It's been months since I last posted, and I really don't know why. I do notice that many of my blog-friends are similarly posting less often. Some are more involved with growing children ... I don't have that excuse. Some are involved in new relationships .... nope. Can't use that reason either. Life just seems to intervene.
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| Dahlias and hydrangeas still going strong the first week of October. |
Like so many retirees i have known, i just find that my time is even more filled than it was when i was working. The difference is that now i'm doing what i want, and when i want to do it.
I have been reading your posts - nearly every day - and commenting a lot, and what i have missed is the "companionship" of the blog world. Talking with you all makes me feel connected to a group, just as i enjoy knowing what's going on with you. Am not sure what I have to say these days, now that i no longer have the angst of getting ready to retire, but hope to find more to tell you about both the old and new things in my life.
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| The early morning sun makes this the perfect place for breakfast - just enjoying the birds and flowers. |
You know that the garden goes on. I worked a few hours nearly every day all summer and now into the fall. You already saw me fill in the pond and make a new sitting area. That's settled in now and i often carry my breakfast out there and spend a few minutes with the birds.
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| The heat and drought of August pretty much finished off the herbs, so I pulled them out early and moved the iris to this raised bed. |
In early September i pulled out the herbs and moved all the iris to that spot. It has full-day sun and excellent drainage, so should be a great place for the iris. Don't really have any plans for the space vacated by the iris, but am sure that something will strike my fancy by spring.
Now I have two projects. The small one is half done already. We moved a large frame that was designed to hold a swinging chair [chair long since dry-rotted!] to the end of the walk that leads to the rear of the property, ["the rear of the property" - sounds like we have acres, in stead of square feet!. so pretentious. sorry. ] and in the spring i will attempt to train clematis to climb it. I plan to wrap it in mesh to provide support, and have already planted a clematis on each side. [One is already proving tasty to the rabbits, so may have some problems there.]
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| The "old" veggie patch. The new one will incorporate nearly off of this space. More to come on this later. |
The big project is putting in a "formal" kitchen garden. The above mentioned rabbits wreaked havoc on my veggies this summer, so i am taking decisive action and fencing in a large - by my standards - plot in the last remaining sunny and mostly flat spot in the yard. It will give me about 20% more growing space for veggies and will provide a little bit of additional space for annual flowers.
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| The dahlias have been pretty and plentiful - still blooming on November 1st. The first frost will be soon and they will be gone. |
I'll get the prep work done this fall and then plant new stuff in the spring. This is a two-fer.
Obviously, i'll end up with a new garden plot, but also... i am taking a couple of horticulture classes and can use this for a class assignment. The need to finish "on time" will keep me focused. I'll save telling you about "school" for another post.
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| The 'Strawberries and Cream' hydrangea is pretty, but it flops! The product information did not include that! |
So, i'm going to try to post weekly again and hope to hear from you. Hope your summers went well, and the first half of your fall.
