New Plants

There are things I should have done outside before the weather got hot.  Now I must work harder at getting up earlier.  Today I did okay with that.  I got up earlier than I have been and was out of the house a little after eight this morning.  My goal for what I wanted to accomplish was not reached, but I am a lot closer.  I also have more ideas that I hope to implement in this area where my strawberry and blueberry plants are.

This picture is my 'before' one.

This is during.
I'm trying to remove as many weeds as 
possible while retaining as much dirt as I can.
Removing grubs is also important.

This is where I ended before having lunch.
The blueberry plant is just about two feet farther I think.
I'm not sure how much more I will do after the blueberry plant.

Getting this far weeding is a happy for today, here are some more:

• Gideon came outside and helped me get to the finish-for-the day spot l decided on for weeding as well as the cutting and placing of the burlap.  He was a great helper!
• Walking around the yard today for measuring purposes Keziah and I noticed some more lilacs.  Looking through the window I wasn't positive that they were white lilacs or maybe some other flowering plant.  This means there are lilacs along the road in the front of the house, between one of the neighbors and us, and behind the house.  No wonder all the yards smell like lilacs!  

• A new to me plant (at least I don't remember it from before) seems to be called naked broomrape (NY Times article).  It is also called cancer root.  The scientific name is Orobanche uniflora.  Whatever it is called it is still a parasitic plant, it eats other plants.  Soon it will be relocated to the Japanese knotweed or some similar area of unwanted plants and away from my blueberry plant.  Learning new things. 👍

Naked broomrape lacks chlorophyll.

• Another plant that I am not sure was there or not last year, Lens identified as a type of sage or a clary.  I need to do more research on it, but I am too tired for that tonight!

Sage?

• Just before dark I went outside to take the finished-for-the-day picture of the strawberry area progress that I hadn't taken earlier.  It was good timing.  I remembered to water the plants, picked up a few things I had forgotten from earlier, and got to enjoy a few moments of the sunset.

☮

Currently reading: The Burgess Book of Nature Lore, by Thornton W. Burgess.

Stay safe!

 Below is the list of YouTube videos from the wildlife camera and when they will be available.  This is likely the last time I will be posting a list like this.  Please subscribe there if you are interested.  Really cool things, I'll post here too.  The links below will only work after the time listed for the video.  Thank you for reading and watching.

Chipmunk public on May 19, 2021 at 8 PM.

Deer drinking public on May 20, 2021 at 8 PM.

Deer eating public on May 21, 2021 at 8 PM.

Maybe two deer public on May 22, 2021 at 8 PM.

Gopher public on May 23, 2021 at 8 PM.

Racoon public on May 24, 2021 at 8 PM.

Blue jay public on May 25, 2021 at 8 PM.

Blue jay public on May 26, 2021 at 8 PM.

Deer at night public on May 27, 2021 at 8 PM.

Lilacs

 Sometimes my daughter and her husband are adorable in the way they interact.  It is sweet, loving, and cute.  This morning there was one such interaction that I was sure I would remember but alas, I only remember that it made me happy.  Other happy things for today:

• I must laugh at myself now.  I wrote down a couple of key words to help prompt me tonight on what to write.  I also use the pictures I take to help me remember the happy parts of the day.  The first written prompt was cute (see above) and the second was toilet paper.  I am sure that something specific happened that included the toilet paper, but I don't remember what that was.  Instead maybe, dear reader, you could laugh with me over how toilet paper can make someone happy.  If you don't think it could make someone happy, think about how it is without any.  Isn't having some much more happy than not having any?  😉
• For quite some time today I worked on removing weeds from near the strawberry plants. It may not look like much in the pictures, but I dug out the weeds, looked for grubs, and turned the soil.

Before: the hay area is what I did last week
or the week before...

After: the hay area as well as what I cleared out
is now all covered with some burlap.
The rock is not in the same place.
After I do the next section I'll
figure out where to put the rock.

• Yesterday I noticed how a seed had begun to grow in the container, but not in the soil.  Today I remembered to plant it and another that I spotted in the container.

The unknown seedling.

• The purple lilacs are blooming now.  The yard has a floral scent that I assume is mostly coming from lilacs.  I enjoy the lilac every year.  I look for them and do my best to appreciate them while they are here.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Green

 With all the indoor work I have been doing with the coif I feel I have missed part of spring.  It has been two days...  the leaves are opening and so many things are green!  My part of the stitching is done for this weekend, but Keziah will need help now.  Soon I will get to spend more time outside.  Getting outside was refreshing, other happy things for today:

• The coif is done and the outfit that Keziah adapted to be Elizabethan looks great!  Saturday there will be pictures.
• We have a guest for the next few days.  Being vaccinated means getting to spend more time with people.
• Gideon and Zed are putting together a computer.  What a wonderful father-son project and learning experience!

• 

  Apple blossom.

  
  

  

  Peach blossom (Marjorie).

  
  

  

  Cherry blossom (Tucker).

  
  

  

  Lilac.

  
  

  

  Norway Maple.
  

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Cinco de Mayo

 While I have been inside embroidering, the white lilacs have started to bloom.  

Tomorrow the rain should end and I will take a long enough break to step outside a bit.  The lilacs are a happy for today and so are the following:

• What I am doing for embroidery for this project is done, I think.  There is more I want to do, but at this time the coif is in a place where it could be finished, if I don't want to add more things.  When it is put together, there will be pictures.
• All the spangles!!  

Sneak peak of part of the coif.

• The last two days I have watched/listened to more movies than I have seen in quite some time.  All things I have seen before, I am glad to have had this as background while I worked.  Having things on I have seen before also madeit easier to get up and walk around a little every hour.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.