what used to be

August 21, 2020

This post was written almost a year ago…back when I was still working, before the pandemic, before the world went crazy. I wasn’t going to repost this, but then I figured, why not. Just to remember… I haven’t been able to get back out and work on this garden since. Winter set in shortly after. Then it seemed like we went from winter to summer…just like that. With the heat of the summer and the pandemic, haven’t had a chance. Life goes that way, doesn’t it?

“What is a weed?
A plant whose virtues
have never been discovered?”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, here are two recent photos I took today…the grasses and vines have taken over so much, I didn’t take many.

a yellow gladiola and a “black” Crepe Myrtle. I think it’s a Black Diamond Crepe, but I lost the identification card that goes with it. So only time will tell.

When I get to work on the gardens again, I will be sure to show you new photos. It won’t be too long, I promise!

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originally posted Sept 22, 2019

CAREFREE SATURDAY 20

Some explanation, I think is needed… “Carefree Saturdays” was written when I only had 1 day off from work. I was getting so stressed, that I took Saturday, and made it a carefree day. No laundry, no chores…only did what I wanted to do, to take care of myself. I did “whatever” and posted about it on Sunday.

On this Saturday, I decided to work on this garden… it was extremely overgrown with vines, weeds, and grasses. Grass and vines are really the only thing that bothers me, in the garden. Some of the grass I believe is rye, but I don’t know for sure. If that was the only grass, I wouldn’t worry about it. But we have wire grass as well, which the original owners planted…and I absolutely do not like. It’s hard to get rid of.

Getting Started:

I actually started Friday night, before dinner. I clipped some of the Black Eyed Susan heads back, put them in a bucket and dumped them in another garden. I got two buckets, and I’ve barely touched the garden. I started here (above photo), in the foreground and am working my way back. I may not be able to get it all done before it gets too cold. But at least I will have made an effort.

Saturday morning:

I went to get the wheelbarrow so I could put the dirt in it and the tire was flat. So instead I grabbed the lawn mower and hooked the trailer up to it. That actually is much better, I can dig more and not strain my back dumping the load. (You will see a picture of it at the end.) My boyfriend says he’s going to dump it today.

Things I found while working in the garden…

He – or she – is dead. Part of the cycle of life. Cicada are actually one bug I won’t pick up. Too clingy!

This little butterfly actually stayed put most of the time I was working in the garden. It was quite chilly when I started.

I was actually getting ready to dig and saw these two praying mantis’ in the garden. I believe they are mating – but don’t quote me.

That’s about all the Black Eyed Susans I saved from the section I dug up. There’s Black Eyed Susans and Iris’. I thought I’d have to dig up some iris’ from another section, but what I had filled up the space quite nicely.

I didn’t save these… As pretty as they are, they are a wildflower and won’t take long to come back. They are every where! One year, about this time, I had so many in one garden it looked like a layer of snow laying over the flowers/plants. I’ll have to see if I can find the picture.

Above, and below…a wildflower/seedpod that is native to Pennsylvania.

It’s very pretty! And it grows like, well, a wildflower. The leaves and plant, before flowering, look a lot like baby Mimosa trees. A few years ago, I pulled up a bunch of these flowers, thinking they were trees, before I realized they were wildflowers I had gotten from Pennsylvania while camping. Considering they are wildflowers, they come back easily.

That’s all! For today anyway – or yesterday! Doesn’t look like much, but the trailer is pretty full. And an update on the wheel barrow…I’m still waiting for a new one. A new wheel costs the same as a new, double wheeled wheel barrow. So, we’re getting a new one…eventually. I’m going to use the old one as decoration in one of my gardens.

And then there’s this….

My boyfriend keeps mowing this baby crepe myrtle down, so I put two rocks around it. I need to dig out the grass and put mulch around it, but I didn’t feel like doing it yesterday…since I put the rock there, the crepe myrtle has gotten twice as big.

A dying off Queen Anne’s Lace and a close up below. (I’m pretty sure it’s Queen Anne’s Lace!)

So that was my Saturday, back in September of last year! Working on the garden. Not too bad!! I had the next two weekends off. Not sure what we did, but I’m sure it was a carefree day. October 31, was my last day working at Home Instead Senior Care.

I think I’ve rambled on enough about my day, so I’m going to finish here. Hope you enjoyed!

“Love me like Saturday night,
like three glasses of champagne,
like the room is spinning,
like you’re drunk on my love.
~ C.J. Carlyon

Have a great time, what ever your plans are!!
Thanks for stopping by!