August 25, 2014

Finally we have (supposedly) about 4 or 5 days without rain, so I should have been at the painting job that the masking has, by now, turned into paper mache. But a migraine kept waking me up last night and I just felt too much like I was going to throw up, so I stayed home. Around the middle of the afternoon I felt good enough to go out and continue the great weeding project.

About 80% of the weeds are various types of clover. I’d been in the habit of allowing clover to stay put, since it provides nitrogen to the soil and keeps a lot of other, worse, weeds from coming in. I only took it out when it was interfering with the garden plants. Last year I never got any of it taken out, and this year it reached critical mass and exploded all over the garden, covering every inch of soil and most of the garden plants. This, and quack grass, are the main things I’m dealing with. Both of these things (and the sorrels and wild raspberry plants) have roots from hell. My back is starting to tell me that round up might not be such a bad idea after all, although so far my brain is still winning that argument.

I think the hummingbirds are gone for the year. The last two days I haven’t seen or heard one, even when I was working by the Scarlet Runner beans. I think a lot of other birds have left, too- it’s eerily silent out there. There are still finches beeping, but there aren’t even as many of them as there were. I hope this doesn’t presage an early, horrible winter for us. 

It’s been cooler- and stormy- the last couple of days and it’s been lovely to work outside for a change. Especially lovely is that the power didn’t go off for hours like it has the two storms before this one. Last night’s storm, though, was throwing lightning down perilously close to us. There were a couple that were so bright Tim thought they hit in the hay field (I don’t think they were really quite that close) and the thunder was right on top of the light and so loud I levitated off the sofa.

Finally finished the log house kitchen the other day; all lacquered and put back together. I had a reprieve in doing them because the guy who was going to be staying in the house put his visit off. Now he has put it off again. Not sure when he’ll get here to do the work or if we’ll have to find someone else.

A few more plants have followed me home and I’ve still not gotten any of them planted. I am making some progress on the weeding, though and expanding part of a bed to make room. I was going to prune the dappled willow today to unshade some unhappy roses and make room, but when I stepped close to the bush hummingbirds shot out of it and a chorus of panicked finch voices arose. So that project is out until everyone is done nesting. I thought it was late enough that they’d all be done with that.

Staying the course on eating less. Can fit into things I wore last year but not into things I wore a couple of years ago. Damn. I’m hungry. 

 This is daylily 'Ice Palace Pink'- it actually followed Tim home instead of me. Beautiful; it has the glitter effect when the sun hits it. 

 This is a salpiglossis- sorry no common name for it. They're supposed to be tall plants and mine are only about 9" tall but at least they're blooming! I'd been told that the season was too short for them here but I had to try them anyway.