Blooming Flowers

The mystery bulbs are blooming, a beautiful riot of color. I bought a whole bunch of bulbs last fall on sale at Home Depot. I picked up this bag because the picture was pretty. I have forgotten what they are and didn't keep the package. They were the strangest knarliest little nutty bulb too, not at all like the typical "onion" bulb. If anyone knows or wants to guess at what the colorful blooms are - go for it.



Progress in the yard is still slow. The rain demon plagues us every Friday, especially the days when we have young men to help. The flagstone is still not done. Two thirds of the stone still sits on pallets awaiting a good day to set it in place. We did lay the weed barrier fabric and the base of decomposed granite to the edge of the veranda. Next time young men visit, stones will be set regardless of weather. Next will be to finish the plumbing, grade the landing and set the stones around the out door shower. Soon... maybe not soon but sometime in May, I hope.


Compost. Four, yes 4 cubic yards was spread across the soon to be lawn area and bermuda seed was planted. We used a hydromulch formula for the front yard area and a plain bermuda seed elsewhere. The green grass in the photo is the rye grass that is dying. It was planted last fall to hold the topsoil and slope in place over the winter. The grass will grow if it rains or we water. The challenge of being a part time absentee gardener is the worst during germination. Do I dare say, "Pray for rain." No because we've already had too much rain. So instead, I hope David will have time in the next 10 days to stop by and water. He does have several business meetings in the area next week and week after.




The Master Gardener's of Grayson County held their semi annual plant sale, it was a huge success. Members are the best customers. I bought two Marie Daly rose bushes -- an easy care shrub rose, few thorns, lots of very fragrant, double pink blooms. Successive flushes of bloom spring to frost and it was developed for Texas.

I bought three shasta daisy plants as well. All were planted in the west flower bed.





Time to mow.

The weeds and grass grew over a foot in just one week. Here is a picture of the pasture before mowing.
David mowed the pasture while I mowed with the small riding mower.
No after pictures -- too tired and in a rush for a pizza dinner date at Jen's house. But the yard and pasture are really beginning to shape up and look like a yard.


Busy busy weekend.

Tommy and Trip did work hard, they cut up tons and tons of firewood from the dead tree in the bunkhouse yard. They also tore apart the read end of the '53 Chevy. You remember my mention of "Tator -- Mater's cousin".

I transplanted the mystery seedlings (more mysteries) from the planter box to the east flower bed. Time will solve that mystery, I'll know when they bloom whether they are dahlias or coreopsis. The six strongest of the leggy straggly tomatoes were planted in the vegetable bed. The rest were tossed out. David planted his melon patch. Ten mounds, six with cantaloupe and four with pumpkins should be sprouting in a week or so. Eighty-six days for cantaloupe, not 90 but 86 according to the package and 120 days to harvest for the pumpkin. I'm sure we'll have a big weedy patch.

We had a lot of help from Bella and Molly all weekend. I swear I've cast more grass seed on Bella that she should start sprouting any day. The pair ran and rolled through the melon patch too. They love the freshly tilled soil, the feel, the warmth, the smell. They are dogs, they love to roll in anything.

Peaches, peaches and more peaches are clustered on the one year old peach tree. The fruit will have to be thinned soon to protect the young tender fruit bearing limbs.

Winter is Over

Winter is officially over.

View to the north off the back porch, aka veranda last February.








The spring daffodils were a brilliant and vibrant splash of yellow color in the island flower bed.
The new crape myrtles are full of leaves, the two pines have new growth, and the grass is green.
The weeds are flourishing too. Most of the seedlings I started in February have been a huge bust. The tomatoes wilted in the dry winds, the impatiens never came up, the alyssum sprouted and wilted. What a disappointment.
Not too discourage though, a few things are popping up. Marigolds (thank you Patricia for the seeds) are doing well.
The azaleas, daylily bulbs and other flowers in the island bed are flourishing. I also planted two daisy plants. As time and budget allows, more will be planted. I am going to rely on good and expensive nursery stock to establish some perennials.


View to the north off the back porch first weekend of April.










