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witt's May 2008 Entries
Last Post 13 hours Ago
May 31, 2008 | 4:25 AM PST
The toady hole was twice as big in The Rock Garden than it was the day before. I filled it completely with lime, and then covered it back up. Let's see how he likes it now!
The sunflowers that I put in The Back Bed aren't doing well at all. I just put in some perennial petunias. It needs something there. Since that's about the only thing that wants to live around here, then that's what it will be!
Weeds, weeds, weeds. Where do they all come from?? I did more pulling. I guess I was on a mission. My left foot has now gone kaphlooey. I just got the right one back in commission, and now the left one doesn't work. I decided to force myself to walk correctly, and the pain that shot up from the Achilles, dropped me to my knees! I just couldn't work in the Garden Garden like I had planned. Too much walking. At least I could stand pretty well in one place and pull weeds. At the end of the day while I was porch-sitting and enjoying the birds, I decided to transplant some of the perennial petunias over by the inukshuk where I had put the serrisas to root. I did mention that the serissas burned up there. Not a good idea. I also put some in one of the strawberry pots because the ones I had in there weren't doing well. One pot did and the other didn't. I did notice that I had what looked to be one tiny chive. I'm going to try in The New Daffodil Bed with more chives. I'm not having much luck.
I clipped both of my sun coleus back, and now I'm trying to root them. Then I'll put them back in the pot with the others so that I'll have a big pot full to enjoy on the porch.
Even with fresh nectar in the hummer feeders, I saw not one bird. I did get to enjoy the bluebirds a bit, though.
May is done, but I am not. I intend to do something great today.
May 30, 2008 | 5:12 AM PST
The weatherman got it wrong. It was supposed to be cloudy and really cool, but the sun was out by 9:30, and it wasn't that cool. I started digging up some of those petunias to give away and those throwback basil plants, too. They are all over the place this year. I don't know why they don't reseed in other folks' gardens like they do in mine. Of course, they are never where I want them to be, so I have to transplant some. A friend came by to look at my gardens. She brought me an article about the good toads in the garden. I told her that I'd read it later. As we were touring the yard, we came upon a mess around The Rock Garden. "Gee, I wonder what happened here?" she asked. I gave her an earful about the sweet little toady frogs. "Oh. Now I see why you complain." I had jooged out one of their tunnels and repacked it. They dug it out twice the size and made a huge mess!! They are evil, I tell you! EVIL! Then we went over to her place, and I had to tell her what plants she had bought and where to put them. She had her impatiens out by the pool that receives no shade whatsoever all day long. We had a good time discussing all kinds of things about plants. I told her about Garden Guides, but she will be starting a new job soon and probably won't have much time to play with us.
I put three of the sunflowers that the squirrel had pulled up the other day in the backyard, but they weren't looking too well by the late afternoon. See, it wasn't cool enough! Hubby had put in the milk jugs for watering the tomatoes, but of course, he didn't do it the way that it was supposed to be done even after I had showed him the pictures and discussed it. You'll probably see us on Divorce Court. I donned my summer perfume and trudged to the Garden Garden with my trusty trowel. I dug out holes beside the tomatoes and re-planted the jugs. Then I scraped up the pine straw from last years' crops and spread that around everything as best I could. He and Son had them out there bare with no cover. No wonder they don't do well. Nothing to hold in the moisture. Everywhere that I gathered the old pine straw was nice and wet, so that must mean that mulch works. I toted out some water and watered them since it seemed that the ground was awfully dry while I was digging the holes. I think that I now know which one is my Roma. I discovered the labels discarded on the ground, so I deduced that if the label was near one of the plants that they belonged together. I stuck those in the ground as well. I might go back out today and see if I can pull together more of the straw and spread more out around the plants so that the roots will be encouraged to grow better.
I did some porch-sitting after all that and was blessed with close-up visits by the bluebirds. I've never had them come up to the porch before. I also got to watch them bathe. I had my binocs so that I could have a close-up view of their antics. A hummer came by and just "sniffed" at the feeder, and then flew off. I can't figure out why they aren't drinking. I just made a fresh batch and will wash and refill the feeders again. It was a glorious afternoon bird-watching and a wonderful day teaching someone who wants to learn about plants.
May 29, 2008 | 6:08 AM PST
While we were out and about yesterday, I got more vinca. These weren't labeled as to their color, but they looked like the same as in the Quarter Round, so I got them. They looked like a good match. When we got home, I started planting and digging in compost. Whew! It was HOT! I finally got those planted and settled in. Now I can see that the first ones that I had planted had grown. I just wanted to fill it in a bit. It looked a bit sparse. I messed around with the zoysia again, too. I have a patch that wants to grow straight across my second natural bed, so I went into that and dug up the sprigs to transplant. I would have done more, but it was stiffling. We took a break. I could hear a hummer, but he wasn't at the feeder. I leaned over the porch railing, and there he was, noodling with the flowers. He didn't stay long, but at least I saw him. I wonder why they have stopped coming to the feeders?? Later, the temps dropped from sweating-in-your-eyes to put-on-a-sweater! I couldn't believe how cool it became. We got a smidgen of rain out of it--2/10ths. I thought sure that it was going to be a gully-washer. My publisher came by, and while we were discussing some things, his phone rang. I jumped up and got a pair of socks. I put them on, but that didn't help. I ran back in and got my jacket! I couldn't believe how cool it was--bone-chilling. It will be cool all day today except later this afternoon, but it will still be only the low 70's. At least the little bit of water that we got won't evaporate too quickly.
