Kentucky dirt: even more in 2024

I never get tired of my dirt. I should go put that last iris in the ground. And there are a few things in the basement greenhouse that need potted. And seed! They need started too.

But I’m hanging out on my bed with books and papers spread out.

Somebody asked if you make your bed every day. Of course you do! It’s another flat work surface.

But Rose just texted that she is bringing T up for a few days. Yay!! I should tidy a few holiday messes upstairs…

>1 2wonderY: I make my bed every day to the extent that I give the sheets a 2 hour airing (on the bed, but with blankets thrown back), then I throw it up into a semi-coherent form and pull a cover sheet over all so the cats can lounge on it. No work surface for me, but they love it.

T was still wide awake past bedtime, and Rose had to be up and at work by 6. So I invited T to sleep in my bed. What a wiggle-butt! And she steals the covers. But she always has contact - a hand on my shoulder or rubbing my head.
I don’t know what she smells of, but a bath is in order this morning.

She brought a few favorite toys. A polar bear cub named Bracelet - she cleared out the toy shed for her to bed down there.
A wooden clock with block numbers that are shaped blocks. We played a spin the hands game she made up.
The toy binoculars I put in her stocking. They have caught her imagination. She carries them everywhere.

>4 2wonderY: love!

My eldest granddaughter has shown an interest in watching birds. I got her a decent ($20) pair of binoculars just right for a budding ornithologist. Her younger sister wanted a pair, so I found a toddler's version. Both love them!

>4 2wonderY: Adorable!

My 2 year old grandson loves the big old magnifying lens that was my grandfather's. It had a handle and looked like something Sherlock Holmes might tote around, but the handle broke. Geoffrey carries it very carefully in both hands and has figured out what it does. "Makes big!"

Because it is glass and the metal surround is rather sharp, I tried to tuck it away in a drawer when he wasn't looking. It isn't a drawer he gets into. When he came over the next day, it was almost the first thing he did when he came in the house. Little stinker must have got a glimpse. Grandma isn't as sneaky as she thinks.

>2 MrsLee: The second question is where do you stow your night clothes? Most of the Instagram responses said under their pillow. That’s what I must have done as a child, but I’ve always hung them on a peg in the closet as an adult.

>7 2wonderY: I have a hook on the back of the bathroom door, and I alternate pyjamas, so they get a good airing out.

>7 2wonderY: Ha ha, as a child most of my clothes were stored on the floor. When I was very young I seem to remember a sort of special pillow made for holding pajamas. When my sister left home (8 years older than I), I became a messy Molly. Mom just closed my door. If I complained that I had no clean clothes, she pointed at the floor where I had a shallow path to my bed with heaps of clothes to either side. About once a month I was grounded until my room was clean. Funny thing is, I kinda liked the one or two quiet days of cleaning, then starting fresh. I didn't become a tidy person until I married a man who had been raised by a very strict mom. We have found our balance now.

ETA: Mine are now stored on a hook in my closet door.

>9 MrsLee: oh, I so identify with this. My room was always "knee deep" but I knew where my stuff was.

My father threatened to saw off my room and let it drift out to sea, bwahaha!

My mother said "close the door". Smart woman.

As an adult my nightgowns are hung on a hook behind the bedroom door.

I haven’t been driving much this holiday season; so I ignored the first sign of a weakened battery. Mistake!

It was a dead battery mid-day. And I park nose in to the carport.
Luckily, my neighbor’s driveway is immediately adjacent and was empty.
I went knocking on doors looking for cables and someone willing to jump me.
Finally success. I had met Dave once this spring when he stopped to chat about the foundation and drainage excavation and recovery.
He was willing, but ran out to buy cables. He said he’d been meaning to do that anyway.
He managed to get just close enough that the cables fit through the lattice and barely reached between the cars.
He called me “friend in adversity.”

The price of batteries has more than doubled since I last bought one. Not really a surprise.

Another neighbor knocked on my door later and apologized. He had been home when I knocked but was on a Zoom call he couldn’t excuse himself from, even briefly to answer the door.
At the auto parts store, it was all about batteries, customers in front of and behind me.

>11 2wonderY: a set of good jumper cables is a worthy investment. Glad you were able to get the car running and the battery replaced.

It seems I’m in a groove to have single visitors for each holiday drink.
The young couple with the preschool little boy said that 7 is too late for them nowadays. So I had them come over for cocoa mid-afternoon. Regalo made himself at home, and I was reassuring his parents that his forwardness and spills are perfectly fine.
They are such a nice couple. We got to chat a bit between chasing the boy.
I confirmed that they are vegan, not just vegetarian. Boy, that really limits what I can offer.
But chocolate covered cherries works😁. We also spiked the cocoa with blackberry cordial.
Did you know that marshmallows are not vegetable?

Dylan admired my Santas. (Yes, they are coming down tomorrow too, along with the tree.). I will have to remember to find him a very nice Santa to begin his collection next year.

>13 2wonderY: You can find vegan marshmallows; but they are expensive. I keep wanting to work on a recipe for vegan marshmallows because I know it's possible; but I've never worked with agar agar or any of the vegan Jel products.

>14 lesmel: I thought the original marshmallows were actually made with the plant's sap? Any recent recipes I've seen are all made with gelatin. I always thought in theory it would be fun to make them, but I don't actually like them, so never tried.

>15 MrsLee: There is a plant called marsh mallow.

https://candyusa.com/marshmallows/

>16 2wonderY: I actually have it in my garden.

I often buy 'Eibishteig' throat lozenges here made with it. (It encourages mucus production.) They are a little bit spongey, but like the difference between a good solid artisanal bread and Wonder bread, the texture is very different.

You are supposed to be able to whip the water from chickpea cans, but I'e never tried it.

And Vickie came over for a drink and a chat at 7. This is my first visit one on one and I learned a bit more of her story. She’s from Austin, but her mother lives in New York. So on breaks (she’s a college professor) she’s constantly on the road.
We talked about surprises in the homes we buy. She has had several since July.
And her eye is sharp for authors and titles on the spines of books. She hasn’t moved her fiction yet, and she hasn’t read Bujold. So I’ve offered a duplicate of Borders of Infinity this morning by text.

I mentioned to one of my guests yesterday that I haven’t had a tree for decades. Taking it down today, the reason why came to me. It has always been a group activity and I know that in my bones. Growing up, Christmas Eve is when we did ALL of the holiday decorating. Raising my own, we always made it a party, inviting friends to come and help.
I now contain a lot of those friends and family, enough to savor doing it solo.
It’s nice when those bits of enlightenment explode in your consciousness.

But it was also important this year to have people over to bask in the love and beauty the tree possesses. Many of the ornaments are gifts.

And this is perhaps my favorite ornament, made and given by a toddler niece.



Removed all the lights and fluffed the tree. Much better. Approx 800 stems, each one available for an ornament, not to mention those bulbs tucked into the inside😂

>15 MrsLee: Mallow root sap, egg whites, sugar is the basic 19th century recipe.

>21 lesmel: Ah, so the egg white would be what removes it from vegan diet.

>22 MrsLee: And we didn’t speak of the milk solids in the cocoa mix. Some things are just sacrosanct.

>23 2wonderY: that diet has to be very difficult to maintain.

Yes. My diet contains plenty of milk products and eggs. I would die of despair.

I find that a lot of vegan recipes work quite well if you use real butter and real milk. Of course adding bacon and cheese doesn't hurt either. Well, maybe not in the cake recipes.

>26 MarthaJeanne: I have a really good Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!

I took the tree down yesterday and most of the Santas (a couple need repairs). Boxed up most of the ornaments as I went along, but there are still more. Today, I took the crèche down and the tea themed ornaments from around the kitchen window.

Crawling back in storage, I pulled out a jigsaw puzzle that I’ve never tackled. At first I set up on the folding table in the 2nd bedroom. But the color and pattern differences are too subtle for the light in there. So I moved the table to the living room in front of the windows. Much better. But still hard. I will work it, but probably not keep it.

My near neighbor, the city of Lexington, has invited other neighbors to come and visit:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C12sf_aOUPX/?igsh=MTFpeGdqbDcyYzY3aw==

Today’s small project. The stairway up to the cape cod style bedroom is enclosed. There is a lot of knotty pine paneling from the 60s, and thank goodness, the last owners painted all of it. And it’s all so bare!
I’ve been meaning to add a display shelf where the drywall and paneling meet. I had pulled the baseboard trim off. Today I trimmed the end to allow for the swing of an awkward storage closet door, sanded the baseboard a little bit and fastened it with screws. Voilà!

>30 2wonderY: nice!

The only thing I would do differently is put a small strip of trim in front of the books.

Great idea!

So glad I drove home yesterday in the sunshine. We got our first serious snow last night. Daughter says it wasn’t even forecast till it came down. She’s stuck at the farm. She tried to drive back this morning and had to turn around.
I know where my shovel is, but it’s pretty much buried behind recent move stuff.
Good day to stay home. Fortunately, I stopped for bread and milk yesterday.

Found the shovel. Spent less than 10 minutes shoveling the front sidewalk. Even with heavy gloves, had to come inside to relieve painful fingers. It’s only 10°F. Not nearly as bad as other places. No wind. 4” of fluffy snow.

>34 2wonderY: I won't complain too hard about our very chilly 30° this morning.

😄
It’s supposed to come in two waves, another this afternoon. I unloaded the van and then backed carefully down the drive. I’d rather clear snow from the windshield than the friggin driveway tomorrow.
It’s a hot cocoa kind of day.

>36 2wonderY: I always back in, especially during the winter. It's so much easier to drive forward than in reverse in slick conditions.

I’ve never yet had the courage to back up the drive and into the narrow carport. You’ve seen the pictures, right?

chiken

i spelled it wrong

oh well

can i join

hi

bye ok

>38 2wonderY: yet you've climbed up on your roof to do repairs, right?

You can do it, just go very slooooooooooow...

It occurred to me this afternoon that I should have put forth the effort yesterday, when the sun was shining, that I should have shoveled my driveway. I went and did so, but fresh snow was already coming down.
Heating pad tonight. I’m feeling it in my back and I also have a sore spot where I slipped in the snow and fell climbing the hill on campus.

My neighbor to the east is also parking at the curb, and we actually exchanged pleasantries when she got home this afternoon.
Daughter decided to cook this evening. It’s still baking - some sort of lentil casserole. It smells amazing!

It was worth the wait! And a savory salad to see me through.
The forecast said snow would stop at 1am. It did not. 3” and still coming down. I lay in bed and imagined myself bundling up and shoveling the sidewalks. And then did it, as well as sweeping off daughter’s car. All before light.
Settled in front of the windows now with a pot of tea. Glad I don’t need to go anywhere today.

We're getting the frigid temperatures this weekend, but thankfully no frozen precipitation.

My 5yo grand, practicing writing her name:

>49 2wonderY: I like 2). That shows creativity and flair.

>49 2wonderY: what lovely curlicues she uses.

I’m wondering where she saw fancy letters for inspiration. I might have to get her some calligraphy pens. Notice her middle name. Her dad calls her T-bird.

Well, it got down to 0°F here. But the forecast is for 60° by Wednesday 😳

There is a bit of frost on the kitchen storm window. But very little icicle formation along the eaves, unlike some neighbors.

And I just went upstairs on an errand. The dormer windows, original wood and lacking storms, have an inside coat of ice.

>52 2wonderY: brr.

I love seeing the interests of my granddaughters budding and beginning to unfold. The elder is devouring chapter books, the younger loves anything to do with animals. And both love to draw.

>49 2wonderY: Do you suppose her teacher quashed the curliques by #3?

I remember being taught not to be "artistic" when first writing. Since I wasn't anyway, it was no hardship to quit trying to be like the other girls who used hearts and other adornments in their printing. I was more drawn to drafting type printing, but never mastered it, either.

>54 MrsLee: Probably. But her mom and I are enchanted. And she’s hard headed. She’ll do it again if she wants to.

For the Christmas season, I used my bedroom as a dumping ground for stuff from other parts of the house as well as from the last WV trip.
Yesterday was cleanup day. Where does all this dust and debris come from as well?
I cleared my dresser top and noticed the laminate had separated and raised at the back. So I shoveled white glue back about 3” and clamped it down. All better today.

So today I’m sorting through the several boxes and tossing or finding better places for it all.
There are still several book piles in front of the big bookcase.
Tomorrow should be warm enough to bring potting soil inside and start some seeds.

I was straightening the shelves under the living room windows this morning, hoping to jam a few more books in. What is that very cold breeze?
That wall is clad in knotty pine panels (painted, thankfully!) from the 50s. Apparently without any insulation behind it. Someone had caulked where there were gaps between the panels, but swell and shrink has left new gaps.
Those shelves are fastened to the wall, and I am not about to disassemble. But! I do happen to have 3/4” extruded insulation sheets taking up room in the basement, from other houses.
Cutting them now to friction fit inside the book bays.

>55 2wonderY: Is the laminate separation something you deal with frequently due to humidity? Or a normal aging thing? I don't know how humid your environment is. We are very dry where I am, and I don't notice laminate separate as much as chip off with age and abuse.

>57 MrsLee: It’s not a regular problem here. I think it might have even been loose when I bought the dresser 3 years ago; just not as severe. There are a couple of spots on the front where I had to fill small gouges. If I wanted to get serious, I’d sand them down and paint to match the oak finish.
It’s very pretty, 4 foot tall, slender and the front is slightly rounded. It works perfectly in this room.
My mom’s high school portrait, sits in pride of place. Inscription: “To Howie, someone pretty special. Katie”

>56 2wonderY: excellent idea!

>56 2wonderY: Done! And now the world is warming up outside. I may do the same thing to the coat closet walls. I had poked a hole in the drywall there, and there was some sort of insulation, but they are very much cold to the touch in the winter.

And I was able to shelve a few more books and pulled a short pile to consider deascessioning.

Well, drat. I wasn’t as slick as I thought. I found a book pile that hadn’t gotten back on the shelves.
I need to straighten more shelves and free up more inches.

>60 2wonderY: I wonder if your insulation inspiration will help with summer heat as well as winter cold? I've been reading a lot in a group of folks who own old homes. They mention some sort of plastic film they put on the inside of their windows that helps a lot with insulation, and supposedly if applied right, doesn't kill the view. My friend did this in her quilting room to protect the fabric from the UV rays.

>62 MrsLee: It might help marginally in the summer, but that wall faces north and the sun isn’t direct. That is the only section of house that is clad in brick. I’m thinking they have absorbed some of the 0° temps and held on to it.

Note to self:
Do this tomorrow

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2cndjRsSQX/?igsh=emtjNGI0OGtlN291

I dropped a couple of cases of soups at the homeless drop-in site today. It was full of people staying warm.
I should donate some books!

Rose and I drove to Cinci last evening for dinner and for Rose and Anne to exchange Christmas presents. Recall that Rose and Nathan were dealing with vehicle issues when Anne’s family came here. It was a lovely little party.
Rose had made a papier mâché bowl and fruit for Anne. The bowl is wonderful, but the fruit are hilarious.

I came home with a more than half full pan of strawberry jello pretzel stuff. All for myself.
I’m lazing about this morning with a bowl of it and my tea before I get into any projects.
There has been a huge flock of birds in the neighborhood the last few days. Starlings, maybe. They’ve been swarming on other lawns, but are ignoring the still present stale crackers I threw out on my front lawn several weeks ago. The snow is mostly gone.
I’ve had Asian lady bugs inside this month. No more than a dozen a day until this week. More now, but still not bad. I’m wondering if I didn’t introduce them from what I brought down from the ridgetop cabin.
Thankfully, they only appear on the north side windows and I’ve mastered a technique to drop them into a Wendy’s frosty cup with lid. They are invasives, so I’m not letting them loose.

Before the snow was gone, I did notice that my neighbor, Wilma, a retiree too, had built a snowman in her front yard.

An eventful evening!
I drive the homeless from the church where they register and have supper to the motel where they get rooms for the night (January through March).
There was some drama about room distribution and some spilled bags and lost people. Very complicated and I stayed longer than normal.
I am supposed to drop the bus key back at the church. Usually, the lights are off and the door is locked. Well, someone forgot to do those things and I don’t know how to lock the door. There’s a keypad for entry.
So reaching someone who knows how to lock the door took an hour.

I need to dig out my homework still this evening to be prepared for class tomorrow.

>66 2wonderY: glad everything turned out well.

Stopped by the storage place to pay the monthly rent. Next month I have to pay for two units, which prompted me to consider what I can remove.

I have an old kitchen cabinet much like a Hoosier, but really just a break front. I removed it from the cabin. It occurred to me it would fit on the carport and help hold garden stuff.
So I managed to tip it into my car and tied it off with an extension cord, because it stuck out from the hatchback.
The back area of the carport is a disaster, with all the stuff not put in storage or disposed. But the sun is out and the day is mild. I did some clearing and shifting and got it safely moved. I’m gonna pay for doing it by myself. But glad it’s done.
Next is finding homes for the two large mowers I no longer need.

>68 2wonderY: is there a rehabilitation organization locally? I've donated mowers to those who used them as therapy for PTSD, etc. (by repairing them).

I see we are all taking stock of early growth in the garden. I thought I had shared a few pictures I took earlier this week. I guess not.
This is what I found:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2-5cLSRIQ9/?igsh=MTB1eWdmZnN6bW03

>70 2wonderY: Are those snowdrops?

Yes! I had transplanted them a couple of years ago and I hadn’t seen them since.

We’ve got a thunderstorm here this morning. This is our flood season. Gotta check my downspout connections. There’s one off the deck that keeps popping out. Recall my basement full of water in 2021.

Jerry took a picture of a primrose this morning. Our current temperature is 17°.

The flower buds on my weeping cherry are starting to swell. I want to tell them NO!!! Not yet!

The Urban Farm is having its annual dinner tonight and I bought tickets and volunteered to help set up. Very fancy. Each table gets two tablecloths and chargers at each place. Lots of lugging from the truck and fiddly straightening.
Someone, Daniel, might want one of my mowers.
Wayne asked me if I garden and might I be willing to be on a tour. Not sure of his motivation. That came out of nowhere.

The live auction has a gorgeous quilt. And a beehive to “adopt.” No, you don’t get the hive.

>74 2wonderY: do you get the honey?

>75 fuzzi: A quart. It went for $175.

That's not a lot of honey from a hive.

And the best item, a gorgeous quilt, went for only $350. The same price as a tiramisu cake.
Great auctioneer (he’s also the preacher at the Union Church, I’m told), but he really shortchanged the quilt.

>78 2wonderY: Sometimes it isn't the quality or value of the item at these charity auctions. If someone's friend, or several people's friend, made an item, those friends will bid the item up out of friendship. All sorts of factors come into play.

>78 2wonderY: I bet they don't get another quilt from that donor.

Around the neighborhood, a neighbor had a tree service remove a grand old tree (maple, I think) last week. Melanie, next door to the removal, had them load up her driveway with a mountain of chips. These are much more ground up than the ones I got last fall.

The morning after a heavy rain this week, I saw lots of water still draining in the street gutter. I called the utilities to see whether a line or two had sprung a leak. They said No, but I see they’re back this morning excavating.

Last evening, I witnessed a massive murmuration near the next interstate exit. I couldn’t stop for pictures, as I was driving the bus. I may go back this evening.
A few starlings came by to check out those soggy crackers still in my front yard. They just nibbled until chased away by blackbirds, who also left quickly.

I put stale granola in the bird feeder, but most visitors are eating the suet square hanging above it.
I’m appreciating the extra light and put away all my red ornamentation in the living room - oops, missed an old Valentine I made in the 1960s. I’ve put up some yellows and pink flowers in baskets and swags.

I’m getting ready to plant some seeds - I know, I’m late. And finally potting cuttings I took in the fall. So I have three pineapple sage starts for the garden.

I think it might be safe to say that ladybug season is over. None seen in the house, (north facing windows, the brightest light) yesterday or this morning.

I hope this was a one time event, possibly from materials I brought in from the cabin. I should maybe check the storage unit for evidence.
I’d rather not have to deal with them every year.

Not in my yard, but at the college.
From the guest parking lot to the arts building, I climb a grassy hill. There is a burrow half way up. Twice now, I’ve seen the resident groundhog. I will try to remember to bring veggies, perhaps some sourdough bread on Thursday. I might try to build it a rodent-sized mailbox too.

>83 2wonderY: if you do build a mailbox please share a photo.

It’s overcast today, so the groundhog wasn’t out basking, but I left some veggies. I will walk by again later.
Trekked over to the Alumni Building for the first Bite of History luncheon. Teacups at each place setting! Paper, but floral. Pretty!

