Wednesday, October 5, 2022

cool enough to get some yard stuff done

We're back to having no rain again and everything is horribly dry. Consequently I spent the morning Monday moving the sprinkler around every 30 minutes and same yesterday and so far today. I did get most of the back flower bed weeded Monday. I'll be able to get more of that done now that I've watered and the dirt isn't hard as a rock. The orange cosmos are putting on buds as are the confederate roses but no flowers yet. I had the sprinkler in the midst of one stand of orange cosmos yesterday morning and it was filled with birds playing and bathing in the water, even a hummingbird was flitting around in there.

Later, I got the newly released 6' ladder (the one the chandelier has been suspended from) and used it to get high enough to pull dead fallen branches and dead canes out of the crepe myrtle with the climbing rose all intertwined and then used the ladder and hoe to drag more dead fallen branches and leaves off the roof next to it all. There's still a lot more up there but it's going to take someone getting on the roof and that won't be me. I'll dare a lot of things still. I'm limber, have good balance, still strong enough and I have been on that roof a few times. But I am also acutely aware that if I fell off, it would be devastating. Maybe if I went and got the 8' ladder from the shop...

The rest of this post is just some miscellaneous pictures.

Minnie and her dog buddies at the other end of the street.

A little brown tree frog sitting on the top of one of the wind chime tubes.

Another quick and easy one dish meal...orecchiette pasta, broccoli, garlic, italian sausage.

Porterweed bloom, hummingbirds and butterflies love it.

The mistflower is blooming and the bees are all over it, though not in this picture taken late in the day.

The confederate rose buds mentioned above.




13 comments:

  1. I think your porterweed is our verbena or at least a relation. That frog on the chimes is priceless.

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  2. I imagine the birds are thrilled to have water to play and bathe in. So much more comfortable for their dusty, lice ridden feathers. I hope they sang!

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  3. Just love that spike of red blooms--I'll bet those hummers just feast like crazy on it! Thanks for sharing! I'm not familiar at all with some of your flowers so it's nice to see them and get their names.

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  4. You get so much done there. Your garden reflects all of your love and hard work. So much beauty in all ways. I love the frog on the chimes!

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  5. I want to go out and play in the dirt, but I am still mourning my dog. It was 39 when I got up this morning, then shot to 70 by noon! I don't do ladders. My son cleaned out gutter while we were here. I have always been cautious of heights, but Jeff used to jump from the roof to the swimming pool. He got right up on the roof, said the mountain view was even better up there!

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  6. I didn't realize which family the Porterweed is in. It's not one of our natives, though. The only place in the U.S. where it's native is around South Florida, with a slight move into Alabama. No matter. It's a terrific additional to butterfly gardens, and it's pretty commonly planted around here.

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  7. I am like you, still perfectly capable of climbing a ladder, cleaning out eavestroughs, getting up on the roof, but I realize that it's probably better that I don't. Actually we are about to have our gutters and downspouts replaced so that should be a step in the right direction.

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  8. Nice to see all the flowers. I wonder if the frog lives in the wind chime? Seems like it would be loud! I climbed up on my mom's roof a couple of times to clean it off and though I'm not afraid of heights I found the experience a little hair-raising. (Well, if I had hair.)

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  9. 37paddington:
    You’re strong and limber. Stay that way and let some other young un climb up on that roof. It’s impressive enough that you can even contemplate it! Good on you!

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  10. There comes a time when climbing ladders is not exactly sensible. I have given that up long ago except when the ladder is leaning securely against a wall. I even find standing on a chair dicy and have to be sure that there is something to hold on to up above me.
    We have had a very dry summer and a lot of my plants have giving up. Life is just about returning now.

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  11. that last anonymous is Friko. I wonder why that got left off. Next time I visit I must remember to add my name to the reply.

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  12. Love the flowers! And Minnie's buddies make her look like a giant - ha!

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