May 28, 2008 | 11:35 AM PST
Yesterday, I didn't do anything big. I blue-watered all the plants in the front. Then I went on a quest, searching for zoysia in the front yard. I found another patch that I started last year, hiding amongst the weeds. I spent a while pulling the weeds. I was going to work on the soil around it, but the neighbor decided to mow his grass and he sent up a dust cloud like you wouldn't believe. I tolerated it for a while, but I finally had to come inside. I was sneezing my head off and covered in dust. He did this for hours! I had to clean the porch, which I had just cleaned that morning. Do we need some rain or what? I never did get back to working on that zoysia. It got too hot, and there was no shade there until late afternoon. By then, I was out of the notion.
May 27, 2008 | 5:03 AM PST
I hand-edged the flower beds, the natural areas, and the Japanese walk in the front. I'll do anything to save my flowers and hard work from Mr. Happy Weedeater. He says that he goofs because he can't see with the safety goggles. I say he's just in a hurry to get it done. I didn't do anything earth-shattering, but I did manage to stay outside most of the day. I fixed everything for supper first thing in the morning so that I wouldn't have to stop to cook. While we were porch-sitting there was a ruckus of bird activity way out in the front yard. It was was a bunch of bluebirds, flittering and fluttering. We've been around chickens long enough to know that they AIN'T fighting. Oh, joy. I hope we see some baby bluebirds this year. Speaking of chickens, it was a sad day at the Biddy Barn. Hubby had to do Trouble in. She wasn't getting better, and the other birds were beginning to bother and pick on her. He really didn't want to do it, but it had to be done. I suggested that Son come out and do it, but Hubby said that it was his bird, and he'd take care of her. She was always the first one to the gate, and she loved being carried around and shown off. He's really going to miss that old gal.
May 26, 2008 | 4:20 AM PST
Someone wished me a happy holiday. I told them that every day is a holiday when you're retired! Yesterday did turn out to be a day of rest and games. I just piddled around a bit doing as little as possible. I did get a few of the petunias out of the natural bed and potted, but there are a lot! I hate to just dig them up and throw them away. I toted a lot of water, too. I used two watering cans this time. Too much walking involved when I use just one. We played a lot of dominoes just for fun, and our young neighbors brought over some BBQed ribs to share with us as well as watermelon. Porch-sitting was so pleasant. The birds were active. We thought we had a bunny in the garden, but it turned out to be two doves pushing each other around! Now if we just had some rain...
May 25, 2008 | 1:57 AM PST
After I finished working on the lawn in the back, I came around to the front to rest my back the other day. I saw some activity on the "new" bluebird box. We've had it up there for two years, but they always preferred the old one. I thought it was the chickadees again, or either it was the woodpecker that had been pecking at it, but lo and behold, it was a pair of bluebirds. No more work for me for a while! I got my binocs and watched as she worked on building her nest, and he would catch a bug and feed it to her.
I ran inside and got some dryer lint, but so far I haven't seen any birds working on it. I believe that this pair is here to stay.
Why I decided that I didn't like the first natural area that I created a few years ago, I don't know, but I did. I wanted to clear out the rest of the area and straw it all the way to the sidewalk. I started pulling the junk. There was every kind of weed imaginable in there with every kind of crap grass there is. After I had pulled a bucket load, I turned around and saw just how large of an area it was. Oh, my. This will be impossible. I was ready to give up on this foolish idea. Yesterday morning I set my jaw and wrapped my pulling finger with a bandaid, got two big buckets and went at it again. It was cool, and I was covered with OFF!. I started seeing some progress, so I really started pulling. We got a little shower, so I did get to take a break. All I had left to do was one three-foot section of nothing but crabgrass. Yikes. I was persistent, and after using about five bandaids, I got it done and totally strawed! The only thing left in that area are volunteer perennial petunias. I left them, but I think that I'm going to get them out of there, too. I gave the neighbors little girl a handful to plant. She was thrilled with that. I think today will be a day of rest. I'm so sore, I probably couldn't pull up a single blade of grass.
