A Great Day to Garden

I guess since summer does not technically begin until June 21, I must classify this as a beautiful spring day.  We awoke to 55 degrees with the promise of highs in the low 70s.  As I type this at 2:23 p.m., the temperature has only managed to climb to 64.  So much for 70s!

However, after hot and humid temperatures yesterday that culminated in torrential downpours, we welcomed the sunshine and the cooler temperatures today, taking advantage of them both to work in the front garden.

Yesterday we were able to add four bags of garden soil to the area just before the rains hit.  We had purchased four Red Prince Weigelas which, thankfully, I was able to get safely onto the back porch before the downpour started.  They got a little wet as the screens "sifted" the rain, but the bushes themselves were not beaten down by the terrible force of the rain.

New bushes line up in the garden, awaiting
new mulch underneath.

We were in the garden by 8:30 this morning.  We put the plants out, shifted them around, and, of course, Rick had to get out his tape measure and make sure they were equidistant apart.  Digging the holes actually was easier than I expected, thanks in part to the efforts we took last week to get the majority of roots and stumps out of the garden.  In fairly short order, we had all of the bushes planted.

Eventually, the bushes will grow tall enough
and wide enough to block most of the view
of our neighbor's house.

Right now they seem rather sparse since we had to leave room for them to grow.  Eventually, they should touch one another and give us a 3 - 5 foot hedge that will have beautiful leaves and red flowers for most of the summer.  Our neighbors around the corner have two of the same bushes, and they are stunning.  I hope that ours will do as well.

Once the bushes were in place, we went back to the nursery to pick up a yard of mulch. We had spread mulch over the majority of the front garden earlier, so we had just the area under the tree to fill in yet.

New mulch makes the back garden look much better!

We had some mulch left over, so Rick attacked the back garden, pulling two bags full of weeds to prep it for the mulch.  While he did most of the weeding, I took the clippers and removed lots of dead wood and "foreign" trees that were trying to grow in the middle of the dogwoods and the Miss Kim lilac.  We really want to take down all of that vegetation and to build a fence, but that will have to wait until we have our cement mixer home next year.  We have neglected this poor yard for many years, so this was our year to try to get it looking somewhat respectable again.  I don't remember the last time it had mulch in the back garden.  It really needs a bit more, but I don't want to spend any more money since we plan to rip it out next  year.

Next year the bushes will come down to be
replaced by a fence that will give us more
privacy from the neighbors' yards.

Today is Owen's second birthday.  We are going to go over to his house soon to give him a couple of little gifts and to wish him a Happy Birthday.  We'll always remember when we planted those bushes in the front garden.  I hope that both they and Owen will continue to bloom and to grow.

Summer Snow

Although we have not been killing ourselves with major remodeling projects this summer, we have not completely turned into three-toed sloths either. I admit that health issues, cold weather (whoever heard of 40-degree temperatures in June?!), and family obligations all have interfered with our gardening progress.

I have spent a couple of mornings digging around where the trees once stood in our front garden.  Yes, we removed the main stumps, but what was left behind were numerous smaller branches of stumps and a dense network of web-like roots.  Four large garbage bags of roots later, we finally have the garden cleaned out enough to choose new plants.  We did have to get the truck back into hauling mode one last time to remove some stubborn larger roots, but we are finally to the point of going to the nursery this week to buy some type of vegetation for the now empty area.

Once we took out all of the trees, I discovered a small section of house next to the gutter drain pipe that had not seen daylight for many years.  The cobwebs and dirt in the area were thick.  Not only did I need a broom to clear out the worst of it, but I needed a bucket of water and a good scrub brush to find the yellow siding under all of the gunk.  The whole house needs a scrub-down.  We have discussed buying a power washer for this house also.

Yesterday we spent a cold, cloudy, eventually rainy day celebrating Owen's second birthday. However, the food was hot, tasty, and plentiful, and we had a good time seeing relatives while watching Owen open his gifts.  Toy trucks, a new tricycle, and a new wagon were the hits of the day.

Owen unwraps the wagon we bought him.

A new, red tricycle from Chris' parents also
was a big hit!

