Yesterday, when I jumped on my solar-powered golf cart to run out to the Wolf Garden to plant more beans, my trusty garden cart didn’t take off like usual. It kind of went up to speed, then lost power, up again, then down. Oh oh … I’d never had trouble with it at all before now. Usually, when the batteries are getting low, it sort of jerks rapidly until it finally gives up the ghost. Not the case this time. I got it back to the generator shed and plugged it in, thinking that maybe … just maybe, it was low of power. Not so. No dice today either, although when Will looked it over briefly, he found a loose battery cable and tightened it up.
I got on it later and tried it out. It did the same as before. I researched it and the information said it might be a corroded or loose cable on the speed control box. We’ll have to see. Meanwhile, I’m down to walking (not a good option for my poor knees.) or using the ATV, which Will is using to run more steel T posts out to the tomato patch. My “freedom” is now at a standstill and I’m sure praying we can find a solution. I use the golf cart multiple times every single day. But, on a happier note, we did get a very nice rain. We ended up with more than 2½ inches and that sure makes the gardens happier. And the weeds too. We’ll sure be weeding soon.
Will got the Main and Berry Patch Gardens freshly tilled and I planted a big section of Dauman super-sweet corn and when he gets back with the ATV, I will plant the last of the muskmelons, Oka. Then I only have a few beans and a little more corn to go and I’m kind of done. I say “kind of’ as I don’t think I’m ever done planting as long as there’s a square foot of empty garden space somewhere.
We’re astounded at our flower beds. Some of the new peonies I just planted last year are starting to wow us with their color, as well as some small spring bulbs that are just starting to bloom. Amazing!
— Jackie
Wishing you good luck with golf cart repairs. These senior injuries and aches are annoying! I twisted my ankle mowing on a hill with my push mower so sitting with an ortho boot on waiting for medical ok to to resume activities. ( I’m your age). And listening to the Kids tell me I shouldn’t do stuff like that! How did they get so bossy!
Ha ha! Like they know anything, right?? I get so frustrated, wanting to do what I “think” I should do and just can’t. Thank God, Will got the golf cart fixed. It seems it was just a locked up brake.
Sad to hear about your knees. I don’t understand. Mine were back to all action and activities by 3 mths. And I keep it up by exercises specifically for knees I do 3 times a week; for the bend, for the straight, and for strength. I don’t want progress to go backwards! I’m pretty aggressive.
We live on a mountain to go upstairs, downstairs, to the driveway, to the garden, to the orchards, etc. etc. I’ve refused to use our quad to go anywhere. And I carry everything and make multiple trips with tools, etc. because I want my legs, stamina, and energy to stay strong. Do not ‘baby’ your legs.
Yeah, I am too, but to no avail. Mine are constantly swollen and sore. They bend well but hurt doing so. I’m afraid instead of babying my knees, I over-worked them earlier on. Now I’m paying for it.
Every time I exercise, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, (I exercise both knees, though only one is operated on), both knees swell. There’s arthritis and osteo. What to do! But, otherwise, am so happy for a new knee!
I know your problem with mobility. I use my ATV daily and my kids think I’ve forgotten how to walk. I use it to go everywhere and haul everything. Sometimes the mother board on a golf cart gets corroded. Here’s hoping you find an easy fix. Best wishes
Will tore it apart but so far, no answers. My son, Bill, who used to work on them is coming tomorrow to, hopefully, save me. I have a hard time using the ATV as when I was 17 I broke both hips pretty badly and now if I swing my leg over the ATV back to mount up, my hip gets so bad I can barely walk. Thanks for the encouragement.
Hi Jackie, I understand mobility issue. Arthritic knees, fused discs in back and COPD. I’ll be 77 Monday and I’m a widow but I’m still growing a lot and raise dairy goats (milk to make soap, lotion, yogurt, and cheese) and have chickens. I have a question for you though. I ordered some seeds from you and they have all preformed wonderfully. I ordered pale grey Hopi squash because of the description and because I’d never heard of it. Boy did it GROW! Huge vines and leaves and tons of squash. But my question is how do I know when it’s ripe and ready to pick? Thanks for everything. I’ve been following you for years and reading your books. You inspire me.