May 23, 2008 | 3:03 AM PST
Ah, my summer perfume. I didn't forget the OFF! this time as I prepared to do battle in The Poison Garden. I didn't want ticks, skeeters, chiggers, or any little bite-y things to get me. I got out there early because it gets so hot in that Sahara that you can see the mirages among the sage. I was ready to dig to China to plant my lavender. Surprisingly, it was very easy to dig. I had already cleaned up that area earlier, so the worst part was over. I got it planted and watered in with collected rainwater. Hubby and Son were planting the new tomatoes. I could see that neither were doing it correctly, of course, so I had to put in my two-cents worth. They left to go eat Chinese, mail a package for me, (I sold two books!) and pick up some pine straw. Since planting the lavender didn't take too long, my mind raced for somewhere else to dig. I was prepared and wanted to release that energy. I figured that if a cutting would root in a pot, why wouldn't it root in place? I wanted to try cuttings of serissa on the edge of the woods. I found a spot and started digging. What is this? It, too, was relatively easy to dig. John thought me foolhardy to try to dig in the woods, but it wasn't that difficult. I added compost, took about five clippings, and planted them. After I strawed the area well, I watered them in with the last of the rainwater. Then I worked on the fig bush at the inukshuk. She ought to grow after some fresh compost and plenty of mulch. Done with all that and here I stood, tough Fiskars trowel in hand, still not satisfied with my digging mood. Where else could I put some serissa? I decided that the second natural area would be perfect, but I KNOW that it is nothing but hard clay. Would you believe that it wasn't difficult either? I did the same process as before. I guess the mole activity had loosened it up a bit. When I got the straw back into place, I looked over at the pink spirea. One was about a foot tall, ready to bloom and the other one right beside it was about an inch. I dug around and sure as shooting, there was a hole underneath--toady-froggy or mole. It didn't matter, there was an air pocket. I jooged around gently with my trowel and mixed in more compost. Now those babies ought to take off! Time for a break! My digging bent was sated. Later I went out to see what I could do with the bare spots in the backyard, which are now sans clover-weed. Dynamite, anyone? I did find a toady tunnel that ran about ten feet. I collapsed it with great effort. I will go out today, rough up the soil as best I can, add compost and hope that the zoysia grows into it. So far the OFF! was working wonderfully, so I ventured out in late afternoon, toting my watering can all around and refreshed my new plantings. With all those high winds, the little bit of rain that we got had already gone, but nary a skeeter got me. Wow. I even did some de-grassing and didn't get eaten up. What a satisfying day it was.
May 22, 2008 | 2:57 AM PST
I thought that I'd get back to this yesterday and post, but I got busy in the yard and never did. Oooweee, the wind sure did some blowing Tuesday. When it was supposed to be sunny, it was cloudy here. That gave me a chance to work in the yard and stay cool. I refilled thistle socks and when I got through, I had thistle in places that one shouldn't have thistle. When it was supposed to turn cloudy, our clouds left, and the sun broke out. I couldn't take the sun on my back any longer, so I gave it up outside. The TV was talking about all the bad weather everywhere, hail and tornadoes, and the sun was just blazing here. The wind was terrible, but not a cloud in the sky. We figured that the storm was north of us, and we wouldn't get anything. Well, we figured wrong. Around 7 P.M. we had some really, really bad winds and a bit of rain, and then the power went out. We finally gave it up and went to bed. The power came back on around 11. We got 2/10ths out of that storm, but we only had minor limbs to come crashing down. Yesterday, was much better as far as the winds were concerned. I was on a mission again. Getting the clover weed out of the backyard. I've just about got that section done. I need to learn a little more about zoysia. The little sprigs that I put out year before last are running around, and after pulling that clover weed there are just bare patches. I need to figure out what to do to encourage the zoysia to take over. The ground is hard as a rock, and I found two toady frog exit holes out there. I don't want to use dynamite. It might hurt the zoysia. I forgot to mention that I bought a lavender plant the other day. I have been contemplating where to put it. I believe that The Poison Garden will be the best place. I'll go out early today and see if I can worry a hole to death, dig to China, and fix it a nice home. It surely would be nice to pick lavender again.
May 20, 2008 | 4:19 AM PST
We had a storm blow in Sunday, but that's about all it did. BLOW! We only got 1/10 inch of rain out of it. It blew down a big limb in a mimosa in the backyard. That's where I had a hummer feeder. I don't guess it matters much since I haven't seen one in weeks! I don't know where they went!
I managed to play in the yard yesterday. We got most of the wind debris picked up. Hubby never did hang my hummer feeder. I guess he feels like what's the use. I came across two snakes in my wanderings. One by the fig bush and the other by the Great Wall of Willie. I didn't say anything to Hubby about it because he'd want to shoot them. I figured maybe they'll eat some of these toady frogs! I just stepped away and let them leave on their own accord.
I put some of my plants back out on the porch. The house looks funny without them. I tried to be creative! I just hope that they don't blow over. Will the wind ever stop? A breeze is fine, but I'm tired of those strong gusts.
May 18, 2008 | 5:09 AM PST
It was almost noon before I got to the yards, but I did finally get out there to finish de-grassing the natural area where Hubby had left a foot-wide strip all the way down the side. I piddled around and cleaned up a few beds that were a little messy from all the winds. I pulled a bunch more clover weed from the backyard. I'll probably never get it all done, but at least it looks nice from the back patio looking toward the gardens (The Rock Garden, Aunt Winnie's Garden, The Cement Garden). I found a whole bunch of baby columbines growing outside the box. I wish that I could let them get a bit bigger, but if I wait around, I fear they will get weedwhacked to the ground. I would love to transplant them all. The ones in The Old Gourd Garden bloomed for weeks and weeks. I'd love to have more out there. What a site that would be next spring. I'm real disappointed with my chives in the tops of the strawberry jars. Not a sign of green. I don't know why they didn't sprout. I've never had trouble with chives before. Perhaps I'll try them somewhere else and then transplant. That is if those seeds are viable. They were from last summer's crop, so I don't see why they wouldn't be. I was thinking about re-seeding the strawberry jars and then putting plastic bowl covers over them. Maybe that would force them to sprout. I might try that as well as planting seeds elsewhere for insurance.Rain is in the forecast, but I don't trust it. Today is our scheduled day to legally water due to water restrictions. I don't know what to do. Should I? Shouldn't I? I may just keep my eye on the weather reports and see if it looks like it will blanket the whole area. If it looks spotty, I may just sprinkle a bit to be on the safe side. Otherwise, I'll be toting water again!
