Dead Trees, Part 1

I have too many of them, and I gained a new one yesterday.  I'll explain.  About 10 years ago, lightning knocked off the top 1/3 of a huge sweetgum tree in the neighbor's yard.  Being downwind, it fell into mine.  That made it my problem.  The rain that followed caused a river birch (a real junk tree) that was already leaning over to fall on my toolshed.  

My friends kid me about "over-building things".  Well, the shed withstood the tree falling on it!  But I had to get a tree removal company in to cut up and remove both.  I also had them remove 2 other river birches that were tall enough to shade my garden.

Well, the damaged sweetgum trunk eventually rotted and the middle 1/3 fell over in Fall 2020.  I expected to cut it up with a chain saw in better weather the next Spring.  But then I fell off the extension ladder in January 2021, so I sure wasn't doing any hard work for 6 months.  And I still don't really feel healed (and suppose I never quite will again).  I may indulge myself about all the glories of aging in a future post, but not today.

There is a beech tree in the front yard.  It died 2 years ago.  I have (had) golden rain trees on each side of the driveway near the street.

That's not mine, but a good picture of one.   They get about 15' tall.  Mine were 12'.  One died the same time as the beech tree (it was a dry year for my area) and I saw other dead trees in the neighborhood later.

So the weather forecast Sunday night was for storms with strong winds Monday.  Earlier yesterday, the forecast was for localized near-hurricane-strength winds, heavy rain, hail, and possibly small tornados.  It is kind of early in the year for that, but climate change is real and stronger weather is becoming routine earlier and later than usual.

When the winds started, I was surprised at the violence of the wind on the trees.  It wasn't just one direction.  It swirled, beating them back and forth.  Mature trees bent.  Smaller ones whipped around like shrubs.  It wasn't a tornado, but it was sure damn close.  Hail fell.  Pea-sized at first (which is fun to watch when inside) but it grew to grape-sized and I worried about my lettuce on the deck.

I watched the dead beech tree carefully.  It had partially died many years ago, but sent up some new tops.  None very heavy though.  I had estimated its height and measured to the house.  The remaining heavy trunk would (probably) not quite reach the house, but even 3" branches can damage a roof.

The beech remains standing.  But I didn't realize at first that the surviving golden rain tree had been blown over.  Right across the driveway, of course.  The dead one didn't get blown over; no leaves for the wind to push on...

The storm was brief, so I went out to look at it about 5 pm.  Too heavy for me to drag off the driveway.  I have 2 chain saws.  I can't keep the serious gas one adjusted enough to work (2 stroke gas engines drive me crazy), so I have a small electric one.  I tried to cut it apart, but the blade was too dull.  I have a replacement blade, but didn't really want to mess with it right them.  I figured I would do that later today.

That's when my wonderful neighbors across the street came to my assistance!  More on that tomorrow...

A Surprise Computer Fix, Part 2

So, yesterday, I ended by saying my Apple email wasn't showing old or new emails.  AOL was allowing my Cavebear account just fine but not Marksmews (cats) or Yardenman (gardening).  I like separated and themed user names...

I decided to figure out passwords to try and get my email of those 2 in AOL.  They have been unhelpful in the past, so I didn't even bother calling them.  I looked up stuff on the net.  That is always difficult.  I'm not a beginner, but not an expert either.  I live in the awkward world where I have an idea what experts are telling me but not understanding all the instructions.  Experts assume "some things".  Like what the heck is a "kernal panic"?

But I did get enough to try setting up AOL email accounts.  One site told me the locations within AOL to look at email accounts.  Another suggested way to establish a new password.  None of them worked immediately, but I kept trying some of them.  All failed.  Everytime I tried a new account, I got my Cavebear account login on Safari.

I opened Firefox and tried the same things.  I actually got a different sign-in page!  I entered my Mark's Mews email address and searched around.  I found a place for re-setting a password.  It asked some security questions.  That was difficult'

I have my accounts and passwords on paper (no one can hack THAT).  But over the years, I have scribbled notes of changes and drawn lines to new passwords, etc.  Its a MESS!  I really have to update the Excel spreadsheet of those (its on a standalone computer).  But I found enough in the scribbles to answer the security questions.

I was shocked to discover that AOL had that data and allowed me to establish a new password for Marksmews email account.  But it said I had to restart my computer.  OK, I can do that, and did. 

The Marksmews email account didn't show up in Safari, but it did in Firefox.  I have NO idea why.  But there (Oh happily there) was the Marksmews email account ON AOL.  Previous discussions with AOL agents said that was not possible without a standard monthly fee.  On my screen, there was no mention of a fee.  I am assuming they lied about that.

And when I opened the MarksMews email account on Firefox in AOL (my Cavebear account is bookmarked on Safari), all the old emails and the new 10 days of emails all showed up!  Among them were the notifications from Chewy about my autoship.  So they were not to blame.  

