garden — Page 70

Saturday Morning

July 13, 2019 at 10:04 am by Claudia

Pretty porch views from this very morning.

It’s a lovely day. Right now, it’s about 72 degrees which would be a perfect high for the day. But it’s going to be about 88 degrees, so there you go. Nevertheless, it wasn’t nearly as humid this morning as it was yesterday morning. As we sat on the porch for our second cup of coffee we were greeted with birds singing, sunlight, and a slight breeze.

Both of us were outside yesterday spraying water on the whiteflies. Don insisted on helping me, which was much appreciated. He also mowed the lilac side of the lawn. We did a lot outside and by the end of the day we were so tuckered out that we deliberately watched a movie that we knew was going to be laughably bad: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die found on TCM On Demand.

Oh my heavens. It really was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. I won’t even go into the plot, what little there was. It was so amateurish – and that’s not being fair to most amateur filmmakers who would do a much, much better job of it – that we were laughing out loud for most of the movie.

Also from this morning: a spotlight on the hydrangeas.

I finished When Will There Be Good News? this morning. Kate Atkinson is such a good writer! And now I’m starting on the next, Started Early, Took My Dog (perhaps my favorite book title ever.) I put a hold on two others through our inter-county library system; her first Jackson Brodie mystery, Case Histories, and her newest, Big Sky, which was just published.

Don’s off to take some portraits. I’m going to do a little gardening and weed whacking. But not too much, as my allergies continue to be a pain in the tush.

I hope all is well with you.

Happy Saturday.

Monarch

July 12, 2019 at 10:50 am by Claudia

I briefly contemplated taking the day off from posting, but then, as Don and I were sitting on the porch talking, we saw this:

Our first monarch! Actually, Don saw it first. Yesterday, I saw an eastern swallowtail, so I initially thought it had come back. But it was a monarch – feeding on the milkweed.

He was moving quickly, so I did the best I could with my iPhone.

We were so excited!

I spent at least three hours shooting water at whiteflies yesterday, after discovering they were everywhere in my garden – even in some of the potted plants – which is incredibly disheartening. I found an insecticidal soap – made by Safer – that is used in organic gardens (I happened to have it in my cupboard) and is meant for aphids and whiteflies. I’m planning to use it on some of the problem areas, but not everywhere. One of my fears with this kind of thing is that I’ll also kill beneficial insects and I hate doing that. I’ll definitely not use it on the milkweed, but will continue to spray water on the infestations, because I don’t want to kill the beginnings of a monarch. I’m going to do some more research in the meantime. I don’t want to see all my plants destroyed by these dang whiteflies. So I have to figure out how to eliminate them without huring other bugs and/or my plants.

Any thoughts?

Meanwhile, while I was standing near the side of the porch, I saw this:

And this:

The garden beds on the side of the house are exactly what I want: very densely planted, full of cottage garden flowers. Now, if I could get the other beds to do the same thing, I’d be a happy camper.

I think this bed does well because it’s partially shaded. So was the big garden bed until we lost that huge limb on the maple.

Anyway. The water battle with the whiteflies will continue today. It’s tedious. But I’m like a mom protecting her children. Don’t mess with my babies!

Happy Friday.

Saviors: Reading and Gardening

July 11, 2019 at 9:25 am by Claudia

This is a kind of sedum that I planted in the memorial garden. (I can’t remember the name.) I’m always surprised when it blooms. Bonus points: it spreads.

I mowed a lot yesterday and then I spent even more time outdoors pruning things in the big garden bed, trying to get at those white flies. I was happy because I love being outdoors and working on the property, but I’m paying the price today as my allergies are especially troublesome. Every time I check the weather I see this: “The pollen count today is high.”

I know. In fact, I knew that without checking the weather app.

So for today, I’m going to stay inside except for watering the porch plants and shooting water at the white flies. This afternoon we’re supposed to get thunderstorms, so hopefully, they will take over the role of ‘water cannon.’

I’m reading my next Kate Atkinson, When Will There Be Good News? Dang, I like her writing style! An absolute pleasure to read. There are two more in the series to read, as well – whoops! – make that three, as a new Jackson Brodie mystery has just been published.

Next month: the new Louise Penny, A Better Man, comes out on August 27th. Huzzah! On the same day, the newest in the “The Girl Who…” series, The Girl Who Lived Twice, will be published. Originally written by the late Steig Larsson, they are now being written by David Lagercrantz, and I have to say – he’s doing a bang-up job of it.

Deborah Crombie’s newest, A Bitter Feast, is being published on October 8th. And Michael Connelly’s newest Harry Bosch, The Night Fire, is being published on October 22nd.

All of the above authors are favorites of mine.

I like the idea of all sorts of books written by authors I love lined up, ready and waiting for me. It’s like a secret stash of good things to come.

And reading saves me in these times. Truly. I don’t know what I’d do without it.

Gardening, too.

Happy Thursday.

Saturday Morning

Monarch

Saviors: Reading and Gardening

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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