I've been busy II

I had to go to work.
But now I'm back....
I tried this last night and it didn't work.
Let's see if ti works tonight...
After I finished fixing the fence...
I planted the lilac bush.

 

It's still looking perky after a week in the ground.  So far the dogs are leaving it alone, and they haven't run it down yet.

After I got the lilac in I did some serious work on the flower beds.  I weeded, planted seeds, and moved the blocks around.

That's kinda of what it would look like if yer standing in front of it.  There's another one in front of the Trumpet vine.  But it still looks like a big ol patch of dirt, so I wasn't motivated to take a picture.

After I finished that, I dug up more bricks...

These came from...

 

The end of the concrete that might be a patio.  I also found some cool flat 4X4 tiles:

I'm hoping there are more of these.  After I dug those up I was pretty much done for the day.  I could have done more but...

That's ant central, and I didn't feel like going there then.

Saturday I got out early and I finished the fire pit.  Which entailed dismantling ant central.  I did it early and it was cool, so they weren't too bad.  I think there has been a drastic decline in the ant population in the yard.  I'm not postive, but I think there are fewer of them.  Maybe the mantis egg cases are doing their job.

I've also got a healthy population of fireflies in the yard.

The fireflies are awesome this year.

The first firefly of the year was very remarkable.  I had been looking for them for a few days, going out at dusk and watching for a few minutes, waiting for them to show up.  On June 1 I stepped out the door and there was a firefly hovering at eye level, like he'd been waiting for me.

The reason for the firefly digression is that the larva are supposed to be voracious.  Maybe they are helping me out.

I know it's not big or fancy, but it will contain a fair size fire.  That's all the blocks I have right now.  When I get more I'll expand.  I'm thinking about hotdogs burned to a crisp over an open flame.  As soon as the wood dries out...

The rest of the day Saturday was consumed in mowing the yard.  I got started on the alley, but the freak downpour, I felt one drop and then it was pouring, kinda put an end to that..  By the time I got everything put away it was over.  But  I have all electric lawn tools and water and electric don't really go well together.  Besides it was getting late and I had plans for Saturday night...

Sunday was still kinda drippy.  But I got out and did some weeding and I started on the fence line.  The plan is to plant climbing plants all along the fence.  It'll be kinda like a living privacy fence.  I've got a mix of morning glories, sweet peas, and moon flowers.

The shade packets are for under the trees.  I don't know if any of it will grow, the seeds are at least a year old.  But I started on the fence line.

As you can see, I've got a lot of fence line.

Tonight I went out and did some serious, if scattered weeding.  I transplanted 3 (4 if you count the one I'm not moving.) of the volunteer tomato plants.  My volunteers or big and healthy, I think they can handle the new assignments.  I got the tomato out from between the oregano plants.  Weeding the herb garden was fun cuz all the herbs smell so good.

Future projects include tilling up the alley way and throwing the rest of the flower seeds in there.  Just to see what will grow.  I know I'm off season for some of it, but it might grow next year.  I've got sun flowers, and holly hocks, and seeds for a cutting garden, and a collection of shade seeds for behind the shed.

So far the veg is doing well.  I've got lots of little green cherry tomatoes and a passel of radishes about ready to go.  There are a couple of peppers I need to pick.  I'm gonna go out tomorrow with the scissors.  The large bottle gourds are looking very interesting.  I'll have to get a picture of them.  The small bottle gourd, only one of them came up, is doing OK, but not keeping up with big ones.  I think it's because the grapevine is trying to come back over.

The grapevine took over the tree next door.  The tree is dead, but it's nice and green because of the grapevine.  It's growing along a limb right above the small bottle gourds.  I don't think they got enough sun.

The grapevine is trying to gain a hold on my power line, so it has to go.  That's a future project, maybe tomorrow.  The ground should be dry enough for a ladder.  If it doesn't rain.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.