2017-03-05 - Sunday - Looking around

Sunday I was looking around in the yard. It's good to look around occasionally; it allows you to notice and appreciate things.

The hostas are making their annual emergence, fragile, and new.

These fir trees are another yard away
but I am often struck by their height and girth.
They are mighty.

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2016-04-19 - Tuesday - Hostas

I have tried for more than 16 years to grow hostas in the ground at our house. No matter where I plant them they falter and slowly die over 2 or 3 seasons.

Several years ago my dear friend Becky gave me a saucer-shaped pot full of young hostas. They are the only ones I have not been able to kill. If you look closely you can see the saucer these plants live in, but it's pretty tough since they are so happy they overflow it.

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April 18 - Saturday - Around and about

Saturday I was out in the yard working on clearing some of the weeds from the neglected garden beds.  Some of that Johnson grass is so well-established it's like trying to pull out a clump of pampas grass.  I ended up cutting what I could with the hand clippers.

While I was manually harvesting the grass in (what was) the path between the beds I found a trail that the rabbits were using.  The under-grass was all hollowed out by rabbit traffic.  My fear was accidentally opening up another nest with infant rabbits as I did several years ago.  Saying I was cautious would be an understatement.  I was watchful with every move I made since I was worried about rabbits, mice, chipmunks and snakes.  When I got about seven feet into the twelve foot path an adult rabbit burst out of the far end of the path and ran around behind the garage.  That was my cue to quit.

I headed out to the front yard to pull weeds.  I weed the front almost daily.  I think they spring up while we're sleeping.  Since expanding the natural area to most of the front yard last Fall, the weeds are trying to have a party.  It's an uphill battle.

In the evening we got together with some friends for dinner at the Landmark Diner.  They have a HUGE menu and a killer dessert case.  I don't believe anyone left the table hungry.

I also tried using the panoramic function on my Android phone that I didn't know I had, until Karen showed it to me.  Being the gadget geek that I usually am, I'm embarrassed I didn't know about it.  Oh well.

I'm hoping chipmunks live in here.

Lady bug nymph (right) and
pupating relative (left) on my oregano.

On to the front yard...

The autumn ferns are doing quite well.

The hostas have exploded.

One of two oak leaf hydrangea.

On to supper...

My choppy panoramic shot.
Karen, Tom, Daniel, Lisa, Christopher, (me), Chip, and Pam.

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Sunday - Working on shelves

Steps upon steps to finish this project.  All the shelves have to be primed and painted which means there is drying time between each step.  I hope I can get it all done before everyone gets here.

We talked about painting the back wall of the shelves with an accent color, so I painted the first one sage green to see if we like it.  The jury is still out on that one.

The folding table in the foreground has a bunch of stuff that was on the old shelves.  The sideboard in the dining room is also full as are two 18-gallon totes.  Needless to say, all those things are not going back onto the shelves when the time comes.

I have set up a temporary table in the garage using totes full of pottery (handy things to have around, eh?).  That's where I'm painting the shelves.  Once I get the shelves finished and back in the bookcase, I can put the bookcase dwellers back and use the folding table to paint the doors.

As you can see in the picture, I have the drapes looped up around the rod since I painted the bow window and haven't taken the tape off yet.

Anyone need anything painted?  I'm thinking of going pro.

Even more disheveled than usual.

Impromptu painting table.

It's so sad when a tripod fails.
This one cost me about $10 in the 80's
so it doesn't really owe me anything.

Binkley inspects the work for edibility.
Luckily it failed.

My good friend Becky gave this bowl of hostas to us
and here's proof for her that they're doing well.

Our decade-old day lily blooms once again.

The elderberry is going crazy.

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2010-05-08 Saturday - Part 3: Home again, home again, jiggety jog

After my big Saturday I came home and checked on some of my plants (and pots).  I am trying to incorporate some of my pottery into the plantings in the yard.  I think they look good, and I like to be surrounded by it wherever I am around the house.

Remember this post about the final blow to the dogwood tree?  I said I remained hopeful, and it has apparently paid off for me.  There is tiny push of new growth on the maimed dogwood.  I remain guardedly hopeful.

Pots in the landscape.

The first attempt at a crackled pot.

(The bottom blew out in the bisque firing.)

Another pot that was rather heavy, but lovable.

More of those chartreuse hostas.

New ferns that look like they may or may not make it.

The witch hazel.

I really like these hostas.

Look at the form of it.

The injured dogwood.

But what's this on the top?

Yes! Nature strives to survive.

2010-05-03 Monday - Rainy day

It was a rainy day on Monday so I took some photos out the windows in between projects.  I like a rainy day and Monday it was a gentle steady rain.  I wish it would have rained longer because the plants need a better soaking than they got, but it's free, and it falls from the sky so you can't gripe about it too much.

The pan of hostas behind the silky dogwoods.

(Thanks Becky and Nic, respectively.)

The skull has assumed a permanent place in the front yard.

(Thanks Elaine!)

Beautiful chartreuse hosta in dark mulch.  Striking.

River oats greening up again.

(Thanks again, Nic!)

2009-04-29 Wednesday

My parents came for a visit in their new motorhome for Meredith's Confirmation. It is 42 feet long and BARELY fits in the driveway, but it is amazing. There is a lot of room inside --I will post some interior pictures soon. My new camera came and I have a lot to learn about the features.

It has four slides and takes up the whole driveway.

Bishop Jugis annoints Meredith.

One out of three hostas came back in the back yard.