Have follow you for way long, glad to see you are well and happily gardening! Even tho we have issues as we age(pulled groin muscle and two days in hospital for me last week). Gotta keep up that wonderful attitude you have! I am moving into senior housing and will only have some community raised beds but you can bet I will be growing in the spring! Take care, Jackie!
Good to hear from you Ginger. And great to hear you’re still planning on gardening.
@Ginger – you’ll also have windows and perhaps some patio type space. Anything you can grow to use or trade is a plus.
I’m still trying to get the weeds and risomes out of my hoop house beds. I have one of the two hoop houses planted after dealing with horsetail and fire weed risomes. Work on the other one is impared by a hot spell. It hit 90 yesterday with 105 in the green house and hoop with them opened up so I got up early this morning and made some progress. I’m mostly moving around with a wheeled walker and a cane due to old back surgery and last summers stroke which is why my beds are in such bad shape. My daughter did what she could last year but was overwhelmed. At least I’m still above ground and can do something!
Horsetail is the weed of the devil. It grows everywhere here and it’s impossible to get rid of.
I hear you Howard! It’s so hot in the hoop houses I can’t go in there during the day. We’re having a heat spell too and it’s staggering! I’ve only gotten rid of horsetail and fireweed by covering it up totally with heavy, dark material for a few months. Maybe do a part of the hoop house every year?
Without my golf cart, my mobility is at a slow, slow pace. It’s so frustrating!!!
Your peonies are sure beautiful, especially the one that just ‘happened ‘! Sure hope your cart gets fixed. We have a old ‘hope it can get to the pasture & back’ pickup we use to fix fence, haul wood, etc. it gets the job done, but a cart or atv would be handy as getting around the place gets harder.
Hot weather here again, supposed to be over 100 this weekend with high humidity. The corn and peppers sure like it, but the broccolini and peas will give up soon. I watered the garden this morning after church, and put a wading pan in the run for the hens and a fan in their coop. All I can do.
My dh read the average price for a ticket to the college world series this weekend is $780. With this heat and that price I’ll gladly just watch it on tv!
Whatever your weather, stay safe.
Well, not good for your knees. Hope Will can get it running right! One is neverdone’ seems like In planting. Beautiful flowers! Garden is gorgeous, just waiting for the sprouting! 2”!!!!! We’re hoping to get Some moisture in the front that’s moving in tonight or tomorrow. Then back into hot dry winds. Mother Nature is fooling around this year!
Yep, Mother Nature has gone bi-polar, it seems! It’s either too hot and dry or too wet and hot. Then it’s going into the 40s this week at night. A city about 100 miles southwest of us, had hurricane force straight-line winds the other night and is damaged badly; no power, trees down everywhere, etc. We were under a tornado warning but we slept through it. Holy cow!!
We got rain also – couple of inches. Was too wet to weed today and starting Saturday we’re in for a week of feels like 100-105. I’ll try to squeeze in an hour or two of weeding Saturday morning. I’ll concentrate on the garlic/taters/tomatoes/squash/cucumbers first. Hit the grass I see in the asparagus patch too.
We continue our stealth stock-up – we’re making sure we don’t draw attention to ourselves. That is the plus side of having more than one place to shop.
Better half did the tomatoes/squash/cucumbers on Friday. I did the taters today, better half got 2/3 of the asparagus patch done. It was a sweaty couple of hours for me is all I can say. Took a break and stayed hydrated.
Yep, world news is sure scary right now. I sure wish the heat we’re experiencing would quit. It flattens me!! Will can kind of work in bits, through it, but I’m turning into a wimp I think. Now if my golf cart would only work, that would sure help! We did get more nice rain but boy, it’s so hot and humid now….
We had a problem with our golf cart recently (it was going very slow and would not fully charge up) and my husband added distilled water to the batteries (he says ours has 8 batteries and he ended up adding over 2 gallons of distilled water). This seems to have made a difference. Don’t know if this might be relevant to your cart.