As Our Life Goes On

My camera screamed NO! I just don't like that color. What is wrong with white? -Caroline

The beauty of Spring Overwhelming the senses Transporting the soul -Caroline

A plug of soil is removed in preparation for planting the first new tree. Tree is ready to be lowered into the hole. First tree is lowered into the hole. A second much taller tree is lined up for planting. Third tree is planted for a screening effect.  Wednesday was quite a bit warmer than the forecasts had called for. It was very windy but it seemed a good time to plant some trees to screen our home from the road. The pine trees that had originally been near the planting location had to be moved to another part of the yard when we put the sewer line to the house. It was time to fill in this area again. We were involved in the operation of a Christmas tree farm for a number of years and we still own a large tree spade. That made the work of planting the 8 foot to 12 foot tall Concolor Firs quite a bit easier. It was getting late in the day before the initial planting was finished. Soil will be tamped into the crevices around the trees and they will get a final straighten

The best view at the Stow-Kent Plaza is along the drive that enters from Fishcreek Rd. There is a very long line of forsythia shrubs. They have abundant yellow blooms this year. Beyond them are some flowering ornamental trees that are just full of white blooms. In the foreground there is a pinkish flowering tree. This cell phone picture was taken from the Aldi Store parking lot. When you get up into the shopping center the same old view greets you. There are boarded up store fronts and patched up pavement with some holes. Most of the tenants moved to newer facilities. Only a few stores and businesses remain. The Fitworks gym is in the plaza. That is where I take my Silver Sneakers exercise classes. It is more pleasurable entering and leaving than being at the run down plaza. It was once a vibrant and clean area but now it stands in disrepair with only a few occupants. 

Sometimes it becomes necessary to fashion the things that you need from what is at hand. I think this application is self explanatory. The piece of brick is holding the plow end from touching the ground and the slice of a tree trunk is holding it down. I hope that person who thinks they are in charge of how to properly store things stays away from here. We use what we have. The other discarded brick pieces are for future similar projects.

Sweet Violet bloom Memories of a good friend Gone not forgotten -Caroline

There are supposed to be some very cold nights ahead this week. The wild blueberry bush that grows behind the barn has an abundance of blossoms this year but it is likely that the freezing nights may hinder the production of fruit on the plant. This cold air is no big deal  for me but for the local fruit farmers it is a huge deal. The warmer than usual weather has caused many fruit trees to blossom early and this may cause an economic disaster for them. 

Spring beauties you are Open by day, closed at night Carpet of flowers -Caroline

It has been a very wet year here in Ohio. Record precipitation in our area during the warmer than usual Winter months caused a lot of  ponding of the surface water around the yard. There has never been as much moss growing in the grass and around the trees. Our policy for the yard, if it is green let it grow, has not changed. There are exceptions to that policy when it comes to poison ivy of course. The moss is soft underfoot and we think it is very pretty. There seems to be a lot of varieties of different growth patterns and colors growing around the property. I have collected a variety of the mosses and made a moss garden under the red Japanese Maple in front of the breezeway.  The variegated green colors have created a patchwork look under the tree. Some of the types of the greenery will probably do better than the others as some may not be able to thrive in the location that they have been moved to. 

Sometimes good ideas are not what they seem at first. It was my intention to have a nice dried bouquet for the breezeway. I picked some long stem burrs from an area in the blackberry patch and started to bring them in to arrange them. I then noticed that some of the pieces of the burr were digging into my shirt and sticking my skin right through the cloth. I had scratched my arm on a blackberry thorn and my arm was bleeding.  As I was pulling the burrs from my clothes and wiping off the blood I changed my idea of what I should or should not bring to the house. I discarded the bouquet in a wild cherry stump in back of the barn and that is where it will stay. What a bad idea that was. There are not enough hours of light in the day to get all the work around the yard done but we worked non-stop today both in the house and outside. The fantastic weather makes it easier to keep going. 

A single vinca bloom popped up near the large rock in my flower garden. It just seems impossible that we are having such consistently warm weather. Flowering trees are in bloom and though we are weeks ahead of last year I am thoroughly enjoying it while it stays. I love seeing the magnolias, daffodils and other Spring blooms as I drive through the area. I need sunshine to feel well.