May 17, 2008 | 5:22 AM PST
Well, lawwzeee! We did get 2/10ths inches of rain from that sprinkle the other day. Better than nothing. With the wind blowing 40 miles an hour, I wasn't really enjoying the great outdoors yesterday, so I didn't do too much work. Son came by, but he wasn't feeling up to par, so we didn't do anything of importance. He did point out that out tomato plants were turning yellow. They were just fine before the rains. I suspect that it was Hubby's planting techniques that I won't even discuss, or I would cuss. They did move out the block from the inukshuk, but that was about it. Son brought me more of the Hairy Wandering Jew, so I'll need to plant that around here and there. I only wanted a sprig, but he brought a whole pot full. I asked him about my plectranthus in his solarium that he was supposedly wintering for me. He got this sick look on his face and admitted that he hadn't been taking care of it. It may be there or it may be dead. Oh, well. What can you do?
Hubby decided that he would de-grass one of my natural areas; something that I had been putting off doing while I played with my flowers. Oh, boy, I think. That will look great. Well, I guess he didn't realize that the natural area goes all the way to the Japanese walk. He left a band of grass about a foot wide and I don't know how long! He just got out the patches in the middle of it all. I went behind him later and got about half of that done. My back pooped out on me! I'll work on it again today. I won't even mention the skeeter and chigger bites. I CAN'T seem to remember to put on OFF! I'm out of the habit. Maybe it won't be as windy today as it has been, and I can get outside and enjoy myself.
May 16, 2008 | 3:39 AM PST
We had a great day even though we may have overdone it. First we met one friend for breakfast. She is going to be driving to California Saturday, and we wanted to get together before she goes. After that we went to another friend's home. She had gotten all kinds of plants for Mother's Day, too. We toured her yard and it's a BIG one. She was telling me that she wanted to move some lamb's ears, and I piped up that I wanted some. I have never been able to keep any alive although I've tried a thousand times with pieces from Mom's. She dug some for me. Then she gave me a calla lily. Mom wouldn't give me any of hers. She only had one that she's trying to get to multiply. When we got home, I started the clay digging process. I wanted to work the soil very well. I had some beautiful red vincas there last year that really did great! You know how my beds get--gooey clay, brick, rocks. What a mess. No matter how many times it's been worked or how much lime I have used over the years, the clay and rocks just keeps accumulating or multiplying. I finally got them planted. Then I hand-toted water to everything. It just never gets wet that way! We need rain. We got a little drizzle. It probably won't even measure in the gauge. Meanwhile Hubby was preparing the holding pen for Frinkles (my Speckled Sussex). She has gotten broody again. Poor thing. She really wants to have babies, but with no rooster to accomodate her, she's just wasting her time. She has done this every year. It will take about a week to get her out of that setting mood. Then John will put her back into La Poulaille. She is such a gentle, sweet bird that it's hard to tell if she just happy or broody. She didn't seem to mind the move at all. Son will be coming today. To do what, I don't know, but Hubby did agree that he didn't like the concrete block, sticking out like a sore thumb, in the inukshuk that Grandson had started. Perhaps we can fix that, and then I can get a picture.
May 15, 2008 | 3:41 AM PST
I didn't write anything yesterday because I didn't go out in the yard to play, but yesterday, I finally got all the flowers from Mother's Day planted. It tried to spread them around to get the enjoyment from all of them. I had a hard time finding a good spot for the Asiatic lily. I wanted to put it in the perfect place. I chose the middle of The Hibiscus Garden. The trouble was, I had to move another lily out of the way. There was barely a place to put a foot, so I had to do some wild contortions to get it done. What a sight it is. What really sets it off is there are some pink evening primroses blooming around it, waving in the breeze. I decided to put all the vincas in the New Daffodil bed since there is no color in there at all. I dug out six spots, which wasn't easy because it is loaded with lilies, iris, my thyme seedlings, sage seedlings, cilantro plants, and daffodils going by. When I started planting, I discovered that it was only a four-pack, not a six-pack. Somebody got gyped.
