More of my Favorite Things

I know I've listed lots of my favorite things in previous posts and I'm well aware that having so many favorites is like not having the brain cells to decide what really is a favorite, but tough darts.  Here are some more of my favorite things.



Cape Cod Weeder

 OK, I'm not sure that this is really what this thing is called.  I would tell you exactly what it is except that it doesn't have any identifying marks on it and I bought mine at a master gardener tool sale and didn't get any instructions or manufacturer's info or anything.  For all I know it might be made in a sweatshop by children somewhere over the pond, sort of like designer clothing.  But regardless of who made it and wherever they are hiding their factory, this thing really works great for digging out weeds, especially in hard-packed dirt or hard to weed spots like between rocks or pieces of sidewalk.  Plus it doubles as a serious weapon in case you run into muggers in your garden or the neighbor's cat thinks it's a litter box or something like that.

Since I don't know who made it the best I can do is tell you to google “cape cod weeder”.  You should get quite a few hits.  Most of them will be for tools that you'll have to sell your first-born child to pay for, but if you keep looking I'm sure you'll find one at a reasonable price.  Hopefully.  If not, let's hope you have a lot of kids.

Ames Planter's Pal Multi-purpose Garden Tool

That's a mouthful, isn't it?  Despite the cumbersome name, this is a really useful tool.  When I found it at Home Depot I was looking for one of those Japanese garden knife things that you can use to divide plants, dig out big weeds, open bags of mulch, cut your hair, trim your beard and a thousand other things.  I was expecting to pay a small fortune for the thing so imagine my surprise when I found this little gem for less than ten bucks.  You can find all the details about it on Ames' web site but I've got to tell you some of the things it can do.  It has both a straight and serrated edge and, if you sharpen them like I did, you can use it to divide clumps of flowers, cut open bags of garden stuff and nearly take your finger off.  But there's more.  It has a neat little v-notch in the end that works great for digging out weeds with deep tap roots, like dandelions e.g., which the Cape Cod weeder isn't long enough to handle.  It also has little notches near the handle that you can use for cutting string.  But wait, there's even more.  It has a trowel built into it which is great for planting and digging and it is marked every inch so you can use it to plant bulbs.  And the end of the handle has a hammer built in.  I wouldn't be surprised if the doggone thing blends, chops and purees too.  I've thrown away half my garden hand tools since I bought this thing.  I don't even buy razors anymore.

Husky Bucket Jockey

So now that you have the weeder and the Gardener's Pal and a jillion other things that you want to lug around the yard while you tend the flowers and molest the weeds, you need something to carry all that stuff in.  The Husky Bucket Jockey is just the thing.  It fits on a 5-gallon bucket and lets you organize more things than you probably have the strength to carry.  There are about 50 pockets on the outside and maybe ten inside as well as a loop that's supposed to be for carrying a hammer but works really well for the Cape Cod weeder.  It is open on the bottom so that, if you put some weeds or things like that in the bucket, the tool holder doesn't get all slimy. I use this when I go out on master gardener volunteer projects.  I put my pruning shears, trowels and stuff like that in the outside pockets and use the inside of the bucket to carry bigger stuff like a two-handed lopper or a poacher's shovel.  You can use it for things other than garden tools too.  It has a pocket for a drill or battery-powered screwdriver as well as pockets for drill bits.  There is even a neat little loop that attaches at one end with a spring clip.  I use that to attach a kneeling pad for working in the garden when the soil is wet.  If it just had a place to stow a six-pack it would be perfect.  I got this thing at Home Depot for somewhere around ten bucks or less.

Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot

 OK, OK, I know this isn't a garden tool and it doesn't really seem to fit with the whole theme of this post, but you see it really does fit because it is a game about killing rabbits and any gardener can identify with that, right?  Ellie and I discovered this game just in time to play it over the Easter weekend.  I know, I know, how appropriate is that?  We've had a great time playing it with friends and family and even with just the two of us.  This is one of those games like Monopoly where you don't just get to win the game; you get to crush your opponents in the process.  There is a certain amount of strategy in the game, but there's a lot of luck too.  In fact, some people don't like that element of luck.  So if you are one of those people who think that if you live right and say your prayers you should get to go to Texas when you die, then you can make a slight alteration to the game rules and eliminate some of the element of luck.  In either case, you can work out all your frustrations by leaping on the other players with both feet.  Figuratively, that is.  At least so far.  The game has a slew of booster packs that add new and, hopefully, exciting elements.  So who knows?  Maybe you will be able to physically jump on your opponents with both feet somewhere down the line.  In the meantime, though, just keep looking over your shoulder for the Cyber Bunny of Death and make sure your furry little lagomorph doesn't get scooped up by the aliens.