There is more wood left in the woodpile than we have ever had at this time of year. We will need to build more fires in the wood stove this year. That is a certainty because it is only March. April can produce some fairly cold weather too. The record warm temperatures this week have been to our liking. Many outside chores that would not be done yet are being completed. It felt great to get out into the yard and work today though at times it seemed almost too warm.  Sleeping will not be difficult tonight. 

Little toad visits Striking yellow leg design A map on your back -Caroline

A steady stream of people doing what they do traveled the Metro-parks Hike and Bike trail that runs behind our property. Some walk slowly and some run. Some bikers enjoy the scenery and some are racing.  I can still see them from the window when I am on my computer but the when the leaves are on the trees there are only occasional flashes of color when they go by. I would have to go to the hill on the back of our property that is above the trail to see what is going on. It is a beautiful afternoon. 

I was in a happy mood as I took off for the Hartville Flea Market this morning. Thick fog hung over Mogadore Reservoir. The still water was only broken by the fisherman in their small rowboats. Some men were standing and some sitting. Their heads seemed almost lost in the fog.  The flea market was thriving. March is usually not a good month to set up but the 70 degree temperatures prompted many vendors to display their wares. I bought some open finger leather gloves for only 15 cents. My favorite local honey dealer had some dark honey for $6.00 a quart. Yum! A large package of romaine lettuce and some celery completed my purchases on the outside.   A couple of thrift stores proved to have nothing that I needed. The R Store, A discount grocery, had some low priced items that I could use. I also picked up a few banana boxes with covers to use during the Summer flea market season. The town was packed with traffic by the time I decided to go home. The bright warm and cloudless day l

The seventy degree temperature was all the daffodils needed to burst into bloom. Not all of them have received the warmth as some are in the shade. The next few warm days should cause many of the Spring flowers to open. The beautiful bloom at the top is in a full sun area of the yard. There seems to be many buds on the stems. I love Spring!

We passed by this property on the way home from the Rogers Flea Market on the 8th of this month. Last year it actually seemed a bit messier. We think they have been working on the clutter.  We did think that there were not as many stacks of stuff in the yard as there were when we passed the home last year.  It inspired me to go home and clean out some stuff and put it in the trash. 

Loud nighttime chorus  My open windows welcome Spring peepers singing -Caroline

Sunday was a good day to mow off the decorative grass areas. New sprouts will not appear until the ground temperature goes up a bit. The vintage Yazoo mower made the work go quickly. A mask provided protection from the blowing particles and dust that was stirred up. Ear protection is very important also when running loud mowers. The decorative grass areas grew very tall last year because of the record rainfall. 

This was just one small wheelbarrow full of leaves and sticks that I raked up around the yard yesterday. I decided to go under the tall pine trees and rake up the leaves. When I got done Russ hooked up the trailer and ended up with 3 full trailer loads of the stuff to haul to the back and dump. The tractor and trailer come in very handy for heavy duty jobs. The day was so nice and we just could not stop ourselves from working in the yard all day long. Between the time change and the extra work we are both feeling a bit tired today. Today it is raining and moderately warm. It is a good day to stay inside. 

Black walnut shells and acorns under the oak tree indicated that it was a good place for the squirrels to sit while they ate. The shells were scattered about in the soft moss which seems to have taken over a lot of places during the wet year that we have had. We don't have to mow the moss and that it good.  We have sighted buzzards circling overhead for a couple of days so there will probably be a new brood of the big black ugly birds in the neighborhood before too long. Hinkley, Ohio celebrates the return of the birds with a Buzzard Sunday celebration which comes on the first Sunday after March 15th. The large turkey vultures or buzzards are definitely here again.  It is warm and sunny today and that makes it very difficult to stop doing things outside. Between the extra work and the time change that should make for good sleeping tonight. 

Hidden in the trees Your ears are seen tiny deer. Rest now. Spring's coming! -Caroline

Some snowflakes fell this morning but the darkness gave way to bright sunshine and puffy white clouds. The temperatures have hovered in the mid-thirties but the wind and sun have dried the yard somewhat. There are still some puddles here and there but the ground feels much more firm than it has. The dormant grass is still off color but at least it does not have to be cut. That cut down through the wooded area is there for a reason. A large pipeline runs through there and through the back of our property. Nothing can be planted on that right of way. It is mowed off and checked at least once a year by the company that leases the pipe and the right of way. 

