Summer Begins

I had a student write me a note of thanks and encouragement. Yep, a real letter--none of that tech stuff. Is there hope for the world?

I was asked how the quarantine would impact my summer. As I thought about it, it dawned on me that it won't at all. I spend my summers in isolation anyway.

And so it has started. I confess--the first couple weeks I sleep in a little bit. Lazy. Homesteader is not a fan. She thinks I'm home all the time so I can spoil her more. But I do eschew 5:30 wake-ups for a bit. Other than that--same old, same old, says the same old man. This first week I walked of course multiple times each day. (The ticks are awful!) I take my pictures for your Saturday walk while I'm indulging my own ramblings. It's been a down year for iris, but don't feel sorry for me--they're are still plenty of beauties out there. A lot of buds shriveled up--the rain maybe?--and some beds just took this year off I guess. One bed with nearly thirty plants--one bloom. What you going to do? Lots of other things are starting to join the promenade as well.

I've been doing some mulching. Should have the first loads used up in a couple days if it doesn't rain. Then, I'll have to order some more. Going to be a mulch/Roundup summer. I hope to get a lot of clearing done as well. Mowed the front and back each once this week. The only normal thing that hasn't started yet is my cleaning up the cave a bit. Well, I am a male--let's call it straightening up the cave a little bit--very little bit. And I did have a surprise encounter at the new nursery. The Hassey's were there. Sorry John for mentioning the place on face book.

Two Gardening Angel moments so far. A lovely red iris in a bed I didn't remember having a red iris. And a yellow flag iris showed up at the exact opposite from where I planted some near the pond. I have no idea how it got there. Can flag iris swim?

The only strange thing going on is that I have been memorizing poems. No, I have no idea why. Something more to forget later on I guess.

In family news everyone seems well. Moira graduated from Illinois University. Evie graduated from Dublin. No comments about getting old were asked for thank you. Oh, and Ben and Jamie bought a house.

Hope your summer is marvelous!!! I don't know if I can stand being quarantined at The Acres all summer. Life is tough.

The Poor House May 2020

Brad and Mindy May have doomed me to a life of penury. On Saturday after I had spent most of the morning at Baker's Acres, those rascals came to see me. Now, their coming to see me was not rascally, we had a lovely visit and Homesteader has decided she likes them, But after the visit they said they had found a great place to buy flowers--a place with the poetic name Groovy Plants Ranch. Hard to beat that name, eh? Well, I was sure they wouldn't have a thing I wanted since I had just been to the Baker's. Being a kind old man and enjoying my time with them, I decided to go along so I could shake my head in despair that such a place could rival my favorite haunt. But behold! the place is marvelous and worst of all, they have a completely--well, almost--different set of flowers. And to make matters even more despicable, they are like ten minutes from my house! I didn't even know they were there. I am doomed--two lovely nurseries with different sets of plants. Poor house here I come.

So now I sit waiting for May 15th with a billion flowers to plant once the frost fear is gone (did you know it's going to frost at least twice this week!) There were a couple of rich moments at The Acres today, though. A Baltimore Oriole on the hummingbird feeder. Now, that's a gorgeous bird! A couple of rose-breasted grosbeak were hanging around today as well. And I"m fairly certain I head the catbird. I love those shadows. And even better--the iris started to bloom today--five dwarf beauties. And--wait, wait,--the goldfish came back up--the little ones anyway. With the emergence of the water lilies they have a place to hide, and their courage has been bolstered.

All this to say, if you need a beauty walk--The Acres is the place to be despite the weeds. And if I'm not here, just check the poor house--the chubby old bald guy will have been bankrupted by flowers--I wonder how many years you get for loving beautiful things?

Snowflakes in May 2020

Hmmmm? snowflakes at The Acres in May. Interesting. I only hope the cold tonight and tomorrow and Monday do not do too much damage. And, of course, the iris are what I worry about the most. I already have a dozen dwarf iris blooming, some more budding, and even some of the German iris are starting to bud. Not much you can do about it, I suppose. Most of the astilbe are up as well. I have no idea how they respond to cold? Tomorrow, I will know.

April Showers 2020

Well, the April showers have slipped into May. I did at least get half of The Acres mowed last week. I did the back half--Wild Area and paths first, of course. Love those walks through the meadow and wild area. My neighbor probably wishes I had done the front where everybody driving by can see. Ah well. The iris have not yet begun to bloom. I did at least see a couple buds on the dwarf iris. They will bloom first, and then away we will go--hopefully--with a barrage of iris blooms. My favorite time of the year.
Right now, some daffodils are hanging around--a few are just starting to bloom. The tulips are blooming. The bleeding hearts should be right behind. And though the red buds and dogwoods in town that I drive by are all arrayed in purple and white, mine are just starting to think about dressing up. I even have a few crab apples--red ones and white ones biding their time though several have bloomed already.
Tomorrow morning it's off to Baker's Acres to buy the annuals for this year though I'll have to wait until the 15th to plant most of them--that's the cutoff day for frost in Ohio. Only once in my years in Morrow County have we had a bad frost after that date. The annuals, of course, are a necessary part of the beautifying of The Acres--they reach their fullest beauty as the perennials start to wind down later in the year--well, except for the phlox.
Whenever the Lord decides to take me home, I always pray He'll wait until June when the iris have finished their show, and the annuals have been planted. It's a good time of year at The Acres. Need to get the throne out at the top of the hill, books ready. I'm prejudiced, naturally, but it may be one of the most peaceful places on earth--at least, for this old man.