I finished and sent my Kodak assignment. I will have to take a picture of it. It turned out better than I expected. The written part is just me rambling. No theme or argument to defend. But I’m not doing it for the points.

Carrot - yes. Celery - don’t bother.

Iris (from last term) and their friend joined me for lunch. They both complimented my vest - green wool and covered in embroidery. I’m becoming known for how I dress. The crowd at RITI commented on my attire last evening and three students in the photography class made admiring comments last week. I’m going to need to schedule another closet purge, looks like.
Iris said they’ve been wearing what I gave them last year.

The history professor and his wife presented on the slave trade and muddied heritages. Their genetic tests show mostly Ghanan but also an eighth European. They are taking students to London later this year. I learned a new term - Windrush Generation. Caribbean migration to England last century to fill employments after WW2; and the cultural and political ramifications.
I was reminded of Mama Thames in the Peter Grant series.

>86 2wonderY: i usually read BBC news, so Windrush generation is not new to me. The UK started kicking people out that couldn't prove they had been living there most of their lives. 'Home' to somewhere they hadn't seen for decades.

It spit snow yesterday, but the sun is shining today.
I’m hoping it warms enough for me to plant some peas at least.

Yesterday I started picking at basement piles. I’ve finally got to the point that I can discard cardboard boxes. I’d been using them over and over on trips.

>88 2wonderY: nooo! Not cardboard boxes!!!

:)

Yes. It’s time. Was holding on to them for daughter, but it looks like they won’t be moving. She’s probably headed to Antarctica later this year and then will work from home.

Today is officially overcast. The street light is still on and it drizzled all night. I got pea seeds in the ground yesterday, constantly barked at by neighbor’s dog. I need to make friends somehow.

>90 2wonderY: Antarctica? Wow.

My peas are popping! I planted them a couple weeks ago but it's been dry so they were slow in sprouting.

Torrential rains this morning. And yes, I had to pop the connection back into place AGAIN from the deck roof. Gremlins?
There is also a 5 or 6 foot section in front of the living room windows where roof edge falls short of the gutter. I’m going to need to get the scaffolding out to see what else I might try to span that tiny gap.
I am playing with my piles, dumping random boxes and browsing shelves. I’ve got several sources for disposing now. I’ll tally the book pile tomorrow.
My back corner neighbor serves dinner at RITI now, so we see each other. His barkie dog is named Roxy. I meant to ask if I can give her treats.

The mole excavations out back are insane. I might need to get a roller.

The city came by and scooped up that soggy mattress from neighbor’s curb. I didn’t know they would do that! Trash service is done by a private company here. And furniture is only picked up twice a year. I was about to suggest disassembly to fit it in the bin. She must know someone. Anyway, glad it’s gone.

I brought forsythia wands from the other yard and forced them. A brilliant, cheerful yellow.

I went out antique malling today in search of a ceiling light globe. I had used an old ceiling base for a lamp sitting on top of a tall bookcase; wiring it with an inline switch. It was at daughter’s house and somehow ended on the floor with the globe broken. I had a spare, but it’s not as nice. So looking for a better one.
It was social city there today. Bumped into several people I know. It really is a small community.

>93 2wonderY: Oh! For a minute I read the above as YOU somehow ended up on the floor with the globe broken. Had to reread carefully. I'm glad it was the lamp and not you. :)

Purple Deadnettle. That’s what suddenly appeared in my yard last year with the import of several tons of soil from elsewhere. I hate it! Worse than Creeping Charlie.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3tglg2txKE/?igsh=M3MwNDZlZTd5ZGRq

>94 MrsLee: I wasn’t even there when it happened. Daughter just knows to count on me to fix things.

This is the first month having to pay for two storage units; so it’s time to get rid of more stuff.
Anne is actually driving down tomorrow to visit, and she will take a mower at least, and help me load a table to donate to a good cause.

This is the college spring break, so many buildings are locked up, including the art galleries.

It’s really warm here this week. The trees want to break out in bloom. The hellebores are full of blooms.

Good news! The peonies I had to relocate last year are alive! Red buds emerging from the mulch. They had such a hard life last year, uprooted mid year, they died back early, and I wasn’t sure.

>95 2wonderY: They could be 'live' nettles.

See https://www.lonelypinesfarm.com/foraging-uses-for-purple-dead/ for ideas as to how to actually use it.

>97 2wonderY: Terrific! I will have to go down in the yard and see if those I planted for the wedding last year survived.

>97 2wonderY: wonderful!

>98 MarthaJeanne: they're "dead" nettles because they don't sting like nettles.

>95 2wonderY: I have a yard full of them every Spring, but they die back. I've been pulling the deadnettle plants out of my raised beds with little effort, not tough to control like honeysuckle. The early bees love them, as do my chickens, who receive piles of my weeding efforts, yummy!

There's another purple annual weed here in NC, the Henbit. It's similar to deadnettle, and they bloom about the same time. They're also easy to control. https://eattheplanet.org/henbit-the-elegant-and-nutritious-wild-edible/

>100 fuzzi: Yes I know, and regular nettles are not only also very persistent weeds, but they sting.

Well, it’s a good thing I’ve been at least half-heartedly working on the basement mess. What’s that puddle doing there? Huh. Directly underneath the bathtub drain. I’ve been using chemicals to clear the drain. Daughter uses a lot of soap products and I regularly scoop what is caught in the strainer, but know much more is going down to line the pipes. It looks like it might just be a poorly connected P-trap, but there is other corrosion as well.
It really is the last original fixture, and I’ve known it would eventually need to be addressed. Hmmm. Hmmm.

>102 2wonderY: oh, no. Not plumbing.

>102 2wonderY: I really hope it is something simple for you. Hope nothing was damaged in basement?

>104 MrsLee: Just a little rust on the tool box sitting just underneath.

Big news!
Daughter just heard about a job she’s been pursuing. She’s been going through background checks and health screenings for two months. She will be a Project Engineer at McMurdo Station, Antarctica starting in April.
She will spend two months there and then work remotely, from home, mostly.
And my step-grandson just texted me that his wife is in hospital in induced labor. Whoot! Whoot!

>105 2wonderY: good news as well as big, I'm happy for you!

>105 2wonderY: Wow! A stellar news day!

To increase my joy incrementally, an old friend of Rose stopped by to drop off a custom tincture for Rose. I’ve known Timi as well for a decade, though not very well. She’s an off-grid homesteader , mycologist, herbist, etc. She has an amazing circular home that she built with her own hands, nestled into a hillside. She was on the Solar Tour one year, which is how I met her. We traded work on our properties. I lugged rock for her natural swimming pool.
Anyway, she pulled up this morning and she and her companion both exclaimed over my front yard.

Always nice to be appreciated, and doubly so if the appreciaters actually know something about the work involved.

Elora LaVey arrived sometime around midnight. I’ve loaded a photo, but I can’t access it for some reason.
Her dad is my step-grandson, so I don’t have infant memories, but I met him at one and a half. Those memories are rising to the surface. I think I will write some of them down and gift them to Elora.

The site must be experiencing issues on uploaded pictures this morning. Will try later.

Sigh. It’s officially ant season in the kitchen. Found three crawling at the sink and then another inside my brown sugar jar.(!). Screw top. Fresh bait put out.

I seem to have corrected the bathtub leak just by loosening and tightening the P-trap connection. Some idiot put caulk on it and then screwed it on wonky. Can’t remove the other side, as it’s oddly connected to the waste line. Will keep an eye on it and a bucket underneath.

Oh, and three electric lines run right through the drain configuration to the other side of the basement. Serious eye-rolling happening.

>113 2wonderY: Precious photo.

>113 2wonderY: ❤️❤️❤️

First Farmers Market of the season for me.

Had to get something to put in the ground!
Veronica Georgia Blue, Creeping Speedwell and a Lungwort were offering colors already.

Also bought two sticks of weeping pussy willow to try, though I don’t know where.

>116 2wonderY: My grandmother had a huge weeping pushy willow in her chicken yard. I loved that tree! So beautiful, and of course the little "pussy" paws to pet.

Two sticks won't do it, but I have seen a play house made of planted pussy willow sticks. I becomes a green and growing place for small children to hide.

I think I will plant them at the top of the yard at the fence line.

My hot water tank pilot won’t stay lit. It’s been 8 months or so since I had it looked at. I should count that as bonus time and bite the bullet now and replace it. I will have two guests this week.
My basement is still a disaster with piles and boxes everywhere; though I am making progress.

Olivia is here for the week. She wanted my mechanic to give the old Mazda a once over. I drove it and it is running handsomely with over 359,000 miles on it.
The first thing I did when she offered was send her up on the deck roof to clear the debris atop the gutter guards. We’re making it a habit. She helped me with the garage roof last spring.
I took her out for Chinese buffet and afterward, we checked Goodwill. She discovered and rescued a box of recipes, some dating back to the 1920s. She’s having a pleasant evening deciphering the handwriting.

Plumber is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Liv will go to class with me in the afternoon.
Wednesday, we will tackle the storage units, combining the contents into just one.
Oh, and Liv has decided on a career direction. She’s going to Welders school in the fall.

>120 2wonderY: what a joy it must be to have her visits.

I'm glad the recipe cards are being appreciated. I would have loved to have my mother's, don't know what happened to them.

>121 fuzzi: I have two nieces (married to my brother's sons) who treasure the old recipe books and cards from our family. Makes me so happy. Now and then I call them and ask them if they can find such and such recipe. I plan to give them the original cookbooks from my grandmothers that I used to make my cookbook, but how to choose who gets which book? :) It's a nice dilemma, because usually the younger generation isn't interested at all.

We split my mom’s cookbooks among the siblings. I don’t know who got her recipe box, but I have a few cards she wrote out specifically for me to keep.

Plumbing adventures! First thing they did was break the meter. The hole at the curb bubbled up with water. My water, I think. It took 6 utility employees to fix it.

Though they knew they were replacing the HWH, they came without a hose to drain it. I’ve been providing hose, buckets, whatever.

This made me clean areas of the basement that I hadn’t seen in a while.

So they are also replacing the main shut off valve where the water comes in. Recall it didn’t shut off entirely last year when I was replacing the kitchen faucet.

They also disassembled the bathtub drain and cleaned a wad of persistent gunk above the P trap. Yay!

>122 MrsLee: I have a few recipe cards that my mother wrote out for me. I treasure them.

>124 2wonderY: good help can be hard to find.

>125 fuzzi: He was very impressed by my ability to hand him the tool he needed from my pegboard.
$2000 later, we’ve got hot water, a tub that drains, and a new main shut off.
And he’s returning next week for a couple of minor tasks.

The first hose I offered wasn’t doing the job, so I brought a second one in.

Turns out, the first hose is plugged by a solitary bee nest.
I connected it to the outside hose bib, expecting to be able to wash it out with the pressure. Instead, water poured into the basement above the electric panel. **eye roll**. You already know the electric lines go right through the tub drain configuration.

>126 2wonderY: that's not bad. I needed a new hot water heater a couple months ago, and the heater and labor was just under $1000.

I hated that I was paying three workers to wait for the tank to empty. If I’d known it was so slow, I would have done it myself the day before.

Granddaughter and I have been trying to use up the bags of leaf mulch and checking for asparagus sprouts.

It’s 75°F today and mostly sunny. Liv is sweeping the deck and I just mowed the yard. It needed it! Rough going with the mole mounds (lots of shoveling and raking in my future) but the entire job front and back too no more than 40 minutes.

Rose’s husband came up last evening and brought T, of course. Rose has to work today. We played hard. They’ve got a puppy, mostly Australian cattle dog. Smart and adorable.
I haven’t yet put the plant in the ground that I bought last week, but I will go back today for more. My whole west front yard needs filled.

Have I mentioned the leaking tub? I removed half my closet contents yesterday and opened the wall. Just a minor seep during regular open faucets, even the shower. But Olivia had the bright idea to take the shower hose down and spray around. Bingo! The minor damp has swollen the backer board enough to pop tiles out of place and the water is pouring out that way.
I can’t face another expensive project this year. I will fasten plastic for now to shed the water from that wall.

T asked me several times to buy a science kit from the dollar store. She wants to blow things up.

Ps: I think I have too many shoes. When they are lined up on the shelf, it doesn’t appear excessive. But they filled a large Rubbermaid tub.

Two plant sales. From Connie, 2 dianthus, both raspberry colored. Golden Alexanders (zizia) will flower through June.
I stopped by the college greenhouses. Their stock isn’t great, but I did bring home a thornless blackberry. It’s less than 2feet tall, but already blooming. Hoping this will be an orderly plant. Those at the urban garden were fruiting through the summer.

The weeping peach tree out front is already full of color, but not yet in full bloom. We will have several nights below freezing this week. Crossing my fingers.

A neighbor my age had asked if I’d like to hike with her back when I first moved in. I had expressed interest, but our schedules didn’t match up.
She asked me again today and I jumped at it. We didn’t go to the steep Pinnacles, but to the college owned trails at the edge of town. Just over two hours out there, with some hills that gave cardio workout. My leg joints and frame can feel it. It’s a good thing.

>130 2wonderY: we used plastic and duct tape once as a temporary measure in the tiled bathroom.

T can use vinegar and baking soda, it's cheaper!

>133 fuzzi: Yes to the temporary fix.
And I was going to do that with T, but we didn’t have time.

>130 2wonderY: For future reference, Mentos in Coke makes a very satisfying explosion. This is strictly an outside activity.

>135 MrsLee: Got it. Thanks! I don’t know that I’ve ever had Mentos.

>136 2wonderY: You can find the experiment and all the science of it online. My boys got a big kick out of this one. I've never eaten a mento either. Science experiments are the best use for soda pop; in my opinion. :)

Plumbers are here again this morning to put the sump pit back together. It’s complicated with a radon detection pipe. Son in law never came back and did that.
Also replacing a hose bib that froze this winter and we will check the other one too. Gave me a reason to do some spring cleaning on the carport.

It got down to 30°F last night, and the open peach blossoms took it hard. But the unopen buds are still fresh looking and should provide longer color.

>138 2wonderY: when we lived in SC I recall reading that the peach growers didn't sweat losing blossoms to frost. It was explained that the remaining blossoms would produce bigger and sweeter peaches.

I heard of one peach community that agreed to prune back their young fruit to get larger peaches, but the first year it didn't work. So in further years they pruned each others' trees, which worked much better.

The weeping peach is an ornamental. It froze again night before last. The blooms are looking tired and a bit ashen.
I think weeping cherries have more cold resilience, yes?

The squirrels tore down the bird feeder that was hanging on the front porch. Oh well, two years isn’t a bad record. I will consider a more squirrel-proof design, but don’t have high hopes.

I want to mention that the hose bib that Eric replaced was a frost-proof design. Yet the copper line split inside the foundation. He showed me the mechanism which theoretically prevents this happening and it also kept the water from spilling out until the faucet was turned on. He replaced it with a Pex line, but also took care of it the old fashioned way; by installing an inside shut-off valve.

>141 2wonderY: I have lived in many apartments where there was no inside shut-off valves. It's a false economy, especially for the toilet.

The first time I called a plumber after buying our home I had shut-off valves put on the toilets, sinks too.

I’ve been on the lowest dose of blood pressure medicine since last year. In the last couple of weeks, I have been able to feel when it is high. Today it spiked to 180, but came down within two hours. My PA upped my dose. I do not want to wake up to a stroke.

Extra bedframe is propped in the living room being repaired. First glue and clamp loose veneer. Then figure how to add 4 inches of height. Granddaughter remembered that was why we put this one in storage instead of switching it out with the one borrowed from Rose. They are both lovely southern colonial bedsteads.

Dandelion sweep today, more just a reason to see what else is up.

>143 2wonderY: four wooden blocks?

Took a long hike this morning into the next neighborhood and managed to get my bp down to 132.

We’ve got sun and mild weather, so I went weeding and trying to determine where to put new plants.
The pussy willow stakes are already sending out roots and shoots. I decided to encapsulate them in one of my enameled washing machine tubs.

I think I’ve got a sunny spot along the fence for the blackberry. It seems to be more ruly than the wild ones.

Pulling chives and dandelions for a lunch salad.

Alida has a crew at her house today replacing the original 1950s furnace and adding AC. She’s invited me over to examine some glassware she intends to discard.

The weeping peach is looking marvelous.

>145 2wonderY: thanks for the update.

Good for Alida, that should help tremendously. Nothing like a new HVAC to make one comfortable and reduce the monthly bills.

Poking at the mess on the carport and the second bedroom. Making progress; making space.

On campus today, no classmate remarked on what I was wearing; but a random student out on the quad called that she liked my outfit as I walked by.

>147 2wonderY: Your classmates are used to the idea that you look good. They expect it.

Running errands today, I was near tractor Supply. Stopped to look at their seeds. Bought nasturtium and Shirley poppy’s. They have a bin of fruit saplings. There was only one that was still alive. The clerk said the rest were still sleeping. Okay. Red haven Peach. Late blooming, freestone, and 12-15 feet tall. Perfect!

T FaceTimed me this morning. She tells me she’s got two baby brothers and not enough bottles. Will I please bring the two I bought for the babies here.

Happy Easter all!

I’m at daughter’s farm for the weekend. T and I hiked the woods, had a picnic, and brought Redbud switches back for decoration. Plus many other activities, like flying an aluminum foil kite that she fashioned.
We had a cookout and a huge megastore feast is planned today.

Oh! April Fools Day. I nearly missed it.

It’s a gardening kind of day. Finally, finally starting some seeds.
Also finding spots for a few small plants I bought Saturday. Gonna try lavender again, because why not?

I’m finding lots of woody sprouts in my beds and I’m pretty sure they are privet. Alida has an overgrown volunteer on the fence line. But I can’t confirm yet. These have a distinctive orange root, but I can’t find any reference. Even my weed books don’t have an entry.

Daffodils are half done, tulips are in their prime and I see iris bud stalks already. Weeping peach is still beautiful.

>150 2wonderY: thank you! Sounds like a wonderful visit.

>151 2wonderY: privet are the bane of my yard. Yes, the roots are orangish, and the sprouts will turn into invasive groves if not removed as soon as possible. I run the lawn mower over them when they pop up on the property boundaries. A pox on whoever imported this shrub!

I planted my Summer squash this past weekend, and my leaf lettuce is up!

The only good thing about privet is that it is easy to pull up in my yard. Every other tree that sprouts is the devil to get out and usually just gets cut off, which only seems to encourage them to try harder.

There was severe weather warnings all day here, but nothing much happened. We got rain. But businesses and schools shut down and sent people home.

I didn’t realize till this morning that some areas really got spectacular weather. Take a look at this UK student in Lexington, just north of here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5TSwsYLCB8/?igsh=ODUweDRqZDI5aWU0

An old friend came through yesterday from seeing her grandbabies in SC. I convinced her to stay the night and we gabbed and drank Japanese Plum wine.

I was blasted out of bed by a motor that sounded like a helicopter was landing in my back yard.
The neighbor’s boyfriend was working on a riding mower in his driveway adjacent to mine. The muffler fell off, he sez.
It’s nearly 9pm!
At least it gave me a chance to say hello. Cory is his name.

It’s eclipse day and the sun has been out all day until now, in the hour of the event. It doesn’t look like rain, but the disc will not be visible. Grey cloud cover.
Ah well, I’m getting some garden business done.
Refining the path through the front yard for the postal deliverer. They like to cut across yards rather than loop up and down the steps.
I’m going to start lining the path with plants.

The eclipse we saw in Geneva, it wasn't the disk that was impressive, but the way the whole world 'stopped'.

It did seem to stop. It’s just now beginning to pick up again. I took special glasses over to a neighbor and we had some blackberry cordial . And then the clouds dispersed and we got to see most of it.

The best photography of the eclipse:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5gyuPiPl6t/?igsh=YzR4MnkwdjY5aWt3

Someone knew what they were doing

I’m glad I got most of the transplants in the ground Monday and Tuesday, because it’s been raining since.
I think I’ve decided on where to put the new peach tree - on the first slope out back.
A neighbor gave out raspberry plants and I’ve got a bag of those to place.
It’s too soggy to even dig dandelions.

Rose is bringing her cat here today. The puppy has been too friendly and the cat has no idea it can fight back. So it has gnaw marks on its neck.🥺

>160 2wonderY: poor kitty!

Puppy needs to be taught respect.

Finally a day of sunshine! Lots happening in the gardens. First a trip to the Farmers Market and I have to mow when it dries off.

The robins nest in the deck roof framing was knocked down this morning. I am so impressed by its construction and comfort. Too bad! Something is building another nest in a different spot, but I haven’t seen who. It’s a mess.

