I picked up three bags of Preen mulch at Lowe’s – it is advertised as preventing weeds in addition to traditional mulch benefits. I dug out the Bermuda grass in the large planter box and laid down most of the Preen. Tomorrow I will soak it in before I leave for the week.
I found a new sprayer at Ace Hardware, three gallons and not two, 50% more death and destruction. It works as intended, providing a fine spray as soon as the pump encounters resistance and encouraging me to more applications of Roundup. For months I struggled with the old sprayer that would not hold a seal. Why wait so long to replace the sprayer at a cost of less than twenty dollars? There is a metaphor for life here. I poured out the last of the contents of the old container on the ever present vetch and consigned it to the dump.
I finished the painting of the new work table and was pleased with the result. I added a cross stripe for a little interest on the mostly white tabletop. The polyurethane spray discolors the white surface somewhat and my unskilled technique was uneven. I bought fine sanding disks, and will sand down the surface before I apply another coat. The eventual goal is three coats.
A Year at the Snake 