Old House

The to-do list I set for myself today was a little bit long, so I didn't expect to finish it.  One item I gave myself a time limit to only work so long on.  I ignored that and got a small section of the front triangle weeded and then planted.  I moved the wild sweet William and tried to make that the center of the triangle. Around that I planted some of the iris, daylily and lily-of-the-valley from the thinning I did a week or two ago.  I also planted some of the paper white bulbs I got from my aunt over the summer.  There were a few bulbs that I found while taking out the weeds that I replanted and then a few more from the package I bought this year.  Wow!  Hopefully I will do something similar to the rest of the triangle area before it gets too cold.  

It doesn't look like a big area,
but it felt like it!

Other things I am happy for today:
 

• At first glance I thought the bird was a sparrow.  Zed pointed out to me the pretty yellow spots though and I looked up.  Lens thinks that the bird is a yellow-rumped warbler and a small search agrees that it is a warbler.

Yellow-rumped warbler.

• Keziah was hoping to sand and repaint some areas of the house where the paint is chipped.  Unfortunately, there was a bit more rot than anticipated.  The happy part of this is the tiny bit of history.  According to the side of the house, it was built in 1745.  Some old nails have been pulled out!  There is a door that was used as a wall too.

Keyhole in the former door.

Mostly nails made by a blacksmith.

• The sunset and the crescent moon that followed were both lovely.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

                                  

Embracing the Groundhog...Haha!

 Researching ways to get rid of a groundhog I had a sort of revelation.  I'm letting these animals get the best of me.  Today I have decided that my best plan of action is to embrace the groundhog.  I do not mean literally.  Even the figurative meaning is off a bit.  This year the garden is not going to produce much, again.  Part of the reason is the woodchuck/groundhog family.  Part of the reason is that I started with a bang but ran into things along the way that have derailed my efforts.  My hope is to concentrate on getting the fence where I want it to be to help keep out as many critters as I can while making the garden a place they might not want to be.  I also hope to do more prep work and research about the soil and other conditions and rent a tiller to get rid of some of the weeds.  If I can find a way to plant the things I have already started and keep them protected from the critters that want to eat them, I will.  My mindset needs to shift though.  Anyway, here are other happy things from today:

• Keziah has been helping some friends clean out their storage unit.  In the process, she has brought home a few things.

I'm not sure how long it has been there, but 
I noticed this statue by some of the wild sweet William.

• The bindweed and grapes are holding each other.

I really like the bindweed flower.
They are in the same family as morning glories
which I also like.

• The SCA household that I am a part of had a gathering today.  Six of us were able to attend.  It was so wonderful to see these friends.  I arrived early enough to walk with Anastasia and be greeted by her cat.  One of the friends we haven't seen in a few years and that helped to make the day even more special.  It was really fun getting to catch up with, and hug, this group of people.  I wish I had remembered to take a photo of us.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thank you for reading, stay safe.

No Geranium

 Either the geraniums I planted yesterday were too small to smell, or they are an unscented variety, or woodchucks/groundhogs aren't deterred by them.  Of course another possibility is that the chipmunks or some other critter is eating them.  I stuck a stick into the hole, I know it will be out tomorrow.  It was a half-hearted attempt to deter them.  The worst part is that I haven't even finished securing the fence and the little buggers are coming in through a hole and chewing through the netting. Thank you for reading my vent.  Now to concentrate on happy things for today:

• People at work are learning my name.  I think that is a good thing... I wish I could say that I am remembering all the names as well.  Most of the people seem friendly too, and that is good.  
• I haven't posted anything from the wildlife camera lately.  I just took a look at the footage from the last week or so.  There wasn't a lot this time, but there was a crow.  It flew very near to the camera.  I thought it might be a raven rather than a crow, the more sites I look at though, the more I lean towards crow.  I will continue to second guess myself so let's just say it is a big black bird.  I just want it to be a raven.

It is a large bird.  😁
Then I thought, what does Lens think it is?
Lens' first hit is a common raven,
second is a forest raven,
third the American crow.

• The plants in the front of the house that were identified as wild sweet William early in the spring have finally blossomed and do seem to be that.  They are pretty, I am glad I didn't pull them as weeds.

Wild sweet William.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thank you for reading, stay safe.