Craft Fairs

Well it’s that time of year again for Craft Fairs. Although they pop up now and then all year, the fall is the peak time for the Holiday Fairs. Some are small gatherings held at a school or church and others are larger, held at the big auditorium.

The largest fairs around are the Castleberry Fairs. You can see a calendar of events at their web site http://www.castleberryfairs.com/index.php
In Wilmington, MA where I live there are several Castleberry fairs held during the year at the Shriner Auditorium just off Rte. 93. The fairs attract over 300 crafters that sell their wears including jewelry, knitted clothing, toys, hand-carved sculptures, glassware, paintings, yard ornaments, wind vanes, pottery, jams and jellies and other assorted items.

I prefer to sell my crafts at the smaller fairs since the entrance fee (table space fee) is smaller at about $40-$60 for a 6x10 foot space. The Castleberry Fairs charge $300 for their table space.

My craft involves decorative painting on wood, glass, metal and slate. I purchase blank items at discount stores and then paint a decorative design on the item. For instance I paint roses on wine glasses and then resell the painted glasses individually or in sets for $5.00 each. I also paint on small wood stools, end tables, metal buckets, clay pots, wood signs, mailboxes and I have made wood clocks.

I start my painting at the end of summer and continue through December, restocking items that I have sold or that have been custom ordered. Recently, I sold a few end tables with flowers painted on them. A customer then asked if I could paint a seaside scene on the end tables with seagulls which she wanted to give to her mother as a Christmas present. It generally takes me about two weeks to do a custom order when it’s mixed in with the other jobs.

This year I only signed up for a few fairs. They are/were at Tewksbury High School, Woburn Son’s of Italy, St. Thomas Church in Wilmington and Austin Prep in Reading. The older you get, the harder it is to lug all the painted items back and forth to the fairs. I have about six big rubber maid boxes filled with all my painted items. After carrying them all out of my basement and into the SUV, I then carry them all in to the fair. Each trip takes an hour. After, it takes another hour to just unpack them and set them up on the fair table and shelves. I then have the reverse job at the end of the day. That is about four hours of lugging boxes and another six hours selling items at the fair. Oh, my achy old bones.

Each year I try to paint something new. This year I got some roof slates from a good neighbor and cut them down into 8x12 inch slate welcome signs. I then painted various items on the slate and sealed them with a Poly Acrylic Sealer. The slates came from an old house which was built about 1850 along the Middlesex Canal. Although the slates are reused to patch old slate roofs they can be also used for decorative purposes.

On some of the slates, I painted some scenes of the ferry boats that were horse drawn along the Middlesex Canal in the late 1800s. You can see some photos at the links below.

You can also see some other photos of the Applefest Fair at Tewksbury High School and those items at my web site. Just click on the link below……

Applefest Fair ….. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Applefest11610#

Web Site ….. http://markscrafts.com

My next fair is on Saturday, (10AM-3PM), November 20, 2010, at St. Thomas Church, Villanova Hall in Wilmington, MA. 01887. Come checkout my decorative paintings.

Comments welcome ……… markryan82@comcast.net

Removing Lichen

Over the last few years I have noticed some lichen growing on my house roof. It seemed to have started when some trees near the front and back of the house shaded the roof and kept the roof damp. Each year the lichen spread out more and covered the entire roof. Although the trees have now been removed, the lichen continues to grow.

I tried scrapping them off, but they soon returned. There are fine rootlets that dig into the shingle tar and when scrapped away leave a small indentation. After searching the internet and reading Peter Horton in the Globe, there seems to be no cure for this problem.

However, I think I discovered a possible solution. Lichen is a composite plant growth of an algae and a fungus living together in a symbiotic relationship. See link ……. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen

Since you can kill algae in pool water with an algaecide, it might also work on lichen. Using this idea, I bought some pool algaecide called HTH Algae Guard (3x concentrated) and applied it to the greenish gray lichen. The next day the lichen turned brown and seemed to have died.

Over the next few days I applied some more HTH with a small brush and let it absorb for a few minutes. I tried to work only on a small area about two feet square so I could scrap off the lichen while they were still wet with the HTH.

I then used a hand scrub brush with strong bristles and scrubbed the lichen off while scrubbing the HTH into the shingle. Painting the roof with HTH will prevent further lichen growth. It was much easier scrubbing the lichen off after applying the HTH than without.

You can buy the HTH at any hardware or pool supply place. I bought mine at Walmarts. However, they only stock it during the summer season. You can see some photos of the lichen and the HTH materials in the link below …. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Lichen92510#

In the photos of the roof, you can see that the lichen has been removed from near the roof peek and along the right side. The area in the middle of the roof still has the lichen not yet removed but will be worked on later.

