Trees
Best time to plant a tree is 10 year ago. Next best time is today.
I'm slowly realizing that the old trees we have out front have numbered days. I've been working on planting some new deciduous trees around the property strategically to combat the old trees' eventual fall. I am inspired by my Uncle Randy moving sprouted maples around his property, which looks fantastic. I've been moving maples and some horse chestnuts. These will be great for the birds and eventually give our landscape some shade and beauty. Also because my toxic trait is to plant everything everywhere. I am just going to end here before I start talking about the 10 apple trees I grafted that are waiting to be planted....
Gardens.
I'm realizing that I have yet to take a picture of our vegetable garden. It's planted, but honestly I have been focusing my efforts elsewhere this year. Here are some highlights.
1) Bushes for the birds:
When we moved in, we basically had two long hedges and a large field. The birds stayed on the hedges. Now that we have an orchard, I'm delighted how many birds hang out in the trees.
I thought if this empty corner of the property had some bushes then the birds would circle around our property. I put in 9 quince, 6 azalea and 3 viburnum. All from friends or marketplace. (Thank you!) I still have that big mess of perennials in pots to plant and deal with. Still working on it.
I've wanted peonies here for a long, long time. There's a plant here that has never flowered. I cleared around it and waited. Nothing. I moved it and waited. Nothing. I found all these for 50% to 90% off last year and boom! Peonies!
3) This blasted rock garden. I tell you, this will be the death of me. SO MUCH of this has turned to weeds. We've had such hot summers that most everything on the rock garden has died and basically turned to weeds. I am not done yet, but have logged SO MANY hours out here. Hopefull you can see progress here.
Getting there. Still a lot to do.
All in a day
Five photos, five captions.
King Zippy
Catherine's natural dyeing class outcome. (Thank you!)
First mock orange propagation success (after 3 years of failed attempts).
The very first cosmo of the year.
Mock Orange Flower Sale
We've had a couple of days of flower sales. Girls wanted to make enough for ice cream out. They met the goal!
My entrepreneurs
Our 4-H club made a bunch of dog biscuits and I think around 3 dozen reusable animal bags. My mind is foggy because four days before the event, I realized that I had A LOT of started but unfinished bags that needed finishing touches and only one that was completely complete. Oops. Should have checked sooner! Got them finished with Audra's help and the kids had the time of their lives selling them at tractor supply.