Monsoon season in Indiana

In the summer, my attention turns from the house to the outdoors.

I garden until dark.

Until past dark.

I garden in the rain.

I'm certain people who drive by think I must be crazy.

If I am crazy, gardening is wonderful therapy.

When the ground is soaked, the weeds pull easily from its grasp.

 

It has been raining each and every day.

Yesterday, thunder and lightening overhead

as I pulled grass from the sidewalk's edge.

 

 The cat lay nearby under a bush.

He and I both dry beneath the dense leaves above.

 

Finally, after several strikes of lightening, I decided it was time to go in.

 The rain fell in sheets.

 

When I turned to look back at my garden, 

I went into the house to get my camera.

 

 When I moved here five years ago,

I claimed this patch of yard that was once grass.

Now, very little grass remains.

I love the rain.

My plants love it, too.

I don't understand why people often complain about rain

 when without it,

we couldn't grow crops

or have beautiful gardens.

 

The rain to the wind said,
You push and I'll pelt.'
They so smote the garden bed
That the flowers actually knelt,
And lay lodged--though not dead.
I know how the flowers felt.”
― Robert Frost

Planting in Indiana

Seems every year I am chomping to plant.  Here in Indiana, they say not to plant until after Mother's Day.  I took a chance and planted today- but planted in planter boxes.  I used to live in zone 5 and now I live in zone 6a.
I buy a lot of plants at Farmer's Market and for the past few years I've bought from two people.  This year I found a new guy at Farmer's Market and I really like his plants.  And, he has good prices.  He sells his hostas five for $25.00.  I bought seven hostas from him, a begonia and a columbine.  Below is the beautiful begonia.  I love begonias because they remind me of my paternal grandma.  She always had begonias. 

Begonia

 We have two planter boxes beside the carport.  I've always planted the lower planter box with colorful annuals.  The last year or two I started mixing in some perennials.  Doug lets the chickens free-range,  and they have torn my planter all to hell.  So I decided I needed to put in larger plants.

lower bed

 The other problem I've had with the upper box is the cats thinking they can use it for a litter box.  So I planted a lot of hostas and the columbine and then we gathered stones from the creek and I edged the beds with the stones.  Hopefully that will keep the cats and the chickens out.

upper bed

I was just doing some hosta research online and it said there are approximately 45 species of hostas and 600 varieties.  I bought my hostas on two different occasions and I was trying to get a lot of variety and I'm happy to say not one is the same.  Here are all of the hostas that I purchased: 

Queen Josephine

Great Expectations

Fragrant Bouquet

Ann Kulpa

Golden Tiara

Thunderbolt

Paul's Story

I've been keeping all of them under the carport since we bought them.  It was hotter than blue blazes today (about 85 degrees) so I took the plunge and planted.  I think they will be fine.  As long as I can keep the cats and the chickens out of them!

From field to desk (Wordless Wednesday)

Decked out

Summertime

And the livin' is easy

Fish are jumpin'

and the cotton is high

1935, George Gershwin- Porgy and Bess

lyrics by DuBose Heyward

When I was very young, Mother would play albums on the record player and the soundtrack from Porgy and Bess was always one of my favorites.  If you aren't familiar with it, you might check it out.  I especially love the Summertime song. 

Yesterday when I went to Farmer's Market, I filled my market basket with pots of flowers.  Today we went to one of my favorite places to purchase plants, Bloomington Valley Nursery.  I call it "Happy Valley."   Our good friend Jeanna works there. 

Once again I filled my market basket and then some.  I like my flower pots filled to overflowing.  I came home and planted and planted.  Seems everything I do I do to excess and today was no exception.  I nearly ran out of flower pots.  We have an old deck and we are using my old wicker set which is now 24 years old.  

These photos were taken this afternoon in the late afternoon light.  This is my deck- decked out.

Sunny Sunday

This past weekend was the first time we did not have rain for many weeks.  I have been desperate to work in the yard.  I worked in the yard for a few hours on Saturday and then on Sunday, I worked in the yard for the entire day.  It was probably eighty degrees or so.  I kept taking Popsicle breaks.  I would get a sugar-free Popsicle and as I sat and ate it, I would play fetch with Chelsea.  I also drank two large bottles of Gatorade and when I felt as if I was going to pass out, I went in the house to have some yogurt.
I had the highest reading yet on my pedometer!  Even higher than on Friday, when I worked all day, then went to the Y in the evening and did six miles on the elliptical. 
I was cleaning out an over-grown area in the back yard and I was on my feet all day.

