Another one Bites the Dust - or Dives in the Dirt or something

another tree planted and the fact that I am done with work for the day. I had to take it very slow because of the shoulder and neck muscles being in the "I HATE YOU" stage. Toss in the back pain dating back to 1992 and I'm a mess.

The tree is a weeping willow and will give us some nice shade over the screened in porch eventually. There's still so much to do and thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon. We'll never get ahead of the growth around here. We've seen entire houses consumed by the brush.

Oh and sending out a public shout out to Jackie, the fearless spider killer! Spiders are fine in the garden and yard. They're fine in the woods - just don't scare me.

They are NOT fine clinging to the screen that covers the sliding glass doors to keep flies and mosquitoes out. They are NOT fine clinging to the screen that I am pushing aside to feed the cats at MY EYE LEVEL. They are NOT fine when they are at least 3 inches big all around.

Stay out of my house and off my house and everyone will be happy

Grounded

Okay, I'm not sure which unhealthy/unwise move I did that threw out those shoulder and neck muscles that I sometimes have problems with but whichever it was, I am REGRETTING it! I was hurting badly last night - the hernia at the sternum was hurting, the back was hurting and my neck was a little stiff but I was feeling like I've gotten a lot accomplished over the last week and a half and the garden is starting to show it.

I woke up this morning almost unable to move.  The neck and shoulder muscles are definitely pulled.  I thought maybe getting out and moving might help so I went to the bookstore to get Jackie's books and I picked up a couple on gardening.  Nope, still in agony. 

managed to get home, still hurting very badly.  It grew darker, the wind came up and the predicted thunderstorms began threatening us.  Then a VERY loud crack shook the house followed by thunder and torrential rain that couldn't decide with direction sideways it wanted to go.  We got windows closed and I got off the computer and unplugged mine and Jackie's.

Something we didn't know before moving here - we are now in a very high lightning strike zone.  The local news channels have counters up in the corner of their broadcasts counting how many strikes they've seen in one storm.  Lightning rods - ones that really work and that channel the energy down and out away from a structure are big business here.  We have surge protectors on the electrical line, at the outlets and in electrical bars for the electronics for the computers and tv.  We still don't take chances and log off and unplug.

I laid down because of the pain and it's not any better several hours later.

They are calling for 40% chance of rain for the entire week.  Around here a 40% chance of rain almost always means we'll see rain.

So - I'm grounded from most gardening and my body will probably be grateful for it.

Gardening Notes from a Novice

What's on my mind is getting a 12 foot tree home in a small Honda Fit that has 6ft length inside. Along with 5 LARGE bags of mulch, 3 paver squares, one Boston fern, 2 trellises 2 bags of puppy pads and assorted misc. Throw in a "to go" bag of food from McDonald's and that described my late morning errands.

The tree is a Corkscrew Willow tree that will grow maybe to 30ft and it will have some very interesting branch growth, colorful leaves in the fall and shade in the summer. Yay!

I dug up and weeded another small patch in the garden, I transplanted some marigolds and salvia flowers, laid some more mulch, contributed a lot of sweat to the garden, and laid 2 pavers down.

I am unable to do anymore. I may lose a couple of salvia flowers that need transplanted but I can't do anymore today. <sigh>

I still need to plant some seeds that I ordered - huge marigolds for the back of the garden that helps keep grubs out of the flowers, smaller marigolds for the front and a "Love Lies Bleeding" - I ordered them late but I'm hoping they'll take for a summer/early fall blooming season.

http://www.burpee.com/flowers/amaranthus/amaranthus-love-lies-bleeding-prod000122.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_caudatus

I'm excited about that one and the soapwort

beginning to look like a garden

 The Honda Fit.  Note the small size that is very deceptive.  This little car can hold a LOT

 This is the tall willow tree I got home in the Fit.

 Crete Myrtle, doing well

Persian Shield - the leaves are amazing

 Salvia - Victoria White

24 May 25, 2014

Dear Facebook; what is on my mind is plants and more plants. Our neglected garden is finally looking like we give a hang - for at least half of the bed so far. Today I planted a tall salvia, a Persian Shield, and a lower growing salvia, transplanted some marigolds, hung a hammock in the screen porch, spread mulch, transplanted a citronella plant (have 2 more to transplant) and watered everything.

Yes, the gardening bug has gone into overdrive in my system. I got up at 8am despite plans of sleeping in and taking the Sabbath off all work. No, I wake up early thinking about the garden bed and anxious to do more digging. WTH? Instead of more books and action figures (or desperately needed clothes) I'm using "fun" money to buy mulch and plants.

So between setting up the computer I'm also gardening. Time to stop, however. My back is protesting the work and the rest of the body is protesting the 90F temp.

Memorial Dogwoods

I planted the 2nd dogwood this morning.  Dug a hole, pulled the grass and weeds out of the soil that would go back around. We put some of Mom's ashes and Mama Marie's ashes along with a turtle, a crystal and a wooden Polish decorated egg.  Then Miracle Grow dirt for trees and shrubs.  Replaced soil around and topped by mulch.  Secured the tree with guy lines.  With the wind we get through here the lines will help ensure that the trees don't get tossed around before their roots take hold.  We hope.

I have been hit with the gardening bug and somewhat dragging Jackie along with me. LOL  I keep finding fascinating plants.  We do agree on the basic design of the front yard and we'll work a little bit at a time to get it done.  We're starting late this year so we're going to focus on getting the yard up to speed (nothing fancy like a manicured lawn or golf course turf but cut, weeded and edged) and work on the basic garden.

The rain stopped work for the day here.  More tomorrow if we can beat the rain again.

one rose bush and the vertical flower pots with flowers

Yard Work

We planted one of the dogwoods today in the front yard.  We spread some of Mom and Mama Marie's ashes in the hole before adding the enriched dirt and filling in.  The small dogwood is staked and well watered.

Jackie tackled the yard with the riding lawn mower while I chopped up brush and branches and tossing them out of the way on the side yard. 

Tomorrow we'll tackle the other tree and tilling up the garden area.  I also need to weed whack where she couldn't mow.

She likes her new toy

 Bitty Blake inspecting my work

Drainage Issues/Retaining Walls

Another project almost done. Bad drainage behind the retaining wall built out of railroad ties decades ago (slightly shifting foundation of house). We will build a cinderblock fence in front of the railroad ties. Until then we had the idea to use some of the old gutters that were just taken down and make a run-off drain. Lots of digging, hacksawing some iron spikes, putting the gutters in place and then putting dirt back around the gutters. The length is over 30 feet. Note the spikes sticking out from one of the ties.

Oh, did I mention it's almost 90F here today and this is the South. I'm accustomed to CA heat, I still haven't adapted yet to the southern humidity.

 trench dug behind the railroad ties, note the down slope of the railroad ties and ground, made it much easier to put in a drainage system.

note the spikes, hacksaw and sledge hammer

Stoned Cats

Our cats getting stoned on catnip on cardboard scratchers

the orange tabby cat is Deacon
the gray and white is Grady
the fluffy one is Alice