planting bulbs

It was the last week of November, while Thanksgiving was being celebrated, and Christmas preparations were under way. That time of the year when the buzz words were 'Black Friday', and 'Cyber Monday', I found myself planting spring bulbs. I hadn't planned on planting any bulbs this fall, but while shopping for mundane household stuff, I took a detour to the garden center to browse in the Christmas shop. A look about to see if there was anything out of the ordinary being offered this year, and check for decorating ideas. I didn't find anything all that  exciting. However,  instead of exiting, I found myself drawn to the non Christmas section. There it was. The spring bulb display with clearance price tags! Wow! Packages of bulbs that retailed for $6.98 were marked down to $1.75.  Hummm...the planting time range is from October to November for our area, and it was still November with nice fall weather.  The temptation was too much!

Time to plant! It was a wonderful therapeutic afternoon spent digging in the dirt.

All the packages came with this 'Guaranteed To Grow' label. Of course that is only if those small printed details on the back are followed. Hopefully, planting the correct depth, amending my poor soil, and using a bulb fertilizer will bring good results come spring.

A fall Outing

 Traveling narrow, twisty roads...most definitely off the beaten path...Sharon and I enjoyed an outing to the area that I grew up in. It was a warm sunny fall day.
It included...
A walk across this swinging bridge...

Time spent along the edge of the river...

And...

A workout of a hike up the mountain, behind my parent's home, to this pond...

It was a most enjoyable fall outing, shared with a dear friend.





  

Summer into fall happenings

Time for an update!
 It was a busy summer.  Along with the invasion of grasshoppers that made it impossible to garden or enjoy any outdoor activity around here, there were a number of other frustrations and disappointments. But I choose to focus on the fun times and blessings!

A  fun outing with Sharon, a dear friend, included a close up encounter with this deer.

Then there was the most wonderful, big event of 2011  for our family. An event that took lots of planning and preparing for.

(photo of Lora & her Dad by Lora's friend  Morgan)

Daughter Lora's wedding to Matt on October 8th.

But first there were the bridal showers...this one hosted by the bridesmaids.

 

The yummy cakes were made and decorated by daughter Jenn, the Maid of Honor. She also made the cake stands with help from her Dad.

This wonderful wedding event took nine months of planning, with lots of last 'minute' things to do.

One of those tasks was making the centerpieces for twenty-seven tables. Lora wanted lanterns with candles, surrounded by flowers.

These, however didn't go quite as planned. Lora's colors were a vintage lilac-(lavender), Sage green, and Ivory. The plan was for the flowers to be a lavender colored lily. The florist showed us the most beautiful lavender lilies with cream edging, which we ordered. Unfortunately, the florist unable to get them, substituted white ones instead. A disappointment!  With light ivory tablecloths and sage green napkins I was planning on lavender colored flowers. But, with the wedding less than two days away, there wasn't enough time to find a lavender substitute. I had to overcome my disappointment and work with what I had.

Centerpieces aside, it was a warm, sunny October day, the wedding was beautiful, and all went well.

Invaded!

I have been invaded by hoppers! Hoppers of all sizes. Hoppers from small green to large brown. There are large numbers of them...as in a plague of hoppers, eating all leafy plants in sight. Correction...all  leafy vegetation except for  weeds!

 

They are everywhere...even hanging from the windows...

Large ones with wings...

While most of these will fly away, avoiding contact, I'm encountering some that  fly towards me, hitting  with a stinging force. Honestly, there is no enjoying the outdoors, and gardening is a lost cause.  There is no stopping them!  A friend, and others in the area have reported that they too have been invaded. So it is around here...the year of the hoppers. 

My rainbow photography venture

After Saturday evening's thunderstorm, a beautiful brilliant full rainbow appeared in the eastern sky. Viewing it from the west side of our house, it was like an arch framing our home. It was absolutely beautiful! Of course my first thought was to get out my camera and try my photography skills. I wanted so bad to capture the full rainbow with our house in the center in one photo. Try as I might with different settings, it was not to be.
It began...

Up...up in the sky...

Across the sky it went...

and down...

to the ground...

