What have you done "naturally" lately?

[natman]

When you don't want weeds, ........ DON'T WATER THEM !!!

That is our mantra. My wife waters all of our gardens and lawn by hand. That way she ONLY waters the plants we want to hang around.

Unfortunately, in the Houston climate, there is often enough moisture that it is impossible to restrict water from all of the plants we do not want.

Currently our biggest nemesis is oxalis weeds and Mexican petunias, which seem to come up everywhere.

I never considered using a propane torch to kill them. Hmmmm.

[Bare_Truth]

That is our mantra. My wife waters all of our gardens and lawn by hand. That way she ONLY waters the plants we want to hang around.
Unfortunately, in the Houston climate, there is often enough moisture that it is impossible to restrict water from all of the plants we do not want.
Currently our biggest nemesis is oxalis weeds and Mexican petunias, which seem to come up everywhere.
I never considered using a propane torch to kill them. Hmmmm.

You could try denying them sunlight. Black plastic has been used as a mulch if you have infested patches of the noxious weeds It is my understanding that it one of the few techniques that will kill off misletoe where the growth and surrounding twigs are cut back from the limbs or trunk which are then wrapped in a heavy grade black plastic and secured. But at least with garden plants you don't have to cllimb a tree.

As for torching, last year Ihad a problem infestation in my trenches and used one of those big torches that is fueled by a 20 lb propane bottle (I had the bottle on a 2 wheel hand truck) It worked but it took a lot of care but I managed to keep the collateral damage to just a few singed potato plants. It did kill the weeds though. In a case like that it would be good to spray the plants down with water first to reduce collateral damage. A little mist on the plants will do a lot to help them survive, but no weeds are likely to survive the brunt of that big torch for more than about 10 seconds. For small stuff the Bernz-O-Matic with an extension handle is pretty effective, but so is a really shapr hoe , the objective being to shave the weeds off at the ground surface and then do not water for a day or two.

[Bare_Truth]

What Have I done naturally lately ??? Well not much as I had only been up a brief bit of time but "I grabbed the camera and dashed outside naked".

That is going to require a modicum of explanation to help make sense of it. As the sun is coming up the lighting changes very rapidly and some of the illumination effects change so rapidly that seconds count if you want to capture the image that is presented. It stated indoors when after breakfast I was walking back to the bedroom and the following image presented itself.

Left Click for Higher Resolution

It is said that "Dogs have people, but Cats have Staff". Here, "Her Feline Hignness of the House" awaits her maid or butler to come and open the door for her. It was however my attempt to capture the virtually glowing presence of the dogwood in the background I was trying to achieve. There was a complete light overcast from last night's rains, but it was about 7:00 AM and the sun was just risen and the light that made it through the overcast at the horizon was flooding light under the cloud cover causing the lighting effects of difusse illumination accompanied by light reflected off the underside of the overcast, which caused the blossoming trees to take on an almost glowing appearance.

School bus had made its returning pass across the end of the driveway which makes a privacy gap in our bamboo grove so it was now safe to go out to the position that would be ideal for further photography to take photos of the trees without the interference of windows.

Left Click for Higher Resolution

The tree in the foreground with the slightly pinkish hue is our cherry tree from which the birds may let us have enough cherries for a pie or two. The white tree (with a very slight greeninsh tint, Is the same dogwood as in the previous image.
The need to do this photography naked derives from the fact that I sleep and breakfast naked and the occasions of special lighting effects are very transient and there simply is no time for getting dressed and still getting the pictue. The school buss having already made its two transits past the gap in the bamboo grove, the risk of offending someone in a severely politically incorrect manner now being past I made the sortie to capture the image, this one being taken with the most direct illumination from behind me. Most of the people on their way to work that pass the driveway entrance are likely going so fast as to have no more than a chance to catch a brief glimpse and not take in any detail anyway, plus their minds will be on the things of the day ahead.Should they actually be going as slow as the 35mph (56kph) speed limit (a rare event) they would only have about 0.63 seconds to traverse the 15 foot (4.6m) gap where the driveway breaches the 20 foot(6m) tall grove of bamboo. So the chances that they would even notice a naked photographer at a distance of 150 feet(46m) are pretty slim. (Ahhh, the risks we take for the sake of the art that is one of our avocations)

[JimShedd112]

A beautiful and inspiring image, for sure.

Jim

[Ramblinman]

Bare_Truth,

No doubt you have enough bamboo that you could cut some canes (combined with a 4x4 post and a few 2x4's) to construct a privacy gate.
If you don't care to hop out and lock and unlock it, it could be a "Bump Gate".

Your trees, meadow and vegetable plot literally look Edenic.
To me, Edenic Landscaping is as much a part of naturism as being without clothes.

