Another wet fall day at The Acres. I haven't stumbled onto anything new this week. Of course, I didn't get a ton of walking in. Busy time of year as first semester winds down at WC. I did make the mistake of going by Lowe's on Thursday. Actually, I was stocking up on food for my feathered friends. I don't feed them as much as I did when I moved out here--I'm too cheap (or is it cheep?). But I do have several feeders scattered here and there around the frontback of the house: a soot feeder, a couple thistle socks, and a couple "bar" hangers. And I throw some stuff on the ground behind the house every morning. There's just something serene--not to mention beautiful--about having lots of bird activity as I begin my morning walks or take an after school cruise in the early evening. It's just right--is all I can give you for a reason to do it. By the way--a huge increase in snowbirds the last week or so. Read what you want into that.
Well, back to the "mistake." Lowe's still has boxes of iris for sale at a dollar a piece. And some of them have green shoots still. So, I can't help but pick a few up as I enter the store. Have no idea what color they are. Planting them this late--even iris--is probably not a bright idea. But for a dollar? The queen of flowers? Come on. Definitely worth the risk. Can't resist. If the box is still there, I'll most likely be planting iris in February. And they are being planted in the most unlikely of places. I mean, it's already a risk, so . . . Hey, if they survive and bloom, I will be my hero. So, take that. And then wait 'til you see how many one dollar iris I by next December.
I also ordered my ten "save the planet" ten cheapo trees from Arbor Day for next spring. You know those trees that will beautify The Acres for whomever comes after me. (Lord, don't let it be a Rehoboam--or even worse--a Walmart.) What? Oh, I ordered the following--a mixture of food for the birds and autumn color for me if I live to 99 like Mom: a red flowering crab apple, a serviceberry,. a Japanese red maple, a real red maple, a beech, a sassafras, a sweetgum, two hazelnuts, and a dwarf crepe myrtle for a huge planter I have inside the house. They'll arrive in mid-April or early May, and I'll get to plant them still in their dormant stage probably and get the thrill of anticipation on my spring walks.
One week until winter, you know. After that early blast of cold, it has been a fairly typical wet, chilly, frosty Ohio autumn. As I walk around and make note of all the work I need to do, I procrastinate by saying I'll do a lot of it over Christmas break. I'll need a new excuse in January so if you have any good ones please pass them on. I've got some good ones already though: "It really won't take that long to do the work once I start" (same excuse I use for not grading papers); "I don't want to encourage Arthur by working in the cold or wet"; "When I find gold on my property, I can hire someone to do the work while I supervise" (I'll bet I could be a great "backseat" gardener); "I don't want Homesteader to be lonely--who will she nag if I'm not inside with her as a ready target?" That said, I am more than open to any good ones to be used later.
Yep, I enjoy my walks. There's just something refreshing about putting off work until another time. So restful. Let's see. Where would be the best place to dig for gold? Well, where would be the best place to encourage Gus to starting digging holes to look for gold? Hmmm. I'll let you know how it works out--or not.
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