Storage Self in Garage

The plan today is to build a shelf on the east wall by the door about two feet from the ceiling.  I had planned on doing this for a long time.  There is a lot of stuff, or junk, stacked against the east wall that has to be removed.  I need room for the ladder.  I watched You Tube videos.  There was one that looked easy to do.  I watch it three or four times.   I would build it on the garage floor and then lift it up and attach it to the studs and the trusses.  I would need a lot of help to hold it up and screw it into the trusses.  The lumber needed is two eight foot 2x4's ripped in half.   I will call these 2x2's or boards.   I screwed the first one to the east wall.

To hold the first 2x2 I screwed two blocks into the wall at the right height.  I placed the board on the blocks.  The screws I used were too long and I could drive them in all the way.  I tried to screw them out which was difficult.  One I could get out.  Using a chisel I split it in half and finally got the block off.  Using a large screw driver and vice grips I got them out.

The next one is screwed to the ceiling trusses which are on two foot centers. I did it several times before I got it right.  That proved to be more difficult than I thought.  I marked the board at two foot centers.  I drilled two holes in each end for the screws.  One end were straight and the other end was at an angle.

I held it up with the other 2x2  I needed some shorter screws which I thought that I would go to Fillmore to get.  I looked for some in the greenhouses and in the garage.  I found enough.  I drilled the holes in the wrong place.  I took it off and dilled new holes.  Finally I got it right.

I cut five 2x4' two feet long.  These are for the vertical pieces.  There is a large piece of plywood by house five that I used for the floor of the shelf.  It was covered with snow.  I swept off the snow and some mud. It was eight feet long and about three feet wide.  I cut off a two foot strip.  I then attached the bottom rail.  The photo below show the finished shelf.

I finished the tool for cutting narrow strips of wood.  The one I made yesterday did work to well.  It sets on the fence.  I can push a board through the saw with my finger safely away from the blade.

Comments and questions are welcome.

The Cucumbers Went Like Hot Cakes, All Most

 We started the morning by picking the cucumbers.  This has turned into a morning activity.  We took them to the post office and displayed them at the newspaper pick-up.  It is not used for that any more. We had three totes.  By evening, they were all gone except three or four Armenian cucumbers.

Next we picked the pole beings.  I planted some good pole beans early this spring.  Most of those died.  I bought some bean seeds at Walmart.  They turned out to be undesirable.  They are flat and don't snap well.  Those beans that survived make really good beans.

Beans need to be cooked in a pressure cooker.  That prevents them from developing botulism poison.

Fourteen pint bottles.  One of the fourteen is from the seed purchased at Walmart.  I cooked the exta Walmart bean.  I ate some of them this evening.  I did not like the taste of them.  They were not cooked long enough.

Getting a little late in the morning, I watered house three.  I mixed a bottle of Dawn dish soap with a couple of gallons of water.  Some of the pepper plants are lousy with aphids.  Using the injector, I sprayed the peppers with soapy water.  I used the high pressure.  I got the wet with the soapy water.  I then used clear water to was the soap off the pepper plants.

 More pepper plants.

A customer called and wanted to know if we were open.  We were and they bought eight native plants and one house plant.  $90.

We the drove to Fillmore to fill the car with gasoline.  After stopping at the market we deposited the money in the credit union.

We moved the grill out side and left an empty spot.  I started making a shelf  which will be behind the door when it is opened.  I can get things off the floor with the shelf.

Here it is finished.  There still needs to be a little more work to get it where I like it.

Comments and questions are welcomed.

Tomatoes and Salsa

This morning we picked the tomatoes in our garden.  They are just beginning to produce more than one or two.  Carol washed while I picked a bucketful from house six.  We worked on them for five or more hours.  Part of the time was for cooking.  I used the egg beater to break down the tomatoes.

We filled 36 pint bottles.  They may last us for a couple of years.

This morning Carol took a tote of cucumbers to the post office.  They were gone by five.  We have more to take tomorrow.

Some of the patio furniture cushions were soiled by the cats.  I cleaned them up some and then put them on the sofa and chairs.  The umbrella contained some yellow jackets.  They fell out and I stepped on them.

The patio crew helped me move the barbeque out of the garage and to the patio.  That left an empty space in the garage.  I moved a few things around to make room by the door to build a storage cabinet.  It may hold mainly books and magazines.

I carried a 1/2 inch by 2 by 8 piece of plywood to use for building the shelf.  I hope to finish it tomorrow.

It has been pretty hot.   It did cool down and looked like it might rain.  We put the cushions in large black garbage bags to keep them dry in case it did rain.


Comments and questions are welcomed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ....