slowing down and hunkering down

The weather here is starting to become a bit unpredictable....although we had a pretty nice week this week, last week we had the biggest thunder storm I've ever seen in all my years living here. It started at 4 pm, and the thunder and lightning went until well around midnight, much to the doggie's dismay.
At some point, we got about an inch of rain in 10 minutes. That did nothing for my newly applied dirt, and half of it is now over in the other lot.

The good news is, I didn't have to water this week, even though the temps have been around 80 degrees. It's supposed to start raining again today (another potential thunder storm), so we'll be scrambling this morning to mow our little lawn and put away the summer furniture before that happens.

"The boys" (contractors) are also working on the shop roof. They tore it all off yesterday and they'll be back on Friday to roof it. This is our last big project for a while. Now we just need to paint it (already have the paint, just waiting on the roof), and do some work on the deck, and we'll be hunkered down for winter.

The clearance rack at lowes was pretty dismal this week, but I did score a black centurea from the local nursery for $2. You can't kill those things and it'll be fine next spring. I also got a couple more bags of bulbs from Costco....not planting yet....too warm. It's going to look pretty cool in spring, when over 300 daffs, 100 crocus, and a whole bunch of other bulbs start making their appearance.

Next week, finish the roof (not me, the contractors), maybe some painting...depends on the weather...

making a difference.....

memorial day......

 

labor day

 

and a casualty of war......

 

poor plum....she never saw it coming

winding down.....

but not completely done yet!
This morning, the paper was all about labor day and back to school. How did we get here SO fast???
Things are starting to wind down a bit...we just have one big project left, roofing and painting the shop, and the nurseries are starting to empty out for the fall. Time to make plans for what to do during the rainy season and order wish books for next spring......

The clearance bin at lowes this week had a couple of good things...two nice agastache for the back garden, and a huchera that needed some love. They'll all be fine by next spring.....that's the fun of the clearance bin.

We also got a nice little dwarf plum tree from lowes that we'll be planting today, and the fall bulbs are starting to arrive in stores. I already have 100 daffodils and crocus in the garage, waiting for a bit of a cool off to be planted........

Blooming in the garden this week,
a beautiful black daylily

 

a wonderful smelling Asiatic lilly that I bought on clearance

 

and a super hot pink coneflower (also from the clearance bin).

I've never done all that well with coneflowers, so I'm hoping that they come back next year.

 

Today, I'm out to take pictures of the flower beds, so that next spring, I'll know what's coming up.

This week, there's a clearance sale at a local nursery.....going to check it out!

 

Damn deer!!!!

They're eating everything. Even stuff that's supposed to give them a tummy ache, like rhubarb leaves (poison), potato tops (poison), daylilies, Echinacea, geum, BANANA plants. How do deer know that banana plants would even taste good??? They're not native!
I had to chase these guys out of the back yard just this week.....

Yes, that's 3 babies, triplets, three MORE eating machines....and we have a nice smorgasbord, just sayin'. We've fenced pretty much the whole area, just one little place where we need a gate....I can hardly WAIT until we get that done.

Today, I'll be moving my poor hollyhock from the front to the back. It seems to be extremely attractive (and tasty). I'm not sure it can take much more mowing.

This week, the clearance bin had some great things.....a tree peony "high noon" for $8, and a sedum called "chocolate drop" for $1. Who can resist a sedum called chocolate drop?????
Costco also started putting out their bulbs, so I'll be picking up a bag or two every time I go. They have 50 daffodils for $11 and 100 crocus for the same price. Too early to plant them, but not too early to buy.

Miss kitty (ziggy) is settling in nicely.....she 's getting along well with the doggies.

And working into her role of internet assistant.....

As long as she doesn't get ahold of the credit card and buy cat toys.......

sunflowers!

I'm loving these sunflowers I planted in the garden......
chocolate

and a variety called "solar flare"

I'll definitely do both of them next year, and I think I'll have plenty of seeds to share.

This week was all about watering, watering, watering. It did rain a bit on Friday night, but not enough to make a difference, and the sprinkler is out again.

I managed to score a few bargain plants. The discount rack at lowes yielded a campanula and a painted fern. Fred Meyer had a sale on perennials, so a coreopsis and a perennial lobelia followed me home, and the local nursery had some markdown too. I scored 4 lilly bulbs, a yellow lupine, and a huchera that had to go in the back, so it wouldn't end up being deer food.

This week it'll be all about the watering AGAIN. It's supposed to be dry the entire week. Nothing else special going on, just the usual weeding and planting the occasional bargain.
The shop roof is SUPPOSED to get started in a week or so, and then I'll get to work painting it to match the house. That ought to take quite a while.

Off to move the sprinkler!

it's filling in......

I know, there's still a lot of dirt there, and I'm cringing at the potential water bill this month, but, it's starting to fill in a bit in the front.....

 

I was buzzed twice last week by a very hungry hummingbird, and it's pretty cool how the dragonflies hover over the labyrinth in the afternoon. This reflects the best of the lowes clearance bin, and a few others.....I just keep thinking how great it's going to look next year, if it all survives the winter and doesn't freeze or drown.

 

I'm starting to look at bulbs, daffodils and the like to put in both the front and the back. When we moved from the other house, I dug up some of the more special ones, but left the daffs and hyacinths for the new owners. They're going to have a nice surprise in the spring. I've been shopping for some specialty ones, and I'll get some regular ones from Costco and the like. That'll be the next phase of planting..for now, it's watering and weeding every day.

the best of the clearance rack

Well, the planting season is winding down. It's been pretty hot (for here), so most of the nurseries are in maintenance mode. They'll be more sales and bulbs) in the fall, but for now, there's not a lot of new stuff to choose from.

This week brought the best of the clearance bin from a couple of places. Most of these plants just need some love (and water), and to get in the ground and let their roots run free. Right now, the perennials look pretty nappy, but next year, when they have a chance to come out new, it's going to be great.

We're working on the pump house (no pics), and mostly just watering, watering, watering.......

Today, we're going to look and see if we can spend our gift certificate to the local nursery.....(If they have anything worth spending it on).

The next major project will be the roof on the shop, and then painting it. Should happen soon, as soon as the contractors get back from vacation.......