I got the hummers feeders washed and refilled although I don't know why I bother. I haven't seen a hummer in days and days and days. Later in the late afternoon, I decided to pull some more clover weed in the back yard. I heard the gentle drops of rain. Yippee. The problem was, it wasn't enough to even wet my back, so I kept pulling. I got a full bucket load of them out. It's starting to look better and better. Rain is in the forecast, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
May 13, 2008 | 4:44 AM PST
Oh, my glory. When I opened up the blinds yesterday morning, there was this big wooden thing up against the window. What in the world? Then I realized that it was the rose trellis. It had blown over in those terrible winds Sunday. I feared that it had uprooted the bush, but miraculously it hadn't. We went out and shored it back up. Now it's tied to the porch in three places. It is not lovely, but I think that it will hold; at least I hope so. That's about all the yard work that I got done. I was too busy with other things. Besides, it was too windy. It blew my little flag decoration all over the place for the second time, so I just brought it in. I sure hope that today will be a bit calmer. Now I need to try to plant my Mother's Day plants. I am undecided about what to do with the lovely Asiatic lily. I'm enjoying it here in the house. If I put it outside, that's probably all that it will do this year. I need to find out how to treat it because I want it to come back next year.
May 12, 2008 | 3:28 AM PST
What a day! I am a blessed and happy woman. I think that this was the best Mother's Day ever. It was wonderful being with all my son, daughter, and family. Guess what I got? All flowers! I suppose everyone had the same idea. I now have more lantana and vincas. I got cockscomb, and marigolds. And glory be, I even got a gorgeous Asiatic lily. I have ALWAYS wanted one. I can't wait to plant, plant, plant. When we got to the Captain's Galley there was a sign: Free Carnation for Mothers. We were almost finished with our wonderful seafood, but no carnation. Hubby saw other ladies with theirs, so he saw a waitress that we knew. He asked her why we didn't get any. She apologized and got two. There were three mother's there. I don't think anyone believed that my daughter was the mother of that strapping young man sitting across from her. I think that made her feel good, but she wanted her flower, too. They gave it to her albeit a little reluctantly.
Daughter and I enjoyed going through more old pictures. Then we toured the yard. Grandson was out collecting these huge rocks. He built a small wall around the little fig bush. It now sort of looks like an inukshuk. The next time he comes, it'll probably be a larger wall. Anyway it's interesting yard art. So far the wind isn't blowing, but it'll probably start up as soon as the sun shines. Even if if does, it will still be a glorious day.
May 11, 2008 | 4:42 AM PST
All I did was piddle around in the yard. I re-strawed The Cement Garden. It was looking poorly. I stomped down mole hills in there and collapsed toady-frog holes that I had jooged up the last time I worked in there! I took out two big quartz rocks that seemed to be tempting the toadies to enjoy for their home. I moved them to The New Daffodil Bed for the border. Hubby was cleaning up behind one of the outhouses. I only have a half a bale of straw left, and I could sure use some more. Maybe on the next chicken feed run. I pulled a whole bunch of clover weed from around the walkways. I got carried away and pulled a lot of it out of the lawn around the back patio. It sure does look better. Hand pulling does take a while, but I hate using those chemicals. I was working again in the late afternoon, but this time I got two skeeters before they got me! It was a good day. Today will be another good one because it's raining now, and it's Mother's Day. So far we have gotten 3/10ths. My younguns will be taking us to my favorite place (finally), Captain's Galley. I shall eat my fill of seafood and then some. Let it rain and pass the tartar sauce!
May 10, 2008 | 4:52 AM PST
I didn't do anything major yesterday. I just piddled around...until I spied a bazillion perennial petunias coming up in the yard by The Patio Garden. I don't know why I hadn't seen them before. I started digging them up and moving them over to The Poison Garden where the ice plant had died. If they decide to grow, they'll make a much better show there. I can't tell you how many I dug up and moved. I ran out of spots there and put some in a clay pot, sitting the pot on the edge of the garden. I toted water and toted water and toted water and toted my fat behind. You'd think that I wouldn't have one with all that toting! I put out some more straw where it was thin and because of that, I pulled weeds. I finally whacked back the forsythia in The Old Gourd Garden. It's one sided, but that's ok. Maybe the lilies will bloom better with a bit more sun there. While I was doing that, I think a little black spider got in my glove and bit me. It was that old familiar feeling. Burning,and then it goes away. Then more burning, which goes away. Then intense burning that goes away. Yep, that's a spider bite. There are still forest ants everywhere. While I was pulling some weeds in The Patio Garden, I saw them all over the place, so they're not just in the back. I mentioned that maybe we should try putting out some sevin. Hubby said that it was too windy to do that! Then he went out to de-grass the Garden Garden. A few minutes later he was back saying that it was too much like work, so he'd use Round-Up. I told him that it wasn't a good idea--too windy. He might kill all the tomato plants trying that! I'll be careful, he says. The first thing that he squirts is a Sweet Annie in The Poison Garden right next to a hens and chick that I've been nursing for a year to get it to grow in that spot. Stay away from my garden! I say. He sure didn't like me telling him that because he stomped off and put the sprayer away. He didn't speak to me again for hours. Fine with me. It's too windy for sevin, but not too windy for Round-Up. Hmmm. Oh, well. I guess I saved the plants from overspray. I'd like to take his sprayer and .... I went back outside late afternoon and piddled around some more. Bad idea. Skeeters again. This time I got that little sucker, but not before he got me three times! Either I'll learn to put on the OFF! or stop going out late afternoons!