Right now I am not excited about spending much time outside.  It is snowing in my neighborhood.  This snow, however, is nothing more than seed pods falling from the multitude of cottonwood trees in the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, one of those giant trees (in fact, the tallest one on this street), happens to be growing in my back yard.  So why am I reluctant to go outside? The trees are messy, the "cotton" is everywhere, and I am allergic to the darn trees!  I am already tired of scratchy eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing multiple times a day each time I venture outdoors.  I know that the "cotton" will soon be finished, but not before my back yard will look like a heard of sheep exploded!

Fist-sized clumps of "cotton" gather in
my front garden.

The "cotton" seed pods gather at the front
edge the porch.  Everything looks messy
until the season is finished.

The only good thing about this season is the fact that rain is predicted almost every day this week, and when it rains, the "cotton" gets washed into the grass and no longer blows around.  I really don't want to be rained inside all week, but I don't want to sneeze all week either.

Yesterday we almost froze at Owen's party, and today the temperature reached 82 with a 66 dew point which means outside was hot and muggy. Only in Wisconsin...  We worked together to mow the lawn since the rest of the week is supposed to be wet; however, that forecast also might delay our plans to plant anything new in the front garden.

Going, Going, Gone

We arose early on Friday to an emergency at Lindsay's house since their garage door would not open due to a broken spring.  Chris was able to ride in to work with a neighbor, and once we took Owen to nursery school, we helped Lindsay pry open the door so that she could get their cars out.  Then off she went to work also.

The last two trees were not filled in well at the bottom
and were too tall at the top.  They needed trimming
away from the gutters on the house.

The second tree was smaller and easily came down.

We came home and decided to tackle the last two trees.  We were able to get both of them down and the first one to the yard refuse dump before we headed back to Lindsay's to meet the garage door repair man. He must have thought we were a real gem of a couple since both of us were in grubby clothes and filthy from taking down the trees!  We offered no explanation.

Lindsay met us at home just as the man finished installing the new springs on the door.  It took him all of 15 minutes to do the job.  Ah, what the right set of tools and lots of experience will do for a job!  With that catastrophe averted, we headed back to our house to pick up the truck and take the last tree to the dump.

Three stubborn stumps await removal.

On Saturday our task was to try to pull the remaining stumps from the ground.  We had to buy another tow strap so that we would not have to chew our lawn up with the truck.  The stumps proved more resistant than I imagined, so they took some real effort to get out.  One reason was that as we put tension on the tow strap, it grabbed the bark and slid it right off the tree stump.  What was left under the bark was a slick substance that coated the entire stump.  Naturally, at every cut branch, however, was sticky pitch.  Although the roots were not terribly deep, they were numerous.  After a good battle and numerous tries, we were able to get everything uprooted and into the back of the truck for one more trip to the dump.

A clean slate awaits new bushes or trees.

So now we sit with a bare garden.  It looks better than the scraggly trees that were there, but we do want to replant the area with something.  Rick is opting for more trees.  He wants something that is "geometric and symmetrical." (Ha!  As if those scraggly trees were...)  I want to try lilacs or hydrangeas; I want something that will add color to the yard, but something I can still prune with ease.  Rick thinks they would be "too bushy and untamed."

We tried trees.  They were boring.  We'll have to see what the nurseries offer.

Ranger Rick?

I am sorry to say that the great forest ranger of our childhood -- Ranger Rick -- is not the man I married, but since the old ranger was actually a raccoon created by the National Wildlife Federation to star in its wildlife magazine, I guess that's OK.  For any of you who are curious, the magazine Ranger Rick, started in 1967, is still going strong.

We did do a bit of forestry in our front yard today, though, so that is what reminded me of the magazine character.

Last week, our time in Minnesota went well.  We got Stephanie packed in time for the movers to take her furniture and belongings into storage.  Then she moved with the cats into a very nice temporary housing establishment.  She has a kitchen, living/office area, bedroom, and bath.  What more does anyone need?  Her builder told her that he is trying to complete her new house by the end of June, so that would allow her to move in almost a month early.

When we arrived home last week, we had two days to prepare for a birthday party for my mother (who turns 92 next week) while we cheered for my niece and her husband as they ran a half-marathon past our house.  The race was a success as was the party.  Although there is 90 years' age difference between them, my mother and my grandson are great pals.  They make one another smile.