As it is with rainbows, it was there for only a brief time. It was only afterwards  that I discovered how to capture a full rainbow photo. According to my research, I should have used a wide angle...18mm...lens/setting. The most fustrating part is that I have the camera lens needed, but didn't think to try changing lens!  Now I know, but will I get a second chance? ...Or was it a once in a lifetime moment?

The view depends on the angle it is viewed from

What one sees all depends on where you are standing, ...the angle you are viewing it from.

That is especially true of the landscape on the east side of the house.

 

From the house or patio looking out... this is part of the view.

From the grassy area, looking toward the house...

 

Then there is the view from the driveway...

 

Also on the east side is a slope. After slip sliding around and feeling out of control while mowing it only three times, I quickly decided to mulch and plant. But what a challenge.

The slope would be viewed from three different angles...from two locations inside the house, from the patio area, and from the driveway. Also, it would occasionally be viewed from the bottom of the slope. The big question was what to plant, and how to plant. I was not going to be happy with only ground cover. I wanted a colorful four season landscape.

From the top of the slope, as viewed from the driveway...

 

From the patio area...

 

From the bottom of the slope....

Inside the house from the bathroom window... a colorful landscape does help to start the day right!

And from the breakfast sitting area...

 

The views will continue to change as the seasons change, and the shrubbery and ground cover matures. Hopefully the small shrubs on the far side will reach their mature height of eight to twelve feet, and block out the view of the unsightly field. Hopefully, I've designed and planted to allow for the best view at all angles. Only time will tell what it will become.

Colorful spring

Last year this time, I had only a few blooms here and there to enjoy. After another year of growth, and planting new starts,  I am now enjoying a much more colorful landscape. Thanks to a warm rainy days, the blooms are plentiful this spring.

 

 

 

Also, the hummingbirds have returned ...at least a few. I'm hoping for more as spring turns into summer.

Then, there was the day that I captured this colorful visitor...I think traveling through, as I have not seen it since.

Too much rain

It started raining in the early hours of the morning and rained almost continuously throughout the morning and afternoon with the wind blowing strong. Then the wind blew furious and the rain poured, creating this scene... viewed from the back of our house.

This is normally not a stream, but a ditch. The only time it contains water is with run off. Last summer it was a very dry ditch.

The road is...

Underwater!

If only there was a way to regulate rain! Come July, we will no doubt need some of this moisture.

Bearded Irises

Last April, while visiting family, my brother Robin gave me  six bearded iris bulbs,
with the green leaves still attached,  from my father's home place. Upon returning home I choose two different locations, amended the soil somewhat and planted them,... hoping for a few survivors,.. and a bloom or two this spring.

 

Much to my delight they multiplied!  Blooming, with the promise of more blooms to come.
Thanks Robin!

Now, if there was just some way I could protect them from being whipped about by the wind. Unfortunately here on the hill, even up against the house, that is not possible.

Spring!

Spring...wonderful spring!

A few of these...

A couple of starts of this...

But, unfortunately... a lot of this.

and this...

Weeds of all kinds!

 I spent the better part of a day lifting wild garlic and a variety of weeds out of  the mulched areas. Now, it's time to weed and feed the lawn...and time to plant...

Maybe, just maybe in time I will be able to enjoy lots of spring blooms and colors,

...and the weeds will be few.

Blowing in the wind

Wind, wind, go away... and don't come back another day! Not unless you come to visit as a gentle breeze on the hot days of  summer. In the 20 months we have lived here, you have worn out your welcome. The only time you have not shown your presence is on those hot summer days.
    
....So it is....I add the wind as another challenge to living on a hill. ***vent...vent...vent...change and living here is not by my choice! 
My list of challenges keeps growing. Barren land, poor soil, weeds, and now the wind.


Wind that erodes. Lifting the mulch in clumps, up and away...

Depositing in on the lawn...threatening to kill the grass.




Wind that blows so furious,... it over turns wrought iron furniture.

and tilts...it's even too windy for the birds.

Will I survive the changes and challenges in my life?

....the answer .... is blowing in the wind.