Thursday, April 9, 2020

that fence is kicking my butt


My hands hurt. Day after day of clearing that fence. And the last three days have been hot and humid. June hot. When I came in yesterday about 1:30 after my two hours, I was soaked. Had to peel my clothes off. My sister had come over earlier while I was still waking up and having coffee (she's an early riser, I am not) and worked on the fence for almost two hours as well. Between the two of us we got another 6' done.


Since this is all in preparation for getting a house there on that corner for her (beside the fact that it just desperately needs to be done) she's helping but because we live on completely different schedules, we work on it at different times of the day. I put in another hour today late morning. An hour was all I could do as sweat was rolling off me almost from the beginning. It was too hot for Minnie who stayed with me for about half an hour and finally tired of me slinging vines and branches her way and crept off to the house. I didn't blame her a bit. I quit when I started feeling a bit faint. Did I go in? No. Since I had on my jeans I climbed down in the ditch and picked dewberries. I've only been picking every other day so this is my third time (though I didn't pick the ditch last time). They're really starting to come on now. Today's haul.


I wasn't as wet as yesterday but an hour after I came in, even after my almost cold shower, I felt like I was still radiating heat. We're supposed to get rain and some cooler temps starting tonight or tomorrow.

So my birthday is the end of this month. Marc was going to throw a birthday party but that's been postponed. I always buy my own birthday present, usually a piece of art. Last year I bought this engraving by British artist Nancy Sutcliffe.

3 1/2” dia.

This year I bought a mosaic piece from Texas artist Aly Winningham. I'd seen her work at the Rockport Art Festival the last two years and planned on buying a piece this year but now all the art shows have been canceled. She updated her website with her inventory and sent out an e-blast to people on her mailing list. It arrived yesterday.

Bird in the Hand
6 1/2” x 18”

I have daylilies. In April. It seems early but five different varieties are either blooming or putting on buds. I even had one plant blooming in February.


And the walking iris is blooming.


I finally pruned back the four knockout roses in the front yesterday evening. They were scraggly with almost zero foliage. I should have done it in February but I wasn't sure I was going to prune them back this year but they looked so bad, I did.

I need to get in the kitchen and do the dishes. Apparently all the elves are in quarantine too since they continue to fail to show up.



12 comments:

  1. Beautiful Birthday pieces - have a brilliant celebration when the time comes. Love your image of the iris and glass thingy

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  2. I love that mosaic! It would be the perfect thing to put on the wall in my office to go with my crochet pieces. I'm going to check out her website :)

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  3. I haven't done my annual chore of cutting back the confederate jasmine and it is a huge mess. Of course if I trim it now, it won't bloom.
    Oh well. Later it will be.
    I do NOT envy you that task at all.
    Hot here too. Glen worked out in the garden most of the day and I don't even know how. I walked for an hour and that did me in.
    That mosaic pieces has my heart in that hand. Seriously.

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  4. I do not advocate herbicides...but perhaps if you dressed carefully, it might be healthier to spot spray plants along the fence. Extension is now using herbicides for invasives!

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    1. no, I don't advocate poisons either but that's the plan. first we have to find the fence though. stuff isn't growing just on it and above it but several feet out as well in some places. once we get the fence line exposed then we will spray along it or spot spray to prevent it all coming back.

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  5. Let the elves know that they don't need to quarantine. They are not susceptible to our diseases, lazy elves.
    My wrists and fingers are hurting too. All the mask sewing has taken it's toll. It's inflamed my RA.
    Storms are heading your way. We are getting them right now.
    Stay safe and healthy.

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  6. It's another thing the elves won't touch, but do you make anything from the dewberries, like jam or preserves?
    Your birthday present is beautiful.

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  7. Those two birthday gifts are exquisite. I love them.

    What do you do with the dewberries? Eat? Pie? Jam?

    I was told by my daughter that the NZ PM, Jacinda Ardern, announced at a press conference that neither the Easter bunny nor the tooth fairy are under lockdown, so maybe the elves in your part of thw world will get the message eventually and become less fearful.

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    1. I put the fresh berries on my oatmeal, make dewberry cobbler, and when peaches are in season peach and dewberry pie. I don't make jelly which is basically flavored sugar or jam.

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  8. Major progress on the fence! I love your birthday purchases. That mosaic is exquisite. And those dewberries look terrific!

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  9. Wasn't that heat just ghastly? After I finished work yesterday I was so beat I went to bed at 8:30. That's unheard of -- but I just couldn't move one more inch. Your dewberries look fabulous. Peach/dewberry (or blackberry, or blueberry) cobbler's the best. "Bird in the Hand" is gorgeous. You not only produce great art yourself, you have great taste in art!

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  10. I love that mosaic piece you gifted yourself for your birthday. I should check out her work.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.