I would assume that the HTH might also be used to remove moss and mold growing on walkways, house siding and green stained yard furniture.

Comments and suggestions welcome: …. Send email to … markryan82@comcast.net

Gardens and Gophers - 2010

The harvest this year has been pretty poor. I only got a few good size zucchini and some yellow squash. The eggplant has been nibbles away and the corn is dry and small. The tomatoes seemed to be stunted in growth with leaves dry and brittle. All of this is probably due to lack of rain water. However, I am still getting a lot of cherry tomatoes.

Last year there was too much rain water, this year it is too dry and hot. If you depend on Mother Nature to help water the garden, you were out of luck this year. Since I have been away from home several days each week, it has been hard for me to water the garden on a regular basis and consequently the plants have suffered.

Another reason has to do with a critter that is living under my back yard shed and near the garden. He has been feeding on the big leaf vegetables and after a few weeks my zucchinis have no leaves. He has also nibbled on the juicy stems near the base of the zucchinis which has prevented the plants from getting water.

Consequently, I have written a going away poem for my little garden friend. Hope you can appreciate the humor and frustration.


My Friend Gomez

Gomez and I get up early every morning to tend the garden. We start by weeding and trimming the edges. I pull out the dead leaves. Gomez nibbles the juicy ones, as his plump body wiggles and weaves.

I use a hoe and Gomez likes to use his paws with sharp claws. I turn up the soil to root out the tough weeds and Gomez looks for the grubs on which he feeds.

After a while I add a little fertilizer with a triple 10 blend while Gomez likes to add a natural one, dropping a little here and there achieving the same end.

I tried to coax Gomez to start his own garden far away from mine. I spread some moth balls and fox pee around Gomez’s den, so he would find some other place to dine.

Now that he has eaten all the zucchini leaves, he nibbles away at the grass. There isn’t much left of that either, since the dry summer sun has burned it up fast.

I think its time for Gomez to take a trip, so I ordered a special traveling box that is just the right size. It’s called a Have-A-Heart-Trap, I hope he will like the surprise.

I hear they serve great meals in Gomez’s future home in the woods down south. However, I think I have had enough with Gomez and like a mad dog, I am beginning to foam at the mouth.

If you haven’t guessed by now, my friend Gomez is a Gopher. One of God’s little creatures that have some great purpose in life, but only God knows what for.

Yours truly,
Farmer Mark

Habitat for Humanity - Whitefield, NH

As you may know, I have a camp trailer in Littleton, NH and spend a lot of vacation time there from May to October. Most of the time, I bring the grand kids and we have a great time swimming, fishing and hiking and just enjoying the outdoor life. Besides the activities right in the campground, there are also plenty of sights to see all around the White Mountains area.

Recently, I attended a Pancake Breakfast held at the town common in Whitefield, NH which is only a short distance from Littleton, NH. Besides having a great breakfast of pancakes and sausage for only $5.00, we got to talk with other travelers sitting across the table. Some were local people and others were vacationing from near and far. In addition, there were crafter tents set up all around the town common where you can see the works of local craftsmen and women selling there wares. There were wood carvings, nature photographs, knitted garments, handmade walking sticks and furniture, jewelry, and handmade baskets.

As we strolled around to the different craft tents we stopped to talk with the crafters and purchased a few interesting items. However, one table advertised a local Habitat for Humanity Project and they were looking for donations as well as volunteers. After taking a Habitat flier, I left my name and email.

A few days later, I got an email from Habitat and volunteered to help out at a local work project in Whitefield, NH. They needed volunteers a few days per week. Since I was camping close by, I decided to volunteer once a week, if I was available. Last Friday I put in my first volunteer day and came back to camp sweaty and sore from all the hard work. Besides myself, there were about 12 other volunteers who also donated their time.

The volunteer work involved clearing a building lot for a small three bedroom home that was already awarded to a local young family who met all the income requirements. The prospective owner also had to volunteer 300 hours of sweat equity to the project. The work entailed cutting down trees, dragging brush and throwing branches into a wood chipper. Other jobs required digging holes, raking and leveling sand for a foundation, putting up a project sign and a million other odds and ends.

The non-skilled volunteers generally only worked on Thursday and Saturday for 4 hours while the professional contractors, like heavy equipment operators, plumbers and electricians showed up on the other days when they were available. Most of them also volunteered their services. Water and snacks were provided as well as most hand tools. You could also bring your own tools if you had them.