I bookmarked it on Firefox.  I closed Firefox.  I reopened it on Firefox.  The email account shows up in AOL!  I sent emails back and forth to myself.  It worked.  I got one account solved.

Something successful every day is good...

A Surprise Computer Fix, Part 1

Yeah another computer post.  But this time, an interesting and unexpected fix.

 Two things happened.  First, I received an unexpected autoship shipment of cat food from Chewy.  I am supposed to get an email from them advising me of an upcoming autoship (in case I want to cancel or change it).  I did not get an email about that.  I was kind of upset because there were a few flavors The Mews don't love and I didn't receive a notification email in order to change that.

I thought about how that might occur.  First, maybe Chewy had accidentally duplicated the previous order.   Second, since I had been delaying autoship orders the past few months (I get damaged cans), they had sent stuff to keep me as a customer.

The actual reason didn't occur to me at first....  I had 3 email accounts with Verizon once.  I read them all EASILY using Apple Mail.  They sold all their email accounts to AOL with a promise they would all be maintained for free (as it was on Verizon).   

It hasn't been a good experience.  AOL hates people having multiple email accounts.  My Cavebear account (the general one) works fine on AOL (probably because I transferred that one first.  AOL has fought me tooth and nail over the Marksmews and Yardenman accounts.  They want a monthly "support fee" for each (and it was, as I said) supposed to be free.  But I could still receive emails to those (but not send or reply from them.

So, having the new computer mostly working (some apps needed upgrades due to the new non-Intel chip) and some few apps and files just wouldn't migrate (mostly fixed now), I looked at the email accounts.  I discovered that the migration to the new computer stopped my Apple mail MarksMews and Yardenman accounts.  

I could see previous MarksMews emails, but not after April 27th.  Worse, the next day, all the old emails were gone.  As if my Apple mail accounts never existed.  It was only a week, so I hadn't realized that there were no new ones.  That sometimes happens.

And then it struck me that Chewy probably had send a notification of impending autoship, but the emails weren't showing up.  I'll stop here for now.  People get bored reading about computer problems in general and this is getting too long anyway.

More tomorrow...

A Mystery

 This is a pine branch.  It showed up on my deck.

There is no pine tree within 3 lots of mine.  It didn't blow here in the wind.  Something dragged it up here.  It wasn't my cats (they don't wander out of the yard).

But what animal drags a pine branch around?  

The Computer

Its working, but it wasn't for 3 days at first and I was going nuts.   There is bad news at first, but good news at the end, so keep reading.  

It arrived last week.  I made sure my Time Machine backup had the latest version of the old computer.  Went through the migration process.  Answered all the questions along the way.  Recorded all information it suggested.  It took 9 hours.

Migration is supposed to retain all settings.  For the most part, it did, but for some things it did not.

When the migration process was ended, it said to restart the computer.  That made sense, restart incorporates the old into the new.

When it came back up, it wanted my admin password.  I know my admin password.  But it wouldn't accept it.  I struggled with that the entire next day.  No luck.  The new computer software wouldn't recognize me.  

Hooking my old computer back up, I researched "recover admin password".  By design for security, that is not easy to do, but I did find some instructions about it.  Sadly, none of them made much sense to me (too technical and in terms I didn't understand).  I mean, seriously, "kernal panic"?

I set up the new computer again and tried to follow the recovery instructions.  No luck

I tried sleeping the computer, I tried restarting it, I even unplugged the router to reset it after 2 minutes.  Nothing helped.

I set up the old computer again (which, perversely, seemed to be working fine and made sure I had a new backup.  I disconnected it and set up the new one.  I erased the internal hard drive.  I reinstalled the backup.  No luck.  The new computer would simply not accept my admin password.

I shut it down again.  Let's just say "bad words abounded in the house...

The next day, I started it up again to try and do "safe recovery mode" and other things recommended.  But I tried the same old admin password again first (why not?) and it was accepted!  I have no idea why it was now and not before.

But the new computer is working.  It's not perfect.  I lost all autofills, but I will restore them gradually.  Good news is that it hasn't auto-restarted.  It doesn't get hot in sleep mode.  It wakes up immediately.  It seems to send and receive quickly.  All my bookmarks, files, email and photos are present.  

Time to see if I can FINALLY be able to leave comments on blogs again.  That is the last test and something I have missed doing.  

Garden/Yard And Other Stuff

Finally got outside and worked hard.  It's been a long Winter and I don't deal with "cold"  as well as I used to.  Today got to the 80s.  So I got some stuff done...

1.  I had covered parts of the fence flowerbed with cardboard.  Lifting it up, I saw that some annoying weeds were still alive.  So I gave it a shallow tilling with a mini tiller and covered it back up.  

2.  Gave the pollinator bed a similar short-mowing and then shallow tilling.  It is about 350 square feet but my seed packet was for 500 sq ft.  Spread it all.  Well, the thicker the better.  Most won't sprout anyway.

