![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2017\/02\/democrat.jpg\")
<\/a>Truth! No, really… The truth!<\/p><\/div>\n
Paul went for a walk and returned to pull “weeds” in the font garden.\u00a0 They are not really “weeds “but several places in the garden the remaining seeds that were protected inside the\u00a0 bale we use for mulch started sprouting.\u00a0 They young growth are really easy to pull, throw down on the ground and within days they dry up and become straw.<\/p>\n
We use about 4-5 bales of straw a year around the house to provide mulch for the various gardens we have.\u00a0 Three to five inches of straw keeps the ground underneath quite cool and maintains the moisture level!<\/p>\n
Did You Know? Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and basket-making. It is usually gathered and stored in a straw bale, which is a bundle of straw tightly bound with twine or wire. Bales may be square, rectangular, or round, depending on the type of baler used.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n After returning home from the walk, Sue did the invitations and newsletter mailing preparations for the Starlighter’s and Topper’s.\u00a0 We have this down to a science now. Paul does the computer work and research. It takes about three hours and Sue does the proofreading\/corrections mailing preparations which also takes about three hours! Visit the Topper’s<\/a>!<\/p>\n Typical Topper’s Newsletter<\/p><\/div>\n Late in the afternoon, we got freshened up and headed to the Garden Grove Elks Lodge and danced to Dave Ambrose… He is a little bit country but the music is very easy to dance to!\u00a0 We met up with the Branders, Kuhn’s, and the\u00a0 Z’s plus Irene joined us!<\/p>\n After returning home, we watched a Hallmark Murder Mystery entitled “A Real Murder: Aurora Teagarden Mystery<\/em>”\u00a0 which was really good.<\/p>\n Summary: Aurora finds a member of her crime buff group, the Real Murders Club, killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss. As other brutal “copycat” killings follow, Aurora will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game. Stars Candace Cameron Bure, Lexa Doig, Robin Dunne and Marilu Henner.<\/p>\n Ms. Aurora Teagarden solves the mystery with a little help from Paul & Sue<\/p><\/div>\n Aurora was done at midnight but alas, we had to see one episode of Cheers before crashing.<\/p>\n We checked the messages and we got a cutie from a cutie.<\/p>\n Logan and Lilly – Joined at the hip!<\/p><\/div>\n It was 12:20 when we hit the sack.\u00a0 No rain, yet!\u00a0 The rain is due a little later this morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OK, it is not as cold as back east but in late February it is 49 degrees?\u00a0 There is something Paul used to remember saying… Something about a brass monkey but alas, and thank goodness, Paul failed to remember it! … Continue reading <\/a><\/a><\/a>