Connie sold me a variegated Solomon’s Seal. My mini SS is emerging and becoming a patch.
Also a Dianthus firewitch, which is leggier than the others I have. A hen & chicks because the chicks are just so cute. And a creeping thyme ‘Coccineus,’ which promises red flowers.

The Potting Shed is open. I looked at some expensive plants for research; and bought one pineapple sage and five small perennials. Will list them later. I’m taking a lunch break.
Guara Belleza Dark Pink; which isn’t really perennial.
Prunella ‘Summer Daze’ common name Self-Heal.
Delosperma P001S Fire Spinner, also not winter hardy here.
Lupine ‘Gallery Red’
And Donkeytail Spurge.

Walmart to see what they have and buy topsoil for the raised beds. Bought two pretty Ranunculus annuals for the front yard.

A couple of neighbors want to visit the Amish greenhouses in Crab Orchard soon. That’s where the exciting stuff is found.

It’s hot out!
Finding spots for peach and raspberries. The slope at the top of the yard has held blueberries, which have never done well, and a very steep area covered in carpet. I rolled one edge of the carpet over and planted a line of raspberries. I had place leaves under, and the soil there is very rich. I need to devise a walkway up the slope.

The guy who helped with my dead battery stopped by and gave me bulbs. He bought them from a high school neighbor selling them for a fundraiser, but he doesn’t garden. He said he would enjoy them in my yard instead.
Gladiola
Orchid gladiola
Freesia
Liatris

Blueberries want acid soil. If you don't have it, they will not thrive.

>165 MarthaJeanne: I know. The soil here is only slightly acid and I’ve been amending with pine needles as well as a bag of fertilizer specifically for blueberries.
But I’m not really interested in them anymore. Rose and Nathan have some mature highbush blueberries, but they too seem not enough reward for the effort.

I tried years agp. I dug out alarge hole. I lined it with boards and filled it with special blueberry soil, and planted my bushes. I made sure to only water them with rain water. After a few years we actually harvested a handful or two. Ny the next year they were dead.

Now comes the interesting part. I had planted raspberries behind that hole. Once the blueberries were dead, the raspberries moved in. Soon there were no raspberries left where I had planted them, but the blueberry bed was ful of them. Not that I ever got amy into the kitchen. Any my four males didn't eat in the garden the birds must have gotten.

So if you have given up on the blueberries, you might want to try raspberries there.

>167 MarthaJeanne: I am expecting the raspberries to move in there too.

I have asparagus! Two stalks. And not where I expected it. I had multiple root balls last fall and forgot to mark where I stuck them in the ground. I may need to reorganize a little bit.

I dreamt of green things emerging from the ground. It was a celebration.

Catching up on your gardening!

If you want to make the soil more acid for blueberries, coffee grounds seem to help. Also, my mother used to use Miracid, from the Miracle-Gro company, to make her acid-loving plants thrive. I don't need to use it here as the soil is below acid, tested in the 5 pH range when I had it done years ago.

I was at the doctor’s office this morning to evaluate the dosage of blood pressure medicine. It’s not consistent from one moment to the next. On my way out, I had a spontaneous blood vessel break on the back of my hand. You can actually see the bump made by the broken vessel. They looked at it and couldn’t comment.
I just keep thinking what if it happens in my gut or brain.

Got tired waiting for the plumber to call me back, so called another plumber. They’ve been here all afternoon. It turned into a bigger job because the old line was rotten as well as mostly full of debris.
They seem mostly done. I hate to see the bill.

Tis the season

May 10-11 arts council plant sale
https://www.instagram.com/p/C56zcwiCz1r/?igsh=bzR2ejV6dHN0aW9y

Neighbor Joan and I went out to an Amish owned greenhouse in Crab Orchard this morning. This is not my favorite, but the prices were pretty good compared to prices in town. Loaded up on flowering annuals to brighten the mulched west front yard.
And a few more. Will list them in more detail tomorrow. By the time I went to class and had the plumber back to finish up, it was too hot and I was too tired to do much with them.

Reminder to self
Find Trees & Shrubs of Kentucky by Mary E. Wharton & Roger W. Barbour

When is it impossible to plant flowers?

When you haven’t botany.😁

It’s cold and wet today. I’ve been out running errands. Dropped party stuff at Joan’s - she is hosting the neighborhood Earth Day party.
No disposables!

I will encourage measuring our old trees for registry as Champion Trees.

I wanted to go back to Crab Orchard, to the better greenhouse. But Rose will be home soon from her last work day with Hitachi.
So I stopped and got a leaky tire fixed instead. Stem replacement and that should be the end of that.
I also stopped at the library and dropped off some good chocolate for the librarians to help celebrate public library month.

I’m so cold. Closed the windows, shut down the fans, brought one of the portable heaters back from storage. Found my wool shawls.
The turtlenecks are boxed away, but sweaters are still available.
It’s supposed to get down to 55°F tonight.
I’m not good with transitions anymore.

>177 2wonderY: I'll send you some of our 80+ degrees.

>178 lesmel: Thanks! I double-checked and it’s worse. Down to the mid 30s the next couple of nights. I just dragged all the greenhouse grown stuff inside and covered the few already planted.

>179 2wonderY: Yikes! We are having 80s also. Wanna visit?

>180 MrsLee: Yes! I’ll be right over…

>181 2wonderY: There is a cranberry-orange cake and some lovely iced shrubs on the table.

>178 lesmel: Can I have some, too, please? They are nor forecasting frosts, but below normal end of April weather for the rest of the month. Highs around 12. Like Ruth, I'm on shock. But we had not turned off the furnace or taken down the greenhouse tent, so I'm not as desperate. If I really buy tomato plants on Wednesday, they can go in there for a while.

>182 MrsLee: Cranberry orange sounds good. If I make cookies with cranberries soaked in Grand Marnier , and use the orange chocolate Jerry bought by mistake...

Party at MrsLee’s! Bringing my weeding gear. (It’s a kneeling pad that I almost always leave behind me.)

My cookies are in the over, but I do not recommend a party here. cold (5°C), windy, drizzly. Plenty of weeds, though. Better go to MrsLee. I've had to reclose the tent, as temps were down to 9 in there.

ETA Cookies are out, and are brightening up an otherwise very grey day. I've also had enough tea to bring my blood pressure above the 90/60 mark. That helps too.

Cinnamon and cardamon in the cookies.

>184 2wonderY: Great idea!

>185 MarthaJeanne: Those cookies sound amazing, better bring them along!

I bottled my watermelon shrub this morning. Great potential. Tastes a bit like the sour/sweet watermelon flavor candy sticks I used to love in high school. Remember those? Were they Jolly Rancher? Or a different brand. A clear, hard candy in a flat bar shape, very pretty pink.

I never liked that flavor in candy. It never approached the taste of the real thing.

We are having a block party here this evening to celebrate Earth Day. Joan always leads on these things and then gets anxious. I’ve been providing support all week. Sharing party supplies and keeping track of the weather. It’s chilly, but at least the skies are clear. Supposed to be 62° high today. I will bring cordial as well as a potato casserole.

All but one of my roses survived this winter well; and are leafing out from branches. One of my favorites looked dead until this morning where I see life at its base.
I’ve come across roses in my shopping, and picked up two because the prices were so good; but sight unseen, as they are not in bloom.
From Ollie’s, Pink Miracle LGHR2. Shrub rose for $8. I got two bags of gladiola bulbs as well, peach and deep dusky red. I helped a new gardener to shop in the bulb bin too.

At the Crab Orchard greenhouse, the 3 gallon potted roses were $21 as compared to $57 in town. There was one drift rose, and it was the only sickly one. So instead, I chose an ‘Orange Glow’ Knock Out specimen. ‘Radslam PPAF’

The climbing rose that my daughter specially bought for me two years ago has buds!

Veggies

At the greenhouse the other day, I bought ‘Black Beauty’ zucchini squash and two types of tomato - ‘Rutgers’ (hmm, a mistake, I think) and some ‘Roma.’
Also ‘Berggarten’ Sage.

Today I bought tomatoes from Connie, ‘Mortgage Lifter’ and ‘Hillbilly.’
At the grocery store, cabbage and cauliflower. I’ve never been successful with the brassicas, but willing to try again.

Succulents from Crab Orchard (Hummingbird Greenhouse)
Fishbone cactus, an odd thing, and Pickle Plant, Delosperma echinatum.

In the same display, Scindapsus ‘Exotica.’ Because it was cheap.
These will be added to the patchwork slopes.

For the shaded corner of the deck next to the pond, I like to have pots of flowering begonias - ‘Vermillion Hot Pink’ and an orange pink blush. (No tag)

Another party-goer pointed out the fabulous sunset sky, intense pink with just a thread of orange and purple against a blue blue sky and trailing pink clouds all along the horizon.

Doing the wash-up from last evening.
I contributed plates, forks, goblets and cordial glasses. I was delighted to catch the children using the cordials for their own drinks. My grands love them too for festivities. And I saw the adults choosing their goblets carefully as well. Each has a unique glass button wired to the stem, so it can be identified on a table full of misc. glassware.
I’d like the word to get out that these are available for borrow in the community; else why should I keep them?

Damn Damn Damn! The house and property that Rose and Nathan would have loved to buy 6 months ago just went on the market. They drove up this evening to look at it. T and I were making plans to get together after school every day for tea parties. There was a perfect bush where we both fit inside. (T went in first to make sure it was clear of bears and badgers)
But it sounds like they are deciding against it and plan to stay on the farm. It’s not their farm, but it’s inexpensive and the house there doesn’t need the work this one would.
Color me disappointed.

We had pancakes at Cracker Barrel afterwards, and our side of the table got seriously maple syruped.

Last night’s low was forecast at 34°, but we did have a light frost, evidenced on roofs and vehicle tops this morning. High today is 64° and nights in the 40-50s the rest of the week.
I’d like to plant the lantanas, moss rose, ranunculas and others today. Also seed my raised beds.
The sun is out, so it should warm as much as it’s gonna fairly quickly.

There were some healthy looking 3 gallon perennials at Ace Hardware this weekend for $20.

>175 2wonderY: argh. Love it.

>182 MrsLee: it's been 50 and rainy, but feels colder. Can I come over?

You'll welcome to visit when we get in the 90s.

>186 MrsLee: I was never a fan of the sour Jolly Ranchers, but you triggered a memory of watermelon candies that were like little slices of watermelon, complete with a "rind" of green and little black spots for seeds. Dang, when did I have those?

>190 2wonderY: Roma is a favorite of mine, I grow it every year.

>195 2wonderY: I'm ahead of you, of course, as it's zone 8a here. I have already planted lantanas. I also have portulacas, purslane, and petite marigolds in a new bed by the steps. I transplanted a red clematis and surrounded it with bugleweed to help keep its feet cool. I also added some evening primroses and a purple coneflower in the back of the bed.

Walking the backyard this morning, the shallow water dish is frozen. The moles are excavating next to the east maple tree, with a dozen or so entrance holes, but no raised tunnels.

April 24
Doctor’s visit, where I endured having an ear flushed and a tetanus booster.
Three donuts to make me feel alright again. Then an afternoon trip out to the other Amish greenhouse at Crab Orchard. Stopped by the first as well to inquire if they would take back an impulse purchase. I bought a Cape honeysuckle because the flowers were big and orange. But where would I put it? They said yes. I got three plants in exchange.
List later.
Hare’s Tail grass in a blue pot.

I removed the last piece of carpet from the center of the west slope, front yard. There are still pieces at the bottom of the east side, but I keep adding small plants there too.
The west slope is largely being taken over by the pink evening primrose with chunks of wild geranium mixed in. The small succulents are disappearing under the onslaught. So I’m removing them for the rock garden slope out back, or I will pot them for accent pieces.
I put two lantanas in the bare spots and will fertilize them. Last year, my two planted by the front porch grew to 8 or 9 feet in diameter. I’ve planted a few more, various colors, around the weeping peach to begin defining where plants should go on that side of the yard. After excavation last year, I covered the entire space with wood mulch instead of re-seeding grass.

I’m also messing with the circle bed in the middle of the east front lawn. Removed a couple of items and added one of the new rose bushes.
I removed all of the creeping Jenny that has grown on the rock slope. I’ve decided it wants to make itself too much at home. In the process, I’m moving some of the rock; so I will be jigsawing back into place this weekend and introducing new small plants in the in-betweens.

Removing the millions of maple seedlings coming up everywhere.

I’ve got so much that needs done; but I’m lacking the energy. That’s odd, and frustrating. Also getting a headache which is also unusual.

Checked with Connie this morning. I’m looking for Veronica’s (mine have not come up) and hummingbird mint. She says next week. So instead, I bought a basil and catmint.

I’ve finally found a Garden Marker that won’t rub off or fade, and I used up all the tags I bought last year so I can remember what is where. I needed more, so looked at the Dollar Tree. Nope. But the Dollar Tree across town had them.
Dropped in at the Potting Shed looking for pond plants. If I can’t revive my pond, I’m gonna drain it and re-purpose it.
Bought a Cyperus Papyrus (dwarf) and two Astilbe and something else…
Considering two peonies and an azalea.

Swarms of boxelder bugs this season.

Had to share this:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6SCBgwyJOE/?igsh=MTJja2c3N2Rjejg5Zg==

I spend too much time on Instagram.

Daughter is coming down from Cinci today. I plan to put her to work in the gardens.

The medium purple irises at the top of the front slope are seriously putting out this year. Remember I threatened them last year with removal. I’ve even had to dig some out and posted to share them to the neighborhood. They do like to take over. I cut some blooms and they are fragrant.
All of the roses have buds.
The coral peony I bought last year is in bloom.
The pink primrose is scrambling up two slopes, but hasn’t bloomed yet. Another yard, facing south, is in full bloom.
The wild geraniums are blooming and mounding nicely.
I found some very nice dahlias for the front of the rose garden. The ones I had last year there haven’t reappeared.
The foxgloves are huge and sending up flower stalks.

I’m fighting the carpenter bees drilling holes in my deck and carport.
I’m working this morning putting my tomatoes in the ground.

April 28

We didn’t get any work done; but we had a nice hang out together. Anne had to get the van back tonight, so didn’t stay.
We snuck over to one of the gardens that was on last year’s tour and peeked at the gate, sure that her pink mountain laurel would be in bloom. Mary saw us and invited us in. Wow! Her azaleas and rhododendrons and some roses and a towering viburnum were in glory. I need two roses - Fourth of July (which I used to have in WV) and a blush yellow climber. I asked the name twice and didn’t retain it.
She consulted us on the color she is having her house siding painted. It’s a bright yellow, and she’s tried mellower shades four times and it stays too bright. I like the putty color she is covering over.

Back at my house, we were in the front yard and someone paused driving by to exclaim over the irises. We exchanged names and I will give her some when I next thin them (soon!). Her name is Bobbi, and she lives up around the corner next to Eef. So her back yard is visible from my back yard. She seems nice!

Another neighbor emailed asking about the irises. Jane at 123 Holly Hill.

Tomatoes

Roma, of course.
Rutgers - bigger plant, determinate.
Pineapple - KY heirloom, indeterminate. Hmm. Where to plant these?
Mortgage Lifter - also a traditional variety around here.
Hillbilly - a WV heirloom. Grows up to 7 feet tall. Good thing I acquired some heavy duty cages last year when a neighbor tossed them.

Other veg

Swiss chard - these get big, so perhaps planting them here and there in the beds.
Cauliflower ‘Snow Crown’ - because I like a challenge.
Cabbage ‘Golden Cross’ and ‘Fast Vantage
Planting these in the new raised beds out front with full sun and the possible need to cover with netting, as the cabbage moth is plentiful here.

‘Black Beauty’ zucchini squash. I haven’t been successful yet, but I continue to try.

Someone did mention that rain was forecast, but it didn’t register till just now, hearing it at 5am. Yesterday the sky was clear; so I left tools out, a cushion, and a bin of potting soil uncovered. The rest will dry; but the potting soil will be impossible. So I did drag myself out of bed and dash out in the rain and cover it. Bleh!

The new plants in the ground will be happy though.

And I found a couple of containers of seed packets that I had moved off the deck yesterday. So salvaging those soggy seeds that I hadn’t meant to put in the ground.
I see a volunteer carrot where I sowed seed last year and nothing came up. Perplexed.

Note to self: Little Debbie glazed donuts are gross. They cloy in the mouth. I’m trying to make friends with a raven that visits the bird bath at the bottom of the driveway and will toss some out when I see it next. It took a slice of kielbasa yesterday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrtomium_falcatum

I bought several of these for embellishing the end of the aisle for Rose’s wedding in 2015. And then I planted them on the north side of the cabin, hoping they would form a foundation planting. They didn’t, but they did manage to hold on.
So I removed them to town last year, and they survived that too.
Saw them at the greenhouse today and wanted to record their name.

When I went faucet shopping last month, I bought the one I really liked the look of, and a second choice Delta. Decided on the Delta because it is slightly better built; more metal, less plastic. So I chose today to drive to Lexington to return the more expensive set. (Yeah, go figure.)

Drove through blinding rain. And then the skies cleared and it got warm again.
I walked quickly through the garden center at Home Depot and chose a pot of lovely columbines and a coral bells that I didn’t have yet. At checkout, I was offered a $25 discount if I applied for a HD credit card. Sure. I’ll just cut it up after I pay the $2 for the plants.
Stopped at the Ollie’s up there, and they had a better selection of clay pots. Brought 4 home. I do like the look of them scattered around the yard.

Daughter mentioned that carpenter bees avoid dragonflies, and I found one at the Dollar store. There is certainly less bee activity today. The fake paper wasp nest doesn’t work.

Oh, and I’ve managed to introduce jewelweed here. I love it!

Stinkhorn drama queen:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Z3vylxay6/?igsh=NnRhbjhhZHI0dTd2

>208 2wonderY: when I needed to upgrade the cheap faucets that came with our house I asked my plumber Tim what I should get. He said Delta, because parts are available if they ever need to be repaired.

I have some volunteer ferns in the yard, should try to identify them.

>207 2wonderY: Oh, that is one of the plants I bought for my side porch here. I love it.

>208 2wonderY: I will always buy Delta since they replaced so willingly the faucet in my kitchen which we have had for over 10 years. Shipped it to us and it arrived within 4 days.

>210 fuzzi: Love that. Peeking out ready to surprise the world.

I think I might have brought multiflora rose into my gardens. Small simple white flowers. I didn’t mean to. Adding disposal to my list of to-do items today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoqkMvyVZVc

The dozen foxgloves Katie gave me last year are monsters now, and all yellow. I was hoping for lavender. Ah well.

I haven’t heard from Linda yet; but I understand the garden tour is scheduled for June 8 this year. We all said last year a later date would have worked better for blooms; and now we have a remarkably early season.
My campfire rose will be the first (wanted) rose to bloom.

Many many projects. But I should try today to sign up for next fall’s class.

I’m considering what to do with my pond. This is why I went to the thrift store; looking for the right sized containers to fit plants into along the south edge.
You might recall that the pond is seated at ground level and butts up against the descending slope on that south side. Well, it kinda butts up. It is actually higher than the end of the slope, so there is a pocket where I thought I had planted irises.
But I took the whole affair apart last year because something was burrowing under it. There is a board fence on the west side. So it’s not a good idea to fill that pocket with soil; as it would promote rot in the fence.
I did find plastic containers at the dollar tree that fit snug and level in that space, with a little work. Plants already placed.
A palm shaped thing that doesn’t have a tag. Hmmm. Salesperson said it likes its feet in water. Astilbe ‘Fanal’ is a deep red, and a Coral Bells ‘Foamy Bells’ with pale green leaves and purple veins. A crock of Blue Star Creeper at the end. The creeper had established itself on the front slope, but the scale was so small that it was about to be swallowed by evening primrose. In my yard, that means it needs to be a specimen plant in a pot.
Afternoon shade in that end of the yard allows these plants to really distinguish themselves. Ferns and flowering begonias on the other side of the pond.
I need some plants in the pond itself.

>213 2wonderY: That sounds lovely.

>214 MrsLee: Id like to do running water; perhaps a recirculating falls and stream back into the pond. But I don’t even know how to start.
I do have some books on the subject though…

The ravens are checking in regularly now. Hmmm. I’m gonna have to pick up some quick treats.

That unmarked pond plant is a dwarf papyrus; which is a sedge.

>215 2wonderY: I had a recirculating pump in my pond for a bit, but there are too many trees which drop detritus all year long in my pond area and it kept plugging up. I think you have to be able to fuss every day for that. My brother went all out and built a koi pond with a waterfall. Beautiful, and not as much maintenance because of how je built it, but beyond my talents.