Almost 2-year-old Owen smiles at his almost 92-year-old
great-grandmother.

We needed a little down time to recover from Stephanie's move, but today dawned clear and cool; this is perfect weather for tackling a garden project.  As I mentioned last time, we want to remove the three overgrown cedar trees from our front yard.  I am not sure what I will replace them with yet, but I think some kind of flowering bush like lilacs or hydrangeas would be good.  I'll have to shop later to see what might be available.

The first of three over-grown trees
is down.

We started the job just after lunch and were completely finished by 2:00 p.m.  The trees are not hard to get down with the help of our new SawsAll.  This first tree fit into the back of the truck, so it is already disposed of at the town yard refuse center.

We'll deal with the stump removal later.

If the weather cooperates, we may tackle the second tree tomorrow.  We'll worry about yanking out the stumps for this vegetation this weekend. We did not have any assistance from Ranger Rick; however working with the same Rick I have worked side-by-side with for 39 years certainly produced the results we wanted.  And if we can get out of bed tomorrow, we might just try this again.

Northern Chores

We have been "home" in Green Bay about a month now; yet, we have not been home all of that time.  After we returned north, we took a week-lomg trip to Minnesota to stay with Stephanie after she had surgery for a torn meniscus.  As the week after surgery wore on, she started to get stir crazy being home, so we ventured out to see an open house on a townhouse that interested her.  Long story short, Rick was impressed with the builder, we all liked Jenna, the real estate agent, and a couple of weeks later Stephanie was signing papers to have a new townhouse built for her.

To add to the madness, she also was promoted just before the surgery, so she was getting used to her new job.  As she was trying to handle that transition, Jenna put her house on the market.  Because newly graduated doctors were coming into town to start their residency, housing in Minnesota was at a premium.  Stephanie met with Jenna to discuss how much to ask for her house. They agreed on a price, and Stephanie's house was set to hit the listings on Monday. On Friday, Jenna showed Stephanie's house to a real estate agent.  On Saturday Jenna called to ask if she could show the house to a young couple.  On Sunday they made a full-price offer and through negotiations, Stephanie sold her house -- one day before it was set to officially go on sale!

The only drawback is that she would have to move to temporary housing until her new townhouse is finished.  She has been spectacular about making a million decisions and arrangements.  We returned to her house at the end of April to help her pack as much as we could.  We agreed to return this coming week to help her finish packing so she can move by Wednesday into temporary housing.  We leave tomorrow and hope to have her safely moved by Wednesday of this week.  Whew!  This has been a really busy spring.

We also are trying to figure out how much time, effort, and mostly money we can dedicate to some much-needed improvements of this northern house.

Two winters ago, the cold was brutal in Wisconsin.  One particular type of evergreen was really devastated, and our large burning bush shrub suffered over a 50% loss.  I cut out the dead parts last summer and pruned it way down in the hope that it would send out new shoots and fill in.  It looked pretty pathetic last summer, but I hoped that it would be better this spring.  Sadly, it did not rally, so this morning we hooked up the truck to the scraggly bush that was left and yanked it from the ground.  We did the same to two pygmy barberry bushes that were woody and ugly, too.

A new little burning bush occupies the corner where the old
bush once stood.  Eventually the new bush will fill in the
whole corner.

We had purchased new bushes yesterday at the neighborhood nursery, so we wanted to get them into the ground before we leave again. With a little more digging and lots of effort, we have the three new bushes planted.

Two new crimson pygmy barberries add a touch of color to the garden.

Then we were off to the nursery again for a yard of deep brown mulch. The yard almost covered the whole front garden.  We are not too upset that it did not quite reach to the end because we still have three large, overgrown evergreen trees in that area that we want to remove.

New mulch will help retain moisture as the daylilies cluster
near the sidewalk and the hostas  start to emerge in the front
garden. Once grown, they will fill the entire garden.

Part of yesterday was spent at the tool store looking at chain saws.  We finally got smart and decided to buy a SawsAll instead.  We used a SawsAll in Florida to remove tree roots when we put up our fence.  With a pruning blade, the saw works great.  We were looking at a $300 chainsaw that we would probably never use again.  Then I saw an ad for a SawsAll.  "Why not buy another one of those?" I asked.  Rick agreed that we would get a lot more use out of a SawsAll than a chainsaw, and I know that he is more comfortable using a SawsAll in the end.  The price was half of what a chainsaw would have been, and we can use the saw for other home improvement projects later on. I guess that is my Mother's Day gift this year!

