Thursday Likes #162

 Welcome to my 162nd I Like Thursday post.  Thursdays a group of bloggers join LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color to share things we have discovered that we like/love.

I had purchased some tomatoes about a month ago.  Then we had rain, and then a couple of freezes. So the tomatoes sat in the yard, and I watched them hoping for some sign of life.  Then it happened!

You can see that there are leaves starting.  Since my time is limited I decided to do cheat gardening.  Don't till the whole garden, mow the weeds, just plant the plants, and use cardboard to help block the weeds.  

Dig a hole, break up the dirt, and remove any weeds.

Fill the hole with water (it had been rather dry, and it was a hot day).  

Place a large cardboard square over the hole, and cut an X.

Fold the sides in.

Take the plant out of the pot and put it into the hole.  Back fill the hold with the cleaned dirt.  Then water.  Place a cage over the plant, with the stakes going through the cardboard. I have read the cardboard prevents weeds from crowding out the plant.  So far it is looking pretty good.

While digging in the garden, as usual I have made some interesting finds.

This bar is pretty long, and it looks like it may have been part of a hand crank for something. 

Another metal bar, and a pink depression glass looking plate. 

My azalea bloomed this year.  I have been babying this plant for 5 years, and it has only bloomed once before.  

 A Rhododendron also bloomed, it was rescued from one of my daughter's lawn customer's yard after they redid the landscaping.  

The Rhubarb is getting bigger.  Perhaps someday it will get big enough I can harvest more than a stalk or two per year.

My parents, sister and nephew went to Hawaii in April and they brought me back this awesome fabric.

It has turtles on it!

My cousin shared this on Facebook and I thought it was pretty interesting. It is called RiverRunner.  You can put in an address, or create a raindrop and you will see where the water will go.  I forget that I live so close to Lake Erie that rain has a relatively short trip.

I read a few books this week while cleaning house, and doing food prep.

Undercurrents the 11th book in the Faye Longchamp Mystery Series.  Faye is in Memphis to run a dig, when she spies a "feral" child wandering through the creek.  When Faye discovers a woman buried alive and learns that she is the child's mother, Faye is convinced that it is an out of the normal murder. Faye with the help of some others discovers a serial killer.  

Catacombs is the 12th book in the Faye Longchamps mysteries.  Faye is in Oklahoma City to attend a Native Arts conference when she and Burt Mantooth are involved in a bombing at an old hotel.  The bombing opens up a subterranean world where the Chinese lived and worked during the early 20th century.  While exploring the bodies of 3 young boys are found, and secrets start to be uncovered.
 

Three Silver Doves is the 3rd book in the Paige MacKenzie Series.  Paige is Tres Palomas, New Mexico to write a story about the local spa with their miracle waters.  Paige meets a local artist that makes jewelry and when a tourist shows up with a similar piece, there are questions Paige wants answered.

Hutchins Creek Cache, is the 4th book in the Paige MacKenzie mysteries.  Paige is in Hutchins Creek to do a story on the railroads.  While visiting the railroad museum Paige discovers a gold coin she starts digging into the past.  

The Hollow of Fear is the 3rd book in the Lady Sherlock Series.  Charlotte Holmes' friend Lord Ingram's estranged wife is discovered dead in the ice house and Lord Ingram is accused of her murder. 

Lord Ingram and Charlotte's relationship progresses, and there are many twists and turns involved as well as Moriarity. 

Now head over to LeeAnna's to check out the other I Like Thursday posts.