Here I've sat most of the winter 'waiting' for spring to arrive. And now 
it is April 9th: Sure enough, it's here! I don't know if spring somehow slips up on us as we grow older with age, or whether it just seems like winters are terribly cold, snowy and painfully long! I can remember as a child really enjoying winter months of ice skating, sledding, ice fishing and endless outdoor fun things. It was even better at Christmas with all the added fun and surprises. But now I see the coming winter months with a sense of dread and dislike! Even Christmas seems distant now, but then cherished as a child! It seems I could have spent more time this winter in planning and preparation. But, I must confess some plans got side-tracked or forgotten about. Now I find myself planning on a daily basis of what to do, what needs to be done, and what actually gets done. It seems like I've wasted three months (January, February & March) doing nothing. But deep down inside I know that's not true. There was a LOT of work done during those months: Just snow plowing alone was an almost daily job! (But we do not hold any records over Boston!) And there were indoor projects too; repairs, squeaky doors, plumbing updates, equipment maintenance, and a host of other things! So maybe I shouldn't beat myself up too badly.
As I look at my work schedule 
over the past 10 days I really am surprised at just how much I've accomplished. I had ordered and spread three tons of pea gravel for use in landscaping, pathways and mulching. I had cleared debris and assorted refuse from three gardens and burned it as a precautionary measure against overwintering insects. All three gardens have been roto-tilled. All iris beds have been cut back, cleared and checked for winter rot. The cellar has been cleaned of all winter produce including the last of potatoes, onions and carrots. Remaining potatoes are being used as seed; have been cut, cured and dusted with sulfur as a fungicide. (They were planted yesterday, April 8th.) Most vegetable seeds have been purchased for direct planting when soil temperature and other conditions are right. Spring strawberry plants were set yesterday, April 8th. All perennial beds have been cut back including mums, lilies and other tall perennials. Seven bundles of onion plants arrived today from Dixondale Farms in Texas, and the soil is way too wet for planting today. So now that I've patted myself on the back, I will become serious and note my ongoing jobs in the next paragraph.
I guess the point I am trying to make is this:
No matter how much I plan, it seems there is never enough time to get everything done in a given day. There are numerous jobs that require our total attention every day, and sometimes the only way to confront them is with a pencil and piece of paper to list every single item for a particular day: Then if it does not all get done, start over the next day, setting priorities of course. And surely there is always the weather: Too much rain, wind & cold can put a stop to all activity in the gardens and landscape. Such a day is occurring as I write with morning thunderstorms, severe weather watches and soggy garden soil which is much too wet for planting onions. Then there is always that terrible ingenious invention the smart phone: Even my e-mail follows me to the garden! The other point I make to myself is this: All Springtime activities related to yards and gardens can become a little overwhelming and may lead to hysteria of sorts if we do not plan and organize. I like the old fashioned method of pencil and paper (or keyboard & PC) if necessary. When my outdoor tasks become too tedious and un-enjoyable, then something is wrong! Gardening for me is a natural thing: It should be enjoyable and fun, never dull or routine!
I wanted to have something original to write about today with descriptive words, glitzy pictures and interesting topics. However, I find myself this year with little time left, a busy, busy schedule and nothing of importance that would appeal to most. Yet I wanted to mark the changing of seasons, and the end of another calendar year. The day on Friday (12/19) was spent in Indianapolis; and I thought of getting some pictures of the ‘city’ sights, but no camera (cell phone camera acceptable but not in traffic.). Road construction was everywhere on the north side of town, requiring advanced driving skills just to stay on course (and possibly to stay alive!). Traffic was extremely heavy and maddening during the afternoon rush hour.
So with these thoughts in mind, I decided today, December 20, 2014 to just be myself and write something short, heartfelt and appropriate for a gardening blog post! As stated in the first paragraph I really cannot think of anything specifically personal, interesting or important. About the only thing coming through the fog of the holidays are pictures of past winter months and Christmas. Pictures are always an important part of history whether personal or not. So I will add what pictures I have available from last year (and some from the year before). There's nothing unique about the weather here today, but according to the weather experts that will all change before Christmas next week. Many are saying a huge winter storm will impact the upper Midwest and Northeast. We will have to wait and see.
I am thankful for the opportunity to be a small part of this gardening community known as ATP. It has become a database of useful plant documentation and information. The pictures on this site are first class as seen in our recent photo contest. ATP members are among the most helpful, knowledgeable and courteous I’ve encountered anywhere on the web. Although I’m not on here as much as I’d like, this is my first stop in seeking information for different plant cultivars and photos. We can search for other information and check forum discussions on specific topics, or browse the Green Pages for useful comments and experiences about specific gardening businesses. And, my favorites are sometimes found in the Ideas and Articles section. This gives me an insight to other thoughts and opinions, as well as life experiences. Finally I am partial to the Blogs for differing perspectives and viewpoints. Rarely will my comments be read by more than a handful of readers. But, to those who venture onto this post please read on.
Today is November 18. According to the calendar winter should not be happening until December 21. This unseasonable weather pattern began several days ago when the weather experts on the news casts began using words like, "polar plunge", "jet stream change", and "polar vortex". The picture at right is a screen shot of my Weather Bug App showing conditions at Fort Wayne about 8:30 this morning. We are about 60 miles southwest of there, but conditions are about the same here. Winds at that time were gusting up to 30 mph, and the wind chill at one point was at or about -9°F. For those of us who live out in the 'boonies' there is no escape from outdoor chores. We have a few chickens that must be fed, watered and cared for. There are also two garage cats requiring the same care. None of them will be allowed outside in weather like this. I remember too well the winter last season, and the extra work required for snow removal alone. I am hopeful this cold spell will end soon, or at least moderate to 'warmer' conditions.
