field of schemes

IT IS DONE.  Finally!

Those dark spots aren't uneven beds, just the spots where I've watered.  Here is a better idea of the bed shapes:

Let me start at the beginning.  When we were looking at this property, I saw the potential for a big flower cutting garden in the front field.  But as is, it was looking a little...rough.  And this picture was taken in early spring, before the field filled in with weeds.

Fast forward to this year.  We ordered lots and lots and lots of compost...

...and hired someone to level the field.

Then the compost was spread and the field was heavily tilled.  Todd and I dug out those paths, which we'll later line with landscaping fabric and top with mulch.  The garden was plant-ready! 

Unfortunately, my plants weren't exactly thrilled at the prospect of another move.  These little guys have been through the ringer!

I got off on the wrong foot with my seeds, using the wrong soil, wrong containers, wrong light, and wrong watering methods.  They had to be transplanted again...and again...and again as we dealt with project delays (the original plan was to have the plants in the ground by mid-May).  I finally ran out of containers, so they had to sit, root bound and crowded, while the job got finished.  They did NOT appreciate yet another move, especially in this heat, but it had to be done.  I actually felt a bit down while I was planting, because I'm not sure that I'll get a single flower from my efforts this year.  Because of the huge delay, the plants are stunted and their stems are weak.  Look what happened with my snapdragons, which were supposed to be 3 foot monsters, but because of sitting too long in pots only grew about 15" tall when I finally got them in a bed.  Weak and small flowers, too.  They should've been spectacular...but the timing just didn't work out this time.  I accept that I did everything possible to have a great garden this year, and even if it's just a dirt patch with green sticks, IT IS DONE and all ready for next year's flower bonanza, when I'll start my seeds inside, under grow lights, in mid-March.  It's nice to have this extra space for new plant purchases this year, and I've already had a visitor...and a gift!

She loves it when I spend as much time outside with her as possible.

We finished another near-and-dear-to-me project last week as well.  Remember our eyesore of a chicken coop?  Before we moved in, I don't think the back of the property had been touched in over 5 years.  Yikes!!

The inside was full of garbage...old tires and metal junk.  Todd and I cleaned it out...

...and beckoned to the dozer.  It was going...

...going...

...gone.

We had the space flattened, because we're getting ready to extend our red barn another 30 feet or so.

Half of that new space will be devoted to my garden projects...hooray!!  I've taken over our two-car garage with my soil mixes, pots, and tools...and I need space for shelving (seed starting) and grow lights.  We're also adding a very cute chicken coop with a little fenced-in run in front of the white animal barn.  Things are really starting to come together around here!  It's been so nice to work outside, sweet-smelling hay fields  and tree-covered slopes around the flower field...

...and plenty of blue skies overhead!

We've even been walking through the back fields a bit, even though they're a month overdue for a mow and the grasses are chest-high in places.  There's a dog at the end of that leash...somewhere!

I had to remove 2 ticks from Todd's back after this, though.  Hopefully we'll get it mowed soon!  We're talking about mulching a path down to the water, so we'll always be able to get there easily, even if the grass gets a bit high.  But that's a project for another day.

Have a great week!

Farm Charm

This week, Todd and I had a chance to visit a privately-owned farmhouse, built in the early 1900s. The farmhouse itself was small, white, and boxy, and no one had lived there for a long time. I was more interested in the surrounding area. I loved the weathered stone steps leading up to the sagging porch. I tried to imagine previous tenants - women in long skirts, men in stiff trousers - bounding up these very steps.

It was a beautiful day for a little exploring!

I found piles of weathered boards. What was their original purpose? Surely this board didn't say...brains?

Two old chicken coops still stood. I love old fashioned chicken wire windows. I saw a rabbit hutch, too, long empty.

Several buildings were missing some pretty essential parts...doors, walls, and roofs! The sunshine looked nice, streaming in.

An old bag of seed from a more recent year hung in one tiny shack.

I found a beautiful old walking stick with a delightfully twisted top. Although I've never used a walking stick, I like them. My great grandmother had several that were smoothly shaped and polished so that the wood glowed richly. They seemed too nice to be used!

Old farm equipment was still strewn about. This was a very industrious place at one time!

In an adjoining field, some considerate person erected a bird house. A quick peek inside told me that the occupant was out and about. A dense little nest was built there, with twigs and leaves and bright white feathers.

I saw several signs of the advancing season. This field weed is completely dry, just waiting for a nice brisk breeze to waft away its seeds.

This tree has been almost completely relieved of its fruit. A few dessicated apples hang on relentlessly. I bet this is a beautiful tree in the spring!

Despite the chill, a bit of life still stirs. A small plant flourishes in the rich soil tucked away in this tree stump.

A green vine clings stubbornly here.

A strange amoeba-like object has attached to this tree...

It completely covers this vine, an invasive species itself. I read recently that the "hairy" vines you sometimes see on trees are actually dormant poison ivy. You should never touch it, even if it appears dead! It can cause the same unpleasant effect as the lively green plant.

Wild berries are flourishing...

...while these oak leaves, crisp and brown, are ready for a long winter's nap. They'll make great compost.

I love to examine tree bark. This particular example seems almost reptilian.

I see shingles here!

The farmhouse owner called this fungus "Hog's Ear." It may sound strange, but I absolutely love tree fungus. It looks so otherworldly with its spiraling shelves and graduated colors.

Of course, lichen is a real favorite. I think it looks just like a lava flow.

Winter is definitely coming. These dripping icicles show that a freeze and thaw happened recently.

A puddle in a nearby field froze into whimsical whorls. It's like a very, very small ice skating rink. A fairyland.

Snow has collected in the pines...

...and on the ground.

I've finally got an excuse to wear my new mittens!

I found an insect gall on an oak tree in the front yard. Galls are really fascinating things. Insects burrow into the branch and emit a chemical that causes the wood to swell. The larvae develop inside the resulting ball. In oak trees, galls are typically caused by small wasps.

Speaking of wasps, a mud dauber left its telltale mark on this chicken wire door. Larvae develop in these "daubs" of mud, which are found on many structures.

A woodpecker has been here, leaving an almost unbelievably even line of small holes. Woodpeckers make these holes to look for insects, to mark their territory, or to excavate a nesting site.

Other birds have been working hard here, too. I saw several nests, tucked safely away.

I saw several loud, bossy blue jays. I was delighted, because while I grew up seeing them everywhere, I haven't seen one in the city where I live. Blue jays have a way of making their presence known, but all I've seen are dainty, polite martens and swallows.

It was nice to get away, because we've been quite busy at home. I've been packing orders for our eBay business, which always booms before the Christmas holiday season. Cooking, cleaning, and knitting have taken a sudden back seat...not necessarily in that order! It's a happy time, though, as we prepare to put up the Christmas tree and count our many blessings.

Here's to a productive week...with a great Christmas song soundtrack!