Mulching Prophecy Holds True

This morning I went and got 5 bags of cedar mulch then came home and started laying out the weed guard. So far it looks like I'm about halfway done and it looks and smells good too.
Right now I'm taking a little break before I go back to the store. This time I'm going to try and fit eight bags of mulch in my Civic. Two of them will probably have to ride shotgun. Does that all sound like great fun? I'm also thinking about eating sometime today.
The pictures are before during and after the mulch. Big improvement aye?
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I See More Mulching In My Near Future

Today I bought a big roll of lanscaping weed guard and a bunch of stakes. Four years ago I got 20 very small Blue Spruce and Cedar trees and although they've grown some, I think they'd do much better if they didn't have all the crabgrass and blackberry bush wannabees to contend with. I had in mind to make some sort of privacy hedge with them and want to see if they'll be a bit happier with a little blanketing. At any rate they'll certainly look a lot neater and be easier to mow around. I've also been so impressed with what a difference the mulching made for the other gardens so...
It's been sort of a long week, made longer by having to close up at work which made for a twelve hour day. Sure am glad to be home with the kitties and a baseball game on the radio. Really, Friday night is my favorite.

Butterflies, Bees and the Like

I had some luck with my camera this weekend since I managed to get a couple good shots of a swallowtail butterfly in the lilies. All the flowers are attracting lots of bees and butterflies and moths.

The Honeysuckle has bloomed again and drawing in the hummingbirds more than the feeder is right now. The problem with the feeders is that all the hornets have also found out there's sugar in there and are probably keeping the hummingbirds away - at least from the larger feeder. The large feeder is also right at face level when I hang out the laundry on the line and the squealing of the pulleys seems to annoy the bees.....probably would be better to move the feeder aye? Right now though, there's plenty of flowering plants for the birds and bees alike.

With August right around the corner I was thinking there wouldn't be that much in bloom, but as I walked around Sunday, I saw that at least the Mums and Sunflowers would be coming around. Maybe there will be more surprises, but more likely I'll have to think about late summer blooming things for next year.

Sphynx Moth in the Beebalm

It's just about the next best thing to getting a picture of the rediculously camera shy hummingbird. I was almost positive it would have flown away by the time I got my camera out, but luck was with me today and here's the photo proof! Ok, so maybe it looks like a dead leaf or a finger with a bad infection, but it's really a moth out in the midday sun.
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WOW! Three days after planting the seeds...

Chinese Cabbage on the right, Green Lettuce on the left.

Blackberries aplenty coming.

Veronica and Beebalm.

I have lettuce on the left and Chinese cabbage coming up after planting the seeds just before noon this past Sunday. I also planted cilantro, dill and cauliflower...but no sign of them as yet.

I'm so surprised how much I've enjoyed the vegetable garden this year especially since I wasn't even going to have vegetables this year but the chillins' wanted them. I was thinking of dismantling the four 4x4 veggie beds and make a rose garden in some kind of roundy shape to try to offset the whole linear quality of living in a mobile home.....but it's been very rewarding having food from my own garden with dinner almost every night....makes me want to put in a bit more lettuce in a couple weeks to extend the season into the fall.....also makes me think about cutting my meat intake a lot.

There's going to be a bumper crop of blackberries too which makes me wish I had a bigger freezer or something....I've also included part of the view looking back from my porch that shows the purple veronica with the decidedly pinky bee balm behind it. I like the way they look blending into each other and miss their tallness in the winter when there's nothing to define where the walkway to the shed unless I shovel....It'll be a happy thing to have these photos to look at then.

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Sarah's visit

Sarah is visiting me since she has an exhibit at the Lake side Living Expo at Gunstock Recreation area nearby.
Last night I made Thai chicken with coconut rice, and

Cucumber & tomato salad. With that we had beer and wine.
Sarah is picured having coffee on the North-side porch and admiring the wasp nests and gardens.
Also pictured is Sarah with my gigantic Mullien plant and me too just for a size comparison. Sarah is 5'9" and clearly I am not.
Tonight we are having chicken livers and an assortment of olives and other antipasto type things. We're repeating the beverage selection since that was perfect.
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Globe Thistle, Delphinium & Civic Coupe

It's not the most artistic composition but all have been a part of my day. Sarah was saying on her blog that she was a little discouraged with her delphiniums but I would say that there is a marked improvement with mine this year that I can mostly attribute to mulch and moo-doo. So - don't lose hope Sarah! The globe thistle is looking pretty spikey and ready to attack any accidental leaners too.
My car got a lot of my attention today too since she got new shoes, oil and an allignment....and a lot of money....I just introduced a third variable in the mileage equation for next report. She no longer sounds like a freight train going down the road - was badly in need of tires and allignment....and now? BUTTER! Wah! I could have heard the radio had it been on!
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Week #9 Porch & Week #3 Mileage Report

The growth has continued throughout the gardens but is a bit more subtle from the porch shot view. There's still something new everyday though and it always makes me happy.