This is the part of the yard that I "beautified."

This is where I cleared out all of the overgrowth.

This is most of what I cleaned out. 

One of the new hostas that I planted.

Where this hose is, just hours before,

there was a sticky bushes.

We've decided to tear all of the sticky bushes out. 

They are ugly, we don't like them- so "outta here!"

Cleaned all of this out.  Our Rose of Sharon was out of control. 

We may cut it all the way down.  Tore out the weeds and will plant here.

I think my favorite tool is my pruners.  Dug bought a big ol' set of pruner/trimmers that would probably cut my arm off if I wasn't careful.  I love them though.  As I've said before, in the yard, I am both judge and jury.  If I say it goes, it goes.  If I allow it to stay, it stays.  This is my third summer here and I am determined that this place will be a showplace when I get done with it.  It certainly has the potential.  There isn't tons of acreage, but there is a lot of land and lots of "hidey-holes" to be cleaned out.  I'm on a mission. 

*Please let me know if there are any problems with my new lay-out on your end.

footnotes

This has been a hectic week. Tomorrow is commencement at the university. I have been taking phone calls this week to assist people with special needs seating. Coordinating parking and seating for those who are either in a wheelchair or who have limited mobility. My phone rang off the hook. I assisted over three hundred people and spoke with many more. Normally, I work commencement. My son is graduating tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will be Mom.
I just took Chelsea out for her last potty. It is very cool this evening. I have on these Capri pant p.j.'s with a tank top. It was chilly. There is a part of me that loves having a dog and taking it out...the quiet you experience, the mystical magic. It is calming and peaceful. Like getting up with a baby that just wants to be held. You are caring, but also finding comfort in being needed, but not so much that it is demanding. Just a connection. I take Chelsea outdoors and look up at the sky and feel the breeze, see what is blooming, noting the current weather.
I have been exhausted because of the non-stop calls at work, but when I got home after five, I would change and work in the yard until I forced to stop. In the yard, I am both judge and jury. I decide what stays, what lives, what goes and what is ripped out by the roots. I've been edging the walkway in the back yard and pulling out weeds, raking up twigs and leaves and getting the yard in shape. No matter how many hours I'm out there- that sort of work doesn't bother me. I'm physically tired, but mentally energized when I'm outdoors.
I'm feeling a little emotional about my son's graduation. He is my youngest. I moved to the same town that he goes to school almost three years ago. It has been nice being able to meet him for meals and getting together for talks. I know as of the end of July, he will be moving out of state. Both of my children are intelligent and independent. That is what you strive for as a parent, for them to be autonomous. I will miss him, though.
And that stupid song..."Pomp and Circumstance..." it always makes me cry.
I'm wearing the dress that I wore to Doug's son's wedding in Hawaii. It is a sleeveless linen dress with a matching cardigan. I have new sandals and I've just polished my toenails. I'm ready.
At least on the outside.

Wordless Wednesday

Lovely

These are the lovely end-of-summer flowers that I cut from those in my yard a couple of nights ago, and brought into my office, so that all might enjoy. Lovely

End of summer sunflowers

And this is the lovely spider that we discovered in the flowers, in the office.

I think this: he had to have been in the flowers as I carried them in my arms to the house. He had to be in the flowers as I arranged them. He had to have been in the flowers, in my car, as I brought them to work. And he has just been hanging out- yesterday and today, so very near to where I sit.

One of my colleagues discovered the spider. I said "just remember they are more frightened of us than we are of them." She nodded in agreement, doubtfully. I took the entire arrangement out onto the veranda and flicked him off of his leaf. Remember my motto: "spiders are o.k. outdoors, inside- not so much."

I tried to identify him because he does have very distinctive markings. However, I could not find any photos or description of such a spider. In the process, I did learn the name of another spider that I see often where we live. Remember the spider who took up residence in the birdhouse and had a tunnel leading right into the birdhouse? [Tuesday, September 1, 2009] The name of that spider is "funnel weaver" or "grass spider." Agelenidae.

