Obviously my circadian clock is all screwed up and I’m going to have to do something to straighten it out. I’ll probably resort to a couple of fingers of Glenlivet over ice about 9 PM tonight and, by slowly sipping that 15-year-old Scotch I’ll be ready for the sack about 10 PM. Even if it doesn’t work and I still wake up early, I’ll at least have enjoyed my nightcap.
So what did I do this morning? Well, it’s true that I first woke up at 4 AM and tried to go back to sleep after a visit to the bathroom. When that didn’t work out (getting back to sleep), and Chester started to howl outside the door (Can cats “howl”?), I went downstairs and fed the cats, and the birds, and made myself a cup of coffee. Then I sat down and fired up the ole laptop and started surfing the net. Of course, much of what was new was posted late last night except for the news. And, being as it was Sunday night, there wasn’t much new.
I sat and listened to the birds and watched the sun come up. And while it rose, I thought of all those men and women who have died in service to our great country and who did not get to see as many sunrises as they should have. I said a silent prayer for them and their families and said thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice so the USA could continue to be the envy of the world.
Terry finally came downstairs around 7 AM and did her thing with tea and TV. We had some breakfast (Cheerios for me, Special K for her) and then we went down to Agway for some more bird feed (they’re going through 50 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds in two weeks, which is better than back in February when it was 50 pounds in a week to 10 days), a rose bush and a pot for some Coral Bells Terry bought last week for the front door.
We got back to the Aerie around 11:30 AM (we took the scenic route home) and the cats wanted to be fed again. Hey, why not. They got breakfast at 5 AM and their tummies have a schedule.
I went out to move some more soil about and plant some bulbs/corms for some Liatris I picked up from Agway. Terry grilled some burgers for our lunch and then came outside to repot her Coral Bells and plant her rose bush. I helped dig the rose bush hole in the rocky fill we have and moved some more dirt from the rapidly shrinking pile in front of the house. When I got to 10 or so wheelbarrow loads I called it quits for the day. I’ve about 10 more loads to move but I’m running out of places to put it. I want to have some of it retrievable for when we decided to put in another bed or two. I’ve already filled the areas behind the retaining walls, the raised bed in front and a makeshift bed beyond the bird feeders. I’ve also put quite a bit in the “compost” bin. (In reality, the compost bin is a couple of logs forming a U into which I’ve dumped grass clippings, sawdust, some vegetable peelings, etc. and about a dozen wheelbarrows of soil.) I’ll probably use what soil that’s left as top dressing. I’ll first rake up what stones have popped to the surface on our “lawn”, broadcast the soil with the shovel, rake it with a leaf rake, spread some starter fertilizer, and then over seed with some grass. With luck, it won’t get washed away in the first thunderstorm and even if it does, it might end up on the lower shelf where it can add nutrients for the grass that’s there. Of course, if I put some stone or landscape timbers at the bottom of the slope and fill the area behind with soil we could hold back some of the erosion and have more places for plants. I believe I’m going to have to learn to pace myself.
Liatris Bed
10 or 12 wheelbarrows full of soil on top of some leaves and grass clippings have made a nice deep 6' x 4' bed at the base of the slope by the power line.The 30 Liatris I put in here will, with luck supply food for butterflies and hummingbirds. I'll probably edge the front with stones. Lord knows we have enough to go around!
Compost Pile
Grass clippings, sawdust, soil and some kitchen scraps (here it's cantaloupe rinds) all held in place by some logs. I know I should be burying the kitchen scraps but 1) the rabbits like the cantaloupe 2) the raccoons haven't been around and 3) neither has the bear. 4) opossums are not to be feared 5) skunks are welcome (as long as they don't spray!)
(I really don't have a great deal of kitchen scraps in here anyway.)
One Sub-zero rose, yellow
Why do I feel this will be a continuing project.
The incredible shrinking dirt pile.
This was a huge mound of dirt when it arrived last fall. Three tarps barely covered it. Now, one is more than enough. I've been whittling it down a little at a time and can see the end is near!
No comments:
Post a Comment