Mulching

Mom wants things as low maintenance as possible.  It is time to seriously apply mulch to any exposed dirt.  Last summer my sister and I cleaned out, tilled, purchased plants, and installed plants into this flower bed....

The plants are now well established.  The above picture was taken last week.  Right before I installed 1000 pounds of mulch.

Lovely!  And the dark mulch shows off the plants really well.

Next up was the rose and peony bed in the garden.  I installed another 1000 pounds on Sunday.

The pink tree peony is very happy with the change and is blooming vigorously.

I have now installed 1 ton of mulch total (it's actually compost, but we are using it as mulch) and still have at least 1 ton to go to cover most of the vegetable garden and any other exposed dirt areas.  I am also collecting all the grass clippings and mulching all the pathways in the garden.  The paths are now very quiet when you walk through them.... very zen and meditative.  Maybe I should lay out the grass paths in a labyrinth!  and then we could walk the labyrinth (with coffee in hand) to meditate and solve our problems.

I love the one in the Chartres Cathedral.

Since this would take up most of the planting space in the garden, I don't think Mom would go for it.

In Idaho for 6 Weeks

I am in Northern Idaho staying at my parent's farm and teaching for 6 weeks at the University of Idaho.  This is the first week of teaching.  So far it has gone well, I have a good group of students, and we have a great start in the two classes that I am teaching.  Will post more on that as the session goes along.

In the meantime,  I am enjoying some lovely spring on the farm.

This is the Cutty Sark.

She is NOT the house cat.  That position is already occupied.  BUT she would like very much to be the house cat.  So for now she just follows you around... and she likes to roll... A LOT.

We have many, many apple trees on the farm and they are all in bloom this time of year.  They are so white and fluffy.  It is almost the end of the blooming period, so the blossoms are falling.  It looks like snow.

Butterflies are coming out to sun themselves.

More rolling.  Because it is better in dirt and then you become a dirt powder puff and can distribute said dirt (which is now dust) onto anything you rub against... including dark denim pant legs which show off the dust best.

These are yellow roses... or will be.  These are a wild form that my great grandmother planted.  They do not last at all as a cut flower and they only bloom for a few weeks... but when they bloom it is spectacular.  This should happen when I am here... so stay tuned!

Mom's flower beds are perking along.  All the bleeding hearts are blooming.  The Lily of the Valley is getting really close.  Ours in Portland was in full bloom when I left.  I don't think they will still be blooming in 5 weeks.  Luckily I'm going back on June 7 for a quick 3 day visit, so maybe I can see them in all their glory.

Saturday we are rototilling the garden.  This is my big work out for the summer.  Wish me luck!