Well, it is catch-up time again.
I am having a hard time trying to keep up with everything and am failing........
GARDENING
We finally got 1/2 inch of rain last night and might get a shower or two more. It was appreciated. I had just planted some very late spinach and turnip seeds. The newly set strawberries and potatoes will be happy.
I can pick lettuce for lunch today.....it is small but needs thinning. I have the bunching onions from my Oklahoma friend Ilene so wilted lettuce will be on the menu.
I have yet to plant the warm weather crops: corn, pole beans, sweet potatoes and squash.
My pepper seeds failed miserably after almost a month two little red cheese peppers came up. We were out doing MIL errands yesterday so I bought some very high-priced plants, 3 different varieties of peppers and Greek oregano. I didn't see any sage plants so will have to chase that one down. It really kills me to pay those prices for plants I can grow at home!
I have been cleaning flowers beds and the cheat grass is so thick everywhere that you have to just look directly at what is in front of you and do it.....if you look around and see the 18 inch tall grass everywhere you would be tempted to throw in the towel.
Humming Bird Bed.
We hung the feeder out the 23rd and saw our first tiny male hummer the very next day. We can't hang it on the porch (now screened in) now so it is outside the kitchen window hanging in the peach tree. I didn't get a picture of him but did catch the first female visitor yesterday.
Look closely; she is well camouflaged. Max had to point her out to me. I thought I just had a picture of the feeder.
Side note: I dropped my little Canon Powershot on the floor several days ago and the lens wouldn't come out. I tried it several days and then we picked out a slightly better Canon PowerShot. Just after ordering I thought that I should just toss the old camera and just for kicks turned it on before dropping it in the trash can. I worked perfectly! It will become Max's dedicated farm picture taking camera now. That is not a bad thing.
Back to the HB bed, I finally got it cleaned and it took several hours. It made me very happy to be done with it.
I have finally decided to buy mulch for the bed.....I have held out hating to spend money for mulch but if that is what it takes for me to keep some of my flower beds, I will do it. My Sis has been mulching for years (she has a very citified country property)We garden totally differently. I have naturalized cottage-style beds and she has mulched beds with spaces between all plants. Not my style but hers are quite beautiful and easier for her to manage with her eye sight as bad as it is.
This is taken from the south side of the bed looking north (the debris is still laying on the grass).
This is taken from the north side looking southeasterly:
This is the east end of the bed. I will be filling in the bare center with zinnias and cosmos and whatever else I can find,
New Blooms
Tradescantia in west end near bird bath in HB bed
I have lots of self-seeded Dame's Rocket (hesperis matronalis) scattered over the yard. This clump is on the garden fence border, another candidate for lots of mulch.
I have mostly white now, but I spied (amongst the cheat grass)a very dark purple one out in the front ditch. I may try to save seeds.
This clematis Nelly Moser. This is one I cut back way too far two years ago and she still hasn't reached her proper height.
This is a China rose which shouldn't be doing well in my zone. I have had it for twenty years or so. It has its own micro-climate on the south side of the well house and the west side of the outbuildings, well protected from cold winds.
A few iris are blooming,
The weigela opened up overnight,
This next picture will show you exactly the kind of gardener I am. This is where I tossed the dead poppy plants after shaking out all the seeds (I thought).
I have very few within beds so I now have a dedicated bed right in the middle of the grass. Be fun to see it in full bloom.
Random pictures
I looked out the kitchen window and was surprised. Max had seen her a few days ago on the west side of the yard.
I am having a hard time trying to keep up with everything and am failing........
GARDENING
We finally got 1/2 inch of rain last night and might get a shower or two more. It was appreciated. I had just planted some very late spinach and turnip seeds. The newly set strawberries and potatoes will be happy.
I can pick lettuce for lunch today.....it is small but needs thinning. I have the bunching onions from my Oklahoma friend Ilene so wilted lettuce will be on the menu.
I have yet to plant the warm weather crops: corn, pole beans, sweet potatoes and squash.
My pepper seeds failed miserably after almost a month two little red cheese peppers came up. We were out doing MIL errands yesterday so I bought some very high-priced plants, 3 different varieties of peppers and Greek oregano. I didn't see any sage plants so will have to chase that one down. It really kills me to pay those prices for plants I can grow at home!
I have been cleaning flowers beds and the cheat grass is so thick everywhere that you have to just look directly at what is in front of you and do it.....if you look around and see the 18 inch tall grass everywhere you would be tempted to throw in the towel.
Humming Bird Bed.
We hung the feeder out the 23rd and saw our first tiny male hummer the very next day. We can't hang it on the porch (now screened in) now so it is outside the kitchen window hanging in the peach tree. I didn't get a picture of him but did catch the first female visitor yesterday.
Look closely; she is well camouflaged. Max had to point her out to me. I thought I just had a picture of the feeder.
Side note: I dropped my little Canon Powershot on the floor several days ago and the lens wouldn't come out. I tried it several days and then we picked out a slightly better Canon PowerShot. Just after ordering I thought that I should just toss the old camera and just for kicks turned it on before dropping it in the trash can. I worked perfectly! It will become Max's dedicated farm picture taking camera now. That is not a bad thing.
Back to the HB bed, I finally got it cleaned and it took several hours. It made me very happy to be done with it.
I have finally decided to buy mulch for the bed.....I have held out hating to spend money for mulch but if that is what it takes for me to keep some of my flower beds, I will do it. My Sis has been mulching for years (she has a very citified country property)We garden totally differently. I have naturalized cottage-style beds and she has mulched beds with spaces between all plants. Not my style but hers are quite beautiful and easier for her to manage with her eye sight as bad as it is.
This is taken from the south side of the bed looking north (the debris is still laying on the grass).
This is taken from the north side looking southeasterly:
This is the east end of the bed. I will be filling in the bare center with zinnias and cosmos and whatever else I can find,
New Blooms
Tradescantia in west end near bird bath in HB bed
I have lots of self-seeded Dame's Rocket (hesperis matronalis) scattered over the yard. This clump is on the garden fence border, another candidate for lots of mulch.
I have mostly white now, but I spied (amongst the cheat grass)a very dark purple one out in the front ditch. I may try to save seeds.
This clematis Nelly Moser. This is one I cut back way too far two years ago and she still hasn't reached her proper height.
This is a China rose which shouldn't be doing well in my zone. I have had it for twenty years or so. It has its own micro-climate on the south side of the well house and the west side of the outbuildings, well protected from cold winds.
A few iris are blooming,
The weigela opened up overnight,
This next picture will show you exactly the kind of gardener I am. This is where I tossed the dead poppy plants after shaking out all the seeds (I thought).
I have very few within beds so I now have a dedicated bed right in the middle of the grass. Be fun to see it in full bloom.
Random pictures
I looked out the kitchen window and was surprised. Max had seen her a few days ago on the west side of the yard.
