drain field and blooming things

Drain field saga continued. Gunnar said it was a bad idea to use the motorized snake as it could break the pipe so Rocky used our 25’ manual snake. He put the business end into the pipe and pushed it in as far as it would go, all 25’ without meeting any real resistance. He put the other end into his drill and turned it slowly while pulling it out and other than a small amount of really dark thick watery stuff, nothing came out. At that point it was dig another hole at the 25’ mark along the length of that line, cut out a section and run the snake through for another 25’ and then maybe repeat for the last 20’. I’m thinking if the clog is that far down how can that really be the problem since the water was backing up and filling the hole almost immediately. The other option was to continue to dig up that line looking for a break. Both options required more work and expense so I had him just cap that line where he had already cut it 3’ or so from the feeder pipe from the tank instead of further digging and exploration. 

I have 12 field lines and didn’t think capping one was going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. It’s only the two of us after all. We put the hose back into the access to the third tank and filled it until we could hear the pump engage and…nothing. So far so good. He didn’t fill in the trenches yet so I could keep an eye on it and see if it dries up or continues to get wet. So hopefully the problem is fixed. Now Sunday morning at 7:30 it’s almost completely dry, still a little mucky in a couple of spots. 

Later…At 10:00 there’s a little standing water right at the end cap so maybe it’s not completely sealed though it’s such a small amount it may not be a problem. 

Meanwhile…I wrote a while back that I still had five major things to cut back over at my sister’s house; the morning glory bush, the white orchid tree (which freezes down to the ground every winter and comes back so it’s more like a big thorny shrub), the pink trumpet flower bush, the rangoon creeper, and the banana trees. This after I had already cut back a lot of other stuff over there I had planted before we put the house there for Pam. Anyway, I had already done the morning glory bush and part of the pink trumpet flower bush so Saturday I finished that and started on the rangoon creeper which I finished Sunday along with the white orchid tree so that just leaves the banana trees. I’m trying to get it all done and all my spring garden in before my cataract surgery in May. 

Speaking of my spring garden, yesterday another big branch fell off the pecan tree that was so severely damaged by hurricane Beryl last summer and hit the corner of my patio table that my flats of seedlings are on on the way down. Fortunately my seedlings were unharmed but it bent the crap out of the table leg and it now has to be propped up with a brick and three slabs. Surprisingly, it did not break the glass top.

Garden report: A few carrots have finally sprouted and the zinnias are coming up. I bought one more tomato plant and some onion starts yesterday. I tried onions once before with no luck but I have a better area with more sun now so trying again. Seedlings are coming along but not big enough to put in the ground yet.

Things in bloom: the first amaryllis, 

the white bearded iris,

the fringe flower tree,

the freesia laxa which was not completely taken out by the freezes but not the carpet of flowers it could be,

and the wisteria in full bloom. 

On the wild side: the bluebonnets,

and the baby blue eyes.