Add to the Annals of WTF??!!

We went to the great outdoors this weekend. Took advantage of the 20 degrees cooler temps in our local mountains.

We like this campground, only about 30 miles from the desert and have been there several times for day trips, once before to camp. When we arrived there were apparently several groups taking advantage of the 100 plus spaces, group spaces and the trailhead to a mountain biking loop. We were pretty lucky to get there early on Friday and get a spot. Pretty crowded but still not full.

As we set up though we began to notice the big daddies of camping arriving - Trailersaurus. Or in the plural, Trailersauri.

So here is the question: If you need to have lighting, a bed to sleep on, a kitchen to cook in, a TV, a VERY loud stereo system, a roll up door in the back with plenty of storage for your ATV and/or ALL of your children's bikes and motorized scooters and probably a full bathroom with shower while you are IN the woods, what are you in the woods for again? Isn't there a very lovely bed and breakfast just up the road that you could drive the car you are towing behind your Trailersaurus to and save thousands of gallons of gas in the process? And can you give the generator a rest for christs sake! That thing is loud.

Peace. That is what we are here in nature for! Not to listen to your generator running all day and to the country and western you just can't live without for one flipping day! We're in the wilderness people! For God's sake put the iPod down and smell the pine trees!!!

So Far, So Good

Lawn Implementation 2008 is, so far, going fine. We have had patches of brown and a few large chunks that completely died. But Jose came by to see what was going on, adjusted the pressure of the sprinklers, and the time. That, along with about a week of spring-like temperatures, and the lawn took off. Not all brown completely gone but green is starting to peek through in most of the problem patches. But apparently most of it was doing great because we even got mushrooms! Backed off on watering a bit and we seem to have reached a happy medium for this time of year. In 3 weeks or so we will adjust again.

So, 3 weeks in. We thought it would struggle, so skeptical were so many garden experts I'd asked out here about this particular kind of sod. But in fact, we had to buy a lawn mower weeks ahead of when we planned and have cut it twice!

And you know, it looks very pretty. It is a deep, dark green with beefy blades - unlike the almost translucent, skinny blades that most summer lawns in the desert sport. I am wondering why no one had tried this before? I seem to be met with skepticism and surprise by every garden enthusiast and professional I talk to about my lawn. "What kind of grass again? Never heard of it. Who sells it?" Even the lady at the sod company when I made my order had to double check that I was calling the right office and ordering the right product. It is so unheard of here, that of the dozen or so people I have spoken to about it, not one has heard of growing this type of sod in the desert.

Perhaps more accomplished gardeners than I have tried and failed and everyone knows something I don't. We have, afterall, only just reached 100 degree temps for days in a row. The brutality of summer is not yet here. But then if they have never heard of it...? Maybe I am a trailblazer. Maybe I will see my foolish ways when the 120s arrive. Who knows. But so far, so good!