Flora and Fauna

When I moved into this house back in March, I told myself that I wouldn't do any major landscaping or planting until I lived through all the seasons here. I wanted to watch the sun, and see what volunteered to grow on it's own. There hasn't been any big surprises - mostly weeds or woodland plants that you might find just about anyplace that's been allowed to be wild. 

My friend, and realtor, Dennis brought me a raspberry vine. I probably got about five berries from this little vine. They were really tasty! 

I couldn't resist buying a couple of blueberry plants at a nursery sale.  They yeilded a few berries this season. Not so sweet, but maybe next season, once the plant matures a bit, I hope to have some sweet little berries for my cereal. Nothing better than fresh blueberries on a bowl of cereal.

There were some volunteer tomato plants that popped up in the front planting beds next to the yew. They didn't really taste that great, so ended up in the compost bin.

This is the one and only pear from my pear tree. The tree hasn't been taken care of in years - so I'm not too surprised that there isn't much fruit. I had my friends from Ascent come over and cut out all the dead wood and open up the canopy of the tree. I will give it a good fertilizing, and hope next season gives me some edible fruit. I want to try to make pear brandy. I've seen folks put a bottle over the fruit when it's just forming - letting the bottle act as a mini green house for the pear to grow in, once it's matured - they brew up some brandy in the same bottle with the pear. Sounds yummy!

This little moth stayed on my window for a day or so.. not sure why it didn't move. Maybe it kept thinking it could get inside to the orchid.

Or, maybe it was trying to figure out what kind of creature the oragami swan was. The orchid was a gift from Froelick Gallery. They gave it to me in April, it is on it's second round of blooms! The current bloom has looked just like this for almost two months. 

Love it!

I have not idea what in the hell kind of bug this is. The skin on the left is what the creature on the right crawled out of. I haven't seen another one since. 

This is a conjoined Black Eyed Susan. Weird, huh? I think it happended because it was super root bound in the pot that I rescued the plant from. I dunno.. maybe not .

Roses from my rose bushes. They weren't very well taken care of either, so I am grateful for the small bounty they gave me. I will have to prune them way back this year. The yellow roses aren't that pretty, but smell lovely. The others look cool, but don't have much fragrance. I will have to move them eventually. I plan on having a proper English rose garden in the back yard one day..

This is Henry. He is a caterpillar. I found him on the fern. I bet he will turn into something beautiful.

I puchased this Magnolia tree for $10 at another nursery sale. I hope it grows fast! I want it to fill in the whole corner of the side yard. It's supposed to grow to be about thirty feet tall and spread out to about fifteen feet - someday... 

Lastly, yesterday, Lucy (see her lil' paw leaving the shot..) and I came across this little grove of mushrooms. I wonder if that's where the faeries live?

Garage V.2

It's been a while, and life has been busy, but I have a finally have a homework free moment on this rainy cold autumn eventing - so, I'm going to attempt to update this blog with the more important happenings. 


I finished knocking the down the wall in the garage, and put away all the stained glass supplies. The garage has natural light and it doesn't feel quite as dark and dank in there. 

ready to work!

I also started to remove some of the paneling on the walls. I unearthed a vine of some sort, and some old newspaper clippings apropriate for a garage of the 1940's.

 

hmm.. wonder what kind of plant this was?

old cars.

I still wasn't sure if I could fit the wagon in here - but as you can see - she fits!

But... only by about inches. You have to pull her in backwards and line the door up with the stairs that go into the house in order to get out of the car. But at least she doesn't have to be out in the cold!