Monthly Archives: July 2013

Status Quo

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My life is wrapped around the same few activities, so I tend to go fallow with my blogging, thinking that there is only so much you can read again and again.

This time of year I always have gardening that needs to be done.  I’m also busy with Scraps on a Mission, making twin-sized and smaller quilts for charity.  I love to read, but have put some of that on the back burner, or have shifted to books on disk so that I can listen to books as I garden or sew.  I’ve been crocheting squares for Charity Crochet Exchange, which makes “blankets” for groups in need.  And, I sleep.  Midday naps, sometimes LONG naps, have become a part of our lives.

I have been blogging in my head, but I have just not made the time to post those entries.  I find I am more likely to make an entry when Fred is off sailing, and I can structure my day as I please.  This morning I weeded, and took pictures for an entry that you’ll see below.  This afternoon, I’ll take pictures of some of the things I’m working on in the studio, and do another picture post.

Fred was home with me Monday and Tuesday because it was rainy, and it’s not a lot of fun to sail in the rain. (We won’t discuss lightening at this point…)  We drove to Morris to drop off my sewing machine to be cleaned and repaired.  I ordered the parts to make a new foot control for my Singer machine.  I’ve been waiting more than a year to get that done.  We dropped off a chair and a stool that needed to be re-caned and re-rushed.  That’s another of those projects that has been waiting forever to be done. We went to Merischka’s for lunch and had their incredibly greasy, garlicky poor boys, and then went to see “Despicable Me 2.”  It felt like Saturday,  I really enjoyed being with Fred, and I was delighted to get all these time consuming chores done.

This morning, I’m going to see if I can’t tidy up things in the garage.  If I move both cars out onto the drive, I should be able to accomplish what I want to do a little faster.  With what’s left of the day, I need to grocery shop, work in the studio for a bit, and crochet some more squares.  There’s nothing exciting to report, other than I’m satisfied with life.   🙂

Iris and Weeding

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I have been thinking about  lifting Iris and dividing them for some time…..years actually.  Part of the problem is that I need to clear spots in the garden before I begin lifting the iris.  I don’t want them out of the ground for more than a week..  I thought I was going to start with a pod of beautiful dark purple iris near the downspout, because I think they are in a spot too wet for Iris, but this morning the plan changed.

I set my alarm for O-dark:30 and hauled myself out of bed.  I started spading the outer curve of the sidewalk garden at 6:30, and weeded for two and a half hours, while it was still cool.  There is a pod of peach iris to the right edge of the area I cleared that has needed to be divided for years.  Each year the blooms were getting fewer and fewer in number because the rhizomes are so overgrown and there are too many weeds competing for the dirt and light. The weather was good, and I felt good, so I dug up about half of the iris.  I plan to replant three of them and share the others with friends and family.
Weeded Bed Resized

I left two violets and a volunteer oriental lily, but I may take out the center violet.  I think I want to add more dirt, and plant a rose there, possibly some coneflowers, the peach iris and a verbena that will creep across the bed.  Once things are planted, I’ll put down Preen to discourage seed generation, and I’ll mulch.  DSC02094

It seems that two and a half hours of weeding equals one overfilled wheelbarrow.DSC02095

I think this is about half the peach colored iris, perhaps two-thirds of them.  It’s really difficult to tell because the rest of the bed is so over run by  clover and other weeds.

Next Bed to Weed Resized

THIS is the mess immediately to the right of the bed that has been weeded.  (sigh)  It will take me YEARS to finish this project, but I’m glad I got such a good start today!  I’m a happy camper!