witt's Blog

Finally. I finally got to be outside some without rain, drizzle, or wind. I filled all three thistle socks again. I definitely need a new bag of seeds now, but it's worth the joy that we receive. The Japanese maple is leafing out as well as the fig tree. Hostas have finally popped up in the Herb Garden and the Old Gourd Garden. That must mean that they have come up in the Back Flower Bed. I searched and I searched. Oh, well. No sign of them. Hubby must have finally killed them, throwing the water hose into the bed. The agapanthus, the Soloman's seal, and the lunaria are blooming. As I was admiring their beauty, what do you think I saw? The hostas. I was looking in the wrong place! They are almost underneath the spigot. How did they get that far away from where I thought that they were? Did they move during the winter? The columbines everywhere are putting on buds. Oh, I love that. The ajuga's blue spires are everywhere, too. The lorapetalum is blooming. Boy, does she need a haircut. She is huge! Even the zoysia is begining to green up. Hubby and Son managed to get the fallen tree limb off the chicken pen. They cut it into four sections. Thank goodness no one was out there when it fell! Son fixed the chicken wire back where it had torn loose. We are not afraid of the chickens getting out, just afraid of what can get in. Son sawed up the cedar tree from the Back Forty that Hubby had cut down with the ax the other day. The chain saw wouldn't crank, so he did it the old-fashioned way. With that cedar tree gone, I suspect I'll have more blooms in that bed now. It was just too close and getting too big. Originally we wanted it there to shade the Biddy Barn. Since that's gone, we didn't need it or like it there. After Son checked the weed-eater and the small chain-saw, we took a break on the back patio. What do I spy come sailing in? A hawk. I suppose that he was disappointed that the chicken wire was repaired. More rain in the forecast for tomorrow. After seeing all the new growth that has occurred during this last rainy spell, it's ok with me.

Today is my first-year anniversary with Garden Guides.

It's been loads of fun.

Happy Triskaidekaphobia Day! I thought that it would be cloudy yesterday, but the day started off with lots of sun. I figured that I'd get a few things done before the called-for clouds rolled in. I started in the Hibiscus Garden de-leafing. I noticed that the exotic lily was coming up that Daughter gave me last year. I sure hope that it returns. It was gorgeous. There was also a mum showing itself there and some chives were popping up. Another strange plant that I have not a clue what it is starting to grow. It looks like an orchid and smells like a gardenia, but that's another story. Lots of different lilies are coming up everywhere in that bed. Still no clouds, so I finished with the Herb Garden that I had done a half-fast job on. I had the whole back half to do where the elephant ears were placed last year. No sign of them so far. The lemon balm is greening up and the bee balm was under a pile of leaves. I dug up a hunk and moved it out to the Hibiscus Garden. I've never had any luck with transplanting it. Maybe since it's so early, it will "take" this time. Still no clouds. Ok. On to the Quarter Round. What a mess. I got all the leaves, the done-for vincas, and a gazillion twigs out of there and found an offshoot of the Zepherine rose. At least I hope that's what it is and not the root stock. Well, heck! I'm pooped by now, but the sun is still shining. Off to the Front Bed. The chocolate mint and spearmint are showing themselves. The stellas are up, too. I pulled out a huge passel of sedum reflexum. It was about to take the place! I trimmed back the artemisia that won't stay where I tell it. I can't begin to tell you how many bucketloads of stuff that I hauled to the chicken pens out of that bed. Our neighbor had told us that he had a tree fall in his woods and to come get it, so the guys were out playing axmen again. They took off while I was working to take another truckload of wood to Son's house. I told them to go on and eat without me. I wanted to work while the sun was shining. They were back fairly quickly, and bless their hearts, they brought back plates of Red's BBQ. We went in and had a feast. After we ate, the guys were done with their chores, but guess what? The sun was still shining. I was determined to get that Front Bed finished, and I did. While I was picking out a few leaves and weeds out of the Patio Garden, Hubby said that it was time to feed the chickens their evening meal. I couldn't believe it! There's lots of cilantro coming up in the Patio Garden as well as garlic chives and Easter lilies. That was all that I could do. I gathered up all my tools, put them away, and sat down at the Thinking Bench. I noticed some more lilies coming up in Aunt Winnie's Garden that weren't there last week. The tansy is making a showing. I need to trim back the southernwood and clean that bed out again. It's cloudy and beginning to mist now, so there won't be any gardening today. I would say hallelujah if I could spell it!

I can't believe that there is still snow on the ground here. It's 25 degrees this morning, but it will at least get up to about 46 today. I guess I'm still going to have to be wearing me woolies.There are so many things that I would love to be doing in the yard, but the week will be warming up little by little, thank goodness.

I'll probably have to get some more thistle for the finches. Neither rain, high winds nor snow slowed them down on the thistle socks. They continued to feast at all three areas and now they are completely empty--again.