[New_Adventurer]

Oh my, the poor little kitty is out in the rain... We had many cats that were the perfect example of Garrison Keilor's "Songs of the Cat," I want to go out, I want to go in, I want to go out... When my son was about six, we had a pair of dark black litter mates, Ashes and Soot. When I was carrying in the groceries one day every time I went through the door the two cats exchanged places, passing each other and trying to trip me. We also had one cat that was too stupid to get out of the rain, she just sat in the rain with her ears down while getting soaked. She was also a rescued cat from the vet hospital where she was a blood donor. I suspect they drained out a little bit of brains with each blood draw.

When the car drives past, backs up, and the driver takes another long look and complains about seeing a naked man in the distance, just ask why he went to so much effort to peep. "But you are naked." "Oh, I didn't notice. What is the problem?" "But, but, but, you are naked." "Yea, I guess so, and you are trespassing, gawking, and peeping. Did you want to be social and join me? Or, should I call the cops for you?"

[Bare_Truth]

......
No doubt you have enough bamboo that you could cut some canes (combined with a 4x4 post and a few 2x4's) to construct a privacy gate.
If you don't care to hop out and lock and unlock it, it could be a "Bump Gate".

Although the species of bamboo (Phylostachys Aureosulcatta, aka Yellow Groove Bamboo) is classified as a "timber bamboo" it is athinner strain of bamboo, (mostly 1.5 inch max on the larger canes). So for anything structural it would need to be bundled, but that is a neat idea. although rather than gate posts i would be more inclined to consider "Gabions" [1] (as no digging would be required and I can make the gabions from cattle panels which cost only $20 and this being Missouri I already have tons of the fill material.). It would be fun to do just for the difference and durability and the fact that the ground out by the road is so rocky that digging a hole there is a very difficult task.

Your trees, meadow and vegetable plot literally look Edenic.

I would accept the compliment except it belongs to their maker, i am only the gardener who has the privelege of "dressing and keeping it" I do however try to carry on the traditional uniforms established with the original gardeners that he employed for that task .

To me, Edenic Landscaping is as much a part of naturism as being without clothes.

I agree wholeheartedly

[1] See at:
-- For creative and decorative applications see at:https://www.pinterest.com/gabion1/gabion-ideas/
-- For background history and other applications see at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion
-- Tip and Tricks for doing it yourselfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFjEWnA3Mtc&index=2&list=PLM9HDAshB4QsqmGLowZOzKer1VJWSfcDo But use only galvanized wire if you want it to last a long time. e,g, (use galvanized tie wires not re-bar carbon steel tie wires)
-- Many more on Youtube

[Bare_Truth]

Oh my, the poor little kitty is out in the rain...

A.-- It wasn't raining at the time but she was looking for food at that time of day.
B.-- Learning patience is good for her character
C.-- She is too imperiously impatient to begin with

We had many cats that were the perfect example of Garrison Keilor's "Songs of the Cat," I want to go out, I want to go in, I want to go out... When my son was about six, we had a pair of dark black litter mates, Ashes and Soot. When I was carrying in the groceries one day every time I went through the door the two cats exchanged places, passing each other and trying to trip me.

That is soooo credible and typical.

I have had one area in which my cat training has been successful. The cats always want to saunter in or out at their own pace. When they slow exit placing my toe agains their butt get them to accelerate. When they are sauntering in, closing the door on their tail ever so lightly that it drags agains the fur on both sides has proven very effective. This proves to be necessary training when the winter winds are blowing snow in the house.

When the car drives past, backs up, and the driver takes another long look and complains about seeing a naked man in the distance, just ask why he went to so much effort to peep. "But you are naked." "Oh, I didn't notice. What is the problem?" "But, but, but, you are naked." "Yea, I guess so, and you are trespassing, gawking, and peeping. Did you want to be social and join me? Or, should I call the cops for you?"

Well when there is a risk of that I generally have a pair of old "cutoff" kahki shorts that are a fair match to my skin tone, that I can slip on really quick to use for "plausible deniability" so they can end up wondering what it was that they really saw But I can see the merit of your approach. It kind of depends on the personality and motivations of the peeper, but I never have had anybody back up.

[RMOlson]

Last week I put up corrugated plastic roofing panels on my deck rails to allow me naked time with out neighbor problems. The top of the rail sits just below my belly button, since it is on the second floor none of my neighbors should be able to see.

[Jim]

Last week I put up corrugated plastic roofing panels on my deck rails to allow me naked time with out neighbor problems. The top of the rail sits just below my belly button, since it is on the second floor none of my neighbors should be able to see.

Looks like a good idea. I might copy it some day.

[Bare_Truth]

Last week I put up corrugated plastic roofing panels on my deck rails to allow me naked time with out neighbor problems........

