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| Veterans Honor |
We continue to receive the benefits of the "firehose pumping water from the Gulf of Mexico." The IBM weather page promises rain all day today - Friday. A few Hollyhocks arrived by mail Wednesday so I soaked and planted them Thursday morning.
The tons of help I am receiving is from the sky. When the total rainfall is calculated over the entire yard for a period of time, tons of nitrogenated water are washing off plants, soaking the mulch and ground, and fertilizing each new plant, whether out of the box or returning from last year.
To get Hollyhocks ready, I cut holes in the bags and let the rainwater soak the packing material for 30 minutes or more. Tap water would work somewhat, but that contains chlorine rather than nitrogen. Stored water is better, but rainwater is best. Although little rain fell afterwards, more fell last night.
Rain-soaked plants seem to grow in 30 minutes. Roots get plump and the upper part sprouts white, as if looking for the promised sun. We had a last-minute appointment with a favorite doctor, so the deadline sped up my digging - which was easy in the soaked soil.
Mrs. Ichabod asked. "You really like gardening, don't you?" I said, "Yes, the planting and the results." We enjoyed the hardy bulb harvest, dozens of daffodils blooming from digging them in previous years. The crew got free ones, and theirs bloomed well too. The Military Gardening Group coveted the Grape Hyacinths, which grew up tall and lasted long into the spring.
Ranger Bob already has Joe Pye growing from last year. PFC did not want a nine foot plant, so I suggested Little Joe Pye, which I also planted. So did readers - and they loved it. PFC ordered his and wants a zillion Grape Hyacinths.
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| Grape Hyacinths are low risk - easy to plant in the fall, inexpensive, colorful, sweet-smelling, and multiplying on their own. |
I asked PFC, "Do you know how much Grape Hyacinths cost me?" He was not sure. I said, "A dime each!" Iris are often $20 each, so I remain allergic to the Greek word for rainbow - Iris. Ranger Bob has two large plantings of Iris, so we get some of his.
We all seemed to be waiting for rose blooms forever. Last Sunday I had a branch of Rugosa, with about 20 loose blooms on it, some hips starting to form. Now the Veterans Honor roses are full of buds about to open up. They are the perfect red rose - with old-fashioned fragrance, long-lasting blooms, and spectacular flowers.
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| Rugosa Rose Hips (seed pods) |
Baby Squirrel Solicits Food
Mama squirrels wean their children at this time of year, so they have to find their own food. The rumor is - we have plenty. Nothing is put on the window sills, but yesterday a baby squirrel hopped onto kitchen window ledge and looked in with such innocent, needy brown eyes that I had to take action. Before I grabbed the food jug, he was at the other kitchen window, looking for more giving opportunities, I imagine.
Birds and squirrels eat randomly, and they compete for space and food, but everyone shares. We love to see cardinals and blue jays, but the starlings and grackles are comical in their group landings on the twin barrels. The backyard and the front yard have two baths each, which are handy for bathing and drinking.
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| Falling in Love |
