Lots of activities here in South Haven this weekend. Harborfest (www.southhavenharborfest.com) began today and the weather couldn't be better. Temps in the mid-80's and blue skies await festival goers as the unofficial start of summer begins here in Southwest Michigan. On the shores of the Black River, in downtown South Haven with of backdrop of sail and motor boats, crafters of all types have lined the waterway with their tents filled with treasures of all things cleaver and artsy. And did I mention the food tents? I can personally attest to the pulled pork sandwich from one of the local merchants. As good as any Texas pork I've ever had.
And if you're in the mood for a little fun and lots of chaos, come down and watch teams of 10 folks with big wooden paddles in colorfully painted boats churn up the water in the annual dragon boat races. Stroking to the beat of war drums, these hardy oars people race up and down the river to the excitement of the cheering crowds. The Vikings would be proud.
I think I have finally solved my annual problem of dying flowers. We buy flower baskets to hang and annuals to plant around our lot and we then occasionally leave, to either go back home or visit other parts of the state. Sometimes I remember to ask one of my neighbors to water them ... sometimes I forget. When I forget ... the plants die. Or at least look like they have. So this year I've built a neat little watering system that not only waters the hanging baskets but also the flower boxes ... and even the lawn. Since we return to the same lot each year I thought it worthwhile to keep the place looking decent even when we're not here so this little system should be helpful.
Off to the local irrigation company I go and before long I have a battery powered timer, a bunch of 1/2" tubing, and couple of handfuls of little miniature sprayers and drippers and a vague idea of what I was going to build. I laid out and buried the 1/2" tubing creating two different watering zones. One zone each in the front and back of my site. I then added fittings so as I could hook a common garden hose back to the faucet. On the faucet I added the timer and a pressure reducer to bring the water pressure down to 25 psi. That effort pretty well took up the first day. The next morning I began adding the sprayers and other watering fixtures around the site. It looked all set to try but once I turned the water on I soon discovered which fittings hadn't been tightened down so well. Water was squirting in all the wrong places but after a little tightening, the system finally settled in to what I had planned. So call it cleaver and an engineering marvel or just an exercise in just how lazy retirees can get, but the flowers and grass are thriving during the current drought and heat wave we are experiencing.
So twice a day, for about five minutes, I find my lawn chair, and with a cold drink in hand, observe the fruits of my labor. Water spraying around and making everything green. I can thank my old neighbor Mel for pointing out the pleasures of lawn watering to me several years ago. He certainly had it right.
So the lazy days of summer are upon us and life is good.
Still livin' the dream,
Phil
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