Left my idyllic? little existence

Yesterday was the last day of my two week stay in RR. I am back in Fl for a week or so and then will make the trek up there again.  Visitors are welcome.. I promise not to put anyone to work who doesn't want to do so!

Started out the day as I often do taking Max for a walk. The second farm up the road is a cattle farm. Usually the cattle are up high but occasionally down by the fence line where we walk, as was the case this day. Lots of baby calves were there.. I didn't have my camera (of course) but they were so cute. These cattle all have different coloring and distinct facial markings. When the mothers saw us they went to their babies (who were not always near them), and you could definitely match Mom to calf. I went back to the house and got my camera but by the time I got back, the cows were in full retreat. Hopefully I'll see them again - though am sure the babies won't be so little and cute.  The waterfall is the last scenic view on the way back from the cows to my house.. You can almost see my house through those trees at the top of the hill.

Waterfall below our house

Cows on the move



After weeding and transplanting

Before Weeding

Lots of last day work got accomplished. Here is some idea of how I spent my last few days.  75% of the green stuff you see in the "before" picture are huge weeds - dandelions and some other thing that looks like lettuce but has spikes on it and grows huge. When I arrived you couldn't even see any of these, but by yesterday they were 2 feet high and I think had multiplied 10X!  Some of the dandelions were 1-foot across at the base and the stake with the lovely seed pod was a foot and a half high. Remember what fun as kids we had blowing those off the stalk? They are all coming back to haunt me.   I moved some daylilies in here; not the right time to do so, but might take you never know. We have an enormous number of daylilies anyway which should be thinned out.

Before weeding

Also finished weeding, digging, re-digging, raking, planting the hill garden. Was too wet to ever get the rototiller in there, so spent many hours out there breaking up clumps of dirt, removing rocks, getting rid of roots, etc. But had to get it in. The paper at the top is what I put down to have some place semi-dry to walk on.. From the far end and to left of the paper, I have red peppers, sweet banana peppers,  tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and then three rows of beans.. Two rows at the end (bottom of picture) have corn planted with Potters Beans. These are a contribution from my neighbor Harry Joe, who plants his that way (and he gave me the  heirloom seeds to plant)  The beans grow up the corn stalks. The corn is not the best eating corn but it is sturdy and can be used in pickled bean-corn relish or so I've been told!  Will be interesting to see this progress, so look for updates over the summer. The red peppers and tomatoes (also planted in three other places) are ones that Harry Joe started earlier this year and gave me to plant. Guess I am going to have a lot of tomatoes this summer if all these plants survive!



In progress taken from top where all the herbs are.

To the right of the paper at the far end, is some lettuce (just seeds so far) and some hot peppers. Everything else is that section is an herb: lavender, chives, rosemary, dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, tarragon - some are just in the ground as seeds and some are perennial and come up each year. like this pretty chive (this was before the weeding).

The other garden (Nelson's lovely manicured garden) is on flat land and he was able to rototill this multiple times before I got here and once after too. He has some cabbage (from HJ and Butch going to some planting/gab session at the High School), green peppers, tomatoes (he bought before he know HJ was giving us so many), lima beans, some other kind of beans (he cannot remember what kind he planted), and then corn and some more corn ... 

 

 

I've got some radishes coming up too in a little garden by the garden shed

 

I managed to pick enough asparagus for 2 meals and put in the freezer since I didn't have time to eat them.. Worked on some other areas too, but not finished with those and they likely will look like I did nothing when I get back. But those are for another day.

 









Yeah - One Day with no rain!

We both got lots done today. Nelson decided to clean the garage and the garden shed.

  I should have taken a pictures of the garden shed before he started. it was really a mess. But now looks really good. Of course now we are having a discussion about whose shed it is and who can make more changes to it. - Oh my; I cannot believe we are having this discussion.

 No one can really appreciate how good this looks since you didn't see the before; but this is beautiful.






My Boots

While he was doing that I was continuing to clean the "garden on the hill." It took forever. It has rained almost everyday so today was probably not the best day to be planting; but since I am leaving Thursday, needed to get it done.  It was very muddy! Fortunately I got new boots from my sister-in-law! They have gotten a real workout these two weeks.



Planted garden

 
Had to turn every inch over several times.. But almost everything is now planted.. I still have some tomato plants and some Marigolds to plant tomorrow.  Hopefully what I put in today will take.. I put in various peppers, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, beans, corn and cilantro.  Beans, peppers, tomato, and corn all thanks to Harry Joe and Butch planting seeds early or saving from last year and providing to me!  Thanks guys.



Radishes Appearing

Radishes were planted about a week ago and they are now appearing. These will be ready before anything else.






Irises  on the road- purple, orange, and white.

 



unusual color

Lots of Iris coming into bloom. One by the back door, an interesting color, but not sure what it is. Out on Black Lick, we have white, pink and purple.




The snowball tree is in bloom and with rain is too heavy to stand up .. Now I know why there was a rubber chord around it.. Flowers too heavy for the tree, Might have to do something about this!


 That's all for today folks!



Saturday

Played tennis yesterday on hard courts - need to remember to bring my normal racquet and Dr's inserts! Feet hurt!

Lots of work today; thought I could get the garden on the hill finished, but it started raining. I kept on working until the mud on the bottom of shoes got so heavy, I could hardly pick up my feet!  Tomorrow hopefully I can finish it.

