Another rainy raw morning in the mountains........ more typical of March weather with windy days gusting to 18 mph and some night temperatures still dipping to 37 degrees. On those nights I bring in the baby tomato plants and Cliff moves other potted plants against the house and covers them. This morning we had a good-size bunny nibbling new green growth and "chippy" dining in the front yard. Our rose-breasted grosbeak pair have returned to nest here. We have one brilliant iridescent bluebird and a couple of eastern bluebirds. When the bluebird, bright red male cardinals, and glowing yellow finches are all in the front yard, it's a beautiful display of Mother Nature's artwork. Every spring Cliff marvels at the new green growth announcing spring's full arrival. This afternoon we ventured out to the transfer station to dump a large black bag of trash and a bucket of plastic and glass recycles. I sat in the truck while Cliff dumped and recycled....
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our little female tanking up at the kitchen window Cliff's cardiologist visit went well and we both felt some relief when the doctor told him what he saw so far was not unusual for a man his age. Next Wednesday the stress test will give more detailed information and the week after another blood test. The doctor also told him by the time he's 85 he'll most likely have a pace maker. He's taking it all in stride as part of his effort in reducing his stress. Even though the gym is closed, we do Zumba together in the living room 4-5 days a week and walk around the river walk some afternoons, weather permitting. I know he's getting comfortable about this because with a grin on his face his new line is "I can't wash dishes or I can't vacuum because I've got a heart condition." Nice try! When I lived in Florida, I might have received 2-3 phone calls from my mother some days, just to hear my voice or share a gardening story. One Satur...
Around the beginning of March, Cliff topped the early spring flowering sourwood tree that canopies my garden chair where I sit patiently watching my vegetables grow. It was quite a chore because we let the growth go too long. His concern was that the tree would be shocked and eventually die and he knows how much the tree comforts me. I assured him the tree would produce little buds and branches because it wanted to survive. Now we're watching to see how it'll fill out and thicken the growth. All the potted veggies and herbs were returned from the porch to the counters, window sills, and every available place in the sun during last week's "dogwood winter" cold spell. That should be the end of frost danger here so now they can be transplanted into the gardens and other outside vessels. The last front came through with 17 mph winds lodging a small branch into the hummingbird feeder. I couldn't have done that if I had tried. We have both male ...
The only area that needed tilling this year is this strip of packed garden soil. In early March I started mixing our kitchen compost into the clay, turning the soil a little at a time, loosening and aerating the other sections. My father would have been proud of my little pea enclosure to keep the munching bunny from eating my tender plants before I can enjoy them. Since we don't run to Lowe's for supplies every time we have a new project, this stay-at-home living makes us think about what we already have on hand and how we can modify or adapt materials to our needs. Pieces of old chicken wire fastened together and found poles worked to enclose my sweet peas. I also coil a thick black ribbon into a snake-like position on the path. My neighbor up the road turns bowls, fills buckets with the shavings, and brings them to me for the garden. I think the eastern bluebird is setting up a nest in this house. He's been seen making trips in often. O...
March 27 The weather has cooperated with our wishes allowing us to walk daily around the park. The river is still high, thick with clay, and flowing rapidly. Until you can reference the flow compared to an object, you don't realize how quickly it's moving. While walking the river path, we noticed a lone duck, practicing social distancing, suddenly appear from under the bridge. He just sat motionless allowing the flow of the river to carry him along with no effort on his part. I think I actually saw a lazy grin on his face. He quickly approached some swirling rapids and a bridge abutment. Cliff and I stood in wonder to see how he was going to maneuver that one. Just as he got to the swirling rapid, he tilted to his left and smoothly caught the rapid missing the concrete abutment with no effort then straightened up and let the river continue carrying him lazily away again, never missing a beat or moving a feather. What a life! Ma...