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RantThe trades
Just bought a house, yay. It’s old so I’ve been learning what I can about renovations and improvements and what to watch out for.
One thing I cannot get over is how much scamming is going on. Every YouTube channel, Reddit post, or casual conversation seems to contain multiple horror stories of contractors who take your money and disappear, inspectors who don’t inspect, electricians who risk your life with insane dangerous electrical work, price gouging to take advantage of the clueless and elderly, leaving giant messes behind, plumbers who don’t know how to plumb, etc.
It is a field entirely dominated by males. Of course it’s going to be like this. What concerns me is I don’t see any way out of it. I know blue collar men and I would not want to work with them. Anecdotally heard so many horror stories from women who wanted to be blue collar. It makes tech look like a feminist utopia.
These males are out here playing with people’s lives and ruining them financially and it will always be this way because of how hostile they are to women trying to get in.
Does anyone have tips for finding and hiring tradeswomen? Currently there’s some stuff we unfortunately have to rush and cross our fingers for, but in the future I don’t want an XY in my house making it less safe and taking my money.
In the meantime, it’s DIY or die. Or maybe both if I forget to switch off a breaker
The arrangement is beautiful. Am a very trial and error gardener who forgets the names of the flowers and plants I plant and sort of nurture. We here in New England are having a wet and cold early spring, waiting for some warmth so I can begin to see some color. I love the beginning of the pop up shoots of early plants.
What is the blue flower, the one scattered around?
Bless you. What a beautiful, uplifting photograph. Enjoy your blooms. I have some blooming Lady Banks Roses (white, but I wish I had yellow like https://tombstonerosetree.com/worlds-largest-rose-tree/ )
I also have some blooming Cape Honeysuckle, and my pomegranate has two pom blossom buds so far. Our citrus is getting out some blossom but sadly it's almost past blossom time.
I will miss our gardening and I Grew It posts. Edit: When I visited the World's Largest Rose Tree, I thought they were yellow blooms, but they are white, like mine!)
So beautiful! I am a bit jealous of you, we still have snow!
That's beautiful!! Do I spy a crown of thorns flower on bottom right? And variegated pennywort on the left?
This arrangement is so pretty, too, wonderful photo! And you've done so well to have SO many species of flowers and plants all blooming and thriving so beautifully.
Well now I am perplexed. This is a very fresh feeling indeed.
Gorgeous flowers and incredible photo!