After two days of not reading blogs I think I've got around to everybody today, at least your most recent posts. There are days when I have the time to write or read or neither.
And would you believe that after my declaration last post that I was going to spend the day sketching I didn't so much as draw a rectangle. Not a mark on that piece of paper. Of course you'd believe it because...me. I did, however, get my paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, triangle, tracing paper, and brush laid out.
I found an alternate activity Wednesday, Thursday was a full day starting with SHARE. We were pretty busy and of course in the last 10 or 15 minutes we had at least four people come in and all big orders. And Friday I finally got out there with the trimmer and worked on the space between the back of the day lily bed and my fence sections between me and the Wicked Bitch of the West. When she first put that container there they made a poor attempt to keep the weeds down between it and my fence but the mower doesn't really fit in there so they would poison it now and then but months ago she dumped a bunch of bank sand in there, didn't level it out or anything and walked away. They haven't done squat about that space since and now it is thick with fallen branches and clover and cleaver that reaches through my fence so today I lined my side with plywood pieces and some kind of plastic stuff we had here, not pretty but hopefully effective,
to keep her weeds on her side.
Then I planted some of the morning glory and moonflower seeds on my side. When I was through with that, I trimmed around the bluebonnets in front cutting back the clover and cleaver and a whole lot of purple vetch which I would have left except it was all tangled up together until I ran out of gas, literally and figuratively. I needed another five minutes to finish. Oh well, maybe today. Or not judging how sore my arms are already.
So yesterday was a momentous day. It was the last time I needed to get Robin to and/or from work. Her father and her sister Jade left Wednesday for Fort Worth and came back late Thursday with the car for Robin and for Jade's use as well while she's here.
Spring finally exploded. It seems like all the trees came out overnight with their baby green foliage. Except the pecans, they are always last, and the crepe myrtles are still no shows. The red buds are blooming, this is a volunteer I dug up and planted over in front of the shop
and all my fringe flower trees are in full bloom. This one is like a torch especially in the morning with the morning sun shining on it.
It's pretty in pink around here these days with the aforementioned red buds and fringe flowers plus the evening primrose which are just coming into bloom
and the azaleas even if they are sparse
and the roses.
The baby blue eyes are a nice counterpoint to all the pink
and the first red poppy.
The return on my poppies this year is sparse, maybe a dozen plants in all when in previous years that whole bed has been full of them.
Today I plan to do more weeding and getting my zinnia seeds in.
Look at those roses!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to read Michael Pollan's book, "This Is Your Brain On Plants." It will make you want to grow more poppies.
I wish that I thought your efforts would keep your neighbor's weeds out of your area but it's going to take a lot of work. What crappy neighbors.
So much pink. Well, so much blossom. W have a few daffodils, the flowering cherry is out, forsythia, that's about it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess to have this weedy patch right beside your garden. But your solution is actually quite smart. Those plywood sheets will be covered by growth soon enough.
ReplyDeleteI second Ms Moon reading suggestion. I listened to it on my way to and from work last autumn and now I want to do mushrooms before I die. Definitely.
I just love looking at your garden, especially since we had a freak snowfall last night and woke up to strange white stuff covering the flowering tulip beds but thankfully no frost. I just sprayed some mist over the flowering plum trees and wrapped the olive and lemon trees in case there's frost tonight.
Gorgeous! Our pink azalea got frost bitten (it'll be back later in the summer - it's an encore).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the grandgirls got a car - that will free you up to do more of what you want. It was great that you were available though.
Talk about spring has sprung! I'm so pleased there is a car for Robin!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thanks for the eye candy!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful spring time flowers blooming there. Our poppies haven't sent up a bud yet, but just seeing your beautiful poppy makes me so happy to think about the future. Love seeing your flowers!
ReplyDeleteThat fringe flower tree is so bright. And I'm impressed you already have a poppy! I still can't get over that neighbor and her shipping container.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about spring exploding. I saw some fields turning yellow this weekend, and lo and behold, our huisache -- that I thought wasn't going to bloom -- is just late. I'm readying a post on vetch, too. It's turned into one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteWhat is cleaver? The only 'cleavers' I know are used in meat markets or kitchens! Here's my guess: it's a plant that likes to cling to clothing or such. It's so interesting to learn about new plants from you.
I used to call it 'sticky weed'. You know it, you just don't know you know it. I spent the weekend pulling a bunch of it out. I'll include a picture up close on my next post.
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