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| Photo by Ed Buck |
I am finishing another class in Old Testament Survey (MA or MDiv). The combination of heat and humidity eliminates my ambition in the garden, once the sun is rising.
However, all the investments in labor are paying off. The late blooming and perfuming Clethra and Joe Pye Weed have saturated the Rose Garden with their butterfly, bee, and hummingbird attracting scents. The milkweed family finished blooming and turned to making silken parachutes to carry their seeds. I have at least three types of the milkweed family, all showing off in front of the front patio.
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| Poke berries are now at this stage in my garden, bland, loved by 61 bird species. The berries are not appealing to humans and can be toxic. |
The backyard has its own Poke Weed garden, starting off as flowers for the pollinators, then berries for all the birds, offering aerial bombing wherever birds gather to gossip. A tree stump is good for the soil and perfect for bird fellowship and plant growth in wild strawberries and Poke.
The main Poke garden is 7 feet tall and likely to grow a lot more. Like Joe Pye plants, they block so much sun that no weeding is needed and the soil is improved. I wanted to block heat from the sun in the afternoon.
I also wanted to provide natural food for the birds and creatures.
Charli Sue has made a nest out of her hiding place for chasing squirrels and rabbits. Her larger friend Lady became aware of the sniper's nest and cautiously moved around it. The two of them chase through the gardens and green fence, having a riot of fun.
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| Double the size and you get Lady. Charli Sue now has a pink harness for walks and keeping out of trouble. Lady seems to be part Doberman and part Chihuahua, so I call her a Dobie-huahua. The two have the same coloring. |
