LysmachiaMoon's blog: Rain and light icing

Updated: Spent a few hours outside after the rain stopped, cutting down brush along the old sheep fence line. I was only able to remove about a 7 foot section of fence and the honeysuckle tangled in it, but it made a big difference. The vines were very thick and had nearly smothered a very pretty honeysuckle bush (actually more like a small tree), so I was able to save that by cutting out the vines. The vines were so thick they had actually started to smother themselves out, in a big heap on the ground where they'd obviously overcome a rose bush. The bush must have collapsed and the honeysuckle vines were just a big matted, rotting tangle. So, got all that out of there and suddenly....there is the spot where I want my Asian garden to go! There's still another section of fence to cut out before the area is clear. Also, the next obstacle woven into the old fence is a monstrous wild rose...I dont want to kill that, just cut it down and get the fence wire out of it. I'll probably need to cut it right to the ground...I have a feeling that's going to be "ouchy" work. Those thorns are wicked.

I'm very pleased with the work I did. There's still a good bit to do, but it's sort of magical to be able to remove the ugly weeds/vines and suddenly see that nature herself has planted some lovely shrubs and small trees exactly where they should be to make a beautiful little garden spot. It's like unveiling a beautiful picture, wiping off the cobwebs.

It also looks as if a section of limestone ridge is jutting up right above where I was working today. If that is the case, I'll try to clean off some of the soil from it. It will make a wonderful little cliff-like border to the garden area, to demarcate it from the wildlife area above it.

Now, I need to really make sure that I dont let this area get completely regrown with blackberry and weeds. I think that as soon as the weather gets warmer, I'll begin hauling in all the woodchip mulch I can find and covering the whole spot. It won't keep down the blackberry, but those I can deal with (cutting and Roundup). I'm hoping to put in some pachysandra and other dense groundcover, but that might be a while yet.


Much milder this morning, hovering around the 32-33F mark; we've got rain, fog, some light icing on trees and tall shrubs, but nothing too bad (so far). I'm hoping that the temp will go up a bit during the day and we'll see all rain.

Placed a seed order with Shumways this morning (will walk it up to Post Office later); mostly annual flowers, but I also ordered a hop vine and Jerusalem artichoke roots. This is in keeping with my goal mix flowers and veg in the veg garden and beyond. Now I need to seriously consider a support for the hop vine! I would love to have it growing up and over an archway into the veg. Will need to scout around for archway material.

I never did get to put in a concrete pad in front of the garden shed and I really should move that to a top spot on the list. This morning was a good reminder of why I wanted one...with the frozen ground underneath and rain on top that area is a total swamp, about 2 inches of standing water and mud. It's kind of a wonder any grass grows there; the area right in front of the doors is very muddy and even in summer not much grass. I plan to use my WalkMaker form to do this; I put a double row of WalkMakers along the side of the shed (between shed and garden fence) and that worked beautifully. (I'm hoping to someday extend a roof over that area so that I have somewhere to run the wheelbarrow etc. under, out of the weather.)

I wonder if everyone would think I was nuts if I wore my army surplus poncho (gift from my wacky brother) on the walk to the Post Office? Maybe I'll do it anyways. What I really should do is paint a big hippie peace sign on the back! *chuckle* I will definitely wear my peace sign pashmina with it! (Ooo...just had a brainwave: note to self. Cut out peace sign stencils and stencil them all over poncho.)

Made a kinda neat discovery. I have a very old tin-top table from my mom that I keep in the office near the window to set plants on in the winter. There used to be a drawer in the table, but that went the way of all flesh. I also have a little "tea table" from my mom that is just short enough to slide right under the tin top table, where I keep it when I'm not using it. (It's just the right height for a coffee cup when I'm sitting on the sofa). While scrubbing the office floor (dratted cats), I happened to look up under the tin top table and see the bars that the old drawer used to hang on. Lightbulb moment. I got out my grow light and Ta-Da! it fits perfectly across the bars! And the tea table slides under it at exactly the right height! now i have a really simple, out of the way place to put my started seedlings!

OK, better get to work. That laundry isn't going to fluff and fold itself, missy.

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