Since I was early and one of the first to arrive, I ended up digging a four foot hole along the foundation wall. Although most of the digging was in foundation river sand, we eventually hit roots and rocks and regular dirt that was hard going. The hole was for the water and electrical PVC pipes that had to go under the foundation wall and below the frost line. After digging the hole, we placed in the pipes and marked them with red tape and then buried the hole again with the pipes sticking out of the ground. Later, the professional contractors would make the completed connections. You can see photos of the work day at the link …….. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Habitat72310#

You can also see other photos for the project in Whitefield, NH at the link below ……
Whitefield, NH - Habitat Project
http://ammonoosuchabitat2010build.shutterfly.com/


You can find links to other projects in Greater Boston at the link below ………..
List of Habitat Projects in Greater Boston with Links
http://www.habitatboston.org/links.html

General information and owner requirements can be also be found at the link below ….
Habitat for Humanity – Greater Boston Home Page and Info
http://www.habitatboston.org/index.html

After I volunteer a few more times, I’ll let you know how the project is progressing. Remember, volunteering is a labor of love and giving. It’s good for the soul and its great exercise too.

Comments always welcome. Email …… markryan82@comcast.net

Garden Update 7-7-10

I got my first zucchini of the summer this week. Although I have been watching the garden grow and weeding each week, the fruits and flowers and vegetables seem to pop up and grow overnight. You can see some photos of the garden at the link below ……
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/Garden7710#

Everything seemed to be growing well with very little watering during May and June. The natural rain water has kept all the plants healthy. However, I did water some by hand with a watering can from the rain barrel, mostly on the days that I planted new plants. To keep the water around the plant, I dug a circular trench around each plant with my fingers. This keeps the water near the plant roots and prevents it from running out.

However, the hot and dry spell we have had this week has really sucked the water out of the soil and consequently caused the plants to droop. Since rain is not predicted until the end of the week, I did have to give the garden a good soaking with water from the house garden hose. Since Wilmington, MA, where I live, still has some water restrictions, you can only water with a hand held hose after 5PM and before 9AM. I even saw flashing signs up in North Reading, indicating a water emergency. All the water we got this spring from the torrential rain has entered the water table, then streams, rivers and out to the ocean and back into the water cycle. Unfortunately, we will have to wait again for mother-nature to pour some back on the land.

You can see from the photos, which I have a good size pumpkin and zucchini patch going. I put these plants in an area where I have composted for a few years. The soil is now nice and rich and full of nutrients. Another reason I plant the zucchini here is to keep the “American Bamboo Plants” from growing. They are very invasive and aggressive weed-trees that take over a garden area if left unchecked. I have tried weed killer and even dug up the roots, but they continue to spread. They grow like wild fire by root propagation so leaving just a small piece of root in the soil is enough for a new plant to pop up. I weed them out each night and the next day they are back. My only salvation is when the zucchini patch spreads out and takes over.

Hopefully, the summer will not be so hot and dry and we will get some rain, at least once per week. As the season progresses, I’ll let you know what’s available. If you are in the area, drop by, I love sharing my harvest or just a cup of coffee or (ice tea).

See you around the pumpkin patch.

Comments always welcome …. markryan82@comcast.net

Garden Potatoes and Cold Frame Transplants

Garden Potatoes and Cold Frame Transplants

A. Potatoes
In April, I rototill the garden and then rake out all the dead weeds and rocks. I then add some garden fertilizer (10-10-10) and/or some compost that I turned last year from lawn grass clippings. I help the compost pile with some lime and try to turn it every week.

In May I rototill the area on the outside of the garden fence and then hoe a trench to plant some potatoes, onions and dalais. You can buy bags of seed potatoes, small onions bulbs and dalai tubers in a garden shop for a few dollars a bag.

You can also grow your own seed potatoes. Just pick some potatoes at the grocers with developing eyes and then set them on top of the refrigerator for a couple weeks. You should then have several potatoes with a lot of eyes.

Cut up these seed potatoes into small two inch pieces, each with an eye. Plant the potato pieces in a garden trench about one foot apart and cover with a couple inches of soil. Water well. In about two weeks you will see green plant shoots sprout out through the soil.

You can see some photos at the link……..
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/GardenPotatoes51310#

B. Transplants
After growing some vegetables from seeds, starting in March or April I move the seedlings to a cold frame. As the seedlings got bigger, I transplanted them to individual pots and leave them in the cold frame for a few more weeks.

