Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday

The dwarf fruit trees set out about three weeks ago are showing leaves.

The Yellow Simplicity roses [ordered with a Jackson and Perkins gift certificate from a dear friend] have been a bit slow to break dormancy. This is the more vigorous of the two and has spent the week developing leafy shoots. The second one is less branched, but is showing encouraging signs of life.

We set up the huge lodgepole bed this week and in lieu of hooks in the bathroom I've been tossing my robe over the bedpost.  An errand took me into the bedroom at midmorning and I discovered Charlie nested in the trailing folds of the robe. 
And yes, there's still masking paper here and there along the baseboards.  The application of "Cinnamon Swirl" paint is temporarily abandoned while we work in the garden.
Plan B suggests that we will remove the interior shutters from their mountings, take them outside and give them a good scrubbing, then spray paint them using aerosol cans of white enamel.

Pebbles has shown some lameness in her right foreleg these past two days.  We've kept careful watch but there are no signs of the laminitis which has been a problem for her in the past.  She has been tearing around the pasture like a colt ever since she arrived in Kentucky.  J. thinks she may have slipped in the wet grass and pulled a muscle.  She delights in giving him her hoof to hold and inspect.
Her gimpiness didn't prevent her taking advantage today when J. let down the electric wire in front of the barn while he moved out his tractor.
"Where", I said a few minutes later, "has that horse gotten to?"
"Oh, I didn't put the wire back up!"
Sure enough, Pebbles had gone through the center aisle of the barn and out to the lush green field beyond.
J. went after her, put his belt around her neck and led her back.  She was not pleased and while he tinkered with the fence she marched back through.
This time I was directed to hold her until the fence was repositioned.
We think she is feeling much better today. She spent most of the day on her feet--eating grass--and although the limp is still evident, she gets where she has a mind to go!
It has been a day of gardening.  A day of wind and flower-scented sunshine. The tawny iris has started to open, but the only photo I took of it was blurred as the flower stem tossed in the breeze.
Some tomato plants set out, as well as cabbage, peppers and melons. Cucumber seed, cantaloupe seed and zuchinni planted in "hills." 
Two rows of Stuttgarter onions set out, two long rows of bush Blue Lake beans planted, and just before dark, four clumps of dianthus dis-interred from their nursery pots and set into the flower border to be.
I am tired; witless; pleased with my day.

7 comments:

  1. Gosh, it sounds like you are going to have a very productive patch this year. I really MUST get my veg plot finally completely weeded and the bean poles up . . . You are going great guns and it sounds like the new garden is going to be most rewarding.

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  2. "I am tired, witless, pleased with my day"

    that one sentence says so much! its how i felt last week, working hard on my own garden, but so satisfied with my efforts. Well done on all the progress you both are making there in your new home. its so wonderful and rewarding to see new growth on your plants and trees, isnt it?

    Leanne x

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  3. Hullo MM,

    Sounds as if your entitled to be tired. I don't think you could ever be witless though. Your busy day puts me to shame.

    Sleep well......

    regards.....Al.

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  4. Poor Pebbles ...I do hope she is on the mend ...she seems in good spirits though.Cats will ALWAYS find a place to curl up into ... lol and AHHHH ... when I saw the photo.

    I am sooooo in awe of your energy and in admiration of your progress in and out of your new home...that applies to you both xx

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  5. Good to hear how much you are enjoying the creation of your new garden. Lovely to know that one of the women who lived in the house before you was also a gardener.

    I hope Pebbles soon recovers. Tell her to stay off that rich grass or she will have her old trouble back! Our old mare, who had laminitis some years ago, has to be watched like a hawk every spring.

    MM, today I have posted a photo of our Viburnum Carlesii on my blog. Is it the same ( or similar) as the one with pink flowers in your new garden?

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  6. I think horses know that Kentucky is their true home! Even as a little girl I longed to live where there were those long white fences and horses in the beautiful fields.
    I love your use of 'witless!' :<) Perfect.

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  7. Atta girl Pebbles! She does look well and shiny.

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