Did manage to pick enough asparagus to have for a meal - will eat them tomorrow since didn't' think they would go too well with spaghetti..

The Poppies are really starting to come out..

Poppy Close-up



Poppies on Crawfish

First Peony

Poppies in Garden of Eden

 There are a bunch in the Garden of Eden - which right now might better be named the swamp of Eden! And my first Peony bloomed.



Sore Feet and Hands

Well getting the garden areas ready is not simple.. Always takes a long time and lots of hard work and sweat! My feet and hands are sore and I am not done..

House; decorations

But here's some of what I am looking at:
 Hard to see but there are geraniums in front of the house in the big pots.  Just starting to bloom are the Poppies. That pod looking thing will bloom shortly and there are lots of those on the banks.

Double Poppies



Asparagus

Asparagus

Here are two different asparagus, this little one on the left is not growing very straight and here's one that grew straight and tall and is sitting in my refrigerator.. The asparagus is all wild but in many places. Takes a while to get 5-6 stalks to have enough for a serving. :)








Garden before

Here's the current project. This is the "garden" on the hill. None of this can stay! I am in the process of ripping this stuff out. Herbs are at the top of the garden and many were under stuff just like this but that's been cleared out.  Making progress - about 1/2 the garden is cleared. Will get at it again today.






In Progress

Herbs



Only one Trillium in the yard, so have to get the picture right away when it's in bloom. Several Iris on the hill - blue, yellow and white.


Trilium

Yellow Iris

 

Blue Iris

Here's the garlic patch. I have added two tomatoes and basil to this little garden.

Garlic, Basil, Tomato

Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day to all. Got nice card and phone call and Nelson made dinner so good day.

Am busy with weeding. Not all that much fun but worth the results. Lots of pretty flowers in bloom.


Dollar plants

Snowdrops

spirea

rock garden. not sure name

trileum

Wall Builder Update

I'm still in Florida but getting excited about going to Virginia. Only a five more days here. Took my next door neighbors out to dinner last night and we had a really nice time going over memories and stories. They leave on Thursday too, but unlike me, they won't be coming back. They have bought a new home in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina and will be moving there next week. They know nothing of our new neighbors here except their name (which I have forgotten though think is Mc-something), so will have to make an effort to meet them when I come home for Memorial Day.  Dave and Cher have encouraged me to drive (a little out of the way) past their place and take an overnight. Maybe on way home from Virginia at end of the summer; we'll see.  


So here are some  pictures of Virginia and those new walls outside that I am anxious to see in person. Looked like some of  the rocks I put around one of the Garden of Eden beds are all gone, so guess they are now rocks in one of these many walls. But will have to check that out in person.

Here's the before and after of the slope and new wall down by the garage. And a new wall up by the cold cellar.



By the garage

 

Do you suppose great wall of China started out like this?

 This picture is on the Black Lick Road side of the house down in Garden of Eden.



Not sure what this little circular wall down the hill beyond the cold cellar is, but looks to have something planted in it. The wall above is the side of the garlic patch- see next picture.

This picture down here is of the compost pile and the extended wall on the Old Crawfish Road on the East side of the house, looking down onto Doug and Kathy Hounshell's house (Charlotte's for those that don't know the Hounshells)!

Last picture here is of the end of the property where Crawfish and Black Lick Roads come together. Dorothy started the project to remove the vines from that lilac and Butch finished it! Took many, many days to get it all cleaned up.  Looks great.   Then see the new wall down by the drainage ditch.. That was just full of weeds in past years.. Looks good right now.. Wow - can I really keep it all looking this good?? Daunting thought.

 

Spring is Sprung 2013

Winter is over and my sister-in-law and brother-in-law have moved to their own place. Looks gorgeous, doesn't it. I can't wait to see it in person, especially the inside.. They have been busy making many major changes to their house, including redoing the kitchen and making a bedroom on the first floor.  It will be so nice having them close. And daughter, Nicole, has moved to Charlotte, NC so hope we will be seeing some of her too.

Thus work on our Rural Retreat house has come to an end.  Some pictures from the winter and some of spring though will highlight changes that happen each year thanks solely to Mother Nature.  March 24th, a little snow storm came through the area. This is our little orchard. Doesn't produce much be we still call it that. Occasionally we get a lot of peaches - will have to wait and see what we get if any this year.. And some apples, though the trees are very tall and it's hard to pick them.  Haven't gotten any pictures of this area, so don't know status for this years blossoms.

Now of course the sun has come out and we have things in bloom. Nelson is there (since Mid-April) and has been sending pictures of the yard. Still appeared to be some frost some days. But daffodils and some other things (hyacinths probably among them)  I cannot really identify from the pictures seem to be blooming.
   The flowering cherry (has no cherries) and the quince tree in side yard are in bloom and pretty as ever. So am hopeful for the orchard trees too.

Hopefully some of these and more will be in bloom when I arrive next week. Tulips should be starting and I'm sure the dogwood and forsythia are probably almost done, though got no pictures of those areas.
Nelson has started the garden and we have onions and cabbage (which he hates, but has planted for me) already growing. And some garlic that Butch planted last fall.

Next post will show some more of the great "wall builder's" work. He was very busy moving stones last fall and early winter that for sure.