As Our Life Goes On

After lunch I hurried over to the wild blueberry bush that is behind the big barn. There were only 4 ripe berries to be seen. Yesterday there were 5 that were ripe enough to eat. None of these made it to the house. They were savored on the spot without the benefit of clean hands or pre-washing the fruits.  There are plenty of green berries on the bush so maybe there will be enough to sprinkle on cereal or ice cream later in the week.  A large rock was transported from the pine tree woods on the East side of our property to my new moss garden. The red color of the rock is a nice contrast to the green moss that it sits on. The very wet weather that we are having is actually helping the newly transplanted moss to survive.  Several different types of daisies have started to bloom in the flower garden.  The yard is soggy and full of puddles but it is being mowed today. It is sometimes difficult to get through the very wet areas but it would be worse if the grass got too far

Waiting for insects Sitting very still until Unwary prey lands -Caroline

It is rare for friends to use our front steps and front door to come into our house. Our friends use the breezeway door that enters into the kitchen. There has never been a path or any kind of walk to the front door so it could be assumed that the previous owners did not use the front door much either. We seldom have time to sit during the day and if we do it is on the covered breezeway so that the mosquitoes will not bother us. The steps had been constructed more that 30 years ago and they are used to load wood for the wood burner onto the porch. The treated wood had split and deteriorated to the point that they were unsafe. Mr. Fixit is removing the wood from the top of the risers in this picture. 

Flower Unfurling  Opening, showing beauty Pretty golden bloom -Caroline

I have always liked to listen to the thunder and watch the cooling rains fall. The storm that went through here late this afternoon was just what we needed. The temperatures dropped about 20 degrees and our neighborhood  and others are refreshed and clean. The trees and grass were in great need of water and enough fell to do some good.  The cool air after a rain has a great smell. It will be a great night for sleeping. 

A toad has taken up residence in the hole in which a chipmunk recently lived. We just haven't seen that chipmunk in a while so we assume that this toad knows whether or not it is in any danger from the little striped  rodent. This hole has been in the moss garden for quite some time and has been used mostly by chipmunks. The moss has died around the hole so it may be that the little rodent used it as a bathroom area or may indeed have cleared the area for better vision. We are happy to see the toad as there seems to be an abundance of mosquitoes after the recent rains. This area is just outside of the front door of the breezeway so it is easy to watch the comings and goings of the toad. It quickly disappears into the depths if we get to close. 

The recent rains have brought on a bumper crop of the large mushrooms that grow under our pine trees. They have a plate sized top and many have already tipped over under the weight. The fungus begins as a small nub forcing itself up through the leaves and litter and then it forms a tight cap that is somewhat textured. The cap smooths out and grows very large in diameter.  Not sure what has been nibbling on these. Small holes in the surface shows where they are being eaten. 

The gate is open Your welcome to come in and Walk through the garden Sit on the bench and listen The birds are singing their songs -Caroline

Friend Jim had just been to a military show so he stopped by for a short visit yesterday. This International M24 vehicle was used by the USMC and Navy during WWII in the Pacific theater as a light weapons carrier. It has a couple of uncomfortable looking fold down wooden bench seats in the back and bucket type seats in the front. The impressive size of the big Jeep style truck seemed to make the other cars in the driveway seem small. 

We are fortunate to have a relative here for an extended Summer visit. He is helping install new brake lines in the vintage Plymouth Gran Fury that we recently purchased. The cool overcast morning is just right for doing this work.  

This busy bumblebee type of bee is a bit blurry because it would not sit still. It buzzed so quickly from flower to flower and shrub to shrub that it was difficult to get a picture of it at all. This is one of the other pollinators that has replaced the honeybees in our area. The shrubs next to the driveway are beautiful when they are in bloom. They were pruned last year and they have a profusion of the tiny deep rose colored flowers this year. 

It has been a while since we have seen any honeybees at all in our yard. There are other types of bees and insects that are attracted to the pollen however. The spindly legged insect on this flower seems to have pollen adhering to many parts of its body. These pretty purple flowers seem to have taken over parts of my little flower garden. Some are being moved to different areas around the yard. 

I took an evening walk down over the hill on the West side of our property to the swampy area. The recent rains had  replaced some of the water in the wet area. Frogs croaked happily and some splashed into the water as I passed by. The hike up the other side of the hill along the property line revealed large patches of poison ivy on the ground and massive vines of the toxic plant growing up the sides of the large sugar maple trees. I was very careful to avoid the sides of the trail. It may be time to institute an eradication program in order to eliminate some of these plants. 

The Rue Plant in My Garden How many times have we heard that expression "You'll Rue the Day"? It may be a saying that is a bit overused. The Rue plant has beautiful blue-green leaves and a small yellow flower. It is supposed to have medicinal uses but it is not for the casual user and it could be toxic. Any form of the plant should be used under a doctor's care only.  Rue means to deeply regret, be bitter, feel guilty, be angry and depressed. I think it is better not to even think of being any those things. 

The parched ground in our yard and garden has received over 2 inches of rain since last night. This was badly needed rain. There is flooding in many places in the city however. It seems like it has been feast or famine regarding the amounts of precipitation that have fallen in area this year. The perennial daisies that a friend gave me yesterday have perked up and they look wonderful. The chives, shown above,  seemed to thrive even though it has been dry.  It is still raining but a good soaker is just what we needed. 

We are so happy that our new twin great-granddaughters have entered this world safely. They join their older brother and a host of relatives in blended families.  They enter into a world that is constantly changing and more dangerous then it was when we grew up. They will have many challenges and perhaps they will be instruments of betterment and change. 

It seems that there is seldom time to relax at camp. The lawn has to be cut and cleaning a maintenance is always a concern. The old pine trees that were planted years ago have declined through age and disease. Unfortunately many have died and will have to be cut down. Dead branches from these trees cover the ground and they must be picked up before mowing can take place. A friend had used the trailer last week and I was elated to find the inside very clean and neat.  It looked better than it did when we last left it. When the mowing was finished we sat on the picnic table to enjoy our lunch and reflect on our times at camp and listen to the sounds from the woods around us. 

Beware the outhouse Interesting to look at Danger if you sit -Caroline