>217 MrsLee: That’s my issue as well; all falling from over the fence - privet and redbud and tons of holly pollen in the spring, not to mention the prickly dead leaves. But it’s the only logical spot for a pond.

Alida did say last year she would take down the privet; but after pollination. And that is why I pull up hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers. She hasn’t removed it yet. Oh, and I think there is a bush honeysuckle in that tangle as well.

Overcast skies this morning, which encouraged me to get stuff in the ground.

There is blooming happening:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gZiyiuw41/?igsh=dHZjMXZuMGY5N282

A retired Extension Agent told me yesterday that cabbages, etc. should be covered immediately after transplanting. He was right. Mine already have tiny beetles all over them. But I’ve got tulle and a plan…

>135 MrsLee: This reminded me of you’re suggestion:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6cAzAvoO15/?igsh=OHVweGJqNjVmb3Vu

>219 2wonderY: Bwahahahaha!

Early trip to the farmers market, as Connie brought me Veronica’s, 3 pink, 3 white. Mine didn’t come back; but it’s worth replacing, as they show a long season. Mallow ‘Zebrina’ is a tender perennial too. And yes, she has those as well. Huge already.
I got a white woods geranium and a native coral honeysuckle ‘Major Wheeler’. That will go on the chain link fence at the back, now that there is more sun there.

The upper neighbors were having yard sales today, so I walked that direction for my morning amble.
I had to return with my car, because the treasures were just too good to pass up.
Should I list them here or in my guilty thread in Discarded?
Katie gave me three ‘Black Pearl’ pepper plants. Good thing, my seeding plan hasn’t worked this year. I gave her the seed in a Christmas ornament in December.

I also met Jane, the woman asking about the irises. I invited her over and will give her other starts.

Katie gave me a quick tour of her yard, and I have several items promised me. A woodland hydrangea, snowflake flower, maybe trillium.
She has a ‘Fizzy Mizzy’ Sweetspire in her border. I was attracted to it at the store, but now I can see how it matures. Wonderful!

>221 2wonderY: I want to know about the treasures. :)

A compound bow in a hardcase as well as a quiver of arrows. Seems to be a youth model; I could draw it easily. My older grands have fallen in love with the sport in the past. My guess is the younger ones will too. Isaac took the bow to bed with him when he first tried it up on the ridge.

A extensive snap together electronics set. T will get this for her 6th birthday.

An antique portable Remington typewriter. It’s SO CUTE!

Another glass-top patio side table. This I didn’t need. But she gave me a deal I couldn’t say No.

A very nice pair of binoculars - $2! - I buy them when I see them for $5, as they make great gifts.

Plant pots. Right? This was exactly why I was stopping at yard sales.

This exquisite bowl:

I stopped at the Arts Council today for a reception featuring grade school to high school artists. Some very impressive work:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6hUTkIp6-e/?igsh=MWxpanJpM2VhOW53aw==

I spoke to Linda there. I am annoyed that she implied that I would be on the Garden Tour a couple of months ago and then didn’t follow through. I’m not on the list. But I do get to volunteer again. Most of the gardens are repeats from last year; with only two new ones.

>223 2wonderY: That is quite the haul! I just gave away a Remington typewriter from the 1950s. I loved it, but my hands can't do that anymore. My niece is now in love with it.

Since I don’t have the pressure to make my yard look perfect, I jumped the back fence yesterday to do my annual wintercreeper cleanup. Just the first 3 or 4 feet, to keep the vine from encroaching through and up the fence. My neighbor mows that strip once a year. His back slope is wooded and I hope he keeps it that way. He is in his eighties.
I got about half way and quit for the day. I throw the debris over the fence too, so it’s my task to clean up as well. Lots of maple sprouts and privet volunteers too.

And then it came a torrential rain; and I had left my tools out again.

I’m working on mesh covers for the brassicas and I will start all over.

The foxgloves are blooming in white and pink as well as yellow, so I’m happy.
The Betty Prior and Campfire roses are in full bloom.

Cabbage beetles - BAH!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6lsjoMOvBZ/?igsh=YnJrNjA2dXk3b3B2

I noticed today that all 9 of the $1 hydrangeas I planted last fall have survived and some are even forming buds already, as they emerge from the ground.
These are planted out front behind the retaining wall I built.

>213 2wonderY: I want to see pictures!

I love Astilbe, it's supposed to be slug-resistant. However, something ate it, as it was gone after a couple of years, oh well.

>223 2wonderY: nice haul. I love that bowl.

Regarding ponds with pumps and spillways/waterfalls, they're not hard to create if you don't need it to be an award-winning exhibit. Go simple. Most of my pond elements were from yard sales, thrift stores, and/or castaways on the side of the road. Do diligent research about what size pump you need. I had a skimmer, but it kept clogging up.

The pump should not go in the bottom of the pond, in case of accidental discharge. Mine is on the "shelf". It pumps the water up into the filter. After passing through filter material the water pours out into a "spillway" that I bought for the purpose, then down into the pond where it is recirculated. The end of the pond doesn't get water movement and the iris are finally blooming. I think they like the quiet water.

Here's a link to a description of how I repurposed a cat litter bucket to replace my pond filter:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-did-you-do-in-the-garden-today.670...

Thanks. I may just attempt it this year.
I’m still not happy with the looks of mine.

Yesterday, I continuously felt at the end of energy. But I would pause and then move on.
I finished the fence job and then I mowed the back yard in stages. I even hauled all the debris down to the curb. I did bother to look up the forecast and saw that rain was predicted. That helped me git ‘er done. And I put the tools away too.
And we did have a long downpour this morning and it looks to continue. I need to focus on the inside of the house. I’m expecting company for Mothers Day. Rose definitely; haven’t heard Anne’s plan yet. Rose wants to go plant shopping and clothes shopping for T. There’s a resale shop she loves. T is in 10s!

Morning walk - I see Cait has very successful Love-in-a-Mist. Envy!

Roses this morning:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6qs7yiReAc/?igsh=czFseHZ3dHhxZjRo

And a short walk through:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6q4FnNOylx/?igsh=MThnYndkcjZkb2c2bw==

And I do have Love-in-a-Mist growing. And it’s slightly taller than the runts that grew last year. Is that a regular thing?

>230 2wonderY: Thank you for that lovely walk.

>230 2wonderY: very nice. I can see how much work you've put into your yard.

Was the rectangular container your pond?

>232 fuzzi: Yes. It’s not wonderful.

I was roused from sleep twice last night with traffic racket at the corner of my house just outside my bedroom.
It’s a narrow space with the AC unit taking up most of it between Alida’s fence and that downspout that never stays connected. I’ve begun utilizing the gap to store 5 gallon buckets in stacks. Yeah, those got knocked over and a length of flexible metal grating got boiiiinged with something trying to clear it.
Raccoon tracks across the deck and snack debris from someone’s trashcan confirm the culprit.
It’s not living under or on my deck, at least. But I think I know why I haven’t seen any ripe strawberries.

More rainy weather today. I alternated inside cleanup projects with moving plants around the yard and weeding.
I was wrong about the strawberries. There was a good handful ripe and lots more coming on. Raspberries are flowering profusely. Blueberries continue to disappoint. I think I might dig them out and put something else in that section.
I have had multiple successes with rooting hydrangeas this season. Very pleased about that.

My seasonal deck mess from Alida’s holly tree.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6v7I8GuBw6/?igsh=MXdpamxuNGcya2xscQ==

The male is on my fence line and the female is on the other side of her house. They tower over the houses. The neighborhood is called Holly Hills, and hers are small in comparison to the top of the hill. But then, there is much more elbow room up there. Some lots are an acre or more.
I’ve trimmed them back so at least they don’t overhang the roof; but it makes only a small difference. Before I installed gutter guards, this stuff would pack in so tight that the insides of the piles were dry.

In other news, none of the foxgloves are yellow. They have a wonderful array of tints and markings:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6v9_7Muvmy/?igsh=MWw5Z2ZrbXhnbzUyZA==

I need to find some starts this year still, so I can get a display next year.

Roses!🤗

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6wv00RRegy/?igsh=MWMycXFsMWY0aDV0cQ==

>236 2wonderY: *inhales deeply* Ahhhh.

One of those has a classic scent; very strong. It survived the transfer from the ridgetop. And middle grand fell in love with it back when. We even explored distillation. I’ve told her that bush is hers when I’m gone.

It chilled right down today. I didn’t do a lot of garden work. I scrabbled around in the vegetable strip, clearing weeds in preparation to getting the rest of the tomatoes in and possibly other veg.
The Arts Council is having their annual plant sale tomorrow and I had a few contributions. Next year, there will be a lot more.
Linda said she would be over next week to see my progress.

I mostly cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and upstairs, and cooked for the weekend. The living room will have to wait now till tomorrow morning.

I was strolling the gardens this evening and a walker stopped to chat. It’s always nice to meet more neighbors. Ruby is 79 and has lived on Holly Hill Drive for 61 years. We exchanged information. Other neighbors drove and walked by, always waving. It’s a good place here.

Oh. Have I mentioned both daughters will be here tomorrow? And T.
We are going plant shopping for us, and clothes shopping for T.
Sunday, Rose made reservations for brunch at an upscale restaurant.

Daughter saw a posting from here that the Northern lights are visible tonight. The phone camera picks up better than the eye. I saw a modest pink glow. But this is what Rose recorded:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6z96X_toPmVYt9ARt-C3AXeqBaVLPGlCzyyYE0/?igsh=cGdid3...

She’s out in the countryside.

>240 2wonderY: can't see it. Says account is private. I'm about to go outside to see if I can see anything. I'm in town, so not much hope.

Ah! I just found that out myself.

Here is one of her best:


And here is what I got:

>242 2wonderY: I managed to see a purple sky, with maybe one streak in it at one point. For some reason, at 11:00 at night, our neighbors on both sides had all the lights on and shining out their windows, and cars coming and going. There wasn't a party, guess they were just oblivious to what was going on in the sky. I thought about informing them, but wasn't dressed appropriately. :D

I have seen the Northern Lights once before in my life, when I was 17. The moon was blood red and it looked like balls of red fire streaking to earth. I was a new Christian and was at a Bible study with my teenage friends. We had been reading Revelation and thought the end was here! I called my dad, panicking because I was afraid for him (he was not an outspoken man about the condition of his soul). He said, "Calm down. It's the Aurora Borealis.") Such a relief. To recall those angsty, emotional driven days of my teens is exhausting. :)

>243 MrsLee: I love that story. Talk about seared into your being!

I have more of a houseful than I anticipated. Nathan decided he missed his family and drove up on his motorcycle. I heard him drive around the block. He was looking at a new house listing. I’m confused - they aren’t moving here, but are still looking at houses? They have an appointment tomorrow for a viewing.

Grandson, Callum, wanted to come too; and he and T spend most of their time together.

Rose and T arrived first and we had enough time to go plant shopping and clothes shopping.
Rose bought me a shrub I’ve been eyeing, a St. John’s Wort ‘Magical Midnight Glow’ which I bought and killed a couple of years ago. I think I just waited too long to put it in the ground back then. This one got planted today, in the same location; and it absolutely belongs there by the steps from the sidewalk. I will try to grow more from cuttings. Rose wants one too.
Connie had hummingbird mint in a soft orange color.
I got plants at the Arts Council sale, but too tired to recall all but Feverfew. Amsonia, bluestar, a thread-leaf variety, ‘String Theory?’
Wood anemone. Silphium perfoliatum, the cup plant. Looking it up, not something I find attractive. Will offer it to daughters.

Carol Ann, the natives lady, was at the Farmers Market and invited me to her place next week. She said bring a shovel. They are being forced to sell to a proposed industrial park.

I’m trying to stay awake long enough to see the sky again. But I may not last…

More from yesterday.
T gets lots of use still from the remnants of the playhouse near the top of the yard. It has, what looks to her, counter space. She always establishes it as a grocery or a restaurant. I have a tote full of food for that purpose. She was pleased to find a bag of gold coins in there as exchange medium. But she still insisted the need to make credit cards. I have a pile of the cards that come in the mail; but those won’t do. They must be store specific.
My girls gravitated to the chairs I’ve placed nearby. The first time we have really claimed that spot. It was the perfect amount of sun and shade from the maple tree.
Tried to beautify the playhouse by hanging colored shears across the highest spot. The wind tried to best us, but we ultimately prevailed. Anne offered to make bunting flags for the front.
Inside, the living room had a plague of frogs and other amphibians. Yes, I collected them from yard sales at one point for fun times at Sunday school.

And then the boats came out near the deck. The pond is too dirty to play in, so we filled a storage bin with lake water.
I hadn’t planned on so many people, so my girls ran a grocery trip and took over the kitchen for pizza and salad. They got some breakfast items too, as brunch is not until 11 today.

Rose is interested in taking my blueberries. Gives me space for items from Carol Ann.

Lovely early morning walk. The neighborhood smells of honeysuckle and last evening’s barbecues.

I’ve mentioned the local squirrel game of laying in the middle of the road. Not a smart game, as proven to one poor rodent.
A neighbor pulled up beside me and offered me a Mother’s Day cupcake. Yum! Great frosting. Must ask her where they came from.

Snapped a stem of what I think is Baptista. It forms a shrub-like mass and I think produces dark purple flowers. I don’t think it will root, but you never know. Permission from the owner granted once before.

Brunch was at 11, at one of the two swanky dining places in town. Only, after waiting half an hour before they even opened the doors, they couldn’t find Rose on their list. They offered us a 2:00 table. Rose was livid, though only visible to us.
We took T to the playground she’d been hoping to visit; and Anne and I quick tripped to the grocery and brought back picnic foods - fruits, cheese, baked goods. Everyone seemed hangry, and getting food into us cheered us up.
We then visited the Potting Shed, where both girls filled wagons. T wanted a peach tree.
Anne shopped carefully and thought she had $70 worth in her wagon; but when tallied it was $30 more. She quit in disgust and came back to my house. She didn’t know that the table signs say the price in big print and then in tiny print “unless otherwise marked.” I got caught by that feature last month but hadn’t thought to warn her.
Rose and I each bought a few of the items she’d chosen. We were able to cheer her up with love.
A mama’s work is never done.

Nathan had gone to his parents’ place early in the day. He was not helpful when I asked for engineering ideas for the trampoline. So this evening, I pulled it away from its hillside spot and reattached the legs removed from the high side. There is not a good level spot for it. It just barely fits next to the playhouse and under the east maple tree. The frame is bent; but not too severely.
That leaves another slope exposed to erosion. Looks like I need more plants. (innocent angel halo hanging over me)

Caught up!

May 14
Katie dug up a piece of Sweetspire with real roots for me. It is such a fun shrub! Looks like a party. The flowers are as bold as the ‘Fizzy Mizzy’ I saw at the plant store, but are not erect, so more likely the native Virginica, which would make sense for Katie.
*Yep, it’s ’Henry’s Garnet’
Spider Pink Osteospermum, found at the Potting Shed, won’t admit to being a perennial, so I potted it in a pot that spent the winter in the basement. Seems there is a huge ginger root in there and shoots just emerging. So the new plant just sits on top, with more soil added.

Yesterday, I wrote the following, but somehow erased it before posting. I’ll be pissed if the same happens today.

I found rose labels from the ridgetop era. I think it helps to ID what I brought down last fall.

First the two that I think expired up there. The ridgetop was hard on roses.
‘Oh My!’ Floribunda, deep velvet red. I think this died after just one season.
‘Dee-lish!’ Hybrid tea. Tall (6-7’) deep pink, strong citrus fragrance.
I’d like to try these again.

‘Tahitian Treasure’ - the tag says hybrid tea, but the internet says floribunda, and it’s sold on heirloom sites. Also tall, at 5’, deep salmon pink, dark glossy leaves. I believe this one transplanted fine to the top of the blueberry garden. Confirmed this, as it still has Queen of the Prairie tangled in its roots. That will be interesting in the new location.

‘Mary Rose’ a David Austin product. Medium shrub, rose pink and very much classic rose scent. It’s living very happily in the west front foundation bed.

A marker tree. Huh. I called it a dragon tree.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C67Jn2dpfif/?igsh=MWF0NHZuMTV2ZGg2dA==

There was one near the NE corner of the ridgetop property.
I could never get such a clear photo of it because of the other trees and brush.

A library book from the college library has gone missing. I’ve been frantically rummaging piles looking for it. It may have slipped into a donation bag for Goodwill in the car. If so, it’s really gone. Checked their shelves thoroughly yesterday. Found 8 items to bring home though. (shrug)
I was supposed to go to Carol Ann’s place yesterday and we exchanged many texts, but it didn’t happen. It’s scheduled for today.

Lots happening in the gardens, but no time to describe this morning.

May 16
Spent two hours digging stuff up from Carol Ann’s gardens and heard a bit of her story. This farm has been in her family for 6 generations. She’s in her late 70s and her husband is 80 and has multiple health issues. They have no money to start relocating until the sale goes through. Kinda stuck. She’s taking it well.

I filled, no - stuffed my vehicle with offerings. Ferns, irises, red hot pokers, cranesbill, spiderwort (white!), columbine and plenty more I’ve forgotten. They’re all watered down in buckets now and I’m trying to gather up energy to begin planting. It will take me two days.
Foxglove beardtongue, Penstamon digitalis? Or just white penstamon? Planted on the west fence line.
While I was out that way, I stopped back to the Amish greenhouse to buy garden pens. Strolled through the greenhouse and picked up a few more bits and bobs.

I got half the items in the ground this morning before it started raining and since it’s just light showers, continued this afternoon. I have Maidenhair fern!

So pleased with how my beds are filling in with interesting plants.

I’m, of course, having to remove violets and creeping Charlie from the beds where I want to add specimens. The violets have massive knobby roots that embed in the soil like monsters. They are hard to remove.
I’m also trying to make sure I don’t introduce anything else. I’m pulling grasses and bindweed out of the new roots before planting them. And the ferns were mixed in with poison ivy, so I’m wearing gloves handling those rootballs.

I brought several different succulents from the greenhouse and I’m rearranging the stones on the rock slope in order to add them.

Just a bit of bragging. Middle granddaughter is in 11th grade and she is knocking it out of the park. She not only has a 3.9 gpa, she scored highest on a standardized history test. Highest in her school’s history.
This is a girl who flunked out several years ago. Part of what got her motivated was visiting her older sister at college for a little sister weekend. Her eyes were opened and she immediately determined that was her route into adulthood. And she’s holding down a job as well.

Some garden pictures for you this morning.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7G4TgUO6od/?igsh=MWxpdmZ6Z2tvNWNhNw==

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7G4xo6u4Qv/?igsh=MWJvOGduNHRwaWF2OQ==

There are just two sections of gutter that don’t have guards over them. They are on the corner that has the least tree coverage. That’s the front east corner, over the kitchen and the carport.
I do have a box of the guard panels that should take care of it. And I see this morning I have a small grove of saplings in a corner of each gutter.

>255 2wonderY: love the pictures. I see some light pink evening primroses (?) that look like ones I used to have growing in my gardens. The lady who gave them to me called them "Sundrops".

>256 fuzzi: Yes; they think they own the yard now. I need to get tough with them and set limits.

I had pots to give to Connie and she had Japanese daisies for me. They’re blue; but these aren’t the intense blue they were one or two years ago. I tried splitting the bunch I had to share with Rose, and neither survived. This time I bought one for each of us. **
The Potting Shed finally has pond plants. I bought a water hyacinth. I try to buy in $20 increments there for the “blooming bucks” worth $2 later in the season. So I cruised the trays and found a few things; $40 worth.
Ornamental oregano! How pretty!
A Penta ‘Ultra Violet’ and 2 Angelonia ‘Aria Alta Raspberry’ annuals for the front slope. And another Delosperma because they are so pretty. I’ve never had success with them. This one is ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet.’
I also looked at the peach trees again. She has an ‘O Henry’ that I’m interested in.

The young family up the street want to start gardening. I sent them to Connie and lent them tools.

I ended the day by mowing the yard and moving stone. Heavy stone. Gonna get the heating pad out.

I think I’m going to WV tomorrow; I’ve been putting it off because of these garden activities.

**Fleabane daisy?

Hmm. Where did I put the catmint?

I’ll have to try this:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7CSYvORmau/?igsh=YzZjMGo2bXQzajA4

>255 2wonderY: Lovely.

You do know that oregano self-seeds and tries to take over the garden, I hope.

This ornamental oregano can take all the space it wants. I’m in love.