May 9, 2008 | 6:13 AM PST
I forgot to mention last time that I got my first bites of the season. When I had gone out late in the afternoon to finish a few things, I got bitten three times. One on the pinkie, one on the inner forearm and one on the wrist. I never saw the little sucker. The way they looked and itched, I suspect a mosquito. I haven't gotten into the habit of applying my summer perfume--OFF! I also forgot to mention that we lost Buffington. She had been down for a few days, but we thought that she'd get over what was bothering her, but she didn't. She was such a pretty bird and a pretty good layer. Lady Grey didn't attack Hubby, though, when he took her out. I finished The Poison Garden. Well, as finished as I can be until I get another idea or I have to attack the St. John's wort and zoysia again. The sprinkle that we got yesterday morning wouldn't fill a thimble. As I said, it never rains on the Bucolic Bungalow. I'm glad that we didn't get the tornadoes and wind damage that the others got, but I sure was looking forward to some rain last night. I decided that the problem with the philodendron was it doesn't like that plastic pot, so I cut it back and re-potted it in a clay pot. Let's see if that helps. I'm sick of looking at it. I had to clean the porch again. The pollen is rolling off in sheets, and there were tree tags blowing in from every direction. I don't doubt that I'll have to do it again today. Since we got no rain, I filled the birdbaths. No sooner than I got back onto the porch that the birds flocked in for baths. They splashed out all of the water. It was so cute watching them take turns. I guess I'll just piddle around in the yard today because I don't have any major projects to do.
May 8, 2008 | 5:06 AM PST
I finally tackled the corner of The Poison Garden after we got home from our run-around-town morning. (I did purchase two coleus plants. They are both Sunlovers. One is sort of chartreuse and the other is red velvet.) I had a heck of a time getting the St. John's wort and zoysia out of that section. I had already done a bunch yesterday, but I cleaned out as much as I could. Then I started on another section. I got most of it out of there. I had to take many breaks because there is no shade there whatsoever. I couldn't see what I was doing half the time due to the sweat running in my eyes. I tried working later after Hubby gave it up for the day, but it was still hot, or I was just pooped slam out and dragging. I couldn't do another thing. I got a bit of it strawed, but I'll have to go back at it later. We are getting a light sprinkle now. I do hope that it will rain like forty hecks! Everything is soooo dry! We're under water restrictions, so if anything gets water I have to tote it, and I've got lots of beds to water!
I didn't plant the coleus in the yard as I had planned. I decided to put them in this big pot that I have on the porch. That way we can see them better and enjoy them more. We bought two more small flags. Hubby said that he didn't mind buying them, but he sure would like to know where I'd put them a(We have flags all over the porch). I have this pottery, I guess you'd call it a rooting jar, that a friend gave me. I have about 8 little flags in it. My idea was to put them in the holes that were left. The stick that it's on is just a tad too big to fit the hole, so I put them in the top hole. They are a bit floppy, but it's cute. Perhaps I'll get a pic.
There is so much that I want to do. The spirit is willing, but the back and arms are so weak today. I still haven't "planted" my cute little seed card. I want to put it in The Poison Garden. It would be the perfect place for wildflowers. I want to transplant some other things into there as well. Oh, well. Maybe I'll get a chance to do more since it's cloudy and cooler.
May 7, 2008 | 3:49 AM PST
Another lovely day. I tried to figure out where I was going to plant my new plants as I dead-headed the iris. I put two of Mom's in The Old Gourd Garden because I thought they needed a more shaded area. I found a spot in The Hibiscus Garden for the lavender lantana so that I could see it from the porch. I put some of the red vinca with the other ones under the empty thistle sock and some in The Butterfly Garden in front of the amaryllis that I had moved. (Oh, and I filled the empty thistle socks again!!) Hubby wanted my instructions as to where to cut so that we could finish with the hard pruning of the butterfly bushes. He hand-sawed them this time, no chain saw, and we got them all done. I hope that the severe cut won't hurt them, but they really needed taking down to a reasonable size. They DO look so much better. I went back to my planting. I put this white plant in The Butterfly Garden (I'll need an ID on it as soon as I get pictures) and didn't even notice that my salmon iris was blooming till I was finished. I was so glad to see it come back. I toted water and got them all settled in. I still don't know what to do with that hydrangea. It's about to burn up even though I put a tent of artemesia around it for shade. There are still not enough leaves on the trees to provide shade in the heat of the day. Next was digging out St. John's wort in The Poison Garden. I planted one baby red-hot poker in there. I spent the rest of the day trying to get the wort, zoyia and weeds out of that one corner. What a job! Some of it was right next to some iris that are still blooming, so I'll have to wait on that. Today is run-around-town day, and then it's back to the gardens. I wonder if I'll be able to look at the plants while we're out. Of course if I get any, I don't know where I'd put them. Maybe we will get some rain tomorrow. I'm tired of toting water.
