Great day in the garden

[Cheryl Isaak]

I decided to get out and weed and do other garden chores today. Got the two smaller beds around a tree and the cement property marker, respectively, edged and weeded. Actually ended up transplanting into both beds. (more room after finishing the edging than I expected.)

Worked on pruning back a juniper that wants to move into the house - man that thing hurts when you get the needles under the skin. It has the sharpest needles of anything outside a multiflora rose.

Moved a bunch more things including volunteer bapatisia. I got a fair bit of the tap root, so it should be fine, but I'll water again tomorrow before work.

Weeds still abound, but I'm pleasantly weary and I have cleaned up. A light dinner after the boys return from hockey.....

Take care all

Cheryl

[mleblanca]

Hi Cheryl It's nice to hear about your great garden day. Yes, Juniper needles are really sharp--they're just like, well, needles. We decided to take a break today from the garden and went hiking in the mountains. Along Willow Creek, we found a huge patch of W. Bleeding Hearts in bloom. There were hundreds of Milbert's Tortoise Shell butterflies, and the lovely white Marsh Marigolds were in bloom. I have to get some of those this year, need to search diligently for seeds! (I have the yellow eastern MM, )

Daylilies are coming into bloom here. Emilie NorCal

[Jangchub]

Good to hear you got so much done. I am a bit envious. I still have so much to weed and get rid of. Hey, I do what I can do. I fell last week on concrete on my new knee. My doctor must really believe me. I asked for some pain medication and I got the hillbilly heroine! I couldn't believe he prescribed oxycontin. Yikes.

Anyway, the garden is looking so nice this year, but it's probably more the way I'm looking at it. It's still the "crazy lady on the block" look! It's mostly native plants and it supports TONS of life. When I walk out the back door it's like the Serenghetti with hoards of things scamping away, in, under, and by the HUGE brush pile. It makes me so happy.

The barn swallows are all fledged and gone, only two babies this year. I did find two eggs with yokes and two babies fell out of the nest, but I had a box of sand under the nest in case that happened and we were able to save one by placing it back in the nest. That was great.

I rescued a rat from the pool a few days ago. I should say I ran screaming RAT IN POOL and my dear husband came and rescued it. The squirrel is back taking one bite of each peach. That's fun! We rescued her from the pool a few times. There are countless frogs and toads too.

Just great. Maybe I can do a little tomorrow. At least I can dream...

Victoria

[Cheryl Isaak]

If I still had the tag for that juniper, I'd recommend it for a deterrent for high crime areas. It snags you through denim.

The hike sounds wonderful. I have butterflies galore and I've heard the last second rustle of a snake as it glides away.

Cheryl

[Cheryl Isaak]

Wonder why this just popped up

I'd love to see your garden one day....

Cheryl