take several weeks before you notice any little hummers at your feeder. Leave your feeder in place for a least two weeks before moving it to a different location.
6. Lastly, use CLEAR nectar in your feeder only. Yes, hummingbirds love the color red, but nectar is clear in its most natural form like the beautiful red, tubular flowers that hummingbirds love to feed from in nature. If you wish to attract more hummers, then go for a red hummingbird feeder and clear nectar.
My grandparents grew up during the Great Depression. The one thing I learned from them was never to be wasteful with food. Granny always saved the smallest portion of food and they used leftovers at the next meal often as a new side dish. It wasn’t always a “reheat and eat” type of side dish… They also used leftovers as a soup or even made a casserole. Waste wasn’t part of growing up during the Great Depression. Everything was used to the fullest extent.
I must admit, leftovers do get away from me sometimes, and they end up not being eaten before the expiration. I created this recipe out of necessity, using what I had on hand in the refrigerator and using up my leftovers.
Leftovers are a great opportunity to experiment with pantry staples and mixing in your leftovers. Challenge accepted!
As you review my recipe, please feel free to add your leftover veggies, pantry staples, and spice blends into this recipe to make it your own. This would be similar to a Taco Soup flavor profile or Mexican Chicken Soup as far tasting and key ingredients. Enjoy!
Pork Stew Ingredients:
-Leftover pork chops or chopped pork (2 grilled pork chops cubed )
-Chili powder, red pepper, black pepper, salt (1/2 tsp each ) I used these to make a blend of spices to sprinkle over pork chops
– Canned salsa or Rotel (I had 1/2 can salsa left so I used it)
– 3/4 c Button Mushrooms diced (sauté in soup pot with dried onion and dash of Italian seasoning)
– Shredded carrots (1/4 c)
– Beef bullion cube- see note below
– Water 2 cups ( Note: 2 cups of beef stock can replace water and beef bullion)
– 1 can dark red kidney beans (drained)
– 1 can White beans (drained)
– Tomato sauce (1 small can)
– Handful of Frozen corn (leftover roasted or grilled corn would definitely add to the dimension of flavor)
Prep and Make: Easy Stove top recipe or even Crockpot
1. Sauté mushrooms in spices (dried onion and Italian seasoning) in your large soup pot.
2. Add shredded carrots and sauté for a few minutes. Add the diced leftover pork chops, add black pepper/chili powder spice blend. This spice blend will give it a nice kick. Reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/4 tsp to reduce spice.
3. Pour in salsa or Rotel. Stir well. Add water and beef bouillon cube or beef stock (see note above)
4. Add tomato sauce, all drained beans and a handful of frozen corn. Stir well. Simmer on low until vegetables are cooked.
5. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and cornbread.
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 