One of the Lily BedsThank goodness the power is back on! I could not have stayed in the house yesterday without it. Temps in the 90's with humidity to match.
I worked in the church office in the morning (nice and cool). When I left at noon, the interior of my car, which had been parked in an unshaded spot, would have put a sauna to shame! Nearly blistered my posterior when I sat down behind the wheel!
Did I have enough sense to go home, drink something cool, put my feet up, read a good book or take a little nap? Oh! No! I was voluntarily out in the heat most of the afternoon.
I took a trunk (and back seat) full of items to the recycling center at the Air Force Base: office paper, newspapers, all sorts of cans, glass, cardboard, and plastic. It's amazing how many things can be recycled if one just takes a few minutes to sort them out instead of relegating them to the landfill trash.
After that, I visited the local home improvement center, which has a large garden shop, to look for bargains. Just about every day, they put on sale at a deep discount plants which are in less than prime condition. I bought four Russian Blue Salvia plants that looked like they were on their last legs, and three Asian Lilies that were without blossoms (but so are the ones I have that have already bloomed). I also purchased (not at a deep discount, I'm sorry to say) another bird feeder like the one shown in yesterday's post, a suet holder and two suet blocks, a Niger Thistle sock for finches, and a bag of bird seed. I was tempted to buy a special food block made for squirrels, but I'll just let them eat bird seed -- it's cheaper.
The store is just over a mile away from me, so I arrived here quickly to give the poor Russian Sage plants a drink. They were parched. I watered them four different times before dark, and misted the leaves several times. They really perked up and by the time I was ready for bed they were looking like healthy plants; I think they're going to make it! I hope to get them in the ground today.
I hung the feeders, cleaned and refilled the bird bath, and watered the lilies. "Dearest Love" (day lily) has huge buds on it so I should have photos of it soon.
After the sun disappeared behind the neighbor's house, I re-broke the ground and pulled out all the grass and weeds in a new flower bed on the west side of the house (it's been waiting for planting for a couple of months.) That's where I'll plant the lilies and sage I bought today, and where some of the thinned out day lilys will go when I get them divided. I have my work cut out for me.
Who knows what today will bring?
21 comments:
I'm sweating just reading your day of activity! :)
And they say that gardening is a form of relaxation, I do hope that the Russian Sage appreciates your tender ministrations and does well. It was snowing here today with black ice on the road under a dusting of snow so I couldn't do my fortnightly trip to Dunedin to look after the Potter's Co-op gallery as the road to town was closed, quite a contrast to your 90 degree heat. I think we should meet half way with the temperature and it would be just right!
Delightful description of your day. I also love the photos on your blog, nice flowers and amazing photos of the squirrel. All the Best to you. P.
Hi Pat, Are you a church secretary too? It sounded like it from your post. I am the secretary at our church.
Also noticed that you like to rescue plants from the clearance rack! Thats something I always do too!
And I do come home from church and take naps sometimes! Sounds like you might occasionally do that as well.
Nice to find things in common.
Golly, Pat, what a bundle of ambitious energy you are! I would love to see your yard....it must be very beautiful. Hope you do find some time to rest now and then, too.
Jinksy: Believe me, I was sweating, too! Not a lovely thing to see! :)
Peter: Well, it is relaxing, but can be hard work, and my bones and muscles don't cooperate as well as they once did. The Russian Sage is looking fantastic this morning; I'm so glad I rescued it. I fear it would have been on the trash heap today. Black ice doesn't sound nice at all. Be careful out there. I'm all for living somewhere half-way; but then, where would the challenges lie? We might fall into a slothful stupor, not having to fight the elements from time to time. :) Wishing you a safe and happy day.
Diana: I am the church treasurer and a Parish Administrator. We don't have a secretary, per se. We're a small, but healthy, congregation. Except for one nursery worker, the janitor and the organist, we have no paid staff. Even our priests work (faithfully) without earthly compensation.
Thanks for your visit and comment. Come again, anytime! :)
Jeannelle: No, m'dear, my yard is not beautiful -- except in spots! :) Very small spots at present. There is much, much work needed to make it really nice. My own physical limitations make it difficult to keep up with some of the areas, which look like an abandoned, weed/vine overgrown city slum lot. I am determined to whip some of it into shape this year (Lord willing) with the help of Round-Up or the like -- and a little muscle from my gardening daughter-- WHEN/IF she has the time.
You make me tired just reading about your day!
Keep a bottle of extra-strength Tylenol at the ready....
I'm with jinsky--alread sweating and the sun is barely up.
I'm off to several appointments, packing and preparing for my Wed. drive to Hot Springs with a friend.
My Best Friend, a exceptional cook and food column writer for local newspaper, is going to feed husband in my absence.
I'm sure he is salivating already, to have a change of cuisine from my inept culinary skills, made worse in his opinion, by my weight loss regimen.
Yea for the lights back on. Survival is only fun in small doses.
You are so smart to rescue plants. They usually recover well from neglect.
Yes we are getting hot. I broke a sweat with out hardly trying yesterday. Summer is here for sure. From now on,it is only morning a evening for outside work for me.
Wow, you are a better woman than I. If I don't have my outdoor work done early, it's not going to get done. Tell me about 97 and high humidity! I'm tired of it already.
I know it was hot, well boiling, but there is nothing more rewarding than rescueing plants and enjoying their beauty.
This year I have planted so much and most of it has survived, my garden looks like a jungle of colour.
Got to tell you, I'd love one of those hot sweaty days right about now. It has been nothing but cold and dreary up here. No real Spring at all.
Of course, once the humid Summer arrives, I'll want the cold dreary back :-)
I can feel the humidity reading your post! We lived in NC for a year. The only thing I tried growing there were tomato plants. The gound is so sandy where we lived. They did not make it. I should have put them in barrels with some good boughten soil. :)
Always love your pictures. So pretty.
Wow, you put me to shame! What a busy day. I thought you guys were getting tons of rain. Hope not too much. Your flowers are always so beautiful! Here's to the sun, and low humidity.
I'm glad that you rescue plants. I always feel sorry for the poor li'l plants that no one wants because they are in need of TLC...
Your lilies are very pretty. Thanks for sharing your day (I'm tired...just reading about it!)
P.S. I take a nap every Sunday after church. I used to hate to take naps when I was a child. I look forward to them now.
Smiles,
Jackie
Oh Pat---you worked MUCH too hard on a hot day... Think I like your other idea better (drink something cool, put your feet up, read a book or take a nap)....
BUT--you did get lots of things done, so I guess it is a good thing.
Hugs,
Betsy
Your energy and ambition is inspiring. I don't know how you do it. :)
Love to hear of garden successes involving rescued plants.
I'm not looking forward to temperatures in the 90s. So far this June our temperatures have been below average. ;-)
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