I met another neighbor last evening. Judy was walking her dog, and asked about the Pink sundrops. I removed some this morning from invasive spaces and took a bag of them over to her house. She’s the lady who had the trees taken down last year and where I got the wood chips.

The lady with the fabulous corner garden on the way into the neighborhood, Cait, rarely walks the dog, but she did yesterday, and barely nodded, though we’ve exchanged some plants. But her husband walked the dog this morning; and he complimented the yard.

My orange tree cuttings have leaves!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Kj3N7x_ZE/?igsh=aHJ2Z3E5NHNhNHNr

>257 2wonderY: you can put some of your removed/limited sundrops/primroses in the mail to me. ;)

I love pentas, the local nursery didn't have any the three times I checked this year. If Lowe's has them they want something like $7 for one. Nope. I am using lantana and a plant that is new-to-me, bidens. They are very pretty, kind of like marigolds.

If you want a pond lily or pickerel rush or other pond plant I can send some to you. The pickerel rush are purple, the lilies are white with a pink blush. I also have parrot feather but it can become invasive. I rip it out occasionally.

Here's my new garden that I created this Spring. There used to be two Rose of Sharon trees next to the house, but they died. You can still see a couple stumps that are resisting removal, but they'll rot on their own soon enough.



I'm contemplating extending this garden all the way to the steps, with a walkway for the meter-reader.

Looks good! I’m shocked you killed Rose of Sharon. They don’t go easily. I don’t like them, but my dad did.

No thanks on the pond plants for now. Some varmint climbed up there and gnawed my clump apart and then drowned right there on the edge. Or are water hyacinths poison? He also burrowed into some potted plants nearby first.

I’ve been trying to remember this saying my oldest friend told me last year about garden plants:

Year 1 they sleep
Year 2 they creep
Year 3 they leap.

>265 2wonderY: I was told that about Carolina jasmine.

>264 2wonderY: I was shocked, too. I am also losing the gardenia on the same corner but there's no sign of disease or insects. It's possible that it has root rot, the symptoms are the same. We've had a lot of rain this year plus I usually put my aquarium waste water on the shrubs. I might have overdone it.

I don't think water hyacinth is poisonous.

Gardenia. That’s what I forgot I planted two years ago. It was one of the $1 clearance plants and said it was a hardy variety. It looked dead last year, but I left it be because I didn’t need the spot. It looks great this year and even has flower buds forming.

Returned to a storm battered yard. The only plant that took it hard is the foxgloves. Do I remove the oldest spikes? I definitely want seed to set, but there are more spikes coming on.

The young couple up the street have decided to begin gardening. They removed all the gardens left by the previous owners and put all the equipment to the curb. I got all the tomato cages.
They do still have an asparagus bed and were looking for the strawberries; but didn’t know they shouldn’t have mowed them down last year.

So I lent them tools and some pointers. The old 3-prong cultivator broke and Dylan wanted to replace it. Instead of buying one, I sent him a wire loop design to be fastened on the old handle.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6XoXpMvtj_/?igsh=MTd6cXg1ZnZmdjI3Yg==

He went one better. He used a hacksaw blade. I can’t wait to try it.

I took my mower to the service shop. I said, “Robbie, I let my neighbor borrow my mower.”
His immediate reply, “That was your first mistake.”

I lent it out Monday, and it wasn’t returned when I got back yesterday. So I retrieved it to put it under cover. Yes, it had been left out in the rain. Neighbor confessed that the self-propellor had broken. Also, she’d added oil, and gave me the bottle. She promised to look on YouTube and try to fix the mechanism.

As I said, I took it to the professional and brought the oil bottle. He noted in capital letters on the work sheet “DO NOT START. NEEDS OIL CHANGE.”

Sigh

I was out front weeding, and master gardener, Cait, pulled up and offered me a clump of Siberian irises. Purple, like the ones I have; but I can fill in some areas in the way back with them; or share them with another neighbor.

The most important part of the moment though, was getting her to walk into the back yard. She discussed further exchanges too. She’s got basil starts and other things.

Katie drove by earlier and reminded me she has a hydrangea to dig up for me.
I am blessed to be in such company.

As usual, stopped by to see what Connie’s got. A Mallow ‘Zebrina’ for daughter. A native columbine, though I don’t prefer the red/yellow flowers; but I’ve got room. A red hot poker, but this (at least now) is a friendly orange. And a Veronica ‘Lavender Lightsaber’ because I need the entire set.

Last evening, I started digging one clump of the giant purple irises. The corms are so tight together, and they like it that way, I ended up unearthing the whole massive clump and struggled to break off parts of it. I filled a large tub with giveaways and emailed the two neighbors who wanted some.
Since it was after work hours that I sent the email, I went and delivered some to Jane and looked for Bobbi this morning.
Jane showed me their mess in progress out back, replacing drain lines before installing a patio. We had a nice chat and she’s stopping by here later today.
I knocked where I thought Bobbie lived, but the lady there is Sue. She directed me across the street, but that is Kay (and Scott). No one knows Bobbi. But I had a great conversation with Kay. We talked renovations and gardens, and future plans. They bought just two years ago. But she has an amazing vegetable garden! She treated her brassicas with nematode dust to fight the flea beetles. ARBICO Organics Triple Threat Sf, Sc, & Hb Beneficial Nematodes. Her cabbages are gorgeous!

Rose and family will be coming later today. I haven’t cooked, but I have better groceries than the last time.

What a lovely day! Rose and T arrived finally and Regalo wanted to come play on the trampoline, so I invited his family for the tea party that T arranged on the deck. And Jane finally did come over. I introduced her to spearmint tea, and she may be just the right patron to grow my spearmint. She has a much bigger yard, backing to woods. So I had a birthday party after all. Rose gave me two miniature wood houses. One can be illuminated. I will post pictures tomorrow. They’re beautifully made; and one comes from Ukraine.
We had blackberry spritzers.

The children hit it off very well. They declared brotherhood.

Katie was in a serious digging mood. I got my native hydrangea and planted it at the top of the yard.

She gave us hellebores and Gomphrena and other stuff.

She confirmed the Sweetspire is ‘Henry’s Garnet’ and I can’t wait to see the leaf colors in the fall.

She and T got on extremely well, and T wanted to return for a second visit to show Katie the grass she potted up last time she was here.

Later
Bobbi came by to get some of the irises. I don’t think she’s the same one who drove by last month; but she was very grateful. I gave her other starts as well. She lives at the other end of the street, with her 2 children and her parents. I met them at the block party. Her mom’s name is Lori, and she’s a mechanic. Their yard is an unkempt mess, but maybe this will get them started in the right direction. I think they’ve had health issues and have been there less than 2 years.

Heck, two years after we moved in here, I was still trying to save things from the previous renter. No, the whole line of sick roses had to go (but the two bushes a little wat off are still thriving.)
The acid-loving bushes went as well.

Frustratingly, Rose decided to not take the items she’d indicated she wanted. She did take some of the stuff I’d brought from WV for her. They keep thinking they might move back here, but Nathan can’t make up his mind. I’m beginning to think he has self-destructive tendencies. I’ve gotta up my prayers for him.

We had a violent storm yesterday. Friends lost an ancient tree at the back of their yard. It just pruned some dead branches from my trees.
The wind sent someone’s large ball rolling up the street. After the storm, we went out and played with it. First it was T and her mom kicking it up the driveway; but then their puppy, Pepper, grokked the game and hilariously chased/shepherded it. Pepper is just slightly larger than the ball.

I told T she could take a horse trailer and some horses home with her. She packed that horse trailer (Barbie sized) with everything that populated the farm shed that she has always played with here. We had to negotiate the contents. Problem is, they disappear too readily at her house and she ends up not playing with them as she does here. There is no organization of stuff to preserve the play. I’ve been giving her pieces all along, but they just vanish.
I love that she likes this play so well.

We were promised an even more violent storm last night, which never arrived. The warning sirens which went off three times last night (sourced from a screaming radio unit in my bedroom) must have scared it away.

Left on the driveway retaining wall - basil seedlings - lemon, genovese and cinnamon.
There was so much plant exchange going on this weekend, I didn’t know what it was till I got a text from Cait.

I’ve mulched my tomato plants; so I will put these in metal pots and nestle those into the mulch.

Gorgeous blue sky today. I’ve finished planting the new guys, still planting beans and onions; some on the front slope at the street. Trying to clear the clumps of burmuda grass roots first. I hate that plant!
Regalo has been making regular visits to the trampoline. His dad says they’ve bought one for their yard, but have yet to set it up. They have the same slope issues that I have. For some reason, Regalo is obsessed with my refrigerator. He has mentioned it several times now. I will have to invite him in soon to discover what it is that intrigues him about it. Perhaps the lower freezer doors.

I’m also shifting some plants again that got plopped in less than ideal spots from last spring’s great migration from the west front yard.

>277 2wonderY: lol, my mother-in-law told me the first thing my husband would do when visiting someone (when he was little, although I suspect he still would if he hadn't learned manners), was to go open their refrigerator to see what was in it. My grandson does that now (he's almost 3) at my house. He opens it, puts on a pose and says, "Hmmm." Then decides what he wants and pulls it out. Usually milk, but sometimes yogurt or cheese.

But why MY refrigerator? His parents didn’t indicate a general fascination; they looked confused too.

I painted a “Free Plants” sign and placed a few volunteers on the public sidewalk. Looks like someone has already availed themselves.😁

I think my robin is neurotic. This family builds a nest in the corner under the eaves of the covered deck every year. It’s a nice tidy nest. Last month it got knocked down, probably by a raccoon, based on muddy prints. Well they re-built, though I haven’t seen any chicks.
Now mama has gone on a building spree:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7oinllx3Sh/?igsh=MXVtcjZkczM2cGZjZg==

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7g-IQ_RlX_/?igsh=MWlpMHpoZzN1YnNnaA==

The video was taken three days ago. She has built five nests; none of them good quality. I think she’d benefit from therapy.

I ran all sorts of errands today. I happened to be near Ollie’s, so stopped and got two more pots and a clearance rose ‘Alfred Sisley.’

I drove past stopped at a small greenhouse with clearance signs posted.
I bought Salvia ‘Black and Blue’ and a silver creeping groundcover. Missed getting its name.
Silver Falls Dichondra. The pots were all intertwined from the rooting of the wands as they grow and touch ground.

Mystery bush along the west fence is a hydrangea, #7 in this collection:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7ogqLdRMdx/?igsh=MXU4MDNlYmg2d2F5cA==

The flower looks a little like the petiolarus in the garden wishes thread. But it’s not. It’s a low growing shrub, so far, doesn’t resemble a vine.

Forgot to mention my purchases from Connie. A Russian Sage she tells me will stay less than 3 feet tall, and 2 oreganos. I planted them along the west side of the sidewalk up to the house. That’s the side that is mulched; but weeds are beginning to come through. Gotta get some dense groundcover.

It’s wet and overcast this Sunday morning. A good day for lounging inside.

>281 2wonderY: I had never seen a hydrangea with leaves shaped like oak or maple until a couple of years ago. It really threw me off! Lovely plants.

My east neighbors must have cleaned the boy’s room seriously this weekend. They put their trash bin out to the curb yesterday (pick-up is Thursdays) with stuff piled around it. I didn’t pay attention till a couple of geezers on bikes stopped to rummage. They gathered up a double armful and were having trouble organizing it till I offered a large plastic bag. Toys!! Wonderful toys. And three cube shelving units.
Well, I dragged those shelving units away right now. They are awaiting plywood backs to firm them up. Layout is in the living room because the largest will replace the old ikea bookshelf loaded with children’s books.

I took the big toys to Goodwill.
This morning, I noticed a pretty flowerpot in the bin, and yanked it out after my walk. It still had soil and dead plant in it, so I went to dump it in my potting soil bin. Only, upon closer inspection, there are green buds at the base of the stems. A tag identifies it as HI River pink hydrangea. It must have been a Mother’s Day gift. So now I need to find a spot for another hydrangea. What a pain!
I looked up HI River. They have some wonderful colors - Tornado! Moon!

Something continues to wreak havoc around my pool every night. Eating the hyacinth, digging potted plants out. This morning I found a pot knocked into the pond and all the soil sunk. I need some potting soil.
Busy, busy.

Oh! And I have tadpoles again. Lots!

>283 2wonderY: The pond bandit could be skunk, raccoon, or opossum, if any of those are around. They like to find worms and snails and other bugs and grubs that hang out around ponds.

Boy, when my neighbors put out trash, it really is trash. Glad you could rescue some of those items for reuse.

>284 MrsLee: It could be either coon or possum. Thank goodness we don’t seem to draw skunks.
I saw my first local deer this morning at the top of the hill. It panicked seeing me a block away.

Here’s the first unit done and filled:


I was able to load books that had been leaning outside the old unit, and there is room for more.
Not that I intend to get more.
The wood shed on top has been T’s favorite piece since I moved it in. I gave it to her on her first birthday, but reclaimed it when I found it stashed in a closet. Rose had preferred a plastic barn that made noises. I may give it back this year if it seems appropriate. (See our recent negotiations about the contents above.)

We got at least 2” of rain midday, and then the skies cleared.

I got the second cube unit secured and placed in my bedroom. It replaces a child’s table that had stuff piled on and under. It’s the same height as the first cube, but only 2 cubes wide. I was able to scoop other materials up in the area and shelve them; even some books.

I’ve been moving too many large items here and there. I knocked over and broke a decorative bottle. It was one of five with a wooden frame to hold them in a row; much like a test tube holder you’d find in a science lab; only much larger. Sigh. Probably not replaceable. I’ve been using them for cut flowers and cuttings.

As I mentioned, I was out of potting soil, so I went to Lowe’s. While there I looked for Ladies Mantle. Mine has been moved twice, and is suffering greatly. Didn’t find it, but came away with a large healthy Delphinium ‘Guardian Blue,’ an odd yellow frilly Coleus ‘Flamethrower Salsa Verde’ and fell in love with the deep purple spikes of Buddleia ‘Chrysalis Blue.’

And the potting soil was 2 for the price of 1, so I am well stocked again.

As I stood in the carport, the east neighbors had a realtor put up a For Sale sign. They’re getting married and need a bigger house. I pray for good neighbors again.

I generally dream about my gardens this time of year.
I was not happy with several views and I think I’ve made a breakthrough in concept. One of the boring bits has been the slope that is first visible as you come through the carport. To the right, there is a succulent mosaic and then shrubs before the path turns up the hill. But just in front, it was mostly just groundcover and weeds.
I realized I need a focal point and propped a table fountain* smack in the middle. Magic!

I’m working on the pond design as well, and I’ve added some slight architecture to hold statuary and plants. I am hauling large rock from the patio area on the east side to the pond on the west side this week. I’m stacking it on two sides. Slowly.

I’ve also begun building a better path along my raised beds at the front of the house. Not so much for me, as for the mail deliverer, who prefers to cut across yards rather than go up and down everyone’s steps from the public sidewalk. It also keeps good relations with Alida, as we can continue to walk back and forth.
I have a few pavers, but mostly, I laid down some old pine floor boards. They tended to get kicked out of place.
I was at the storage garage earlier and realized I do have a use for some packing material - narrow plywood nailed to skids. So I’m cutting the floor boards in random lengths and will attach them to the plywood. Pictures when I’m done.

I’ve also got a putti statue that isn’t in the best spot. I think it belongs in the rose bed behind the weeping peach. There is a striking flowering begonia in a deep blue pot there now. They may harmonize.

*I have picked up small recirculating fountain statuary over the years. The pumps never last, but I have 4 or so. There is a frog on a shelf by the pond. This one is a wall with a face on it and a small basin under to catch the water from the mouth. Classical.

Berea College Farm
Pride strawberry cupcakes 6 for $15 this month.

Pond progress

https://www.instagram.com/p/C744ukXRwvA/?igsh=MTRiMjBpem1hcXo4

>289 2wonderY: That is looking very quiet and meditative.

Today is the garden tour. It’s a good thing I scoped the new addresses earlier in the week, because my Mapquest is suddenly not working.

I visited the two new locations and briefly stopped at two others I liked last year. I’m volunteering the afternoon at another I visited last year. But participation is very low. Three visitors in an hour.

I made friends at the two new gardens; got a plant and the promise of more later.

I did stop to buy from Connie this morning, but I’ll have to add the info later.

June 10, Sunday
I slept 12 hours, nearly. Morning inspection reveals that Alida has been taking down the retaining wall that spans past the property line and that I’ve planted behind. We must have a talk.

Other neighbors seem to have had a change of heart. He left at 6:30. She removed the Open House signs at 7am and then she left too. Hm.*

Plants from Connie
Chamomile. Not at all familiar with it.
Bergamot ‘Balmy Lilac’ - it’s not lilac, it’s a deeper purple.**
Maltese Cross, Lychnis chalcedonica.
I’m exploring Lychnis species now.
Wooly thyme
A Sempervivum with tight growth like hen and chicks, but with wooly web construction in the centers. ‘ Woolly Cobweb Houseleek’

*Checked online and there is already a contract on the house.
**Balmy Purple, I think. The Balmys grow only 1 foot tall.

I’ve taken one edge of the stone around the pond down three times because I couldn’t get the bottom layer of bricks to lay evenly; which made upper layers cant. It’s good enough now; doesn’t bother my eye.

I have another feeding trough that I’ve had a long time and hated to dispose of it. Decided to place it in the middle of the main veggie garden, directly below where the garden shed/playhouse will be. It will be handy to have water to dip during a dry spell. I’ve got a panful of tiny tadpoles, but waiting for the fresh water to dissipate the chlorine before adding them.

Regalo asked to come use my trampoline this morning. Surprising, because he has his own now. He actually wanted to check for new toys; which he found. And my swing is better than what they have.
There’s a chunk of day now when the sunlight slices into the old pond and we can see to the bottom and watch the bigger tadpoles in that water.
I’ve had some luck getting one hydrangea to root (3 times!) and I continue to try the others.

Today was clear the deck day. Pollen season is over and maple seeds and holly leaves are mostly settled.
And I could not find my broom!!! I looked everywhere it might be five times or more. I had to settle for a push broom in a few areas and a whisk broom for most of the rest. And a screwdriver to clean the accumulated gunk between the planks.
When I focus on this feature, I consider how amateurish the deck construction is. For a covered deck, there are many areas that stay wet. And the floor planks cup and twist. Oh well. The job is mostly done for this season.
I shifted some furniture to open up some space, and Regalo showed up and spread the toys out accordingly.
The deck is nearly ready for entertaining. I hope to do another garden party.

Oh, and I found the broom late this evening. It was in the basement, leaning against the other side of the furnace, acting all innocent.

The newly clean deck:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8MvWN9RmZz/?igsh=MWI3ZmlpOTFqY2l4dw==

This cabinet was in the ridgetop cabin. I had picked it up really cheap and scraped the annoying stenciling off, but it deserves more.
It’s in the carport now, storing garden supplies and vases.
I’m thinking of painting it in two tones; but I have such a problem deciding on colors. They’re all so pretty!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8NWtLdxdfn/?igsh=MXVoM3V6endwODh3aw==

I am suddenly spending an awful lot of time just lazing in the swing on the deck. Sweetness.

Friday evening, I was standing on a chair in the yard doing a project on the old playhouse. I tipped over and smacked the back of my head on the fire circle. I knew immediately that I needed to put ice on it and rushed to the house and did so. I blanked for a minute or so and found myself on the couch holding a ziplock bag of ice to the bump. And my memory of the accident was incomplete. Texting my girls, they convinced me to go to the ER. They took lots of blood from my arm and ran me through an imaging machine.
No one looked at my pupils, but they did hook me up to a heart monitor.
After being neglected for an hour, I unhooked myself, waited ten minutes, and walked out. Waved to the nurses across from me. No reaction. They continued to chat among themselves. The doctor, in his cubby, looked up from his phone, and also didn’t react. Huh.
I’m fine except for soreness. But I did take it easy yesterday.
Now that the deck is clear, I’m making a mess in the living room. I’m dragging craft boxes up from the basement and sorting and organizing. I might even do something with the materials.
Oh, from Connie, bought a Culver’s-root, a native that grows 4 to 6 feet tall. I thought I acquired one last year, but not finding it.
I was not careful with labeling last year, so several unknowns are thriving and blooming.

I wish I’d had more cash yesterday at the Farmers Market. There were a couple dozen children there with products and crafts that I would have loved to support. I did go down the row of booths and engaged each in conversation. They all were enthusiastic and talkative about their projects.