May 6, 2008 | 5:29 AM PST
We had a great time yesterday visiting with Mom. I got a few plants from her. She may be ninety, but she can still wield a shovel. Her soil was so black and beautiful that it made me drool. If I had soil like that, oh, what fun. I'll have to plant them today, but where? I don't know. I know that it'll be a battle through the rocks, though. Hubby had me another lantana (a purplish color) and more red vincas when I got home. He found me some snail bait, too. Everyone must be buying it because he had trouble finding that one. He had cut a few limbs from only one of the huge butterfly bushes with the chain saw. For some reason he left one limb going straight up in the air. He says that he'll hand saw that one today. It was so nice getting back home. It was like being at a vacation house. There was a lovely breeze. We could see the new flowers and watch the birds. We didn't want the day to end. I need to get outside to see if I can find a hole to plant in. Happiness is a bucolic bungalow.
May 5, 2008 | 2:51 AM PST
I had another great day in the yard yesterday afternoon. I blue watered some of my plants. I sure can't get around to them all in one day, that's for sure. I hit the gardenias with some Mir-Acid, too. The weeds were getting high around The New Daffodil bed, so I decided that I could pull those. Would you believe that I had a teeny-tiny iris blooming in there? It doesn't look real. I loved it. What a wonderful Sunday surprise. Mostly hubby and I just took it easy. My daughter will be coming bright and early this morning, and we're heading to see my mom. We hope to go through some old pictures, chat, get the red hot poker plus a few other things, and just be together. It ought to be fun. Hubby and son will do their thing together. Son will probably be able to fix the chain saw. I hate not being here when they cut it. I hope that they will understand my instructions, or I may come home to butterfly bushes down to the ground. Oh, I hope not.
I got a picture of a plant to identify, but I have no time this morning. I will never hear the end of it if I'm not dressed and ready to hit the road.
May 4, 2008 | 6:01 AM PST
Oh, what a GREAT time we had yesterday! After I got all the linens washed and replaced, we went to a friend's house. We explored her landscaping efforts. I was so thrilled at how well everything looked. She has two gorgeous azaleas that are packed with blooms. I want to get cuttings, but I fear they might be Formosas (if that's the right word--the big kind). How exciting it was to see her lantana with little green specks! She thought they were dead as a doornail. She had a huge variety of about every kind imaginable two years ago. She lost two last year, and we thought that she has lost all EXCEPT two this year, but I believe what was left is returning. I inspected mine when I got home and there appears to be a speck on the one that I thought was a goner. It could be a weed coming up there, but I suspect it might be some life in the old gal.
We were going to do the chainsaw thing again on the butterfly bushes. We got it to crank, it wouldn't do that the other day, but would you believe the chain wouldn't move? I believe that the butterfly bush has some kind of magical power and won't allow us to cut it! It was hot as blazes while we were doing that. I didn't want to plant my new things in that heat, but soon after, it became cloudy and the wind picked up. It got really cool, so I decided that it was a good time to plant, especially if we were going to get some rain to settle in the new stuff. It took forever, but I got it done. I planted 3 lantana, two caladiums and two six-packs of vincas. No rain this morning and none in sight. I used up all my captured rainwater.
I don't know what I'll do today, but I may play in the yard a bit if it is conducive. I just won't break my back! Mostly I'll just enjoy.
May 3, 2008 | 3:55 AM PST
After I did laundry and a teeny-tiny bit of housework, I set out and did what I promised myself that I would do. First, I filled the hole where I got the hydrangea and re-strawed it. Then I started on the strawberry jar. What to put in it? I decided to put ice plant. It can take the heat. I went to The Poison Garden and dug up pieces that were growing amongst the thrift and St. John's wort that's gone crazy. I had to wrestle them out because the grass has gotten in that spot, too. That's where I'm going to dig everything out, rework the soil and start over. I finally got the strawberry jar planted. I seeded the top with my chives seeds. I put some in the other one, too, where I had the garlic chives last year.
Next, my darling hubby was looking for something to do, so he re-staked the eucalyptus that wants to bend over my chair at The Thinking bench. He had some kind of gray PCV. He said that's what Mike used to run the electricity to the chicken pens. After he got that done, I asked him if he had more of that. He sure did. We staked up that jasmine in The Rock Garden. You know, the one that I "dug" up. Well, she back and with a vengeance. Why fight her? We got that done, but of course, I spied more weeds in there. Wasn't it just day before yesterday that I weeded it?
Now, to the job that I didn't want to do. I had to de-leaf the St. John's wort patch on the side of the car-porch. What a mess. I hate that job. No telling what kind of critters are in there. It took forever, but the chickens sure did like it. The leaves are about 2 feet deep. I'm not really done, but I just couldn't bend over again. I'll tidy it up more later.
I happened to spy the pink flowering almond that Mike got for me. It looked TERRIBLE. I had it in the shade by the potting shed, but she ain't happy. I think that he had it in that terrible Miracle-Gro soil. OK. That decided it. I started digging up another section of the new daffodil bed. That ain't easy! Hard as a rock, filled with rocks. I finally got it dug up and mixed in plenty of compost. Who wouldn't want to live there? I got her watered in. Then I spied my two pots on either side of the walkway to the back outhouse. Nothing was coming back. I decided to get some perennial petunias from The Patio Garden in front. There are a bunch coming up, and since it has rained, they were easy to pull up. I put about 5 in each pot. I hope they will grow there. That will be so pretty with the hot pink petunias tumbling down.
