It's a Start

DH weedeated the overgrown garden. 

We will remove the garden bed end stones and give it a fresh tilling.  Eventually.   Maybe after the tomatoes are ripe. 

Tomatoes, About Time

Finally planted the tomatoes.   They were getting tall in the pots, but I planted them as deep as I could dig so they are really short now.

 

This year, they are in this former herb row.  This area has been covered with burlap bags since last fall.  The garter snakes had made themselves at home and two large snakes were surprised when I removed the covering today.   Later, a small snake was watching me from under the lemon balm.  I think they will adjust to living under the plants.

 

This is one of the first rows in the garden and has had herbs in in since the beginning.  See links here:
First year - part I
First year - part II
First year - part III

Baseball with 4th Graders

Caught two games during my visit.

A KS Garden Visit

 

  

Pensacola Dam Stop

Grand River Project 1940

Long, narrow road across the dam. Lots of water on one side and a long drop on the other. 

Lunch Stop

Vinita, OK and Clantons cafe. The place to be for lunch (and a piece of pie to go).

Overhead OK

Grove, Oklahoma and Grand Lake.

Earlier in the day...

Here is my 4th rental SUV for these family visits to Oklahoma, Kansas & surrounding states.  Escapes here and here and a Jeep (that one came with waves from other Jeep drivers).   Fun for the drives, and, no, it's not all flat!

 

The New Plan

Our new inspiration, a beach in Spain.

 

"Whatcha doing?"   "Moving this rock I keep hitting with the mower."

 

 

And we have new additions to our rock collection.  The big one took two boards to lever it out. One more rock to go from the former blackberry bramble.  I recommended adding more dirt instead.

 

What's it called?

This fragrant rose (?) is a volunteer.  The bees like it too.   Do you know what it is called?

Destruction

A little destruction can be good for the gardener.  One less blackberry bramble, now cut and mowed.

It started a few weeks ago with just a little trimming between these two trees.  We just kept going to the left, until the rain started.  One more weekend and it was done.

Garden Helpers

I've been asking for recommendations for a gardener.  One who is okay with natural/rural landscaping and just keeping things trimmed and tended. Look who has applied.

The hillside rose bush is being tended by the largest garter snake I've seen here.

Hillside Rose

Last weekend, the hillside rose had a blossom in the very top of the large wild shrub.

This weekend, there are many more.

Links from prior years:  Year 'round rose and Winter version

Surprise Guests

Check out the new addition on the little shelf in the loafing shed. 

 

I thought it was on old nest since I couldn't see anything in it.  Then I held up the camera and discovered the eggs.  As I left, I saw the robin on the house roof watching.  I checked a little later and could just see her yellow beak at the edge of the nest.

 

The repurposed loafing shed seems to attract visitors. 

Let's Go With...

Our friend is 4 days into his hike of the Appalachian Trail.  We spent an hour hiking "with" him in spirit today.  He will cover more of the 2,180 miles than we will, that's for sure.

 

 

Through the woods and around the pond /swamp.
 



 Petunia's cousin was out on the trail near the pond.   The AT hiker is likely to see snakes and skunk cabbage too.

Yes, one geocache stop.  This is a fitting travel bug as tree frog singing season is in full force.

 

Back home, I see we have our own critter trail on the east side of the property.

 

January Sunshine

With a nice dose of fog for a trip to the 

Pike Place Market. 

Happy New Years Geocache Day

Travel bugs don't fit in this small cache.  The next one had room, though. 

Last cache of the day was a large one on someone's front porch!