3.  The native wildflower meadow bed is larger (700 sq ft) and needs deeper tilling.  I have a larger tiller, but it doesn't want to start.  I'll have to drain the gas, spray cleaner into it, and otherwise fight with it.  I think what I need to do is cover it in black plastic for the year to smother the weeds and grass.

4.  Speaking of equipment, I have a bad habit of leaving old gasoline in them.  I'm engaged on a project to fix everything and not repeat old bad habits like that.  

5.  I have a chipper/shredder.  It easier to just pile all the tree debris into the trailer and bring it to the County recyling site.  I pull the stuff off the trailer and on Saturdays they will use a bucket-loader to fill it with 3-year-old mulch/compost.  Well, it isn't exactly either.  To course for compost and too fine for mulch; but it is good to add to my compost bin or spread on shipping paper to break down further.  I should sell the chipper/shredder.

6.  Should sell some other stuff too.  I have a lawn roller I never use.  

Not that brand, but one like it.  It's actually bad for the lawn.  But it is good for flattening mole or gopher tunnels and someone would probably want it for that.  I just stomp on the mole tunnels myself. 

Someone wants almost anything for their own reasons and their evaluation of things can be surprising.  I bought a bike to get back and forth to the car dealership with my old car and the next month theyt started offerring rides back and forth.  And besides, I well over trying to ride it.  They say "you never forget how to ride a bike.  Yes, you can.  And I sold it for more than I paid.  The buyer was thrilled.  Yeah!  Win-win.

Sold a large air-pressure pump too.  I bought a small portable one more suited to my needs.  But some guy wanted a big one.  Sold!

I have too much stuff I don't use.  Time to start selling.  I don't need the money, but there is no point in just tossing them away.  What I need more is unclutterred space in the basement and toolshed.

Anyway, I spent the day outside, and I am paying for it now.  Hand and rib muscle cramps, finger-clenches, lower back pain.  I better get this place ready for another 10 years soon or I won't be able to soon.  After 10 years, it is going to be a professional landscaper service or just let everything become "lawn".

New Computer

It arrived a couple days ago.  Need to set it up and migrate the old files to it.  Probably tonight but there is always something else to do.  I don't know about Windows, but Mac Time Machine saved on an external drive works well.

I can delay it a bit because (oddly annoyingly) the current one has stopped auto-restarting randomly and is not overheating after an hour.  It's like it knew it was being replaced...  Of course I don't give sentience to a machine, but it is acting as if it did.  Well, maybe some of the efforts I taken  the past month are actually working.

Still can't get the current one to leave comments on blogs with any regularity, though, so that is enough of a reason to set up the new one.  It's not like I don't try every few days, but constant failure gets discouraging.

I may be avoiding setting up the new one for fear of discovering it doesn't solve the problem.  If it doesn't, I will just scream!   And there is the thought that, if I don't open the box, it is returnable for 3 weeks.  I mention that because this "newest version (2020) has a dedicated Mac M1 chip and may require more app changes.

But if I want to continue with Mac, I probably have to.  A former co-worker just told me her office is going to Google software which (apparently) resides totally on The Cloud.  I don't trust Off-site file storage.  The security is probably better than on my desktop, but I am a WAY lesser target.  And if someone wants to see my photos, they are welcome to.  I keep no financial information or passwords on it.

Flowerbeds Part 5

The current view.   The late white daffodils.

Close up...

The edging specimen daffodils.  Separates the lawn from the perennial flowerbeds.

Some lucky tulips that the voles haven't found (yet).

Top shot of the same showing the neat dark centers.

Some tulips planted in mesh cages are still blooming nicely.

A 2nd patch.

I am thrilled about these.  They are a perennial flower called 'Maltese Cross'.  I planted a dozen of them in a temporary space and they all seemed to have died late last Summer.  Seriously, they just died back and disappeared.  But here they are growing early and healthy!

More of the species daffodils (they were on sale cheap).  They love it here.  I planted one per foot several years ago and look at them multiplying now!  I originally had the edging filled with crocuses, but crocuses are mole-candy.  But they don't eat daffodil bulbs!

Close up...

I've been renovating my flowerbeds and fence-plantings.  Some divisions I put into temporary storage hoping they would survive.  The tubs were originally for growing Yukon Gold potatoes, but since they sell them in the grocery stores now, no point to that.

So I have fancy hostas I can replant.

Autumn Joy Sedum divisions I can replant.

More Sedums...

My naturally-growing hostas are emergibng too.

I'm behind, but catching up.  Sometimes, that is all you can do.

Flowerbeds Part 4

The mid-Spring white daffodils were at their best.

The last quandrant of daffidils are yet to come, but starting.

One later planting of late yellow daffodils are blooming.

It looks good...

Some late clumps in the far backyard are nice too.

A closeup...

 

Flowerbeds Part 3

The 2nd blooming of the daffodils... The mid daffodils were opening.

And you can see a hint of the 3rd group at the left.

But the midddle bllom whites were at their best.

I love the changes from week to week.  Changes are better than "one-time-all-at once".