Another happy thought is continued good mileage reports. A little twist this week that might effect the next report is that I filled up in the morning and I filled up in Concord where they are required to add ethanol to the gas as opposed to Belknap county where I've been filling to date that has none. I'm told that ethanol decreases efficiency but like the junior scientist I am I'm going to test that. I realize I've introduced 2 variables into the equation by filling in the morning....but mystery's fun too. So this week was slightly less than last week's banner report, but still good: 45.444783 mpg. Also - I filled up last time on Friday before last and here it is Tuesday. I think I can attribute the slight decrease to increased use of tha AC if only in defrost mode. Otherwise I'm still very pleased and don't mind the extra couple minutes it takes because it's sort of like playing "eh leetell gam." I also appreciate not being so stressed driving. I know it's not for everyone, but it's something I've always felt strongly about - that America has wasted so much in so many ways and are just beginning to see what it costs. Whether the price of gas and other resources will force people to examine what they seem to think is entitlement? Time will tell. Evolution has always come from the need to change rather than whim hasn't it? I haven't run into another found face to add to the face place in the garden...I think they have to come to you on their own or from others, so I'm putting a drawing I did several years ago called Life's shavings....a mayonaise jar filled with pencil shavings as sort of a face to honor savings.
Oh... and the hand had swollen up to look like some kind of balloon animal by Monday morning so I went to the Dr. Who gave me 'roids and antibiotics and it's almost human looking now save the bruised look. I had a nice Monday afternoon and evening at home with Wally. It was really nice to have company and dinner with a friend.

Hornet Sting

I did get the screen porch painted on Saturday. It started with a hornet sting almost immediately after I started. They've made a good size nest between the screen porch and the spare bedroom.
The sting was't too bad yesterday, but today it's really itchy and puffy too (but not in a good way). Still, I'd like to finish this project today and replace the screens except for the ones on the hornet nest side. I should have gone outside in the evening and given them a spray treat for them and their babies but forgot to. Maybe I can spray them right through the screen this morning. I know they will get pretty excited at that but I should be relatively safe behind the screen right?
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July 3rd

I came home today to even more hollyhocks open - even the double fluffy yellow ones. I didn't even notice they were about to bloom so it was a nice surprise since I didn't know double ones exsisted. I am truly a greenhorn. I've been looking around and seeing how many things will need to be moved for next year since they're much taller than the plants behind them - at least from the street view - from my angle sitting in the scrren porch the shorter ones are just right. Who am I trying to please?
Maybe it's partly because I have a greater variety of plants now and it didn't really matter until this year that things were short or tall. I'll have to start thinking of shapes and sizes and move things accordingly. Gardening is satisfying if you enjoy controlling things and if you just like plants too.
There - it's raining again. Made it in from taking pictures just in time.
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Birds Gotta Nest and Cats Gotta....Sink?

The ever helpful, considerate, and hopelessly cute Lola...this is one of her favorite sleeping places - wet or dry. She is waiting for me to get out of the shower so she can help with her next duty - laying down on the clothes that I'm going to wear that day. How lucky am I?

Today is virtual Friday since we have tomorrow off for the 4th. I'm looking forward to the long weekend to finish up the screen porch painting/rescreening and start on the arbor project. I've looked at some arbor plans and found one that very closely resembles the one I had in mind. It's got 2x2 posts on the corners and bracing connecting the corners, and 1x1 slatting everywhere else. I saw a few plans that called for 4x4 posts - but they also had benches built in which would be a bit over the top for the entryway (as if you'd get tired and have to sit after getting out of your car before making it the last 15 feet to the door - I hope it never comes to that)....maybe just right for the side yard by the vegetable garden. I'm sort of excited about it and hoping I may be able to at least get started on it this weekend.

I know they're weeds but....