Last Friday was a nice day with some warmth in the air. We decided to go the the flea market at Rogers, Ohio. It is very early in the year for a visit to this flea market and we found that there were very few setups. They were confined to one area however so it was easy enough to check the merchandise that was offered without extra walking. Some acquaintances from Pennsylvania were there with some fine items for sale. We had a nice ride but came back from the market empty handed. That happens sometimes. We did have an interesting ride in the country on a pleasant day. That can be relaxing.  

Temperatures in the 60s prompted me to grab the rake pull some of the accumulated leaves and debris from the perennial garden behind the house. The leaves were damp underneath so more work will need to be done. Tender perennial shoots were revealed underneath this protective layer. The plants will thrive in this sunny day and they will change from that yellowish color to a deeper green as they harden off in the sunshine.  The old shed next door seems to be leaning at more of an angle this year. It is almost time for the turkey buzzards or vultures to return. The old granary  will most likely serve as a home for them again this year. March is the traditional time for these big birds to arrive. I haven't seen any of the big birds  yet but I suspect that there will be sightings very soon. 

This young deer has been travelling through the area alone. Earlier in the year there were larger companions with her. She seems to have shed the heavy shaggy appearing Winter coat and she has a sleek shiny look now. She left our yard after checking the bird feeders. There was a bit of spilled seed that she was able to nibble on. The deer actually use the bike trail that can be seen in the background. It is an open travel area for them as well as the humans that use it on a daily basis. This deer is a frequent visitor at our bird feeders and it seems to tolerate some human activity in our yard but it is very wary when approaching the bike trail. 

A treacherous place Please keep your eyes on the road Stay here for a while -Caroline

Many of us can remember the downtown diners that may have been in our own home towns. This diner is located downtown in Lisbon, Ohio. It always seems to have a lot of cars parked near it. It is probably a gathering place for retirees where they sip down their morning coffee and eat eggs and toast made to their order as they trade ideas and news with long time friends and associates. My home town of Kent, Ohio had a few diners but they are only memories as they have been cleared away for new buildings. I remember sitting on the old red leather or vinyl upholstered stools that had swivel tops. You could order as much or little as you wanted. The waitress might be someone that you knew well. Jukeboxes on the counter or in a corner of the diner waited for you to slip your nickel into the slot and play your favorite tunes. It was a friendly place. There are a few of these places left.  My sister and I did go to a small restaurant in Willoughby, Ohio last year that had the same feel a

An interesting thought passed my mind as I reviewed the pictures of barns that I had taken in Columbiana County and those that I took in Portage County. The barns that I saw in Columbiana County were predominantly white and a lot of the barns that I saw in Portage County were barn red or other colors. Could there be a regional preference as far as colors go. It could be a religious color preference or even personal preference. The farms in the pictures above have been well cared for and the outbuildings seemed to be in good condition. There are so many different styles and shapes that seem to be associated with barns and sheds. 

The barns above and below are in Columbiana County, Ohio The buildings below are in Portage County, Ohio We have had the chance to travel through a few counties in the last few days so I took a few pictures of old barns and farms. It has become economically unfeasible for many farmers to fix their big old barns and many have gone in to disrepair and in a few years they will collapse. Only memories and some pictures will remain. The strong hand hewn beams will rot and decay and only a pile of rubble will be where the once magnificent barn buildings sat. That is sad but newer treated wood  materials and lower profile buildings are less expensive alternatives to build compared to the cost of  preserving the old buildings. Tomorrow I will show some larger working farms that have preserved the old buildings. 

An early morning phone call came from our neighbor to let us know that her brother had died very early today. It struck home with me as my own brother had died about a year ago.  Brothers will tease us when we are young. As we grow older they respect us. Most of all they love us and we love them. I felt a lot of sadness for her as I thought about how I felt about the loss of my own brother.  It rained this morning but overall the day was much nicer that it could have been for March 1st. I do think we will more Winter weather but so far the weather has been fine.  That is a super good thing!