my weekend

I had two days to be in the yard without interruption, to do whatever I felt like doing out there, just being out there. No project, though there are several to start, I don't have enough dirt at hand to build a new bed which is what I plan to do next Sunday, I'm going to work on the one I started around one of the pecan trees with the azaleas. Now that the bench seat is gone I have no excuse and the azaleas need to go in the ground. And I have to get the one over at the shop ready for the zinnias that have sprouted in the starter trays.

I've been putting most of my efforts over at the house though, in the Little Backyard and outside the fence and now the old vegetable garden, which I, at least, got the rest of the weeds out of if not reclaimed the back edge from the grass. That whole thing is in flux as I have no real clear plan for it. Things are just getting stuck in there now because it's the second sunniest spot in the yard. Eventually it will fill in and look nice I think. And the small garden at the back of the property which is one of the sunnier spots and is easily three times as large as the original bed I built there years ago for strawberries. I decided to turn the section of flower bed along the fence to a bee and butterfly garden with native perennials and some bulbs, also just stuck in there because I needed to get them planted but have no plans for any of the gardens. It's kind of unbalanced because a plant I bought late last spring and put in a bigger pot for temporary got tired of waiting and so it planted itself right in the front through the pot and has grown to 3'. I won't be able to move it now until fall as it will bloom nearly all summer. Already I am seeing more butterflies including monarchs one of which was laying eggs on the butterfly weed this weekend. 

I've been totally neglecting the front yard though which needs some serious attention. I have two huge clumps of yellow butterfly iris that need to be moved as they don't get enough sun to bloom and are choking out two of the roses and there's all kinds of weeds that need to be gotten out but the easter lilies are growing tall with buds protruding from the crown. I should move some of those to the back. 

I watched a crow hector a red shouldered hawk flying after it and pecking it's rear end. It was quite persistent, following that hawk way up into the thermals.

The frost we had the middle of March killed my little cucumber plants and this late in the season, they are scarce but I did find two and got them planted and got the rest of the package of bean seeds in. I got my one seed potato cut up and planted in two pots, I fertilized, I watered the yards thoroughly as it hasn't rained in weeks, I repotted two of the plumerias which had outgrown their pots, I cleaned out the debris from under the day lilies, potted more stuff up for the garden club plant sale.

Saw this tussock moth caterpillar on the car

and the biggest green frog I have ever seen. It was easily twice as big or bigger than any of the others I've come across.

My giant clump of ox-eye daisies is giving me one flower.

Last week I got this pic of the bluebird eggs and Sunday I saw there are three little open mouths in the birdhouse.

I'd take this whole week to work out in the yard if I didn't have two jobs to work on.