It’s been overwhelmingly hot and sunny here for the last week. You’d think I’d welcome an overcast day; but it’s kinda depressing. Especially since there is no rain attached to it. We need rain desperately. I can’t put plants in the ground. Those waiting are over by the pond in the shade. It’s getting crowded there and the pond is down several inches. I should fill some buckets with city water and let the chlorine dissipate and top off the pond.
My craft organization is going well. I’m over the hump, but not yet done. That corner of the basement is looking better.
Outside, I’m working on the garden shelving on the deck. It holds tools, vases, pretty things. It really needs a re-paint. I’m scraping as I go; but will probably wait till next year for that project.

I should drag the ladder to the front and address the last two sections of gutter that need guards. And clear the trees growing from them.

Those saplings up in the gutters appear to be dead from lack of water.
I’ve got a gathering of plants by the pond that are waiting to be dug into spots in the gardens. But it’s too dry. I have to rescue a couple of them from desiccation every day by plunging them into the buckets of water I’ve queued there.
The permanent puddle at the bottom of my driveway, fed by the flow from my sump pump, has dried up. It’s the preferred bathing spot for multiple birds. There were several down there this morning looking disappointed. So I filled it from the hose.

I’m having a recurring dream that I’ve planted one of the slopes next to the deck with a flowering vining plant, and it doesn’t survive. My brain must be directing me to be more aggressive in that spot. Just now it is mostly flat rocks, a remnant from the previous owners.

An old friend stopped by for lunch and a walk through the gardens yesterday. She’s on her way to Georgia or NC (I’m not sure which) to help with her grandbabies. Her DIL was 3cm dilated yesterday with her third child. Rose just declared her retirement and has discovered her take home income will more than double. Very happy for her!

We had a better than even chance of rain forecast for yesterday (58%) and it did spit a few drops toward evening, but it was less than a sprinkle. It just coincided with my first Japanese beetle collecting. It’s not bad, but with the dryness it could stress my roses and hibiscus.
The gutter pool is draining too fast, though I fill it morning and evening. So I put a plastic bin lid down there at the curb today and filled it.
With the thought of rain coming, I bought a few more plants from Connie on Saturday.
Gaillardia ‘Arizona Red Shades’
Phlox ‘Flame Red’
Monarda ‘Balmy Lilac’ to replace the one I killed by desiccation a few weeks ago.
Spigelia marylandica, common name Indian Pink.
More plants to cluster around the pond. We have the same chance of rain on Wednesday.
The Potting Shed has a 40% off sale going on.
I need to go to Richmond and buy a garden hose. One of my retracting hoses has sprung a fatal leak and I’m tired of dealing with it.

I did buy a hose, spending $50, expecting brass connectors for that price. (It was box packaged, and I was judging by the picture.) Got it home and saw the connectors are plastic. I will return it today and shop Ollie’s instead.
Scraping eggs and larvae off of cabbage and cauliflower plants. Interestingly, only one plant in a cluster was being eaten. Is there a sacrificial pact going on?

I’ve been yardsaling looking for a cheap used crockpot for a paint removal project. Finally found a very nice one for only $2.
Soaked my hardware overnight and I’m very pleased with the result:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8o-VcnRvmP/?igsh=MW8ybWd3amEyZGxmaw==

>301 2wonderY: Terrific job! What did you soak it in? Just warm water? Or is there a chemical?

>302 MrsLee: Just a bit of dish detergent. I love that the left over water could just be poured onto the ground.

I Jerry-rigged a hose fitted with quick-links so it would connect with my other hose, and I was able to bring water to the top of the yard again.
Just now, my hopes were raised seeing this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8qGnNHxj3x/?igsh=MWwzN2R6bHpoeWh5NA==

…but it was shoved off to the east within minutes.
I do hear thunder…
I feel stuck here, not able to leave town because my plants would all die without me.

I found an old shower curtain and lined the gutter at the bottom of the driveway. It’s holding water again, but the birds seem to have moved away for the duration.
A young lady walked by and stopped to chat. I explained what I was doing and why. She greatly admired my yard. Her name is Ennis. I feel like I’ll see her again.

Recreation is walking through the Goodwill store. I found this pretty jewelry box and will fit it out for T. Her birthday is next month.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8pdl0hxYhd/?igsh=MXI0NjlkdXczOGRhcg==

There’s another garden tour this Saturday, this one free and focusing on food production. Neighbor, Cait, is on the tour. I’ve been itching to see more than what’s visible from the street.

That lovely cloud was pushed east quite rapidly. We got wind instead, and a taunting thunder rumble. Same this morning, and the sky is clear blue and promising another sizzler.
I was out front watering and another random neighbor I didn’t recognize paused on her way to work and praised my flowers. I’m so glad I’m giving joy.

I’m putting tray saucers of water out at the top of the yard too, for the squirrels. I gave them some corn on the cob that aged too long in my fridge too. They haven’t messed with my veg gardens yet. Let’s hope that continues.

Oh what the heck! Let’s get more plants!
Potting Shed clearance price is 40% off everything.
I went and took notes on the big pots normally $57 and will research and consider.
But I also bought a Geranium ‘Rocky Mountain Violet’ because it has that glow that I love so, and a Plectranthus ‘Cerveza ‘n Lime.’ Both will go in pots so easier to keep watered.
and a Donkeytail Spurge. I did buy one in April and it must be on the front slope. This will go on the backyard succulent slope.

We did get some rain on Wednesday. One heavy 10 minute shower. I rushed out afterwards and put a few plants in the ground. Disappointingly, it had only made the first inch or two slightly damp. It was still bone dry below that. So I soaked those spots with hose water and laid out more leaf mulch. It did rain again through the night, but not a large amount; so I’m still on hose duty.

The tomatoes are beginning to ripen.

This vision test is accurate:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8NOGHGMLIq/?igsh=MXIyMnVid2EwYmg5cA==

>308 2wonderY: Heh, took me awhile to see number 2. I'm having vision trouble, maybe due to a headache I don't feel!

>309 MrsLee: Try as I might, I can’t see a number in the yellow circle.

From Connie today, Monarda ‘Balmy Pink.’ The pot is full of vigor. This is a variety that only grows about a foot tall.
The Potting Shed announced a 50% sale today and tomorrow. The peach trees were gone, but I bought a ‘Sunrise and Sunset’ rose, a sizable shrub.
We’ve got rain forecast over the holiday weekend. I will wait to plant till then.

The veggie garden tour was today. There were yards that were repeats from last year. I didn’t visit those, but did visit four new yards. Three of them have been working on their yards for just a year. The most impressive was a serious terracing project in a very steep back yard. Hard to believe it hadn’t been there before. Timbers and lots of huge rocks. He has a team of grandsons, and probably heavy equipment which wasn’t visible. Nice guy. He invited me back and also wants to gather gardeners for in person get together.

Another gardener gave me a baggie of Azolla Caroliniana. He’s got it growing in two small ponds and harvests it by the handful to feed his other plants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_SgGMGXyjs

Someone else just installed a small straightforward greenhouse and showed me her worm bin and gave me the details for them.
Finally got to see Cait and Martin’s yard. I finally felt on a parity with them. We talked some nitty-gritty gardening and Cait said I should be on next year’s tour.
Martin is running for a seat on city council and I added my name to his volunteer list.

Rose and T will be coming up for the 4th of July weekend.

My monthly utilities bill arrived yesterday and I was perusing this morning. Despite the heat and drought of June, this bill is the lowest I’ve ever received.

I’ve never exceeded the 200 cubic feet of water allowed in the basic fee. And that is true despite daily garden watering for several weeks now and two years ago, when we had the same conditions. I only water those plants that are new and most vulnerable. I still lose a plant now and again.
My electric bill is $52.56 this month. I’ve been wrestling with my thermostat who thinks it knows what I want. It’s one of those “smart” devices. So it has cooled me down to chill level a few times. I do everything to avoid it kicking on. Ceiling fans in every room make a world of difference. And I do run a portable AC unit upstairs to remove the baked air under the eaves. Though I’ve insulated where possible, I can’t access the space above the ceiling and there is no active air flow up there and in the eaves.

I harvested a tomato yesterday, as it was the correct color, but it is still too firm. It has a Pinocchio nose on it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8zvub2RGTy/?igsh=MXdsM2JqNGVjNmQwcg==

I see I have beans to pick this morning.

Has anyone heard of this? Roses under planted with Salvia are protected from Black Spot?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8RHeoYKPyv/?igsh=aDZ1aXRzeGwxOTdx

I have Salvia, I also have one or two roses with black spot. I will experiment next year. Will take some cuttings now.

There are several birds utilizing the driveway puddle this morning. It needs daily or twice daily upkeep, as the floppy plastic liner isn’t perfect.

>312 2wonderY: Interesting. I do get black spot on my roses, and I will pluck off the leaves, but for the most part I hate my roses so I don't care. I love Salvia though. Might plant some after we get through the next week or two of triple digits.

It’s midday, and we had a tiny shower that barely registered as I lay on the couch reading. But it did dampen the chair cushions at the top of the yard, necessitating a walk out in the hot sun.

The birds have come in droves to the driveway puddle. There is one bully of a robin that is not taking turns. He is chasing all the other robins away and taking multiple ecstatic dips. He’s okay with the sparrows coming in beside him, and there is a skinny bird that looks kinda like a flycatcher.
The robins keep returning waiting their turns. I’m going to need to fill it again soon.

Later yesterday we had a long soaking rain:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C82gtQDRjFZ/?igsh=N3hjdjB2eDZnMng5

The earth sighed in gratitude. Or was that just the farmers and gardeners?

The morning air is sweeter outside than inside, now that you mention it.
I’ve got a rose, a butterfly bush, a Lady’s Mantle and a Bee Balm to dig into their new homes. Plus some crazy strawberry volunteers that are wanting to drape the succulent slope. I’m moving the dozen babies and leaving the parent plant in place.
Gladiolas are blooming like crazy; and the ones that don’t stay erect come inside to brighten the living room, along with some hydrangea blooms.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C84cZC4RaLt/?igsh=MWp4aDF4eGM1Z2xhcw==

Aren’t beans supposed to tasty right from the vine? That’s the way I remember them. It’s been a few years…
I planted Burpee Tendergreens this year, and they’re kinda repulsive just picked. I will try them cooked before I cross them off my list.

The soil is back to normal, at least for a little while.
Damp soil makes weed pulling more doable. I fight the Burmuda grass in my lawn; trying to keep it from infesting the garden beds. I noticed that the rain triggered it to flower. So hoping that a low mowing will stop that seed making. I also went out with a hand tool to rake roots loose. Grrr.
The temperature is actually very nice at the moment. Sweater weather after dark.

I’ve been harvesting foxglove seeds; which means a lot of prolonged handling of stems and seed pods. Last night my head felt excessively pressured and my hands and lips feel swollen, though they look normal.
I thought I might have absorbed digitalis and it affected my blood pressure. I didn’t expect it to lower BP, but it did. 114/53 which is where I’d like it to stay. Googling confirms that doctors have noticed in the past decade that it does decrease BP.
No, I’m not going to self-prescribe. I just thought it was interesting.

I bottled one quart of plum cordial last fall. There is a commons tree up the hill; and I noticed too late to harvest more. This year, that tree isn’t fruiting, so I’m on the lookout for others.
I opened the jar today to decant it. Oh my!!! Experiment successful!

I wish my blood pressure would stay up at 114, but not with the bottom number 53. That is too low. So I will avoid handling my foxgloves.

Well, all the transplants are looking fine except for the butterfly bush from Lowe’s. Still giving it deep drinks; but that several weeks in Limbo was hard on it.

Is it too much to ask visitors to neighbors to park in front of the neighbor’s property? Alida has had a handyman coming since last week, and he has chosen every day to park in front of my house. This morning I told him I’m expecting guests, could he move? He said he’d been staying out of Alida’s way. Hmpf.

A walk in the gardens this morning:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C89aCaBxdiY/?igsh=a2lqdXl3MXNsY3Nh

>319 2wonderY: Humph, indeed. He wants to stay out of her way, so he gets into yours. I think I would point out to him that he is not making it likely that you will chose him if you ever need someone's services. Actually, I would point the problem out to your neighbour. She probably hasn't noticed. If that doesn't help, then point your guests in that direction.

The humidity is near 100% this morning. It’s 78° and will get up to 89° today.

Sounds like Rose’s husband is coming too. Yay! I have a task. If they bring a dolly, we can yank the clothes dryer out of the basement.
Without a washing machine, I just go to the laundromat as I have most of my adult life. I saw there is one opening here in town soon.
And the vent system is just too crazy for safety. It goes up 6’, turns 90°, goes horizontal 6’, elbows up again and then another turn to exit the building. Outside, it takes another 90° bend to go vertical and the stack is 8’. Now, how much lint do we think is packed into that line? And no way to clean it.

I’m going to buy a modest freezer for that spot instead.

Working on clearing the upstairs room for them and cranking up the AC so they’ll be comfortable.

I really do need to install some active ventilation in those eaves.

Sounds like a freezer will be a much better use of the space. I cleaned out my sister's dryer vent once, and it was a lot better than what you describe, but still not and easy or pleasant task. All that lint is also a fire hazard.

It’s odd hanging out in a houseful of sleeping people. I’ve been up for two hours, drinking tea and doing morning gardening chores - deadheading and Japanese beetle collecting; and hanging out with the dog, Pepper. The house seems so much more silent than typical. But perhaps I just never notice otherwise.

A neighbor gave me black eyed Susans last year and I planted them down along the sidewalk. They have taken over the show this month in that corner. I may regret them; but I can cut loads of bouquets.

Pepper the puppy is learning boundaries, but pretty much has her way in the backyard, barreling through the plant beds, sloshing into the pond. We managed to save the flower pots surrounding the pond - just!
I brought sticks inside for her to chew, but there were still a few toys that got gnarled, and the corner of a book. (She was leaning against the bookcase with a stick propped for chewing, and I think she didn’t realize.)
When they come in the house, if I’m lounging on the bed, she lunges up there to greet me, scrambling glasses, phone, papers, books, and tearing the quilt with her claws. She needs to stop doing that.

We got the dryer up out of the basement. Well, Nathan did. Glad he measured carefully first, because we had to remove both the basement door and the door out to the carport. Which also gave me an opportunity to repair/replace the strip caulking and bottom sweep.
I also decided that the door to the attic is just an annoyance, so I removed it as well. Now the linen closets behind that swinging door are better accessed. But I do need to fashion cabinet doors now at the bottom where there used to be a tip-out laundry door.

T enjoyed herself, scattering toys and projects everywhere. Anne had left a toy chicken for her. This is how she treats chickens:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9FM51pR-TX/?igsh=MXkxOXl0MWFvYmRpYw==

They left at the end of the day, better to sleep in their own beds.
They are planning a birthday weekend for T, and we brainstormed plans.
I suggested a Slip N Slide and also setting up mattresses on their large covered back porch. They’ve been shuffling rooms upstairs and one bedroom just has a collection of mattresses and bed frames, too crowded to even get in the door almost.
I will go down a day or two early to help arrange.

Speaking of what you do with chickens

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy008l7d5j4o

>325 MarthaJeanne: Sympathy for Mathilda. That was a dumb move on the part of the foster farmer.

I’m being very lazy today. There are outside tasks I should do, especially since the temperature is mild. But it was difficult enough to make myself go see what Connie had for me. She promised a replacement Blue Star Creeper, because mine has been mishandled to death.
She had some small butterflyweed, so I thought I’d try again. I will clip all blooms it offers and tell it to concentrate on root development.
An ‘Elfin’ thyme caught my attention. So cute!
And a couple more herbs to try as ground covers - Rosemary and Curry, Helichrysum italicum.

Also found a nearly new pair of SmartWool socks at the Goodwill.

My gate-top container has two rosemary plants in it. The second one was labeled 'hanging' or something similar, and I thought it would nicely balance the vertical one I already had. Ha! If anything it is growing up straighter than the older one. Still pretty, still tasty, but not what I expected.

There has been noticeably more ant traffic around the kitchen sink and window for a couple of days. I’ve been spraying, alternating with citrus vinegar and ammonia; and it wasn’t making a difference. They weren’t stopping at the borax/sugar bait either, but they were liking the left wall.
Still not finding how they come in from outside, but I did discover the attractant this morning. A jar of honey inside the cabinet with a lid that doesn’t seal. I would expect more ants than were there, actually. That jar has been in that spot undisturbed for several months.

I loosened the lid and popped it right in the microwave. Microwaves don’t kill ants. It just excites them🤪
Wiping everything down now with straight pinesol. That seems to have done the trick.
I’ve been wanting to disassemble that window anyway and clean all the glass. It’s original wood with a storm window outside, so it’s a real pain to clean all surfaces.
The inside of that cabinet is clean, but I might as well be thorough.
Project of the day.

Worked around the top storm sash, because I couldn’t figure how to unlatch it from the frame. I might as well get some glazing compound while I’m at it and tuck that glass in more snugly.

The ants are still coming in, but they are back to feeding at the borax/sugar cup. Life is back to normal.

And they are gone once more. I’m thinking of fumigating under the siding below that window. The nest might be inside the wall; though not sure where their main food source would be. It’s not my kitchen; that’s just a side hustle.

Morning garden stroll:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9M70vzR4nV/?igsh=Y2NrMnNoeGFpOHdo

And there is a mini challenge I participate in and I’m featuring my garden there this week:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9M7i7HR5-Q/?igsh=MTltbGZ6bnNmNzJiNg==

I forgot to mention a hummingbird was checking out my pollinator plants yesterday and then zoomed over and checked me out.

I am growing three tomatoes I considered sandwich sized. Rutgers and Hillbilly are indeed doing so. Meaty and sized correctly. Mortgage Lifter, despite its name, is less than half the size of the other plants and the fruit is small and not at all tasty.

>330 2wonderY: What a fun garden you have to explore!

>331 MrsLee: I wish you could visit!

I’m thinking that the Mortgage Lifter start that bought was mislabeled. It just doesn’t correspond to the description.

It’s cool outside and we’ve had misting rain!! Now the clouds have passed though, and it’s blue skies. Still, enough rain fell that the driveway puddle was able to maintain itself for a little while. I’m trying to get all my re-potting and planting in the ground done so I can leave town for a few days.

It occurs to me that this is the first July in a dozen years that I’m not picking blackberries.

Had to remove a couple of Roma tomato plants as they developed blossom end rot.

I like it!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9IfbdRSczO/?igsh=aGNpeGNua250djU=

(Birthday gifts for daughters). Shhhh

How to view Comet Olbers

https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/07/08/comet-13p-olbers-summer-july-...

I’ll be at daughter’s farm that weekend. Remember to bring binoculars !!

Garden math:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9VhWEUqM3d/?igsh=cWVrZnExZjJobHQ=

I didn’t know this about Beautyberry. It supposedly has insect repellant properties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8yy58ROlD8/?igsh=OWliMHg1YmlkcnR6

I will harvest some leaves and make a tincture for my daughter.

I went to WV for a few days. Got back last evening and watered some of the potted plants that were dying! before going to bed. They were all fine this morning. I gave the gardens a good soak this morning, but it’s another scorcher. I’m trying to stay busy inside, but step out on the deck for a change of atmosphere. But not for long. It’s a strangler day. Glad to be back with the AC, even though I’m continuing to argue with my thermostat. I want to be comfortable, not cool. I’m keeping a sweater nearby; which is ridiculous.

The Burmuda grass out front was flowering again, so I mowed that small plot yesterday morning. Today, I did the backyard entire; which hasn’t been done in quite some time. Got the Japanese stilt grass up at the top level. I’m mostly controlling weeds with this exercise. It’s not supposed to rain until tomorrow, but I see some promising overcast moving in… nope; it’s just a short stretch of grey. Still nice.

The Japanese beetle season was short. I don’t see them this morning.

I’ve got boxes from WV cluttering my living room. The good thing is they are giveaways, so going elsewhere.

What a good design for a garden sink!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8J2nukOMkL/?igsh=MWlwcGZrbmlzaTRrYQ==

I had something very like it at the cabin, but the refinements here are very nice. I have yet to actually build something permanent here.

I was headed out to water the front gardens just a bit ago, and was interrupted by a rain shower. Yay!

Alida is so irresponsible today. I’m fuming.
She’s got her handyman trimming her trees, and using her chainsaw. But she left. No!! You don’t leave someone operating dangerous equipment without someone to spot you.
He was trimming trees along my fence line and it did make sense for him to do it from my roof. But there really wasn’t permission asked. When I provided slip resistant materials, he did use it, but not the way I suggested. He said he could get adequate grip using the screw heads of the metal roof. I nearly threw him off. That can compromise the seal. Asshole!