The landscaping today took its toll on our energy levels.  We both had just enough after all of our gardening to do some last minute jobs.  I mowed the front yard (Rick had mowed the back yard yesterday) while Rick washed a layer of yellow pollen off the truck.

We are off early tomorrow morning for Minnesota again.  I know that Stephanie will be relieved to get out of her house and into temporary housing.  That is just one more step toward getting into her big, bright, beautiful townhouse.

Packing Up

A few days ago I was surprised to look into the back yard and to discover a flower blooming in my flower pot.  The pot holds the same freesia plant that sprouted wild in the back yard a couple of years ago.  I never water it; God does that.  I just leave it under the tree in the back yard.  Miraculously, it somehow survives, and this is the second year in a row that it has bloomed.  The picture I have is rather fuzzy, but it is proof that once again Florida produces some true survivors.

Once again, the hearty freesia blooms for a couple of days.

We are in the process of packing the house in preparation for traveling north in a few days.  Most of the food is gone, and what is left either will go to the neighbors or to the trash bin by tomorrow.  The weather outside is unseasonably hot and humid (as in late June), so we took a walk today in the air-conditioned mall just to stay cool while getting our exercise.

Rain is predicted for later today, so we took advantage of the dry weather to bring in and store the hammock and to move our bikes into the climate-controlled Florida room for the summer.

Yesterday Rick rearranged the shelving and other machines that we had in the garage so that the car can fit inside for the summer.  Being inside will protect it both from the summer sun and from the sometime violent storms that find their way across the Florida peninsula. We feel better having it inside where nothing and no one can damage it.  We'll pick up the rental car tomorrow and then plug the car in to the charger in the garage for the summer.

One of the things I wanted to complete before we left was the 1000 piece puzzle that Bonnie and I started last week.  I completed it before church this morning.  I promised Bonnie a picture of the completed puzzle, so here it is:

My big white desk works great as a place to complete
puzzles like this 1000 piece scene. See, Bonnie, I finished it!

This season did not go as we had planned.  The shower was a headache that should not have happened, and it cost us much more than we had anticipated.  We had a slightly unexpected trip to Wisconsin just after Stephanie's visit so we could help her while she recovered from her knee surgery.  Since she bought a new house, we will be home a bit earlier than originally planned; however, we really have completed what we set out to finish this year.

The new fence was a labor of love that was much easier than we had anticipated, thanks to the cement mixer.  We enjoy the privacy that we now have in the back yard.  The shower was a true hassle, but we learned what kind of labor will be needed to dismantle the main pink bathroom when we get around to that task. Limited funds will determine what jobs -- pavers, lanai slab, shed, remodeled bathroom -- we will be able to finish when we return in the fall.  Until then, we will enjoy our time with our family and friends in the north.

Bonnie's Visit

I have been too busy all week having fun with our guest to post anything on this blog.  Since Bonnie is now at the airport awaiting her flight home (for a few days before she take off again for Portugal!), I will use this opportunity to catch up.

On Saturday we spent almost the entire day at Fred Howard beach.  The crowds were not too bad, and the weather on the beach was gorgeous.  A cool ocean breeze kept everyone feeling fresh rather than boiling under the intense Florida sun.  The day was laid back and relaxed; I hope that Bonnie enjoyed being a beach bum with us.

Since Fred Howard beach is just off shore from Tarpon Springs (the beach is located on an island accessed by a causeway), when we were finished we took a stroll through Tarpon Springs.  Since the town is known for sponges, we had to go sponge shopping.  Bonnie bought a couple of "silk" sponges.  They are super-soft, small sponges that one uses to put on and to take off make-up.  They also are great when bathing babies.

We resisted the Greek bakeries (pats on the back) but were lured in by a candy store that advertised exquisite, "international" licorice.  Bonnie bought a little and shared the goodies with Rick.

