DODGING RAINDROPS

It is sprinkling off and on this morning. The better half ran the grading rake over the completed yard restoration area last night and it looks beautiful. Thanks Dodge Construction for a very professional and neat job.

I was woken to the news that the 300 lb momma bear and her 3 cubs had spent some fun time destroying a bird feeder in our own yard. They also left some trash that must have come from a neighbors’ trash container. She also checked to see if there was anything in my cooler on the deck. They are extremely smart and resourceful.

I’m going out to clean that up. I still have a clump of blackberry runners inching (should I say by the foot) into the yard that need to be cleaned out. If only the heavy rain will hold off I may get that accomplished today also.

The vege garden area is one step closer to being tilled and planted. It is finally warming up and drying out enough here in these parts! Now the side entrance to Kilburn Place is really beginning to show some spring color and life.

What A Difference A Few Extra Hours Can Make

Tuesday was an early day. I had to follow the hubby to the garage for work to be done on his truck. Then drive him to work and then get me back home again. What an ungodly hour. I never get up that early! But I took advantage of the rain holding off and jumped into some yard work. I forgot how much can be accomplished by affording ourselves those few extra hours each day.

The area inside the driveway island has a huge lilac in it. The area had edging but the lilac along with many wild blackberry and lilac runners had jumped that clean crisp black barrier and began making some havoc in the yard. It took a lot of digging but I managed to get half way around the area.

The heavy equipment was here today to fix a yard drainage issue and also some areas that were left in poor condition before the freeze set in this past winter after rehabbing the house. I checked out the status of the vege garden still under the tarps and was extremely disappointed that the tarps acted like a green house and the grass which we had previously burned was now about 8 inches high! I guess that does say something for the soil here though.

While they had the equipment here I had them dig up and turn top growth of the vege garden for me. If it stays dry (with any luck at all) I will be able to till it all on Friday and then again on Sunday. You know what that means? Planting in the new vege beds will begin next week!

I had so much fun today that I even hated to stop for dinner. If you try to call me tomorrow and get you answer, then you know that sun is out and my cell phone is off.

Late tonight. But I will post pics tomorrow.

Back Home & In The Dirt

A lapse in time blogging here. I spent a week in North Carolina at my daughter Gina’s home. I still did not get away from the gardening on this trip. I helped her build a raised garden bed for those vegetables that she misses from her child-hood garden. The soil there is so sandy. I’m surprised that anything would grow. But her roses are doing wonderfully! My first encounter with fire ants was met with my downeast yankee/Italian stubbornness. I began researching the web to find the most “green” and effective way to deal with them. Waalah!!!!!!! She had a spreader so the 50/50 combination of white sugar and instant grits worked perfectly! Watching them eat it and implode was satisfying I might add.

Arriving back north, it felt good to get back to work in my own space. Who would have thought that finding triple phosphate would be so difficult? As I walked into several hardware, lawn care and large box stores in search, finally breaking down and asking an associate, I truly got the “deer in the headlight” look. I would have been convinced that maybe one person just didn’t know what it was. But this it look appeared before my eyes six times yesterday.

I finally let my fingers do the walking and began phoning a few places. Martin’s Agway in Lancaster had it and knew exactly what it was. They even put a 5 lb bag (at a reasonable price of $5.99) aside for me upon arrival. My new asparagus will have strong, happy feet! I also inter-planted some rows of lettuce and swiss chard. These are not from seeds, but from good size seedlings that had been hardened off.

I’ve also affirmed my commitment to supporting more local businesses in my garden venture. Friday morning was spent looking for flats of the annuals that I did not plant from seed; true red impatiens and blue ageratum. I was floored at the lack of quality at the larger stores.

Sneaking through the lilac bushes, which separate my home from Erma’s, I caught her in her sunroom. It did not take much convincing to have her ride along to Houghton’s Greenhouse in Lyndonville with me. We did this last year and now it appears it will be an annual event.

The flats I found were just perfect. They are planted in the more formal beds in the front of the house and are enjoying the steady rain we are now receiving. We both always seem to leave there with an unusual hanging basket each year. This year she got a rose-colored trumpet plant and I got a basket of sweet alyssum – half in a solid red and the other half is a variegation of deep bluish/purple and white. It is proudly hanging on the back porch that receives great morning sun. It is the perfect spot for me to enjoy my tea in the morning.