We had a tree fall in the back forty the day before yesterday. It had been dead for a while. Earlier this spring I mentioned to Don that it was really leaning at a sharp angle and I thought we might lose it this year.
Yep. I was right.
I was sitting in my blogging chair and heard a soft Whoosh. I heard that same sound a few years ago when another tree fell. Sure enough. There it was on the ground. And there it will sit until we can get someone to clear it. It’s not in the way of anything, thank goodness. It’s been awfully rainy and stormy here for about two weeks. I’m sure the saturation of the ground contributed to its demise.
The garden is doing well. The roses have finished their first bloom. And the Japanese Beetles are worse than ever! I can’t keep up with them. I don’t like Japanese Beetles, but then again, I don’t like killing them, either. And I don’t use pesticides. I feel very strongly about the use of pesticides. Pesticides have polluted our environment and our bodies for far too long. We have a well on this property. I am not about to pollute the ground water. I certainly don’t want to see birds and bees and bugs suffer from my use of pesticides. The end result is that some leaves have holes in them. The roses may not last in their flowery state as long as I would like. That’s okay.
So, you won’t always see photos of perfect flowers here. You’ll see some holes. But since I have never aimed for perfection on this blog, I think we’ll do just fine.
There’s another blog post up today on Just Let Me Finish This Page. This new thing of having two blogs is rather tiring! My approach to each blog is very different. This blog has always been a journal of sorts, so I write each day’s post that day, never quite knowing what I’ll talk about. The book blog, on the other hand, involves some research, some information gathering and some fact-checking. So, I write those posts ahead of time. Either way, it seems I am always writing some sort of blog post and/or responding to comments.
I like it. A lot. It’s just a wee bit of an adjustment.
Anyway, stop by Just Let Me Finish This Page. I love it when you visit.
Happy Friday.
Gorgeous flowers. So glad that the tree did not do some serious damage! Have a wonderful weekend!
You too Katie!
Your flowers are looking great! Glad you have no tree damage. Iris bulbs on the way to you soon. LOVE the new blog too!
Thank you, Dottie!
Oh no not another tree. I’m sure the ground being saturated did it in :( Pinning!!
Yes, so much rain lately!
Hi Claudia and happy weekend (almost)! Gorgeous flowers. We’ve been fortunate not to have seen the dreaded Beetles yet…but I am sure it won’t be long now. Glad there was no serious damage from the tree falling. We had one come down in our woods one winter and it is slowly rotting/decaying/going back into the earth and meanwhile providing some shelter for various creatures on the ground.
We have several trees down in our woods, Vera. I guess that’s the way of Mother Nature!
Your flowers are lovely! So sorry about your tree, I always feel sad when a tree dies.
Me too, Debbie. It’s an Ash and most of the Ashes around here have caught some disease.
Japanese beetle population, like that of the gypsy moth, is cyclical. They will decline after a spike. Your flower photographs are stunning, Claudia, as always. I feel as though I’m there in person. I can almost feel the sunshine on my skin while looking at that first photograph. Is that Coreopsis? Please don’t wear yourself out blogging; we appreciate anything you do. Didn’t someone comment once that you could post a photograph of an old sneaker and we would love it?
Thanks for that information, Nancy. Maybe that means that there won’t be as many next year? Fingers crossed! That is coreopsis. I have a little patch of it in the garden. xi
I love your flowers and no pesticides is my belief also. Nature has its cycle of things after all. I would think the 2nd blog is an adjustment but I love that you have it so hope it goes well for you.
Hugs,
Linda
Oh, I just have to get into the rhythm of the whole thing. I love writing, I love both blogs, so what do I really have to complain about?
Reading both of your blogs and enjoying them both so much.
Thank you so much, Julie!
Flowers looking pretty…we don’t have too much damage yet from the Japanese beetles…here’s hoping. You would think a tree falling would make more of a sound then a whoosh…? Enjoy your day! ;)
Well, it wasn’t too tall and it hit the grass, nothing else was harmed. Same thing happened with the other tree.
Love that Cone flower..we have a tree here that is going to crash down in a storm sometime..it is dead and leaning like yours was..just a matter of time..
This one was really leaning after the winter we had, much more than it had been last year. Ah, well.
Nature is perfect just the way it is, little holes and all.
Love you,
Mere
I agree, sister.
We had a terrible year of Japanese beetle infestation 2 years ago, and then not quite as bad last year. This year (knocking on everything wooden) we haven’t seen any in the yard yet. If it is cyclical, I am wondering how many years the cycle runs. Hopefully maybe every 30 years or so?? :-) We can wish, I guess! I have coneflowers the same color as your glorious picture, and my coreopsis this year is happier than ever, I think. I am wondering if the heavy snow and SO COLD weather of the winter *helped* in some way as the flowers are blooming so beautifully, and we are seeing more bees and butterflies.
The winter certainly didn’t affect the mosquitoes, however!!
Have a wonderful day!
I wish the cycle was every 50 years, Chris! I have to say my flowers are better than ever this year and I can’t help but think it has something to do with the very cold winter and all the gosh-darned snow we got….does this mean I have accept winters like we’ve just been through if I want beautiful flowers? Oh no!
We had a problem with Japanese Beetles in Idaho too. I think I have an organic recipe somewhere to deter them. I will look for it when I get home and send it to you. Sorry about your tree. I always feel like I need to have a memorial service when one dies. That’s just me. Born tree hugger.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Me too. I am definitely a tree hugger. Yes, if you could find that organic recipe, I would greatly appreciate it, Susan. xo
I can relate on the occasional tree fall.. love the yellow Lantana!
((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Haven’t seen any Japanese Beetles in my own garden yet, but spied some at my friend’s house last week. Like you, we don’t use pesticides either – for all the same reasons you mentioned. Our lawn is mostly weeds now instead of grass, but oh well. Will visit your other blog later this weekend. It’s 10:30 p.m. now and I’m falling asleep sitting up!
Hi Claudia,
I’m having a difficult time accessing your blog! Not sure what’s up with that. For some reason, this evening I tried the more recent blogs but this is the only one I successfully opened. I’ll keep trying!