another gardening day

Yesterday AM I went on a buying spree at my favorite nursery.  They were having a Mothers' Day sale.  The gardens weren't crowded, but the check-out lines were rather long.  Still I don't suppose I waited more than 10 minutes.  I bought mostly annuals to finish filling the pots on the deck.  They all look a little empty still because all the plants are small, but I know from experience that in a month or so, they will be overflowing.  Gardening in pots isn't very strenuous, except for lifting bags of potting soil and moving the large (and heavy) pots around to get them where I want them.  Basically, this year, I have orange, red and yellow flowers on one side of the deck and pink and purple on the other - mostly.  I noticed that I have only two blue flowers.  I just didn't find any blue ones that I wanted.

I think today I will return to the garden shop and buy a tree!  I need to replace the flowering plum tree that came down last year due to wind and rain.  I saw some very nice Japanese maples yesterday, for reasonable prices.  A Japanese maple won't provide much shade, unlike the plum, as they are slow growers, but it isn't likely to blow over in a wind storm either!  Of course, it's crazy to go on Mothers' Day, but I don't suppose it will be worse than yesterday and I know what I want, so I won't be there long.  If I didn't have to go to church, I would go now and beat the rush.  Maybe it will rain this afternoon, which should discourage some buyers and make the lines shorter!

Here is a photo of the purple clematis that is finally blooming.  The white one always blooms first, but the purple one seems to be catching up.  I have a third one, further along the fence, but I don't remember what color it is.  It was new last year, but has some buds.  I think it might be dark red.  Guess I'll have to wait and see.  I'm also posting more iris photos.  (These are also on FaceBook) 
The yellow and lavender iris is one of my favorites. 

Yesterday, I dug up a few clumps of iris to give away to neighbors.  Those plants grow very close together and have roots connecting one plant to the next.  It's very hard to get into the bed and cut some out.  I have far too many of one color.  They seem to multiply faster than any of the other more desirable ones!  The ones I really like don't seem to multiply at all, of course.

Yard work is play for me

Yesterday was such a beautiful day for being outside.  I got the front yard edged.  Of course the grass is growing like weeds (maybe because there are a lot of them in among the grass), so it will need to be mowed soon and then I'll have to do the edging again!  Sometimes I pray for a dry summer, so the grass will stop growing. 

Anyway, after lunch I went shopping for flowers.  I tried several of the local discount stores, hoping to find some bargains.  Walmart was a real disappointment.  Their plants were not in good shape, although I got some marigolds and petunias.  Home Depot wasn't much better.  I find that if I get to those stores on the day a new shipment of plants arrives, there is a reasonably good selection.  The rest of the time, not so good.  Anyway, I had quite a few plants purchased last week from a local fruit, vegetable and plant stand, so I had plenty to do.  I still have a few pots to fill and need some more annuals for the back yard flower bed.  Maybe I'll go to Benke's on Friday.  They are the local nursery with the best selection, but they are also the most expensive.  I always find more than I intend to buy when I go there.  Here are some photos of the pots on the deck.  And I have another iris blooming out front - a pink one.  Spring is such fun with new flowers opening up every few days. 

Today I went out again to see if I could find a few more plants - specifically sweet potato vines and some spiky plants.  This time I tried the Home Depot in Columbia. They are usually much better supplied than the store in Laurel.  They did have more plants, but not as good a selection as I remember from last year.  I think it's a bit early.  They will get more later this month.  I found most of the items I wanted, so I'm in pretty good shape.  It was cool and wet today, so I didn't get these plants into pots.  I'll wait for another warm day when it's comfortable to work outside.

More spring flowers

Another iris is in full bloom.  Also aquilegia aka. Columbine.  The clematis is on the fence in the back yard.  There is supposed to be a purple one out there too.  Hopefully, it's just a late bloomer.  At this point it looks as if the white one has take over the space.

I'll be working outside today, since the weather is so lovely.  First thing is to get the edging done out front.  This is the first house where I have sidewalks to edge.  What a nuisance!  I'll get out back a bit later and plant some annuals in the new (as of last year) flower bed out there.  I just hope it doesn't rain before I finish.  Maybe I'll even get out to Lowe's or Home Depot and check out their annuals. 

Here is a closeup of the clematis blooming on the fence.   And a shot of the 'woods lily' (not sure of its name).  I've seen these in the woods when I'm walking the trail at the rec center where I teach ceramics.