After that, it was just sit back and enjoy. That didn't last long because I decided to pull as much of that clover looking thing around the back patio. Where the heck did all of it come from? It's taking over the place. If it's not one kind of weed, it's another.
All in all, it was a productive day.
May 2, 2008 | 5:53 AM PST
Oh, mercy. What didn't I do yesterday? It was a glorious day. I dead-headed the iris, pulled weeds, and transplanted a hydrangea from The Old Gourd Garden, which has never bloomed, to The Hibiscus Garden. I got it watered in and strawed. I pruned the rosemary in the front and then pruned the one in the back by the chicken pens. Both of those jobs took forever. I found an oxalis blooming out in the front yard. That's exactly why Mom hates them, but I think they are so sweet. Besides the iris, they are making a wonderful show right now. Talk about pretty in pink. I dug that little baby up and planted it in The Quarter Round where the huge one was undermined by the toads and the mole and died. Yeah, I know. You can't kill an oxalis, but evidently the toady tunnels and mole mess can.
Speaking of iris. The stems that I cut and put in the house were going by. I carefully cut off those huge blooms, leaving the big buds. This morning when we got up, the buds had opened, and I had a vase of gorgeous new iris. It was as if the iris fairy had come in during the night and touched them with a magic wand. What fun!
I watered my new seeds and new plantings again. Oh, here's another example of true love. John said that he was going tote water to the tomatoes and fig tree in the garden. Later it hit me. Oh, no. I'll bet he used the 2 big pails of rainwater that I had captured for my flowers. I went to the back and checked. Ah, they were still there. He must have used the spigot. That's true love again.
I had made a roast in the oven so that I wouldn't have to stop what I was doing in the yard. My, my it was tender. I had some petite carrots that I bought. Oh, how I would love to grow my own carrots, but the soil around here is so heavy. Maybe I can figure out a way to make me a carrot patch. I just want the little tiny babies. I adore them.
I tried to plant the golden creeping jenny, but where I wanted to put it, there was no space. I finally decided over by the St. John's wort on the side of the house. I'll have to ponder where I can put the rest of it. Right now I have it in a holding area.
Today I need to fill in the huge hole where I took the hydrangea and restraw that area. I still haven't put anything in that strawberry jar that we rescued from The Poison Garden. I must get myself together and get outside.
Oh, and I won't mention beating hubby in the gin game when he had scored 149.
May 1, 2008 | 5:06 AM PST
Since I hadn't done any yardwork, I didn't have anything to say on the 30th.
Happy May the Oncest! I had a great time in the gardens yesterday, though. I had three iris flop over in The Poison Garden after the rains. I cut them and put them in a vase. I noticed that there were a lot of buds on them. Shoot! No wonder they fell over. The blossoms were huge! Almost 6 inches from top tip to bottom. They were heavy! The fragrance was amazing. What a lovely perfume they had. I talked with Mom and she said to go out and deadhead all the ones that were going by and the other buds would open up. I did that and was amazed at how many different colors I have and how many more buds there are. It pays to get up-close and personal.
My zephirine roses on the porch have burst out. I picked a few of them and floated them in a crystal bowl. Now you talk about perfuming the room. With the iris and the roses in the same room, it was glorious.
Hubby cut me three scraps of chicken wire. I put one around the morning glories beside The Patio Garden, which I could not get to climb the pole. I put another around the autumn clemetis in The Old Gourd Garden. It has already started to ramble and won't climb its support. Then I pulled up about six morning glories that were no where near their pole and transplanted them in The Rock Garden beside a jasmine that is just starting up its pole. I put the chicken wire around them both. I do hope that gets them started in the right direction, and I can get all those vines where I want them this year. Last year they did their own thing; it wasn't a pretty sight.
My cosmos seeds are coming up already. They must have really liked the rain that we got. No sign of the others. The weeds in The Patio Garden evidently liked the rain, too. I pulled a small bucket load of them. You really have to be diligent after a good rain because before you know it, the creeping jenny will have crept! I'll have to start pulling that next.
No sign of my lantana coming back, either. Maybe we can go to the feed and seed and see if Mr. William has any more unusual ones. We were twenty dollars under the weekly grocery budget, and I told dear hubby that it was twenty dollars that I could put toward plants. We didn't even look at the plants at Walmart. The wind was blowing and it was quite chilly when we were there. Yeah, again. I didn't want him standing around in that. As we were driving off, I saw a sign that read Bedding Plants-$1.00. I would have loved to have seen what they had on sale. I love to get a bang for my buck!
The evening primroses are blooming like crazy in The Back Forty. They look so pretty with the pink azalea.
I had to refill all three thistle socks again. I'm almost out of seed already. The birds were still picking at them, but there was not one seed left in any of them. I cleaned all three hummer feeders and put in fresh nectar. I haven't seen a hummer in about three days. Where in the world are they? A friend told me a couple of years ago that if you had them and suddenly you weren't seeing them anymore that they were nesting and eating insects, not drinking nectar. I hope that's true.
One sad note. Hubby found a dead goldfinch out by the chicken pens when he went to feed them this morning. I wonder what could have happened to it?