Sunday dawned clear and sunny once again. We had talked to Bonnie about the numerous items in our house that we had purchased at The Container Store. Those items include everything from a toothbrush holder to a full bookshelf and computer desk component.  She said that she was in the market for a few things, so we spent Sunday going in to Tampa and visiting The Container Store.  For anyone who does not know of this marvelous place, just type the name into your search engine.  They will ship anywhere in the US.  We spent two hours at the store.  Bonnie left with a new piece of luggage by Baggallini and various other smaller items.  The store is opening a new brach in Milwaukee this fall and they also have one in Minneapolis, so I am sure that this is not the last time that Bonnie will venture into that store.

 Yesterday I awoke very tired even though I got a good night's sleep.  Bonnie and I decided to go shopping at some of the various consignment shops around town.  We had to wait until 10:00 a.m. since none of them opened before that time.  We found that the owners of consignment shops seem to have their own time schedule.  We went to one shop which was supposed to be open but was not.  Just as we were about to drive away, a car sped into the parking lot and a young woman got out.  She apologized for being late and explained that her washing machine blew a hose and flooded her whole garage.  For such a catastrophe, she was only 15 minutes late, so we went in to browse. Unfortunately for her, we did not find anything that we wanted to buy.

The next shop we stopped at also was closed, but we found some others that offered interesting shopping.  I bought nothing; however, Bonnie found a beautiful sheer flowered jacket that looked great on her and fit well.

When we got home, we dug out a jigsaw puzzle that occupied most of the rest of the evening.

Today we had a leisurely start to the day before we took Bonnie to one last experience: lunch at Steak & Shake complete with a chocolate shake.  Gourmet food Bonnie did NOT experience this week, so I hope that her stomach forgives us.

Note to Stephanie: Bonnie said that your glass bird dish worked well for holding her earrings and rings each evening.  The ibis bowl is a success!

Rain has been predicted for the last three days, but it has all fallen inland and thus missing us.  Today dawned cloudy with a suggestion of rain.  As we drove to the airport after lunch, about five drops hit our windshield.  As we were driving home from the airport after dropping Bonnie off, about 10 large drops hit the windshield.  Then it was clear, but as we drove down Main Street we saw puddles everywhere.  Certainly, while we were in Tampa, Gladys got a bath.

We had just finished putting our chairs and grocery holder back into the back of the car after we got home when the skies opened and the rain poured down.  We have had two brief, hard showers just to remind us that the rainy season is about to start in Florida.

This was a fairly laid-back vacation, filled with fun times and indulgent times of sitting in the yard and reading good books.  We hope that Bonnie had fun while she was here and that she will get home safely tonight.  

Seeing the Sights

My friend Bonnie arrived from Wisconsin yesterday after a long, slightly-delayed-due-to-weather flight.  She was only a half hour late which was remarkable considering that tornadoes and severe storms blew through upper Illinois and lower Michigan.  She left rain and cold to be greeted by sunshine and heat.

We had a delightful discussion to allow her to rest, and then traveled to Safety Harbor for dinner.  We took a short walk around the quaint village and then had a light dinner at Crispers.  After dinner, we walked down to the Marina and dock, stopping at the crane fountain on our way back to the car.

The Crane Fountain behind Bonnie in safety Harbor.

Today I had an early morning appointment, so Rick and I were out of the house by 6:45 while we let Bonnie sleep in.  We received a text from Lindsay this morning informing us that ice and snow north of Green Bay caused schools to close.  Stephanie also sent a message telling us that Rochester was experiencing snow, and my friend Rose Marie sent a snowy landscape from upper Michigan.  Do Rick and I miss the winter weather?  Not in the least.  Is Bonnie happy to be here right now?  I think so.

Bird of Paradise greet the morning sun.

I am always amazed that flowers can look
like crazy birds gone wild with a paint pot.

When we returned from my appointment, we drove to the Florida Botanical Gardens.  I had wanted to go there all winter and had not gotten there until today.  The early spring flowers were just starting to come out.  We spent about two and a half hours walking around enjoying the gardens and the views.

Early roses were just starting to bloom.
This one was white, pink, and red all
at the same time.

Iris blooms were gorgeous.

Subtle colors make this flower both
interesting and beautiful.

After lunch today we did a little shopping and then came back to Gladys for a rest.  The temperature right now is 79 muggy degrees, so we will stay inside for a bit but venture out this evening for an invigorating walk.