At The Farm...: irises

Showing posts with label irises. Show all posts

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Mom's ferns are planted on the north side of the farm house. I have cared for them since '99. Every year I wonder if I've killed them and they always surprise me. The old sets may not leaf out but there's always plants. Never as beautiful as when Mom cared for them but hey, I should get some points for not killing them. This is my before...

and after. Less green in the second shot but I only removed the spring weeds. I left the leaves to help mulch and feed the ferns. They do like it better when it feels like a forest floor.

The plumbing and rocks, of course, are my addition. Mom would laugh and say I had trashed her fern bed. The broken water pipe holds a solar lamp. The sink holds my Southwest rocks and the down spout water runs into the sink, over them and into the fern bed. The white rocks, to keep dogs from digging, are my Mt Ida rocks. The ferns will grow larger as the season progresses as will the House Leak plant at the front of the sink.

As I pull the grass around the spring fronds, I can't help but wonder why the grass was soooo wet in one spot. Having two male dogs, I quickly skipped to morning dew, yep, that's it, morning dew.

Mom's snowball bush is doing well.

Then I see my next job!

I see the beauty that is

and can be

as I look at the small spot that's cleaned.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Keeper of Mamma's Flowers

I had the nicest compliment the other day from my nephew, Toni. He said, The farm is beginning to look like Grandma and Grandpa are here.

As it must happen to all of us, our parents die. That was a hard thing for me to accept because although I was getting older in my mind and heart Mom and Dad would always be what they had always been, loving, supportive, helpful and well, just there. It didn't happen that way.

My sisters and I rallied and supported them, not financially but emotionally and lovingly. As their needs increased we helped with everything from personal bookkeeping to personal care. We as a family traveled through a heart condition, a stroke and Alzheimer's. Both my parents would vocalize their sadness that they needed help and they shouldn't be such a burden. I simply answered, You cared for me for eighteen years this is nothing. Oh, but it was.

I know many of you have lost loved ones and cried because you could not do more to ease the way. I guess it's under the title of Shit Happens or Simply Life. You do what you can.

My parents are gone.

We live where they began. Honoring the land, honoring their wishes. Never was much of a gardener, not my passion. I was always a more hands on animal person but I've changed as we all did. We do what's needed to return the farm to Mom and Dad's time.

My sisters and I are here with family and we are the elder ones. Through tornadoes, ice storms, personal illnesses and family emergencies we still are here.

I look around and agree with Toni, even though there are tons of things left to be repaired, upgraded, cultivated, it's beginning to look like Mom and Dad are still here.

There is a peace here that I find no other place. We try to follow in our parents' foot steps but find it difficult for us.

I feel the joy they felt and see the treasure they saw in this beautiful valley. I know they are watching over us and proud of what we've accomplished by doing it their way.

I smile. I know Mamma is pleased that I am still tending her flowers.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Busy As A Bee...

Earlier this year I tore up the water garden and life kinda got in the way. Today I was finally able to do some work on it, in it and around it.

I really hate to brag (not really) that it is flip flop weather here. I sweated like a horse. Did not "glisten" like a southern belle is supposed to do. I dripped. I was blinded by the sweat. Sorry y'all that still have snow. Spring is one day closer for all of us.

Here's where I was...

Trying something different this time. The water garden is under two big pecan trees and there is lots of leaf and pecan picking to do. I picked up every rock this time, cleaned around and under them and then put some in containers. Hopefully they will be easier to clean that way. Here is one container and it's rather difficult to see.

I have crystals and small rocks here and there in wire baskets. I'm even trying a orange sack to see how long they last.

This pond is pet friendly. At each corner there are solid rock stairs where pets and people can walk right to the water's edge.

The dogs are pleased with their private bar and swimming pool....and I still have buckets of rocks! Not just plain rocks but rocks from years of collected rocks with something special about every one.

I have much to do before I am through and "miles to go before I sleep."

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Hot and Tired

My project for my day began early while it was semi-cool. The porch and this corner needed cleaning, trimming and a general get my stuff together approach.

With the porch finished, the water garden refreshed, the horses watered and some progress in this corner, I am drinking to beat the band. I'm sweating buckets and I'm keep getting sidetracked.

I trimmed the irises, pulled grass, put things in their proper places. Carried the pulled grass to places I needed grass, carried the cut limbs to a debris pile, and broken things to the trash.

Any suggestions on how to camouflage this pipe from the wood stove in the basement?

Replacing my drain guy, I got a surprise.

Notice the lip of the gargoyle.

His buddies swarmed out.

It has been so long since rain has drained,

the red wasps have built a home in the rain spout!

This was as close to finished as I got this morning. First, I am allergic to wasps and also, it had reached 102 already so it is too hot for an office softie like me to labor in the sun...and live.

I shall return, when it's cooler, armed with wasp spray, aim it up that rain spout and run like a crazy women...then I can finish...maybe.