They're fine for shed purposes I think...and they're sort of happy looking in a puppydog way. They do have to be kept in check I know...that's one of the reaons I have a lawnmower. I just got done mowing which got me surprisingly hot...but that's summer for you.
One day later and the hollyhock has started blooming. The one in front of the shed is almost black - no girlyhocks for this shed! I don't know what color the others will be but one of them looks pretty red-pink. They're so dramatic!
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Week #8 Porch Shot

Porch Shot

Hollyhocks

Mallow

Week 8 already...I planted a walking stick that got me home on a very icy road when my car couldn't one night a few years ago. It's where I want the left side of the arbor to be. The rose is already reaching out for its support. Maybe it's a climbing rose after all. Hannah is coming down for the 4th and will be here just in time for the Hollyhock bloomation. The Mallow has also decided to bloom today in all its pinkness. A little steamy sunshine always seems to bring out more flowers. I noticed that there are no honey bees around for polination and that hornets and ants seem to be doing their best at filling in. I hope the bees can make a comeback one of these years for the love of honey!

Budding Gardener

Sarah's blog discusses the conversation we had yesterday about my feeling like a garden neophite after looking at her site and Black Swamp girl's.
Well, I still feel that way but in a good way. One of the problems we talked about was the fact that my yard is relatively small, and that I live in a trailer, so I worry a bit about going over the top sometimes....you know....bronze lions, pillars, fountains and the like.
I've been thinking about making an arbor where the porch shots were taken, but I was a little worried that it may too much or something, but Sarah assured me it would be ok. I had an arbor in the entryway of the house I grew up in and it just feels so inviting....
We looked at some natural arbors woven from twigs and sticks, driftwood etc....not sure what I'll do but now I think it's my next project....I'll leave the gilding off...or maybe I should just go all out and make it really fantastic....

STELLAAAAAH!

Stella can't run but she's pretty.

Trumpet vine, also loved by humming birds.

Broccoli, loved by me, leaves and all.

I waited and waited to catch a shot of the humming birds at the feeders but wasn't quick enough. Then, after snapping a couple defenseless plants, the mosquitos and some bees that are trying to make a home of my unscreened porch came and drove me indoors to the screenporch and the ballgame on the radio. Poor Stella couldn't fly so I snapped her. But heck....she's beautiful too...
I was wondering if broccoli leaves were edible and sure enough they are hardly distinguishable from kale or collards, but more bitter as they grow larger, and as an added bonus have more beta carotene than the fleurets. I had two big bowls of salad with mixed greens to try to make up for the effects of the antibiotics taken for the upcoming root canal. There's nothing quite like fresh greens from your own little garden....except maybe getting a good picture of the humming birds at your own feeder perhaps?

The broccoli will be ready to pick soon if it isn't already, and peas too. Small comforts are sometimes just enough when things don't exactly go your way aren't they? Humming birds will have to wait another day I 'spose.

Week #7 Porch Shot

It's a little damp out there but there's still a porch shot...the bee balm is getting in the way of the full view but - in a good way. Herbs seem quite content with the moisture and the peas are happily pea-ing away....ah so satisfying to be a very small farmer....heh heh heh.

Lamb's Ear

The Lamb's ear is looking sooooo large - almost large enough to support a heavy fruit. It's getting this little pineappley thing that will probably be some kind of flower, but I'll let you know if it does indeed turn into a pineapple instead. It's not that I really want my name in the paper for being (probably) the first person to get a pineapple from a Lamb's Ear, but I think I'd prefer pineapple to a silk purse say.....

Do you know what this is?

It came up last year and I'm not sure if I should leave it or pull it up.
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What a Difference a Couple Days Make

Whew! Things are blooming and growing like crazy plants! I didn't take any photos yesterday, so the garden monitor has some breaking news.
There are so many parallels with life for all of us who garden. Plants do what they are meant to do and look beautiful doing it.
Why is it that for all our intelligence that the drive to bloom and grow eludes so many people? We too are at our best when we do what we do best. Why are we so hobbled? I told you I have a lot of questions....

Hannah's Iris

As hoped for - the yellow Iris opened today. We didn't know what color they'd be since we picked them out of a bin at the Agway. They're still pretty, but not as fierce looking as the Blue Flags. Today was a pretty good day, but a lot of running around. It reached 100 in Manchester and the sign in Nashua read 103 around 3pm. I left the AC on for the kitties (and me for when I got home) and it was just 84 compared to 90 when I got home yesterday.
I called the oil company to have my tank filled now since I have no hope that the price will go down before winter. Today the price for kerosene was 4.99.9 up from 3.79.9 I paid last December. I wonder how people are going to stay warm next winter and why we can't have just half of this heat then? I hope that having these pictures will sustain me.