In the garden 05-31-12

This year I decided to not be so vigorous about weeding the flower garden. There are really only about four weed plants that grow here, so that means I have been weeding out things that would have grown into desired flowers. So I let everything grow enough for me to be sure what it was. [...]

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out the window: quail

I’m always trying to get good photos of the quail in the garden, but they are pretty elusive. Or if they are confident enough to just sit there as I approach, you can be sure the sun is behind them so the photo is lousy. Like this one. The colors are all a muddle, who [...]

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the journey to spring 4-29-12

I think we can safely say spring has begun, and we’ll be closing in on summer soon. I wish I hadn’t been sick and had updated the last couple weeks because now everything is suddenly in bloom. Well, not the apricot tree. It’s was planted last spring, and no blossoms this year. All of the [...]

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the journey to spring 04-01-12

I think we can say spring is finally here. The daffodils have bloomed, and some of the early tulips. The apricot tree. A little bit of budding! And oh-oh, see those bits of sap? A little bell rings and tells me something is already attacking the tree, and that’s it’s defense mechanism. Any ideas? The [...]

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the journey to spring 03-25-12

Spring is finally showing its colors. A little purple, a lot of green. Neighbor’s ornamental cherry trees are blooming, and I see a yellow flowered bush when I’m out driving. My flowering currant bush should look like that, but zero blossoms yet. The apricot tree. Do those buds look just an eensy bit larger? The [...]

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the journey to spring 03-18-12

Nights are still close to freezing, and the days are in the 50s. A little rain should help things get going. The apricot tree The lilac bush is bursting forth the dogwood tree is still not doing much the peonies next to the house are doing much better than the ones farther away and the [...]

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journey to spring 03-04-12

This week the roses are starting to show some action. I’ve got my fingers crossed the worst part of winter is over, because this year the cold did not kill back the roses and there should be quite a lot of growth to the climbing roses this spring. the apricot tree the lilac bush the [...]

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the journey to spring 02-24-12

There’s a little bit of life starting in the garden this week. The dogwood is starting to bud, and the tulips are showing. the apricot tree. the lilac bush. the dogwood tree. the tulips.

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gardening: heirloom seeds and variety

Look at this lovely “Moon and stars” watermelon. It is one of several varieties of garden vegetables the Victory Seed Company is trying to help not go extinct. Look at their page of seeds under the Ark of Taste category. Wouldn’t it be fun to help some varieties not go extinct? I was just reading [...]

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more about garden hens

I think we’ve had the hens for 6 months now, and I can confirm the Barred Rock variety are very sweet and gentle. They put up with an awful lot of “playing” from a little girl, and don’t seem to mind being carried around often. Said little girl has yet to suffer any chicken scratches, [...]

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