Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

A Conglomeraton of Things Momentous

1.  We had our inaugural fire last night in the new fire pit on the new deck.  Now it had rained heavily earlier this week so all the wood on the ground was fairly damp.  Also my fire starting skills are rusty since we haven't been camping in ages.  So the first attempts at getting the fire to keep burning were a bit ragged.  Dan came to the rescue with paper from his art class pad since we don't subscribe to a newspaper and paper from the recycle bin just didn't have the same burning power.  The fire lasted about an hour but it was wonderful to smell the smoke and watch the flames while they lasted.  We had a foreshadowing at least of what it will be like in the future.
 



2.  I can remember when I first fell in love with Japanese maple trees.  It was the spring of 1958.  My family lived in Lancaster, PA and we had just returned from 5 years in the Philippine Islands.  I believe the street was named Shady Drive East (but that may not be quite right).  We would walk to church which was on that same street and pass these homes with these gorgeous red leaf trees.  I've since returned to Lancaster and those trees are still there! The trees were so lovely.  All these years later I finally have my very own Japanese maple given to me as a gift for Mother's Day. 

Yesterday I planted the tree.  My original intent was to plant it by the front walkway and remove the pink hibiscus that was there.  As I thought about that location and discussed it with Dan at breakfast, he suggested planting it in the back along the glen.  I'd seen on someone's blog a Japanese maple with green trees behind that made the red leaves stand out and thought better of planting it all by itself in the front. Also like many of you I don't use my front door.  I come and go through the garage and only use the front to greet guests.   Dan's suggestion to plant it along the glen behind the hostas was perfect because now as I sit here at my desk typing this I can look up and there is the tree directly in my gaze.  The perfect spot.





3. Yesterday was also momentous because I harvested the first snow peas and the first broccoli of the season.  We divided both three ways and though there weren't a lot they were delicious.




4. Finally, all the mulch remaining to be moved to flower beds got moved yesterday.  A long day of loading mulch into the wheelbarrow and dumping and spreading it too.  I think it kept multiplying every time I left it.  What I thought would be three more loads at the end turned out to be more like 7.  The mulch had been there too long that the ants had made a nest and laid eggs.  At one point I was loading mulch in a cloud of flying ants.  No fun!  I also had to do battle with a borer bee which thought it wanted the plastic wheelbarrow to bore into.  I've never had a bee threaten me like that one did.  I could almost hear it say "Back off!"  Anyway the mulching is done for another year, a momentous occasion to be celebrated.

12 comments:

Jenny Rottinger said...

Congrats on the first fire and beautiful harvest! The garden itsef also looks very nice with mulch in it.

jeanlivingsimple said...

Marcia, Your place is so nice! Do you have a hard time leaving?

HolleyGarden said...

How fun to have a fire! And I agree - the tree placement is perfect! Love that last picture of your garden. It's beautiful. Congrats on getting the mulching done! I mulch all year long, but never seem to get finished. I'm slow. Plus, I don't fight ants!

Stoney Acres said...

What a beautiful house and yard you have. I love how wooded it seems!

Marcia said...

I guess it was a labor of love because I do love this place! :) Thank you!

Marcia said...

Yes! And it's also wonderful to come home to. None of our trips is ever over two weeks in length. Nothing like being home and enjoying your surroundings which we do.

Marcia said...

Ants were just a bother. At first I thought they were tiny moths.

Yes, I love the tree there. Funny thing is I mentioned to my neighbor at the top of the lane last year or the year before that if he had any volunteers from his Japanese maple, I'd love to have one. I just saw him this afternoon when I walked up for the mail and he had pots of them. He said he started potting them when I asked but kept forgetting to tell me. Now I have another one that I carried home, much smaller of course and he has many more that I'm welcome to have, too.

Marcia said...

We have 8 acres - 7 of which are woods and wetlands. The house sits on cleared land but we are surrounded by the woods, mostly tall stately tulip poplar trees.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

WOW---love your home, yard, acreage, etc.... I would love to live RIGHT there ---if it were in the mountains of Tennessee... Wonder if we can move it all here?????? ha ha ha

I would love to come and sit on your deck---and make some smores by the fire... Love it--love it--love it...

Hope you love your Japanese Maple. They are just gorgeous.
Hugs,
Betsy

Debbie said...

Your yard is so gorgeous and must be a peaceful place to relax!

Patricia said...

Marcia, your yard is lovely! It invites you in! You will truly enjoy your deck and I am applauding the benches!

Marcia said...

Thanks to all with your nice compliments. We do enjoy living here. I think this year has been the best so far for the gardens. But the work is never ending. Now I have plants that need dividing and volunteers that need new locations. Fun stuff! Yes!