You never know what delightful discovery you may make. Have you made a delightful discovery, today?

Lace made by a Queen.

I love wild flowers. One of my favorite's are Queen Anne's lace. Daucus Carota, commonly called Wild Carrot, Bird's Nest, Bishop's Lace and Queen Anne's lace. This is the scene in a pasture down the road from our house.

An entire field of Queen Anne's lace.

Legend tells us that the tiny darker flower in the center represents a blood droplet where Queen Anne pricked herself with her needle whilemaking the lace. The function of the tiny darker flower in the center is to attract insects.

Each of these close ups were taken in my yard.

Given the choice, I love to let plants grow and see what comes up.

Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them. A.A. Milne

I promise - there is a bird feeder under there, somewhere!

Last summer, we went canoeing one day and as we were taking out the canoe, a piece of ivy got caught in my Keen sandal. I tripped and it pulled the ivy out of the sand. I lifted it up and there was a long strand of ivy, approximately eighteen inches long, complete with roots.

I took it home and planted it at the base of the bird feeder pole and as it began to grow, I tied it to the pole, in order to train it. This summer, it just took off. No training necessary. Again, sometimes it is just that easy. Feeder in our front yard covered in ivy.

The (naked) Ladies

Here is a current story, cleverly written about the naked ladies flower. This story was posted yesterday. I just went out and took these photos of the naked ladies growing in our yard and came inside to post this. Then, I did a search to see what the real name of this plant is or the story behind it and stumbled upon yesterday's story. The botanical name, genus Amaryllis, species belladonna causes it to also be known as the Belladonna Lily. Also Jersey Lily and the Lily Langtry. I've not heard them called by any of those names here in Indiana. I believe I have only heard them called Naked Ladies and I believe some people call them Pink Ladies.

We did not plant these originally, they were planted by previous owners.

They run along our drive.

Personally, I am shaped more like an eggplant, and so I greatly admire these tall slender ladies.

Cheryl, Cheryl, quite contrary...

How did the nursery rhyme go?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

how does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells,

and pretty maids all in a row.

My version would be something like this:

Cheryl, Cheryl, quite contrary,

how does your garden grow?

With wild plants and marching ants,

and limestone rocks in a row.

(I edge my beds with limestone that I dig from the yard.)

Remember my plant children? I have been away so long, dear reader, that they have nearly grown up. I took a walk this evening and shot some pics, that I might share with you what is going on in our yard. Hanging basket.
Brick flower bed next to the carport. Usually I use a lot of dusty millers, impatience, vine and this year I decided to switch it up. I ordered geraniums from the 4-H, so I built from there.

I usually plant annuals in these two beds, but this year I decided to put in some perennials. I can't remember the name of this little guy, but I like him a lot and he is doing quite well. (Yes, my plants are gender-specific.) I put various shells and rocks in these beds around the plants because Doug's cat insists on using my flower bed for a litter box and I read that cats don't like the feel of rocks and shells on their paws. He is not deterred, though. Does anyone know of any hardy plants that will stand up to cat urine?

I planted this last year and it came back, and is spreading!

The fern is from last year and the bit of Jacob's ladder, too. The pink feathery plant is new and I was told it would do well where my bleeding hearts grow. My bleeding heart plant nearly tripled in size this year from last year. Lots of morning sun.

This little guy was a potted plant that I bought for a center piece for St. Patrick's Day in March. I managed to keep it alive until it was time to plant and he is doing quite well.

Creeping Thyme. Also planted last summer- thriving and creeping.

Echinacea.

I love this little soft plant. Silvery mound. I have heard in some parts of the country it will come back from year to year. We live in zone 5B so we shall see.

New, very delicate but so far, so good.

This is a new Yarrow plant. I had brought Yarrow from my yard in New Castle and we threw it into the vegetable/fruit garden and it was doing quite well, growing all over. Our ploughman plowed it under this year (he plows for free so we didn't complain) so this is a new one. I love Yarrow.

And the glory of the garden. I bought these on clearance last year and put them in the ground very late in the season and they ,,too have tripled in size. I also planted another one this year. This photo doesn't capture the true color - a brilliant sunset orange/red.