My domain is so small nowadays that I can spend time pulling the weedy grasses from my lawn. The broadleafed ones that sprawl in a radiating circle and throw out supine seed heads this time of year are particularly attractive to my fingers just now. I try to keep a bucket near at hand in case I feel like uprooting something.

But today, I happened on a tiny bit of magic in the lawn. They looked like pansies for fairies. INaturalist thinks they are Birds-eye Speedwell. And while I was down there, a teeny tiny fly landed, tentatively identified as a Calligrapher Fly.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kff4CRPq8/?igsh=MWd2YzV0dmF1dmNuOA==

I am away from home for the weekend, and one or two plants may die from my neglect. Lady’s Mantle is so tender and persnickety. I should have left it in the weeds where it was happy.
Anne and Mike drove to Berea yesterday and we loaded my clothes dryer into their van. I hope it lives on for them.
And then Anne and I drove to Rose’s farm. Sunday, T turns 6. Big party Saturday and we came early to help clean and prepare.
Rose was delighted to have people to enjoy her gardens.
I’ve got the living room shipshape. Kitchen is next.
They did build a slipNslide. And there is plenty of wood for a bonfire.

Last evening T and I collected lightning bugs. Gosh it’s been a long while since I’ve done that. She went bed hopping last night wanting to snuggle with each of us and then woke late and grumpy.

I gave T her gift already; no point waiting till the party when it gets lost in the deluge of other presents.

I’m surprised she doesn’t have one of these already. It’s a jewelry box and I put a few fun pieces inside. She’s been wearing them all with delight. One broach has even been through the wash already and came out with only minimal damage, which was fixable.
The box, found at Goodwill for $2, is paved with mother-of pearl squares. Oddly, the rim of the lid was sheets of bone. So I glued some floral ribbon along that edge.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8pdl0hxYhd/?igsh=MXI0NjlkdXczOGRhcg==

Grandson, Callum, was helping his dad move the dryer into their basement yesterday, and somehow, it dropped onto his hand, cutting all four fingers pretty severely. They spent most of the night at the emergency room, finally getting stitched in the wee hours. I hate it that repairs took so long. He may need more repair surgery on a tendon.

Nathan and Rose tried out the slipNslide last evening. Hoots of glee came from the meadow. Nathan has got technique and shot past the end of the slide and into the tomatoes. Plans to build a bumper at the bottom today.

This morning we are processing all the fruits and veggies gathered in the last few days.
Nathan slow roasted pork and chicken yesterday for barbeques.
Today we roasted corn, then shucked and scraped the kernels for a salad with avocado chunks, red onion, cilantro, garlic salt. Mmmm.
There are still cukes and melons and a whole box of the yummiest peaches. I’d better get back in the kitchen and help again.

Sorry, I have to disagree. The peaches I buy in Raasdorf are the yummiest peaches. Just had one.

I could live on these peaches. Well, along with a side of chocolate ice cream.

>344 2wonderY: Which ribbon did you choose for the box? Shells, pink flowers or the blue?

>345 2wonderY: I am sorry to hear about Callum, poor guy. Prayers sent for quick and complete healing.

>348 2wonderY: My ice cream of choice is salted caramel.

I just put a peach and raspberry upside down cake in the oven. Gild the lily!

>349 MrsLee: Thanks for the prayers. He’s phobic about needles, and the pain meds had almost worn off by the time they started stitching. He had a very rough time.

I went with the roses ribbon. I forgot to take an after photo.

>350 MarthaJeanne: I could maybe get behind salted caramel too.

Birthday girl will probably sleep till noon. There is SO MUCH FOOD! At least thirty people, and everyone seemed to bring at least one dish to share. Nathan’s family in particular brought so much. We have as much produce as we started with.
One family with 5 teens camped the night, so the breakfast spread should help with the plenitude.
This was their first experience tent camping. All equipment new. They set up three tents and then we got a drenching rain at 4am. All in good spirits. And I’m chatting them up (they are shy) about Berea and such. That’s where they live, though I hadn’t met them before. Their mom is a friend of Rose from the Hitachi plant.

I’m trying to get a start on foxgloves to bloom next spring again. I harvested seed and put them in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Opinions differ as to whether this is necessary.
The first sowing didn’t work. It’s tricky because they need both moisture and sunlight. But I got it right the second time. I have a multitude of exquisitely tiny seedlings. Let’s see if I can nurse them to transplant size.

It seems we are over the drought and back to normal rains. Hallelujah!

The gardens are looking particularly lush this morning in the rain. Yes! More rain!

Some flowers for you. The Naked Ladies are particularly gorgeous this year:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C97dN3aRjSw/?igsh=a2JvbzVvNDBoN3Yz

Alida’s handyman is constructing a building at the back of the lot that is on piers. So the floor is higher than the fence line. I checked with city code, and they are aware of what’s going on. She intends to move into it and rent out her house because she doesn’t have adequate retirement income. Because of the small footprint, city can’t prevent her building it, but will not allow occupancy. It’s a horrible development; because I know she will lie about it.

I was thinking of putting plants in the ground that I got from Connie yesterday, and wishing the ground was damp. I looked out the windows and hey! It began to rain. It’s been off and all, and now we have a steady, heavy shower. Looks like the planting will have to wait until tomorrow. I intend to start planting the last slope at the top of the yard, but I have no composition in mind.
This is what I got:
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ is a medium pink, but the flowers are much smaller than typical. Phlox seems to burn out along the west fence where I want them, so this will be a change.
Coreopsis ‘Cruizin’ Route 66’ - I think I bought this last year for Rose. It’s a threadleaf and has a touch of red in the centers. Very cheerful.
Monarda ‘Fire Marshall’ is a petite but racy looking flower. I mistook it for pineapple sage.
Torchlily ‘Papaya Popsicle’, could alternately be ‘Red Hot Popsicle’ but I don’t think so.
A Spiderwort. Not the variety Connie has papers for, but larger than typical blooms.

There was an 8 year old girl and her father shopping the booth as well. They were looking for just one plant that attracts pollinators and butterflies, according to dad. But the little girl fell in love with a pot of hen and chicks sedum and clutched it to herself. I would love to mentor her. Fierce!

During the dry season, I placed a liner in the gutter where the water usually pools, for the benefit of the birds. I found a perfect rectangle of blue rubber underlayment. It’s heavy.
Yesterday morning, the birds were lining up, as usual, to take their turn bathing.
After yesterday’s storms, I found the liner washed away down the street, and the puddle still full.
So the ground is back to its normal water holding capacity.

More rain in the early morning hours; so I’m working inside.
I’ve been trying to unpack the basement as it has become the repository of everything. I found two odd sized sheets of pegboard and decided to find wall spots for them. Already installed one piece on the wall going down the basement stairs. There was already a small piece just inside the door. Quite a lovely improvement.
The other piece will go on the wall near the full piece I installed two years ago. That workshop space has fluctuated from very functional to very cluttered.
I’m also sorting paint cans and am proud to both winnow and use some of the stock.

Recycling run to the next town. Shopped Lowe’s for a couple of items. Chest freezer - they wouldn’t sell me the floor model and waiting on stock.
4foot light tube for a basement fixture - bought, but returning it. Won’t stop humming and flickering.
Kitchen base cabinet pullout - Rose has them and what a difference in convenience! Bought one at Lowes and another ($15 cheaper) at the new Menards. The Lowe’s model is much simpler to install, so I will return the other. I might get 3 more of the Lowe’s, depending on how much I like the first. I will have to fit the floor of the cabinet with a sturdier piece of plywood, as the current floor dips and waves slightly. Luckily, I have a small stack of plywood to sort through, sawhorses on the carport, and finally a decent saw.

…And, the deluge!

Our groundwater reserves are all replenished; and it continues to rain. Back 20 years ago, this kind of rain would have been in June.
My water bill came and for the first time, I have exceeded the limit for base payment.

I’m poking at the basement piles, liberating a few things and organizing others. I tried another brand of bulb and it didn’t work well either. I finally just removed the fixture and hung a new one. Much better!

We are getting some spectacular sky colors.

As I was packing the cheaper cabinet pull-out for return, I noticed there is a slight difference in the slide placement, being entirely under the basket/tray. The Lowe’s model slide extends out to the side slightly. This works fine in the cabinet with 12” wide opening, but not the 11” opening cabinets. I thought I’d have to notch the frames, but I think I will try to fit the Menard model instead.
I’m glad I looked carefully.

I’ve been arm wrestling with the thermostat. It is not running as programmed, and it continues to chill too far. So I’m trying the Eco setting. Since last night, the AC hasn’t been on. It should when the temperature goes past 80°F, which is where it is now.
I am very used to living without AC, and I’ve been comfortable enough today, even with spending significant time cooking.
I’ve turned the ceiling fans up a notch.
Oh, I got several plants from Connie on Saturday.
I had asked for another Blue Star Creeper, because I killed the second one. She gave me a third.
I have a Blackberry Lily, but it’s tucked away and I haven’t noticed it. She had one that was absolutely charming. ‘Freckle Face’ came home with me.
Another Coreopsis with much more red on the petals than the one last week. This one is ‘Cruisin Broad Street.’
A Gaillardia ‘Arizona Red Shades’
And a Sedum ‘Himalayan Skies’ was too cute to pass up. It’s a much more compact variety than the ones I started with on my slope.

Second overcast day but no rain yet. I need to go cover tubs of mulch I haven’t used yet, just in case.

Still spending time pulling and sorting bins in the basement. Out of season clothing and fabric mostly. (Fabric had been a hidden vice for years. I used to sew; but haven’t in quite some time.) I’ve been able to take a car-full to Goodwill and have set aside some for the girls. They both sew.
I’ve got a pile of lumber set aside to build shelves in that corner of the basement. It’s possible I may get to that project this year.

Someone is stopping by today to pick up donations for the RITI booth. So I’ve done a whirlwind cleanup of the living room. It looks great except it needs vacuumed; but no time for that.
I found my glasses! It’s been over a week. They were on the floor in the second bedroom. Yay!

Very hard to search for glasses without them. Glad they showed up.

I have two other pairs, but I don’t like them nearly as much.

Two bins of donations gone. Walter says he has earned $220 for RITI from my donations so far. I’m getting two free tickets to the annual meeting from his initiative. I don’t like that detail, so I will buy another ticket myself.

Both my living room and the room where the items were stored look so much better.

I’ve been messing with the window above the kitchen sink for several weeks. It’s an original wood window with an outside storm window. Finally climbed up there and removed one of the storm panels so I could clean all four glass surfaces. The second storm seems stuck, so I had to work around that. I noted that the glazing compound had fallen out along several edges. So I decided to replace it. That is annoying for the skills I lack and the fact that it needs to cure for at least a week and then painted with oil based paint, and then the panes scraped and cleaned again. I finally put it all back together yesterday. It’s not perfect, but much improved. I also laid down boric acid between the windows to discourage the ants tracking through.

Harvested plums and made a couple of quarts of cordial.

Bought two more plants from Connie. Another thyme and another lavender.

The foxglove seedlings are not growing past the first two tiny leaves. What am I doing wrong?

Got permission to pick plums from a neighbor’s yard up the street. Only a dozen left on the tree, but they are the 2” dark purple variety. (Damson? Italian? Sweet? Oval.)
Also picked up two Bosc pears from the ground. I didn’t know that tree was there. Good pears!

My driveway adjoins my neighbor’s driveway to the east, and my carport is on the property line.
I’m getting ready to fill deep cracks in the concrete along the outside foundation and across my drive. Knowing they are about to move out, I tried to catch them to ask when; as I wouldn’t want to do the work while they are packing vehicles, etc. Also, they have a crack that would benefit from the same treatment. But it’s full of weeds.
I finally caught them on their way out and asked. They said it will be two weeks more before they move. Good to know.

I picked more cherry plums and I’ve got four quarts of cordial put up. I might gather more tomorrow. The trees might give up that much more.

I also processed all the tomatoes I’ve picked and put up four quarts of those. If that freezer comes tomorrow, I can still pack them in there. The plants are full of ripe tomatoes again. Oddly, the plum tomatoes are not juicy this year. The flesh is hard and not particularly tasty.
Of the half dozen cabbage starts, I have two decent heads.

I walked up to pick more plums and had a very social time. Stopped to chat with four neighbors. Got invited to join the RITI board and also found out the parish priest has changed at the Catholic Church in town. I will return to Mass, with joy. The other priest was kind of a menace. Pre-Vatican 2 attitudes.

I subscribed to an Extension Service live events list. So while I was processing the plums, I also attended a Zoom workshop on Heat Tolerance of Insects. The bad news is that climate change is a good thing for insect pests. But I also witnessed a tick race on a tiny speedway. The lanes were maintained with an application of DEET.

Heavy lashing rains came in this early evening. I’d like to have buttoned up a few things outside, but I ain’t gonna go out in that.
For some reason, possibly antihistamine, I was awake till 5am, so I’m dragging a bit today.
Spent time working in the kitchen.
Some totals:
8 quarts of tomatoes
10 quarts of plums
1 pint jewelweed extract
2 pints pine vinegar
5 pints citrus vinegar
1 pint citrus cordial
Small jar of golden raisin cordial
Dried basil
Dried spearmint
Dried chocolate mint
I decanted last year’s blackberries and plums. I decided to try to further steep the blackberries in a fresh dose of vodka instead of smashing them. Just curious whether there is anything left to pull.

My kitchen table is in beautiful jewel tones.

Since I have struck out on a freezer purchase, I reached out to neighbor, Wilma. Yes! She has a nearly empty chest freezer. I can stash my tomatos there until I get my own.

I took some grape crack over for her as well, and we sat and caught up.

I have more tomatoes coming on. And I saved a few for sandwich slicing. Battling fruit flies, of course.

The hydrangea in>283 2wonderY: and the butterfly bush in >286 2wonderY: didn’t survive. I took the twig back to Lowe’s for a refund.

I forgot to share pictures

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-rzNvAx7FE/?igsh=bHhtbWU0ajRhcWNn

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u5YUaRcrB/?igsh=MWU0a2N0NDNza3d4aQ==

The table was entirely covered before I was done.

Plenty going on in the neighborhood. On Hanson St. a tree was removed in just three hours. No chips though; they just loaded trailers with the branches.
My east neighbor moved out yesterday. Again very efficient. No sign of buyers yet. I hope it’s not a sale to corporation.
Alida’s small house has walls. I have to say, her carpenter friend does know what he’s doing.
Classes at Berea College started yesterday. My first class is today. The registrar still hasn’t added me to the class list; but I’ve traded emails with the professor and I have textbook in hand. The Human Planet.

I’ve got the ladder set up at the second kitchen window. Just one line of re-glazing there.

More tomatoes need picked. The ones I planted are nearly done, but the volunteers are just getting started.
I found a peach on the ornamental variety in the front yard. It was small, but ripe. Freestone and the flesh has a green cast, and it tastes slightly of green, but it was okay.

The new neighbors are working inside their house, preparing to paint, I’m guessing.
I met the guy. Tim. He’s not officially part of the household. His girlfriend bought the house. Her name is Olivia. She’s the assistant farm manager at the college. Tim is assistant manager and chef at the college farm store. Woohoo! Some skills and talents. Their son, aged 2 or 3, is Arbor. He’s rushing around too fast to meet him.
I will drop off a bottle of cordial and offer tools.

My bedroom is cleared, but now there are piles all over the living room. I am able to discard a goodly portion of papers; so progress is made. And I found some financial stuff I have been needing.
And I’ve got screens propped on the arms of chairs for drying basil and spearmint. It smells good in there.

The kitchen is half shambles/half organized. But all the windows are clean clean.
I put up four more quarts of tomatoes, so those baskets are out of the way.

Yesterday, there were more birds poking around in the backyard than is typical; even a blue jay. The squirrels didn’t like that. They were chasing the birds. Usually, I hardly see them; and that’s the way I prefer.
The fall season is coming fast. It’s almost time to clean the beds and add mulch.
The dahlias are putting on an especially nice show out front.
I will take a survey soon on what performed well and what didn’t and record it.

My class lets out at 12, and I had a couple of errands to run. One of those was to stop and buy lunch at the Farm Store. I saw on Instagram this morning they are offering pulled pork BBQ over homemade Mac and cheese. They open at 12. I got there at 1 and they were sold out!!!
I will try again tomorrow and get there early enough to stand in line!

I did get a galette and a cookie, both smell marvelous.

The last kitchen window is reassembled finally. More glazing replacement, scraping and sanding old flaking paint and painting all with oil based paint. A final scrape and wash of the glass and the storm sash can finally be put back in, and no longer be a hazard leaning up against a wall.
I am reminded of this at an early morning hour because I must have scraped against the rose bush near the window and then sat on my bed. Stretching in bed just now, my heel caught a thorn. Had to think HOW it got there while extracting it.

We’ve had a couple of chilly nights already. The cherry tomatoes are producing and I’m still cooking them down for future chilis/soups/sauce.

I went to a dinner Saturday where we were encouraged to take the centerpiece vases home. Mine had stems of abundant orange berries. They looked like mountain ash, but a closer look revealed the leaves declare it’s a dogwood. Very pretty.

My mail delivery yesterday brought essentials. Six boxes of tea and two books.😁

I need to find someone to help move that chest freezer. It’s compact, but heavy. It’s got two huge turkeys in the bottom. It will certainly weigh slightly less when I remove those.

Daughter asked if I planned to watch the debate this evening. I don’t have TV service, so I was going to listen on my phone. She suggested there would be watch parties at the library or the college. Sure enough, at the student union.
I’ve had one previous classmate stop and chat. Such a nice community.

I found my freezer moving assistant. We will wait till next week though.
Five quarts of tomatoes done today. I’m getting faster and more skilled at chopping and cutting out bad spots. I’m throwing the waste into new spots in the garden beds. I will be overrun with cherry tomato volunteers next year.

>383 MarthaJeanne: Re tomato volunteers

There used to be a sandbank in the Danube just below the Vienna city limits that was known as 'Paradeis Insel'. Tomatoes here are called Paradeiser, and this sandbank was always covered with them. The seeds would land there from the Vienna sewage system. Both the Danube and the sewage system have changed a lot since then, but the man who told us about had find memories of eating those tomatoes in his youth.

I was in West Virginia this past weekend. Mostly to hang out with three old friends. We ate great foods and drank some good wine and beer. We visited a large farmers market where I found a few small items for the gift season coming up. We took the Sternwheeler out to Blennerhassett Island and wandered around and then took a wagon ride.

I did mow my front yard there; it was obnoxiously going to seed. Oddly, the rest of the block was in the same condition. I didn’t see anyone to ask about it. So now my yard looks the best, momentarily.

I loaded two huge boulders to set at the bottom of the slope at the NW corner of this yard. I got a scrape on my forearm, I dropped it once on my toe, and my back is fatigued. And I guess I smashed a thumb. All minor injuries.

I found a pot containing a suspicious plant. It was set behind a tree at the edge of the WV yard. I clipped it at its base and stuck it in a bag and brought it home with me.🤨 Its very fragrant.

I’m spending the weekend at daughter’s house. T is blowing me away with her sudden deep knowledge of prehistoric beasts. The term “apex predator” just rolls out and then she stops to make sure I know what that is. She can’t read just yet, but we went through a book and she said all the names correctly and explained their derivation and details about the animals. Yikes! She just turned 6 in July!

Today was move the freezer day. I went over and emptied it this afternoon and we unplugged it to defrost. There was loose ice at the bottom when we got there with the dolly at 5. We had just the right number of straps to secure it and it was still slightly wiggly. But we safely managed all stairs and slid it into place. The cord just reaches the outlet high on the basement wall. I raised it one brick height all around.
So, do the exterior walls heat while it’s freezing again?

Tristan, a classmate, offered to help. He ended doing most of the work. I gave him cash and some blackberry cordial. We had a pleasant hour learning a bit about each other. He’s been to Japan twice already through the school, and a second country, but I forget which.
He mentioned me to a friend, and Iris said, yes, they’ve had class with me too.
Tristan liked my house; said his grandmother and I would be great friends.😁

>386 2wonderY: It's not so much the outer walls that heat up as the mess of stuff in the back. That is the radiator which gets rid of the heat being removed.

Did you give it time to settle before plugging it in? They used to say several hours. My new one I was told one hour was enough.

>387 MarthaJeanne: I didn’t know that. Oh well. It’s all frozen again. I placed gallons of water on the bottom for thermal mass.

This morning, we’ve had flickering power outages and now no power.
We are at the very north fringe of possible Helene penetration. Not a lot of rain yet, but gusting winds.
Daughter said school is cancelled.

I should have harvested tomatoes before the rain arrived. It’s a lashing rain. Ah well.
I will change out the summer florals in the living room to autumn accents in baskets/pots and around the windows.

