yardgranny6's Blog

angels/squirrels and
Sep 22, 2010 | 9:48 AM PST
birds enjoying the sprinkler. Angels do not always have wings (fake or real) sometimes they come to your yard wearing boots, caps, Yellow gloves, goggles and protective eyewear. However, they can hack into the roots of a small dogwood tree and then hang and swing like a squirrel hoping to get the roots to come up. This angel had no luck. So out came his powerful, loud and smelly gas chain saw. This time there were earplugs to be used. Down came that little dogwood. Then there was a 'sassy -frass' tree that was beginning to grow into and over the fence. Into the bush this angel went, sawed that thing into several pieces. The biggest tree was growing way too tall (some sort of natural Oak) getting on the neighbors shed roof and blocking my view of some very old Crepe Myrtles. Before tackling this tree a heavy rope had to be tied to a nearby dogwood in order to get the tree top to fall in my yard and not the neighbors. Up jumped this angel/squirrel and in no time he was on top of the fence working away. Thank goodness angel/squirrels are agile. In no time that tree was wasted and but my angel was scratched. And it was a mess to carry off all those branches. He made trip after trip after trip. The last tree to come down was a stray Mimosa trying to grow laying on the ground. They are just great big weeds unless you train one of them to behave and stand upright. I have seen two small mimosa sapplings with their tops twinned together to form an archway. It didn't last long which is the plight of weedy trees. My Angels name is Shelby and as all mission minded angel/squirrels he did this very big job on a very hot afternoon out of love. A $1000 might have paid the bill for such an afternoons work. Bless all that have a heart to serve. This morning I turned on the sprinkler to give another small flower bed at least a drink of water. I spied something moving about in the plants that grow on a trellis. As the sprinkler came back around I spied a beautiful Cardinal waiting for just the right moment and pop up he flew and flew all around as the sprinkling water flew through the air. Then he would sit back down on the trellis, shake himself off and wait again until the water came his way. I have seen birds enjoy sprinklers many times but this one was really cute. Now that my trees are down, I am encouraged to cut at some of the old shrubs that need a big hair cut. I think I have lost one yellow butterfly bush because of the cold during the winter and now this dry spell. It will get cut back and we will see if it comes back next year. More To Come Later

Saturday
Sep 11, 2010 | 4:21 PM PST

has been a good day. Mr Don took a little respite time this weekend. I will pick him up on Monday afternoon.

Planted yellow mums on each side of the front porch at the steps today. Got rid of a few renegade trees trying to grow among the Azaleas. Pulled some weeds and cutdown and killed the root of two little poison ivy plants coming up around the big Magnolia tree out front.

There has been this very blue big pot living in my yard, so today I put one stray Batface plant, a pink vinca and four very sorry looking begonias together to see if they will do anything.

The weeds I have fretted over are drying up and dying and of course leaving behind all their wonderful weed seeds.  There is just so much to be done. Hooked up the hose and gave a few things a driink. There are showers all around us so by morning maybe we will get a stray one or two.

This afternoon I tackled a couple of closets. Have some things to go to Goodwill and other mens clothing that I will take to the nursing home where Don takes his respite time. Don has lost so much weight he cannot wear those bigger sizes. Someone else will get the benefit.

There is still Monday morning that I am hoping to get some more yard work done. There are so many little 'piles' of stuff to clean up that will keep me busy in tomorrows afternoon.

More To Come Later+

 

YEA!!
Sep 3, 2010 | 11:31 AM PST

I was able to work in a small area where annuals grow this morning. Pulled out some ugly annuals, weeds and that dratted wire grass. Cleaned up the spot, added some potting soil to get it ready for planting. Planted some Hollyhocks (Black from Lisa) and a couple of other type as well. Put in some different colors of Poppies from Lisa as well. And some Foxglove (I forgot which good GG friend sent those.

Hubby sat on the carport, read the paper and watched me as I worked. He is good about doing that. He still thinks he can get up and walk but so far hasn't tried doing that. His wheelchair has a safety belt that he can't undo.

The weeds are almost waist high under the dogwood garden spot. Frustrating but I was rewarded this year by my plants. They just up and grew right along with those weedy friends of theirs.   These weeds will not be hard to remove it just takes the time I don't have right now. Will want to get it done in the next few weeks and then put down the pre-emergence to prevent them from seeding again next summer. This will also keep some winter weeds from seeding.  There is always hope in the garden.

More to Come Later