I refurbished two rectangular planting boxes, the dense foam type. The puppies, Jake and Bella (not that I mentioned any names...) chewed the edges down and I almost threw them away. I sawed off the gnawed lip and repainted the containers, they look brand new. Actually probably better than new. I used some of David's expensive zinc primer spray paint that he buys by the case. I planted dahlia seeds in one and coreopsis in the other. I did mark a D in the inside corner with a sharpie for the dahlia box but guess what. I don't know which is which! The "D" faded away. One box has three teeny tiny sprouts and the other has a multitude of sturdy sprouts ready to transplant into a flower bed. I wish I knew which seed was growing so well. I guess I'll discover the answer when they flower.

The garden is a challenge. Although I completed the Master Gardening course and passed the test my gardening is still hit and miss. If it grows, it grows, if it dies, it dies. If the crows eat the seeds, if the wind burns the leaves or if the heavy spring rains drown the sprouts, so be it.

Yesterday the sun was shining, the yard beckoned and I had an unexpected free afternoon to work outdoors. I weeded and trimmed. I mowed down the weeds. I mowed what bit of actual grass too. I took the dogs for a long long walk along the shore. What a pleasant day.
Last night, the rain started about 2 in the morning, a soft rain but it has been constant. The yard is muddy, the sky overcast and the dogs are content to sleep away the morning.

So progress on the sidewalk and tilling to establish more grass still awaits a sunny dry day when young strong backs are here to do the heavy work.

Happy Easter

The rains foiled the plans once again. Tommy, Tripp and Sara Beth came to work this weekend. They came in Thursday night and stayed up late having fun in the shop. Friday morning, we rousted them out of bed to work on the sidewalk about 9. We worked on the flagstone and ditch digging for an hour before the rain came. In that one hour we laid another 12 feet of sidewalk and dug most of the ditch for the water line along the edge of the porch.
Rain rain rain. The rains came, a heavy downpour from 10 to 2 turning the yard into a muddy quagmire. We retreated indoors for a hardy breakfast. Texas shaped waffles do taste better. It was too wet to work in the yard, so the kids went fishing. They had so much fun. The afternoon was beautiful and gorgeous, not a hint of wind, brilliant blue sky and warm. Molly, Bella and I wandered down to the beach to watch the fishing and walk.
Funniest of funnies, both Molly and Bella were spooked by the "strangers" on the beach. Who? Tommy? Sara Beth? Tripp? Silly dogs but they have been enjoying the solitude of the lake and are not used to seeing any one on "their" beach.
Later, Tommy and Tripp worked on the wave runner and took it over to the VFW. They hauled it over with the 47' jeep. Tripp actually took the wave runner out on the water. Good thing he did not tip over, the water is still cold. Sara Beth was not happy about the cold water lapping up into the jeep because Tommy backed in too far. The wave runner is still stalling out .... so back to the shop it will go. Then the trio took the jeep for a jaunt around the point. They had fun while David cooked supper. We celebrated Easter early and had dinner with the kids on Good Friday. It was a good day.
Some progress has been made in the garden despite the rain. The drip irrigation is complete and working in the three beds. We splurged and bought two small flats of marigolds at Home Depot so the island bed is full of color with the daffodils still in full bloom and the bright yellow marigolds. We set two fence posts in preparation of building a fence (aka dog run) along the north side of the house.
The six tomato plants I set out died. The winds were gusty and dry all last week and they did not survive. No evidence of any of the seeds germinating that I set out into the ground but it has only been 7 days.
On Saturday the sun was shining, the ground dried out. David worked on sand blasting the 53' Chevy truck frame while I weeded and tended to other things. It did dry out enough late in the afternoon to finish the water line ditch, set the pvc, backfill and grade the dirt along the edge of the porch.
It had better not rain the next time we have kids here to help. I want to get the sidewalk finished around to the back porch and the outdoor shower set. I have high hopes.
The wanna be gardener is enjoying spring time. The trees are full of leaves, the pasture has turned green and the birds are busy. The vision of a green lawn is soon to be a reality. With a lot of work, hope and favorable weather, it can happen.
March winds bring April showers .... Happy Easter to all.