I have gotten the garden behind the sauna weeded; did that yesterday. I had finished that and gotten started on the Viburnum Area of the Stroll Garden, and my folks stopped by, so I came in. It was VERY WET yesterday, so I was pretty much mud from toes to mid thigh, which got me a very amused look from my mother as I promenaded through the house. It sort of had that “You will never grow up, you are still making mud pies” flavor.
Well, I have been desultorily engaging in the weeding job, but I just HAD to take a picture of the rain garden area today. The primroses are blooming, and behind it the Rock Garden and Hosta Dell are just really going to town.
Speaking of hostas going to town, look at this area.
I have moved hostas around in that area until who laid a chunk under it, trying to give them all enough space. I KNOW that you are supposed to space them according to the sizes posted on their tags, but I’m having a slight problem with this. When the tag says it is supposed to be 18-24 inches in diameter at maturity and the hosta itself gets so happy that it is more like 36 inches in diameter, I don’t think this is my fault. Along the back of the house I have several hostas that are acting like Mark McGwire on steroids, with their shoulders bulging and all. Maybe it is my compost.
Anyway, just to the north of the area above the scarlet milkweed my sister gave me a few years ago is just getting started.
Out in Jim’s shop the Carolina wren has built a nest on the paint can shelf. This is right by the door and she has a conniption every time anyone goes in there, which is quite inconvenient since it is where many of his tools live.
Out by the pond in the ornamental Japanese maple, a couple of robins have been sitting on a nest.
He was not too pleased to see me, and got off the nest and went over to the fence where he could yell at me more effectively. I took the opportunity to hold my camera above the nest and shoot blind.
Looks like they’ll be busy for the next week to ten days. Not as busy as the pair behind the sauna were, because it looks like she only got two hatchlings and they had four. Still, it’s nice to see another reproductive success. Not that we are lacking in robins around here, mind you. There is a pair who busily built a nest in the redbud by the front walkway, and you can’t tell me they didn’t notice me and my clients going in and out while they were building. But now, well, there are territorial issues and more conniptions of the robin sort happening every time someone arrives or leaves. Geez. It makes me wonder who owns this place anyway.
Now, I just have enough time to get really muddy before my four o’clock client arrives, so I believe I shall get back to work.
the havens 