It was not yet daylight when I got up this morning, so it was hard to see outside except for what my security light allowed. When daylight came it was a somber, cold view of the surrounding terrain. After outdoor chores I got a few pictures just for the record. The one at top left is a snowy scene across the road. It looks like haze, but in fact it is blowing snow across a harvested soybean field. At upper right is the Weather Bug App. At left is a shot of two Sweet Banana Peppers I had been saving and picking from. So those are now history! At right are some Hollyhock seedlings I was saving for spring 2015. They will probably survive because they are biennial, and 'if' we get enough snow cover for protection. So here we are in Autumn 2014, and already it looks like January 2014! It has been said, "What goes around, comes around". It sure seems we have come "around". I am updating this post on Friday, November 21 to include the following observations: After three or four days of lake-effect snow my sympathy goes out to the residents of Buffalo, NY and surrounding communities. Weather reports show 6, 7, and even 8 feet of snow in that area! This is unimaginable! So I will refrain from complaining about local conditions of cold wind and a couple inches of snow.
Here are some Sweet Banana Peppers from the Data Base to illustrate what's frozen in my garden. My appreciation and gratitude to those individuals who posted these photos. Thanks!
I am beginning this post on the last 'official' day of 
summer. It seems the summer of 2014 came and departed in record time. The normally hot, humid and sweaty days of July and August failed to materialize, or were very few in number. Rarely did daytime temperatures actually reach ninety degrees Fahrenheit during August; And rainfall locally was somewhat high at about four and one half inches for the month! Many of the days felt cool, damp and chilly. Officially (according to the National Weather Service) it was the coolest August on record for the central part of the state. July was also lacking in warmer temperatures. Typically these two months have always been unbearably hot, sticky and humid for as long as I can remember. However, this year was unusually cool during all the summer months, with night time temperatures in August falling sometimes into the lower 40's! With this said I cannot help but notice many unusual weather patterns across much of the continental U. S.
Watching the national newscasts during the past few 
weeks should have caught the attention of most people. Damaging floods were reported across the upper Midwest, Texas and in some of the New England states. Especially noticed were the ravaging floods across Arizona as a result of Pacific Hurricane moisture flowing inland from the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. I had never seen this much water in such an arid region of the southwest. These weather extremes are tragic, having incurred loss of lives and untold millions of dollars in personal property and homes! Another recent news item this past week concerned the severe drought facing central and southern California. I can only assume the news media are reporting fairly and accurately on these severe conditions. With all this in mind I'd like to explain the two pictures at the top of this post. They are from early October, 2011 when leaves had begun their annual transformation to vivid colors. The next two pictures are of an August 23rd sunset from our back porch at left, and a meadow scene at right near our home. All are within the county, and are easily accessed by vehicle and some on foot. Another topic I like this time of year is the change of plants (especially trees) into their autumn colors. As badly as I hate to see summer go, I truly enjoy the magic show of change in the leaves of shrubs and trees. Even plants in pastures look more like an artist's palette during the transition from summer to autumn. Their colors are transformed into buff, gold, lavender and bronze as shown in the meadow scene at right. Pictures say much more than words in most cases.
I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
I've liked the simplicity of this poem since first hearing it recited in my second grade classroom many decades ago. I remember it was spring with trees and shrubs visible from the hot, stuffy confines of the school building. There was no central AC back then. And there was often a wish to somehow escape this environment of unbridled boredom, torture and lack of interest in the monotony of the only teacher I have ever disliked. I just knew God would punish me because of my intolerance and ill feelings of this dreadful woman! Sure enough: I wound up in her third grade class at the beginning of the next school year! She had been re-assigned. God only knows how I survived that year: Maybe it was the memory of the poem, maybe luck, or maybe an early realization it was for my own good. Setting this personal story aside, the poem has remained a favorite for its simplicity over the decades. And my educational journey from that time was graced with some of the finest and most beloved teachers I've ever known! I don't know just how I got back to my now seemingly 'ancient' classroom: It must have been the years when my interests and ideas were beginning to materialize. At any rate I remember hanging onto studies, subjects and ideas about trees and plants of all kinds, especially the ones we raised at home. Thanks for visiting my blog; I hope you will stop by again soon.
Today marks the end of August, and I'm somewhat late in making this post. I had planned to work on this since August 19. However, I find myself without excuse except for another couple excursions to mark the Labor Day holiday. One side trip was to honor the grave sites of long departed friends and grandparents. Another venture was on the 19th to gather wetlands pictures. It is sometimes easier just to let the pictures explain themselves. I will add only what words are necessary to convey information. To begin I had wanted to continue my previous post, but that would have made it too long & boring; and the subject is different. So here we go with a more abbreviated post which hopefully will get to the point! The point is: It is the last day of August, and I feel summer has gone too fast! Another point is this: I needed to get out just to relax and see what all Mother Nature is doing in the country side. Sometimes this means grabbing the camera, a shovel & bucket and starting up 'ole Blue', my faithful pickup truck. We can find a lot in an hour or less from home.
One of the plants I found in all the wetland areas was Purple Loosestrife (aka Lythrum salicaria ) which is listed by some agencies as a highly invasive, and illegal plant to grow and/or sell. At this point I must reference the Missouri Botanical Garden Website at this link: PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE. The plant is seen in the picture above right with the purple upright spires of blooms. Also shown in that picture is a large Button Bush behind it, and an Orange Jewel Weed on the foreground. All of these plants are listed in the ATP Database for further study. Other pictures of interest from August 19 are shown below. Before I go any further, it should be made clear these types of pictures, plants and blog entries will not appeal to a broad range of readers. I can probably count on one hand the number who might possibly relate to or care about them. If only one person finds this post useful, then it was worth my time and effort.
