Posted on 05/01/2026 6:24:57 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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You can always plant rice! ;)
My neighbor had guinea hens and, although they’re great for eating ticks, he had a difficult time keeping them. They like to wander.
Interesting! That really does sound like a case where the population (of blue catfish) got past that point where their population is eating more of their potential predators than the other predators are eating them — and the blue catfish population took off.
I know the bass anglers will disagree, but, as invasive species go, you could sure do a lot worse than blue or flathead catfish. In fact, I often wonder why catfish are not more often used as predator control in the central US, of species that are unwanted or tend to overpopulate and stunt, as bluegill and green sunfish and sometimes channel catfish) often do. This might be particularly effective in ponds which do not have (or have very limited) spawning & recruitment structure for catfish, as the populations would be pretty controllable. Hybrid channel-blue catfish are naturally sterile, and grow fastest of all, as their energy all goes into growth, rather than some of it to reproduction.
The one advantage of bass is their larger gape at a modest age: A 2 lb. largemouth bass can eat a lot bigger, say, green sunfish than can a 2 lb. catfish. But, blue catfish typically grow faster, and as they become adults and go after larger fish, their heads (and gape) become so large they are actually a threat to the harvestable (by humans for dinner) bluegill. So, if it was MY pond or lake to issue regs for, I’d limit harvest of catfish in sizes that consume whatever fish one is trying to hold populations down, but open it up for, say, the big catfish, if they were chowing down too many bluegill over 8” long.
Granted that bass are where the money is: $50k bass boats bring in a lot of tax revenue for the State fisheries departments. But, good golly, which is the more challenging struggle, a 7 lb. bass (moderately rare), or a 25 lb. blue catfish (not rare at all in waters where they do well - that’s barely an adult!)
(For a really epic struggle, you hook a 4”-5” bluegill while fishing for bluegill, and then B4 you get it reeled in, a big catfish grabs that and manages to get hooked — and you get to try not losing Mr. Catfish on your dinky bluegill rig with a #8 fine wire hook on the end... I’ve had that happen twice - once landing the large channel cat, with the down-on-his-luck & rather mangled bluegill still in the catfish’ mouth, and once getting the catfish just close enough to glimpse, before it ran again — to a downed branch.
Whew, that’s quite a list!
Is it all done?
If yes, you are doing better than I - although part of that is that we usually do grocery shopping in town after church that runs 11 a.m. - noon — if the service doesn’t run long that is, or we get in a conversation with friends. (The latter usually not over 5 minutes tho’, as by noon, everyone has things to do, like grocery runs!)
Sometimes other stuff too: Set foot inside Menards and you may be in deep doo-doo when it comes to remaining time in the day. Today I was trying to figure out the best treatment for old shovel (etc.) handles and...
Good lighting sure is a big help for old eyes, even old eyes that can still see well enough without glasses to pass at the drivers’ license facility... (They didn’t test me @ 1 ft. away tho’. That is a lot sadder story.)
In some cases, I have tools, esp. a couple from my Dad, that are probably old and used enough that I think the wood may have lost a quarter or third of it's original strength. I pried up dirt with the one shovel with pretty serious leverage, and didn't snap it, but, the wood IS clearly aged, and has slight surface decay.
A product that fully polymerizes is surely in order, and it seems to me that very deep penetration is tied for 1st on characteristics needed for the treatment.
I bought oil base spar varnish @ Menards, and it can be thinned for deeper penetration, which I think is highly desirable, here.
However, I am seeing a lot of recommendations online for Teak Oil, which can also be thinned for good penetration.. although AI gives conflicting answers about how good its UV resistance is.
Titebond 3 can even be thinned and applied in multiple treatments, though I suspect oil base solutions are best... Curiously, one result indicated teak oil curing in overly warm conditions (but not direct sunlight) could form a slightly rough, rubbery surface. For a tool handle, that might not be all bad?
Thinned, clear, oil base exterior paint is liked by some.
What's the experience of others here?
(I should know better than to try to find consensus on FR.)
:-) Thanks in advance!
In the middle of “566”, there was a commotion just outside our back door, our male cat growling, I grab the .22 pellet rifle... Long story short: Another opossum to boil for the chickens, and there’s ANOTHER one in the cage type trap.
The numbers of varmints around this spring is really high!
Yes you are right! LOL I can always plant rice...good one!
