Mulch + Humidity = Exhaustion

Today was spent trying to weed and mulch the back border.  I was only able to get two loads hauled before the lack of a breeze, high humidity, and the heat did me in.  I did get all of it weeded and edged, and only have about ten feet left to go.  The access path behind the border that is against the fence will be done at a later date, with plain wood chips.

Since I was too tired to scoop mulch, I spent the rest of the morning attacking the last of the weeds and vines from the back corner of the garden.  In order to keep the erosion down, there is a combination of grass and ground cover under the shrubs, which does the job, but sure makes it a chore to keep tidy.  It looks much better now, and should be easier to maintain the rest of the summer. 

After cleaning up the debris and storing the tools, I picked the latest crop of tomatoes that were ripe. I picked one gnarly green one that I think is not going to get a chance to turn red before the vine dies. Oh, well, I have to have fried green tomatoes at least once this year:)

Tomorrow is watering day, and then back into the house for some housework (Yuck! I would rather pull weeds).

Magic Lily...always a surprise

A few years back, a friend gave me some of her magic lily bulbs (Lycoris squamigera) and I planted them in to the side of the steps that traverses the boxwood hedge that borders the old rose garden (now on its' way to an azalea bower, but that is another post..).  Last year, only one bloomed. This year seems to have produced a full crop of the 'gurls'.  I just love them; they always remind me of Ms. M. whenever they appear. 

Another good friend went to the trouble of digging up (successfully, I might add) one of the offshoots of her Bear's Breeches (Acanthus molllis) to give to me.  It has produced quite a few babies, but, for the life of me, I can't seem to separate them without killing them. 

Blast from the past: Old Macrame project on display

Years ago (like 20 or so) I embarked on this giant macrame project using an old singletree (which is a type of yoke for a horse).  It was Yards and Yards of rope and was WAY more work than the magazine made it out to be, but I finally I got it done. I used it for a few years, then got tired of it and put it away in the attic.  Deciding that 2012 was the year of macrame, I rooted it back out and put it on display.

Back in the Blogger Saddle Again

Wow, It's been over a year since my last post! Honestly, though, there was very little "new" garden work that occurred until this year.  Last year was either so hot or so wet, that the garden was pretty much in stasis,  with just weeding and watering going on. I did a little fiddling, but much of that work was re-worked this year, so really all you missed was me moaning and groaning about the heat, rain, ice, drought, weeds,...you get the idea.  


This current year (until the heat wave hit a couple of weeks ago) has been pretty productive, so there is much to discuss in future posts.  I do have a few pictures from the 'great blog drought' that I will post at some point, so if you have been watching Downton Abbey to keep yourself occupied in my absence-Rejoice!  

The lazy blogger has returned!