I built my cold frame from (1x2 inch) wood strapping and then covered it with clear plastic all around (bottom, top, sides). I stapled the plastic to the wood frame so that it was air tight. I then put the plants in individual cups with holes in bottom in a large tray.

When watering, soak the soil in pots and then fill the outside tray with water about half full. The plants will absorb extra water from the outside tray as needed. The water will last about 4-5 days and then you will have to water again. The temperature inside the cold frame will be much higher than outside and you will see the water condensing on the inside of the plastic. In extreme heat, you will need to vent the cold frame for a few hours per day.

At the end of May or first week in June you can move the transplants from the cold frame to the garden and water at least once per week. Water more often if there are several continuous hot days. Most plants will thrive on one cup of water a week.

You can see some photos at the link ….
http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/GardenUpdate6610#

During the rest of the summer, just weed and water as needed (at least once per week). Also, I need to stake and cage tomato plants in a week. I will harvest most vegetables in August.

Let me know if you would like to try some fresh garden vegetables. I’ll save you some.

Comments always welcome: markryan82@comcast.net

Fishing - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
As Doctor Suess use to say, its fun when you know how to fish and a good book certainly helps.

Well it is time to take out the old fishing pole and try catching the big one that always gets away. Even if you are rusty or haven’t tried fishing, it sure is a relaxing endeavor. All you need is a fishing pole, some hooks, and some bait to start. You drop the baited hook in the water and tug on the line a few times to attract the fish.

Most fishermen will catch a fish and then gently take it off the hook and throw it back to swim away. The fish soon recovers and you have not depleted the fish population from the local pond. This is called “Catch and Release”. Other fishermen will catch fish that are big enough and take them home to eat. In most local freshwater ponds you can catch sunfish, bass, pickerel or trout.

The Mass. Dept of Fisheries does stock most ponds and lakes with a yearly supply of fish that they have grown in local hatcheries. Normally they might dump a thousand fish or more into one pond. The cost of maintaining local ponds and lakes with fish is supported by the purchase of fishing licenses.

If you are the least bit interested, I have listed some information below that might get you started. Also, fishing is a great activity to share with your children, grandchildren or just a friend. There is nothing like spending the day out in the woods near a pond and enjoying the quiet outdoors.

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As I was reading the Sunday Boston Globe today (May 9, 2010), the title of a book caught my eye. It was written by a Biology teacher from Billerica, MA along with his son. The drawings and photos in the book are from those actually caught by the authors.

Although I noticed the book title because I like fishing, I also noticed it because a friend told me about it recently. One of my Romeo friends, Joe Loducca, knows the author and mentioned the book as well as some good fishing spots near Townsend, MA. You can see the news article and the book title below.

New Freshwater Fish Identification Book
Boston Globe,May 9,2010, page C6, Books, Shelf Life, “Guide to Northeast Fish”,
By David A. Patterson, Billerica Biology Teacher, (Friend of Joe Loducca)
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/newton/articles/2010/05/09/shelf_life/

Local Fishing Derby (Check your local papers for local fishing Derbies)
Wilmington, MA, (June 5, 2010), 9 AM to 12 Noon at Silver Lake , Town Beach, No License Needed for this one day of fishing, Take the Kids, A life long hobby enjoyed by all. All you need is a line, a hook and some bait. Residence and Non-residence welcome.

Learn to Fish
Volunteers from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will present an Angler Education Program sponsored by the Wilmington Recreation Dept. at Silver Lake, Town Beach on Thursday, My 13, 5-7 PM. Parents and children are encouraged to team up. The class is free for residence and non-residence. Pre-registration is necessary. Call the Recreation Department at 978-658-4270

Some Fish That I Caught
You can see some photos of a few fish that I caught at Silver Lake, last year with my grandchildren. I caught a few Pumpkin Seed Sunfish. They are identified with the black spot on their gill cover with a red spot on the end and squiggly vertical dark lines across their body. I also caught a juvenile Largemouth Bass recognized by the dark line down the center, the mouth and the fins. See photos of fish at the link ……. http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/FishingAtSilverLake81908

Mass Fishing License
Now that I am a senior citizen, I can get my fishing license at a reduced rate ($16.25 for the year, January to December). A rate chart for hunting and fishing licenses can be found at the state web site …………… http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/licensing/license_fees.htm

Local Fishing Ponds in Massachusetts
You can also find depth maps for local ponds that help you decide where to fish, identification photos and links to other relate sites at the site ……. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pond_maps_nd.htm

Other Fish Identification Web Sites
http://www.identicards.com/allaboutfreshwaterfish/
and http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/default.cfm