Saturday, September 20, 2014

Saturday Night and a Tiny Rant

As if I am not worn out watching out for THESE GUYS


I have never, ever in my life, seen turtles out heading across the road in 
mid-September!!!!  Yes, I helped this little guy... and held up three cars while I did it. (It was on a gravel road on the way home from the old house, not on a highway, thank heavens) 

He was heading for a very deep ditch, too, so he got a lift up. 


And now... THESE GUYS are going back and forth across the road. (though this is our driveway) 
Yes, it's a wooly bear... and yes... it's almost black, you can hardly see the bands. 
Old wives tales say that that means we are going to have a harsh winter again. 

I am seeing scores of them, so if you see me swerving suddenly in Leavenworth County, Kansas, this is why. 

Good gravy.  
I'm going to end up being an agoraphobic at this rate. 


I thought you might be interested in seeing the roots on a few of the plants I have 
been digging out of the beds.  This is an elderberry.  They are NOT fun to dig up. 


But, as you see... I have made HUGE progress.  

This is the back side of the south bed.  See the piles of debris? 
I hauled them all away today, and built another compost heap over by the old garage that you see in this picture. 


This is how I moved them.... one load by one load.  It was 86 out and 86 percent (nearly) humidity.  It was very tiring, if I do say so. 

But, it's all finished.  I am going to rake the bed over, get the rest of the little weeds out 
of it... and then add a little dirt, and a lot of mulch. 


This dog, whom we love so much, will not let us groom her.  There must be a thousand stick tites on her. 
She is going to have to go to the vet and be sedated, because she literally will attack us if we come near her with a brush.  


Many of the bean fields around us are ready to be harvested.  

Ditto the corn. 


This year, Leavenworth County farmers are going to have a good harvest, unlike the last two when the corn and beans burned up. 


After I got all the weeds out of the south bed... I was rewarded today. 


The orange zinnias are so bright that you can barely see the phisostegia. 


Exposing the flowers also brought beautiful visitors. 


I wish I knew my butterflies, but for some reason, I think this is a moth. It's beautiful, though, isn't it! 


The pear tree that has turned. 


The pear tree that didn't bear this year, and has not turned. 

Strange. 


Keith insisted I go home after cleaning up all the debris from the two beds, he told me I was 
not looking very well.   I had started the day not feeling well, and the humidity got to me. 
In fact, I had put the dogs in the house for the last half hour I was there... they were suffering, too. 
We turned the air on for them (and us). 

Storm clouds began building, and by the time I went to church,it was 
very dark. 

When we came out at six... it was sunny again... no rain! 

Tomorrow is our grandson Jace's 3rd birthday party... we can't believe the 
little guy is already three years old!  He's even a big brother to baby Carson now. 
In the evening, we have Jaxton's third baseball game with his new team, so 
it's a full day for Grandma and Grandpa, but doing things we love to do. 



11 comments:

  1. I hear you. Even our lower than normal temps had me sweating. According to the fogs we had in August winter is going to be rough. I have noticed Mother Nature preparing early. Scary.

    I piddled, weeding, trimming, cleaning water gardens, planting irises, and working in the old house. I worked too long and hard...muscle spasms and nothing but ice for them.

    Our dogs were covered with beggar's lice. I did not have time nor energy to brush them. I think they were after a rabbit. They were not successful.

    Have a blessed evening.

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  2. I've noticed almost all black wooly bears here in western MA, so bad winter!! Oh well, at least we won't have the humidity.Cheers, Peter

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  3. Maybe you can replant the elderberries somewhere else and enjoy the berries.

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  4. The heat and humidity get to me too. I really don't go out much at all in it. We've had some cooler days and I have enjoyed them. Sounds like you will have a wonderful Sunday there ! Enjoy !

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  5. has lily always been this way with grooming? teddy got groomed once a week for years. suddenly, two years ago, she refused to go to the groomer. she won't let us groom her either. i try to do a little each day but after a few minutes, that is it. i wonder why? i bet you will be happy when the old place is ready to rent!

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  6. What a lot of work you got done. I would have been toast in that high of humidity. I didn't know that about wooly bears.
    I did know that about turtles, about them leaving when rain was coming. I think.
    Your dog has such a sweet lovely face. I remember my dog got like that too. She would see me with that brush and bite me.
    Not the dog I have now.
    I hope you get her brushed.
    Have a wonderful evening. I hope it cools off soon.

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  7. Howdy, why do you dig up your elderberry plants? Do you not eat the berries? Just curious. I am always on the hunt for elderberry plants that produce well.

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  8. Hi Mary Ann,,,, maybe you could get a muzzle for Lilly... Then she would not be able to bite! Don't some vets use them?
    So much work you have been doing..
    Nice you saved the turtle.
    We have those wooly bear caterpillars too,,, ours have some orange in them
    love
    tweedles

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  9. That planter bed looks great. I can't believe how fast things grow in your area. I suppose one benefit of living in the west, during a drought, is that things don't grow very fast. Do you know why Lil hates the brush so much?

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  10. I know all about being too hot and working hard too Mary Ann. We reclaimed at least a 1/2 acre if not more this past weekend. Hubby on the tractors and me on the ground. Cutting roots and limbs, trimming up the trees we were keeping and running my chainsaw. We are all worn out......us, tractors and chainsaws.

    And Miss Lily looking all innocent at you too.

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