It’s truly a small world. Daughter is beginning her work travels heading to Saskatchewan today. She sent a photo from the Minneapolis airport, and to friends in Berea. Those friends happen to be in flight to Minneapolis now to visit their son. They will arrive before Rose has to board her next flight.

Daughter has been in Saskatchewan this week, learning how to lift buildings.



She says in a couple of years, the plan is to raise some of the Antarctic buildings and pack snow under them. This is to counteract the fact that they tend to get buried in snow, and eventually are lower than the surroundings.
She finally met some of the project team in person.

!And she has an invitation to visit the actual South Pole station this year!

It’s still warm here during the day and mild at night. We are back to blue skies and sun.
I finally tried filling the huge crack in the driveway. Enough water gets underneath the concrete to have shifted the slab an inch downhill. It turns out to be deeper than it looks. I was advised to fill the crack with extruded Polyethylene foam to both take up space and block the slurry from draining too deep. Well, there are spots that drained pretty drastically. Hoping this seals when cured so that I can add another layer.
The outside edge of the carport had the same issue.

I have to boast that a couple of salesmen (internet service providers) came to the door and after their pitch, they hugely admired my front yard.

I’m preparing my basement greenhouse space and taking cuttings. Some potted plants can go in the ground, and I’m planting in the top slope.
I’ve taken three blueberry bushes down to Rose’s place. Two more to go. I’ve decided I don’t like blueberries anyway.

I’ve got figs, but they are small and still unripe.

My re-blooming azaleas have one or two blooms; about the same as their spring showing.

(Note to self) new neighbor has a beautiful black setter puppy named Lark.

Last night’s low was 46° so it is time to start bringing plants inside. Glad I had staged a second blanket at the foot of the bed.

I'm just thrilled it's low 60s (maybe high 50s) this morning even with our high in the maybe 90s.

>393 lesmel: Ah! Texas! I’ve only been there once and prefer my moderate climate.

Since I’ve gotten most of the large weatherization projects done, it’s time to look at the smaller issues. Many of my windows leak air; visible this week with condensation along the bottoms of the upper panes. I will try taping those joints but haven’t determined what product to try.

The kitchen door and upstairs windows are original and the entire panes have condensation. So plastic on those areas is called for.

I also noticed just a hint of damp on the chimney wall. One of my neighbors just had their roof replaced, so I will get a phone number for someone to climb up there and improve that seal before the snow season.

I am scheduled for an interview today by a student at Georgia Tech. The class is studying online forums like LT. Looking forward to it.

Earlier this week, I noticed some damp on the chimney wall upstairs. Slight bubbling/sagging of the painted surface material and rust on a screw put there to hold art.
Had to assume flashing failure. A neighbor down the street was just having their roof replaced; so I stopped to get a referral. Ben stopped by this morning to look at my roof. We talked about a few other niggling issues as well. The roof was so slick with dew he only tried once to get up to the chimney. When he slid back down from just a few feet, he hit the deck roof framing. Surprisingly, the entire deck shuddered. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised; as it is not anchored to the house in any way.

I was digging in the front hall closet today and noticed that the exterior walls are already cool to the touch and convey a chill from outside.
I rummaged in the basement and found just the right amount of scraps of 3/4” extruded insulation to cover the front wall. I cut them so well that they friction fit with no adhesive.
Two birds - better insulated space and one less pile of stuff in the basement.😁

I got an email from Tim Walz’ dog today. Enough!!!
My furnace kicked on for a short bit of time this morning; thermostat set at 68°. I am duly warned.

It’s a beautiful day, and I should be cleaning the yard and gathering plants in.
Instead, I’m cleaning the basement. I don’t know why these moods control me. I am doing a noticable good job down there.
I took a neighbor to a play at the college last evening. World premier of “Mama’s Boy” by Pearl Yadoff Fink. I might have enjoyed it more if I could have heard more of the dialogue. I wonder if they have hearing aid tech. I know they do for classes.

I noticed my heat was on this afternoon, so I checked the forecast. 40° tonight. I got serious about bringing plants inside. Even brought a couple buckets of pond plants in.
They take up a lot more basement space this year than last. I’ll take pictures.

Hard frost last night. Good timing on my part, for once.

The “greenhouse”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBL0laXx3HW/?igsh=NzZtdTM5aHJkdjk1

One of my fig plants really took off this year, and grew taller than me. It has lots of fruit on it, but still small and unripe. It’s time to cut them back; so sadly, I won’t get any to eat.

I cleaned up the volunteer tomato patch at the NE corner of the yard. I have a large basket of fruit to process into soup.

I noticed a few small birds flying around the spot on my front porch that had a feeder hanging last year. I removed it after the squirrels tore it down last spring. So we try again. This morning there is lots of traffic. We shall see how long it stays up.

>402 2wonderY: Isn't it nice to know your efforts are appreciated? I was cleaning the bird bath today, and Jerry was cleaning its pillar, when he saw various bees flying about. I set it back in position, and as I was pouring a pail of clean water in, There were lots of flying, buzzing things around me. They got their drinks. Time soon to bring it in for the winter. We use a plastic pot saucer to replace in winter that will better stand ice and boiling water. I'm not sure how much the birds actually use it, but the insects love it.

Somebody told the squirrels. I saw one coming to the front of the house; something that rarely happens.
I’ve got plastic crows out for Halloween decor. That might slow them down; but I need to brainstorm other deterrence.
The birds really like the adjacency of the weeping peach for perching between getting seeds.

I’ve shared T’s fascination with dinosaurs here. She can barely read simple words yet; but she shared a dinosaur book with me last month and knew all of the names and technical details. She’s hoovering up information. Her mom wanted to introduce her own fictional favorites, the Dinotopia books. I gave her my copies today when she stopped through. We both weren’t sure whether she would care for these stories.



What do you think?

Rose also took the last two blueberry bushes and some sedum (Thundercloud) cuttings.

My biggest hazelnut (slightly taller than me now) is bearing catkins! A very odd time of year for that. Must walk out and see if Cait’s are doing the same. Also take another look at the other hazelnuts and look for the inconspicuous female flowers. They need to cross-pollinate.)

Re >395 2wonderY:

I got two bids; ones corporation and the other a handyman. Went with the handyman. He did extensive work for a neighbor last year.

It’s difficult to flash a chimney properly after the finish roof is in place. He’s doing it an old-fashioned way, but I think I have confidence in him. Crossing my fingers!

http://tristatecomponents.com/Solar_Seal_900_Label_2017.pdf

Two hours and $500. The upper side of the chimney has a huge amount of caulk, rated for 20 years. But the contractor gives me a 1 year warranty.

Started making a mess upstairs last evening, scraping the peeling materials off that chimney wall. I cleared the boxes in front of the closet door next to the chimney. Ah! Probably more clothes I can pass on!
In the back corner, I see further visual record of the leak. I will keep it there and outline the stain, so I can monitor whether it ever grows.

The wall material doesn’t appear to be drywall, but some older, fibrous sheet material. I might just put a hanger up and hang a large Beatrix Potter print that will cover that spot almost entirely.

We’ve gotten some gorgeous bonus days. I spent today on a ladder working on gutter issues. The main accomplishment was finally installing gutter guards along the front of the carport.
Just one more section to do, along the front of the kitchen.

I can’t recall if I mentioned the driveway cracks. One large one across the entire slab, and the lower piece has slipped down the hill almost two inches. It was time to seal the crack to keep water from getting under the slab there. I used multiple large tubes of a self-settling crack seal. The stuff disappears easily down deep cracks. So I filled first with pool noodle foam strips to act as barrier. Tedious, but I think I’m finally done.

Busy day! First day of early voting here and everyone rushed to the polls. Like Jimmy Carter, glad to get it done.

Trick or treat now for a couple of hours. Usually we get quite a crowd, but the city is having a party at one of the parks same time. Everyone will get here late and after dark. I’ve got a sorcerer’s table as well as creatures peering out from the gardens:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DByox-XxUi7/?igsh=MW04N3A2N2YzZzZiZQ==

We had a gentle soaking rain overnight, starting in the middle of trick or treat last evening. It thinned the crowd, but didn’t stop it. I found my umbrella and stayed handing out candy. I do have some leftovers - oops!

I have three BlueMist Bluebeard in the yard. The two in the back are spindly and flower early. The one on the front slope grows luxuriously and waits till October to bloom. I consider removing it, as the floral show is underwhelming; but I noticed yesterday that it was covered with hundreds of bumblebees. I will chop it back and give it another year. I might move it out back after that.

Next to it, my new St. John’swort throve all summer, looking stunning. And then it died. I’ve got seeds, but I’m not sure how to proceed.
Another perennial that faded to nothing is my Ninebark ‘Ginger Wine.’ Very sad. And one or two roses look done in the front bed.

I plan to seed some cool season veggies this weekend and try planting nasturtium seed as well.

Best of luck with the cool season veggies and nasturtium! This is my first year really having a fall garden, although it only consists of a handful of broccoli plants and whatever else is holding on from the summer...

>413 kaylin_b: Thanks Kaylin. I’m glad you’ve got a bit of soil to plant in.

I’m reminded of the Thomas Jefferson remark
“But though an old man, I am but a young gardener.”

My house seems to be holding on to odors nowadays. But it’s been pleasant food odors. And I’m reminded of the distinctive smell of my Nana’s house. It kinda wrapped itself around you as you entered and made you feel loved.
I spent the weekend doing random yard tasks. One was finally chickenwiring the last entry to under the deck. I had blocked it with other materials, including heavy stone. The stone had been pushed aside.
I also added heavy mesh at that corner where the AC unit sits by the house and raccoon traffic keeps knocking my downspouts awry. I heard a coon knocking into it last night. I will report back when it’s light out.

Oh. And I harvested all of the poke berries from my neighbor’s weed bed adjacent to my gardens. It will save me pulling volunteers next year. I froze the berries for a future dyeing project.
Do you know there are nurseries that SELL poke?

All is intact at that corner. Seems there is a human taking copper coils from AC units in the neighborhood. Someone reported on the group email that they found a bag of tools and parts in the gutter this morning. I might build something more substantial there. I had scaffolding stolen from that side of the house a while back.

All of the maple leaves are down. Loaded my car with bags and a rake. Brought my first load home.
Brilliantly beautiful day here.

I was curious, so I drove around to the three voting places in town to see whether there would be crowds. Nope. Lots of vehicles, but the inside management was crisp and orderly, so there were no lines outside. The one next to campus had clusters of students ambling either to or back from the polls. Classes were on a delayed schedule for voting.
Afternoon, Regalo and his uncle knocked on the door to come and play. R’s dad always texts first to ask. He loves my toys, but he can’t ever decide and leaves a trail of chaos behind.
Daughter is stranded in Dallas tonight on her way to Colorado. We are all obsessively checking the news; though returns are still hours away.

After I burned my flags, I needed a chapel; so I went to the one on campus. Also went looking for more information about a panel discussion on the election, mentioned in an email sent by the college president.
Stopped to ask in the bel hooks center. Dr. M, or Shaudy, jumped on it and said she’d make inquiries. Our hands clasped briefly. I hadn’t realized that I needed human contact.
We are in a new world today.

>418 2wonderY: Hugs.

>419 tardis: Thank you!

After a few weeks of no rain, we finally have had some good showers; enough to fill the low spot at the bottom of my driveway.
This morning the birds were in line waiting their turn to splash and bathe.

I finally got myself out to rake and collect leaves this afternoon. The exercise did me good. The neighbor at the end of the block had had two nice piles and I’m sure they were waiting for me to come get them; but someone else gathered them. I had to go to a different neighborhood. I met Virginia and her beautiful long eared beagle.
As I was unloading them into my front beds, somebody called from the street. Timi is moving into my neighborhood! She is an old friend of Rose and a good acquaintance of mine. We’ve done mutual assistance projects years ago. She helped me lay a walkway and I helped her build a natural swimming pool.
…
Pause to change out of those clothes because I’m covered in ants.😆

We had our Thanksgiving gathering early at my house this weekend. Rose will be too busy very soon, as she is heading to Antarctica December 1. And Anne’s family will spend the holiday with her in-laws.
Last year we had Rose’s drop-leaf table set up in my living room. This year two folding tables sufficed. Nathan arrived at the very last minute, just in time for the toast, but he had to sit in a plush armchair . Poor him!
I tried a new chicken dish, breasts stuffed with Brie and apple slices. The Brie didn’t register to my taste buds, but the apple did. Lovely.
The oven was managing a large assortment of dishes, and the clean-up was handled well by the younger crew.
There was live music afterwards just a few blocks away.
One daughter did drop her car keys in the other daughter’s car and retrieval connection had to be arranged this morning. But it all worked out. I had one on one time with grandson, as he accompanied me on retrieval.

I’ve been feeling the coolness more than usual, and moving a portable heater from one room to the next. And suffering cold feet, especially at night.
Today I donned my winter leggings and I’m toasty.
Still looking for my electric heating pad for use in bed. It’s in one of these drawers!

I’m off to find a class to take in the spring term today.

I was all over campus trying to catch professors in and gather syllabi and look at textbooks. Exhausted. Nearly done.
Stopped and picked up supper - pizza and milkshake fixings.
Then some idiot wi-fi salesman knocked and wouldn’t stop with his spiel. I had to close the door on him.

Since I had all the required documents in hand, I went to the DMV today to upgrade my driver’s license. And then got stuck in the most outrageous traffic jam. Richmond is the county seat, but I’ve never seen such traffic! It wasn’t just people (college students) leaving town. There were just as many vehicles coming off the interstate as getting on.
But I have enjoyed the sky today.
First a rainbow cloud in a sunny sky. Then rich pink clouds against a deepening blue at dusk.

Sky pictures
https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5v5SiRPdq/?igsh=MjF5cTVpNWxxdnoy

We had our Thanksgiving celebration last week because both daughters are gone or going this weekend. Anne to North Carolina to visit her grandbaby. Rose doing an early Christmas with her family and leaving Sunday for Antarctica.
So what’s a NeeNee to do? My granddaughters drove down from Cincinnati to join me. We had spaghetti and chocolate chip cookies. And we looked through a bin of family photos. That was lots of fun.
They had to get back, as Liv works tonight getting ready for Black Friday at Target.

BTW if you and Rose don't know Ursula LeGuin's story Sur, you might both enjoy it.

>428 MarthaJeanne: I wish I’d known sooner; I would have tracked it down for her.
But I bet there is a copy laying about in McMurdo Station.

I availed myself of an open invitation to visit the college president’s home this afternoon for food and conversation. I chatted with several groups of students. Spent the most time talking with Catherine, a senior from Cuba, via Houston, TX and Versailles, KY. Her next destination is Germany. I also chatted with the president and her husband, Tim.

I’ve been avoiding my backyard because of my neighbor’s construction project.
I wish now I had taken care of my fig bushes already.
We’ve got snow. Fluffy flakes that are covering everything except the concrete. It’s lovely; but my figs are not tucked in properly.

Happy World Soil Day!
Go microbes!

For those who don’t follow in The Green Dragon, cross posting here

https://www.librarything.com/topic/304447#8695477

T was up last weekend and helped me drag bags of leaves up the hill for my fig bushes.

Have I mentioned that I’m in charge of recruiting and scheduling the van drivers for the coming RITI (Room In The Inn) season?
I was sweating it, with some sizable gaps in my calendar.
There was a general volunteer training session this evening, and I filled those holes.
One of my volunteers looked familiar. Yes! We’d taken Weeds class together.

And we had another RITI volunteer session this morning. Three of my drivers attended. My calendar is looking good if I could get the last person to send me her drivers license.

I stopped by the Farmers Market afterward and chatted with Connie for a bit. She was selling the cutest catnip mice, with her own catnip inside them. Very fragrant. I bought two, one for each of my grandcat households.

I got most of my errands done today - banking, returned late library books, Christmas giving, printing Christmas letter. I dropped a small bottle of cordial off for my favorite IT guy at the library. He now remembers my name. It occurred to me I should bring a bigger bottle for the rest of the library staff.
I thought I was going to visit T and her dad today, so I was gathering up all the presents and such. We decided to postpone till Saturday, so I can breathe easier.
Getting cards out is the next priority.

But I did take the time to finish that jigsaw puzzle I showed you in my reading thread too.

I’m not doing much decorating this year, as no one is coming here. I did change out fall colors for Christmas baubles along the tops of the windows and placed a few angels out.

Text from oldest daughter this morning:

“ Mom, Elly just raved for ten minutes about how beautiful and cool you were in the photos y’all looked at on thanksgiving. She especially loved any that dad took. She said you guys would have been friends if she knew you as a peer.”
Elly is 17.

Is there anything more needed to make one’s day?

Haven’t done much for the holiday season, but I did finally have a couple of neighbors over for drinks and snacks. Regalo explored my toy collection while I chatted with his parents.

I’m at daughter’s farm now; though she’s not here. The night sky is the most brilliant I have ever seen.
T, who’s 6 now, invited me to sleep in her queen sized bed with her. Since the old guest room is now an office, I chose this rather than the fold out couch. I expected endless chatter, but she quickly put herself into sleep mode.
And she had made the bed up before I came upstairs.
There’s a big package for her under the tree, but she knew to wait till tomorrow. I am very impressed by the maturity she’s shown.
She read a book to me, Jock’s Rocks, on the same order as Dick and Jane. She’s very good with sounding out the words, but I paused her to make sure she understood words like ‘mock.’ We’ve got a stack of books to go through tomorrow.

Nathan mentioned when he invited me down to the farm, that he wanted to make progress on custom shelving in Rose’s office while she’s gone.
I think he’s battling loneliness. He sketched several options and came to show and discuss them with me.
He’s been out in the garage most of the day, processing elm boards that he harvested from on the farm. He’s trying to retain some of the organic form and lovely grain markings.

T ad I have had two tea parties, a soccer game, some reading exercises. She kept trying to get me to join her on her iPad. I did watch an episode of Dino Dana, and she reminded me I had promised her a field guide, so I hopped on AbeBooks and ordered two.
We are playing with the dinosaur/dragon collection I gave her, repairing wings and tails, and doing some dental work.
I gifted her with the Palestinian dolls I found at Goodwill. She has already partially undressed them. I should have reckoned with that, at her age.

Pipe cleaners was another gift, and of course they are all over the living room now and involved with a variety of projects.

Those dang drago-Dinos have been spending all their time with us! They slept in the bed with us and now want breakfast!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DD7Kqt2RbXU/?igsh=a2tkenYwYjVka2ls

I drove to Cincinnati today to spend Christmas with Anne and her crew. The tree was mostly assembled, but the pre-wired lights weren’t working. So Callum and I jumped and strung colored lights and had to run out for one more string before the stores closed. We also dashed into Aldi’s for the traditional splurge on holiday treats, compliments of NeeNee.
All the gifts are wrapped for a novelty Eve. We all leisurely hung ornaments, never able to decide on our favorite. Well, I know my favorite, but Anne kept finding more in the box.
Mike served a potato-leek soup and Anne baked bread. Elly had tins full of homemade cookies for each of us.

17 year old Elly was up first this morning to make cinnamon rolls from scratch. It was her first time. They were luscious. She has a baker’s knack, moving with confidence.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEAbVpxR5Ed/?igsh=dGU0bDJtczUwampo

The unwrapping of gifts was relaxed and fun. Other than thinking about supper, and maybe a game of Uno, it’s been a quiet day.
I’ve got more direction of how I can share my belongings in the next year, as these teens are developing certain tastes. Callum wants to decorate a tree with crystals next year. I can help him do that.
Olivia will take all of the natural history materials I can release.
Elly will take some of my 60s clothing.

And in the downstairs powder room… a surprise:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEA4cz3yWoP/?igsh=MW1xM3hnaTQ0eWp0cg==

We just FaceTimed with daughter, Rose, from Antarctica. She was calling from tomorrow 😂

Well, that’s awkward. Sitting here on the couch holding an ice pack to my left eye on New Years Eve.
I was wearing my new cashmere socks today, and they are slipperier than my normal socks. I moved wrong at the bottom of the steps and couldn’t stop from crashing into the bottom tread.
Opened a cut just above my eyebrow. It looks charmingly rakish, but I wanted to close it before it started swelling.
My neighbor did me the favor, but it wants to bleed again.
Nice deep red color, I must say.

>444 2wonderY: Ouuuuuuchie!!

Better the forehead than the mouth or nose though.

>444 2wonderY: Falls are bad. I'm sorry that happened. May you heal quickly and well, and remember to wear the scar with pride. It means you were stronger than that which was out to get you.