An excellent idea, however a few notes of precaution to the unwary or uninformed do-it-yourselfer.
-- Many such panels are fiber reinforced with the fiber being glass fiber or the like. These can be very irritating and embed in the skin and be itchy. -- Polymer gloves,(e.g. nitrile rubber, puncture resistant, disposable sort), help with this as does lathering up with soap and letting the lather dry to be rinsed off with the fibers after the risk of exposure is past. (e.g. after any sawing of the panels or handling is done.)
-- The fibers are often exposed at the edges so protecting against subsequent exposure to the edges is advisable.
-- When fastening the panels with screws or nails the fasteners should be placed through the hump of the ridge and not the valley, as it makes for a more elastic attachment that is not as likely to pull through.
-- Fasteners need to have a flat contact under the head to contact the panels. If "bugle head" fasteners (common on deck screws) are being used without firring strips a small corrosion resistant washer can be used under the head
-- In high wind situations a firing strip can be used so as to spread the load over the width of the panel with an attractive reinforcement. A few fasteners through the firing strip and through the panel into the stanchion are highly effective.
-- Pre drilling the hole through the strip and panel will make for an even stronger attachment. definitely recommended when a firing strip is not used.
-- If pull through of fasteners is occuring, retrofitting of firring strips is practical.

My experience with this derives from skirting of mobile homes in North Dakota where such panels are a good choice but only if done right. I expect that areas prone to gusty high winds would make the firing strips nearly mandatory. In hurricane prone areas further research might be necessary to meet codes. Some manner of lattice panels might better survive wind especially if placed on both sides of the stanchions so as to effectively block viewing.

All of the forgoing advice is guaranteed to be worth everything you paid for it or double your money back.

[RMOlson]

Bare_Truth,
Excellent advice! The panels I bought have no fiberglass reinforcement. I did pre-drill and used d a foam strip designed for use with the panels in lieu of wooden furring strips, they also cut down on vibration caused from the wind.

[Bare_Truth]

Bare_Truth,
Excellent advice! The panels I bought have no fiberglass reinforcement. I did pre-drill and used d a foam strip designed for use with the panels in lieu of wooden furring strips, they also cut down on vibration caused from the wind.

The only "foam" strips ia am aquainted with for use with such panels are intended to go between the corrugated panel and what it is being mounted to in order to make a weather tight seal from the panel to the structure by filling the corrugations. So I am not quite sure what you are referring to and the strips I am aware of are more like rubber of flexible soft polymer. Your picture did not show any such strips so I am not clear on exactly what sort of strip you are referring to. So now you have me cruious if this is some sort of technological innovation. Of course that is reasonably likely, as also the use of construction adhesives might also be a relevant innovation. Most of such panels I have seen are quite strong overall, but comparatively weak at attachment points. This makes wind the primary enemy because the large surface area can catch a lot of wind and even a mild breeze can exert a large force on a panel, wheras the attachment points are quite local if some sort of strip does not spread the load over some region of the panel. Nevertheless the idea is an excellent one, and in the event there are small children around the panels do close up the gaps between rails where a child could fall through.

Additionally in some cases, depending on the layout of things, the panels, if translucent, could make for some interesting lighting effects with the light showing through, in which case the color could prove attractively decorative, or using multiple colors of panel might produce interesting effects. The one additional concern there being that if one stands so as to be back lit in front of translucent panels, one might have some concern as to what the silhouette might display to the neighbors

So long as one is working with such panels and its framing, while one is at it, It might present a good opportunity to provide a light and airy zone on the deck where one could retreat in order to mute the effects of too much sun on a bright and cloudless day, not to forget that it could provide a shelter against a sudden rain that might otherwise interfer with a barbecue activity.

I am going to have to give some thought to what you have presented, as such panels might have some possibilities for me and the wife as we are into the part of the year where we breakfast out on the deck but sometimes the wind sort of spoils it if the temperature is marginal and a wind comes up.

[Ramblinman]

A couple of thoughts about roofing panels on the deck rails...
When one is nude behind Palruf or similar corrugated plastic roofing when the sun is low in the sky, there is the chance of being backlit and showing a nude silhouette of oneself to the neighbors.
Is that illegal? Hmm..not sure. But it could cause friction with some neighbors. Reason enough to be careful.

Secondly, corrugated roofing (or any other solid material blocks wind. That could be good or bad depending on the temperature.
If you want some chance of breeze to get through, consider privacy netting for your deck instead.

It will diminish some of the breeze, but not as much as solid plastic.
Privacy netting may need to be doubled-up in order not to reveal too much.

[natman]

Well. Saturday was not only Cinqo De Mayo, but also "World Naked Gardening Day 2018"



We went to the nursery and purchased about 60 square feet of St. Augustine sod. I wheel barreled it all to the back yard, then off came the clothing to do the job RIGHT. We placed it all down, then I hand watered ever bit of it until it was all saturated in order to encourage it to meld and take root. Then we did some other gardening, picking weeds, trimming bushes etc.

It was as good a day as we ever get here in Southeast Texas.