Thursday, June 1, 2017

SWEET!

I have been fighting with keeping my place watered and alive during our scorching Summers.  We are always under water restrictions, despite most of my neighbors not observing them.  The ones that fail to do this always have those in ground automatic water sprinkler systems.  I have drug hoses around for years and will continue to do so.  I just can't justify the cost involved to have one installed.  It just boggles my mind how much they cost.  While having one would be great, the cost is much to prohibitive.  Upwards of 5k+ for my 1/2 acre.  Doing it myself is out of the question on this rocky soil and would still be well over 3k.

I do have a 'walking' sprinkler I use for part of it.  It is an old one that is not made anymore that my Dad gave me when he got a sprinkler system installed.  It has seen it's better days and I have had to rebuild the gears in it recently.  Using that thing is much better than going out every hour to check on it and relocate it in order to cover all the area before my water restriction time sets in.  We are only allowed one day a week and from 7 AM to 11 AM and then again from 7 PM to 11 PM.  I set alarms to help me keep up with the time to move the one sprinkler that doesn't walk.  If you miss a day, you can really hurt your landscape in this heat.  I have done that and have areas that have not recovered even years later.

I finally broke down and got me another one 'walker.'  I didn't settle for the cheap ones you can get at Home Depot or off Amazon.  I wanted one that would handle the rough yard I have and hauling a 100' hose and not wear out in a couple years.

This is a thing of beauty, American cast iron, no plastic on this baby.  Made in Nebraska.  Very Sweet!


I put it together and wanted to try it out immediately, but Mother Nature had other plans.  I could see in the distance a Thunder Storm heading our way.  Glad I waited.  It turned out to be a Tropical Storm nearly.  Lasted about 30 minutes but it was a hard rain.  Just over an inch.  Oh well, I will get plenty of chances to test it out.

We also took Buster in for his Summer cut at the groomers.  I think he thought he was going to the Vet.  He was trembling when we got him there, poor guy.   He will be much more comfortable with this short cut despite him looking funny for a while, until it starts to grow back in.



Happy Trails

3 comments:

Old NFO said...

That looks like a National... And the pup definitely looks cooler! :-)

Harry Flashman said...

The only place I have with grass is my meadow, and it's way too steep for anything with wheels. But I don't water it anyway. I'd like to have a nice lawn like meadow, but it's in the too hard category.

Your dog looks pretty good all trimmed up for summer. Mine are both short hairs, and they still are careful to stay in the shade this time of year.

Randy said...

Old NFO-it is a National, the had parts for one that I already have that has gone out of business, good folks

Harry-I understand, there are trade offs, you get to live out in the country though, I don't