There is quite a business on the lake of catfish guides taking people out for ‘lunkers’. We’re talking 60 lbs & up. When you get an 80# cat, they are a sight to behold! These guides release back the big fish after pictures.
Wishing you all a grateful Memorial Day. I can’t say happy. This day is to honor the fallen who gave their all. My uncle who died at Anzio, 18, an army private. Out of the 9 siblings the 3 boys and one sister all went to war. Plus the father who was a WWI vet. I never got to meet Uncle Nick but I will someday. God Bless America.
Speaking of the big box stores, a few days ago I was in the vicinity of the Carbondale, IL, Walmart (actually the one between C’Dale and Murphysboro), and I noticed it had quite a few veggie plants in small pots and 4-packs, under their house brand name of “Expert Gardener”. Plant condition was uniformly very good to excellent, and size (for the containers’ sizes) were large. These were in addition to the usual Bonnies plants.
I don’t recall seeing “Expert Gardener” veggie plants at Walmarts nearer us, previously: Maybe I just wasn’t paying attention to labels, but, usually I do. Do other FReepers’ Walmarts have these?
That’s great! Granted that I almost never target such huge fish — I’m generally after table fare up to 5-6 lbs. or so. The biggest catfish I’ve caught (and released) was a 36” flathead. But, I do have one rig with an impressive Ocean City reel that can tackle such monsters as you describe. :-)
Ditto those thoughts! My paternal grandpa served in WW1 (on the front), my Dad in the Korean War (on the front), and my brother did several tours in the Navy, none in actual combat, but lost a thumb in an accident and got skin cancer and lost his (external) ear due to excessive sun exposure.
Prayers for all who have served and are serving.
My Grandpa Elmer always used Linseed oil on his garden tool handles and I still have his hoe and shovel. I’m not as religious about doing it, and I usually wear gloves when using them, but if I see them looking shabby, I give them a treatment.
https://thejimbosliceworkshop.com/linseed-oil-for-woodworking-tool-handles/
Don’t ask me the brand, though. The bottle is in Beau’s ‘Catacomb of Missing Supplies’ in the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ basement, and I’m not going down there, LOL!
I have a favorite three-pronged, hand-held digger that was his, too. I painted the handle on that a bright TEAL BLUE that makes it easy to find again when I set it down...somewhere!
Easy Frittata with Ham, Tomatoes, and Spinach
https://www.joyousapron.com/easy-frittata-recipe/#recipe
I found a BRAND NEW, adorable, 8” Lodge cast iron pan with handles at my thrift shop and am using it to make the Fritatta for our Brunch. I’ll use up what’s still growing fresh in my flat of spinach and I have ham and cherry tomatoes on hand. Store bought on the tomatoes. Sorry to disappoint, LOL!
I’ll halve (half?) the recipe as it’s just the two of us today.
Mother Nature is doing a good job keeping your chickens fed!
I can’t shoot my possums - they all have names, LOL!
Got a question on planting peppers and tomatoes.
The forecast until June 2 is for highs in the 60’s and lows in the mid 40’s.
I know that these don’t like it below 50F but they need to get in and they’re a pretty decent size. So is it better to plant them and let them just get through the cool weather, or should I wait the week and hope for a break in the weather?
I use a block of bee’s wax on all my tool handles and in fact many of the metal shop tools.
The bee’s wax available as surplus from honey production is generously rubbed onto the handles and then gently warmed with a propane torch.
The result is a very good feel to your hands and complete weather proofing.
Ask a friendly bee keeper for a block of the wax and try it out. After just a few strokes, a rounded depression forms in the wax making application very easy
I would get them in the ground. 40 degree nighttime temps only last a few hours.
Plant your tomatoes as DEEPLY as you can, though. All of the hairs along the stem will become roots and you’ll have strong, happy tomatoes.
With the peppers, I would also plant them, but just at the ‘pot level’ they are right now. Be ready to throw a sheet over them if nighttime temps go below 40, of course.
My peppers are going in some time this week, then I have Mom and friend Kathy coming out to help me get the 24 tomatoes in on Sunday. They feel the need to help because I give them so many tomatoes. ;)
When planting either, I add a 1/2 cup each of crushed eggshells and bone meal to the planting hole. I never have Blossom End Rot on tomatoes or peppers. Cukes, zukes, eggplant and winter squashes also benefit from this.
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