I’m afraid the four crepe myrtle from the Arbor Society are dead. It’s just really hard to plant these trees from little bare root plugs. I have one still in the greenhouse that is alive, somehow, but those I planted last fall are history. The three big container-grown ones at the end of the driveway have all leafed out. I hope I get some blooms this year. It will be these four’s fourth summer.
When we had the driveway redone, apparently the gravel company brought bluebonnet seed in with their gravel, as well as some of weed seed, unfortunately. Last count, there were eleven bluebonnet plants coming up along the drive, and in the center. I will have to be diligent and collect the seeds from these plants this year, and then spread them elsewhere. I like to keep the driveway clean, usually spray herbicide a few times a year to maintain the clean, so I don’t want even bluebonnets in the middle of the road.
Something yanked the bird feeder down by the wellhouse last night. Pretty sure I know who the culprit is. There’s a squirrel’s nest high up in the big oak on the lawn, and I frequently see the squirrel down on the ground under this feeder collecting what the birds scatter. I put some new food in there yesterday or the day before, and this new food has cracked nuts in it -- should have known better. Oh well. I do hate that when it hit the ground, not only did the seed sprawl all over the ground, but the side of the feeding rim was bent nearly vertical. The other so-called “squirrel-proof” feeder out in the back has already been damaged in this same way. I guess there’s just no way to keep squirrels from dumping these feeders. I don’t mind them having some of the seed, but I wish they didn’t have to be so destructive. I hear the little devil running across the roof right now, no doubt delighted with its new bounty.
A new Tractor Supply opened about a mile from the house. I took Daddy over there. We walked every single aisle in the store. I bought much more than he did, although his purchase was pricey. He wanted a leaf sweeper, for some reason. It hooks to the back of his lawnmower and he can pull it around the yard, although, it barely squeezed through his back yard gate when I unloaded it from the pickup. He has two elm trees in the front, and they are really the only two trees that make a mess, mostly with all the seed they drop. I don’t think the sweeper will do much about those seeds, but I did not discourage Daddy. Anything that keeps him active is fine by me. I hope I don’t have to go over there to hook the sweeper up every time he wants to use it. I always need to get in the hot tub after I’ve spent a lot of time with him. He can’t lift much of anything any more, and I really shouldn’t be either with my stenosis, but I don’t seem able to say no. Hot tub and Advil so far do the trick.
All day today I will be busy getting ready for the big road trip tomorrow. All I need to do is about to overwhelm me, so I guess I should get going.
Onward ....
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