Raku firing

Saturday, I spent all day at the Montpelier Arts and Crafts center.  It was their annual tea and herb festival.  The ceramics department demonstrated Raku firing all day.  I managed to get three of my pieces fired.  I'm sure I've explained Raku firing previously.  Pieces are fired in a small kiln with a removable lid. Using tongs, we transfer our pieces into garbage cans partly filled with straw, dry grass, leaves, etc.  The red hot piece ignites the straw and we put the lid on.  The straw uses up all the oxygen in the can, creating reduction firing.  We get really interesting effects with this process.  The fun part for me is that we can't predict exactly what the finished piece will look like.  I'm happy with two of my pieces, but the large mask doesn't thrill me.  I like the guy's beard and hair, but his skin color isn't what I wanted.  It's too dark and dull looking.  Maybe I'll refire the piece next time.  I really like the fanged rabbit - the orange color was a surprise, but a nice one.  And the little pinch pot (bowl) has lovely swirls of color on the outside, which can't be seen in the photo.  The black loops on it are where there was no glaze.  In Raku, all unglazed surfaces turn black.


 Yesterday was a busy day for me at church.  I had to set up the coffee hour stuff mostly by myself, as the other person on the committee was away.  It was complicated by the fact that we were not in the usual room, but in a smaller space.  Luckily I had a couple of the kids to help me.  These girls are very efficient, so we got everything done in time, thank goodness.  We wouldn't have made it, except that our service ran late.  It was our annual 'Holy Humor' Sunday.  We dress in silly clothes and hats, some of which rivaled the recent Royal Wedding display.  The minister and congregation tell funny stories.  It's a fun way to celebrate the Sunday after Easter. 

iris in bloom

Yesterday, these iris were just buds.  I never expected to see them fully open this AM.  What a lovely surprise!
Photos are below.

Tom and Peggy (brother and sister-in-law) came in yesterday afternoon, on their way north from Florida.  They rode the auto train up to Lorton, VA and drove over to spend the night with me.  I was happy to see them.  We had some good conversation and then went out to dinner.  I now have enough leftovers from the dinner to create three meals for me!  One thing I really like about today's restaurants is that they are happy to give us boxes to take food home in.  I remember, in the dim dark ages of my childhood, when 'doggie bags' actually held food for the dog. 

This week has just flown by.  I did clean the house some before my company arrived.  Having company gives me just enough incentive to actually get out the vacuum cleaner. Now I have a clean house for a day or so.  I have to trim the grass tomorrow and will no doubt track in enough grass to make the 'clean house' a thing of the past.

Saturday we will be doing a Raku firing at the Montpelier Arts and Crafts center.  They are having their annual herb and tea festival, which has music, craft vendors, performers and more.  Something for everyone.  I entered a mask in the 'student' display at the center.  Haven't heard whether my piece will be in the show or not.  Not many people make masks, so I have a fairly good chance of getting in.  I'll know on Saturday.

'the flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la'

For those who are not operetta fans, the title is from a song in Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.  The photos in this blog are some of my blooming flowers.  

This first photo is a trillium - a woods plant, growing in my back yard.  I transplanted it from my sister-in-law's garden  in New York State.  I have seen a few trillium growing in the woods here in Maryland, but I imagine the summers are a bit too hot for them to thrive.  This one seems to do ok. 

The other photos are African violets, growing in pots inside my house.  The frilly white and pink one is a new plant - from the Weis supermarket for only $2.99.  A friend asked me how I got my African violets to bloom in the winter.  My secret, of course, is that I buy new plants, which are already in bloom!  LOL    Actually the other plants are not new.   They tend to bloom whenever they feel like it.  I just try to keep them alive.

 Yesterday, I was complaining about it being a gorgeous day and my having to work inside.  As it turned out, I got home in time to spend several hours sitting out on the deck, enjoying the warm sunshine.  It was lovely.  Of course, I am paying for it today, as all the pollen made my allergies worse.  Oh well, it was worth it.

My neighbor cut my lawn yesterday when he did his own.  We have an arrangement:  he mows my lawn and I do the edging on both yards with my cord trimmer.  My lawn looks much better than when I use the trimmer to do the whole thing and I spend less time doing the edging of  both yards than if I had to do just my own lawn and edging.  So it's a good bargain for both of us.  Today, if it doesn't rain, I will get the edging done.

Last night, I went to a ceramics class at the  Montpelier Art Center.  This is where we do Raku firing.  I love the results of Raku, although they are rather unpredictable. Actually, that's part of why I love it.  One often gets a surprise in the finished piece.  Eventually, I will have some more items to show.  We are doing a demonstration firing on April 30, which is a 'tea festival' at Montpelier Arts Center.  I'll have at least a couple of pieces to be fired at that time.

So I am now involved in ceramics three days in a row!  I teach on Mondays, take a class on Tuesdays and then the Raku class on Wednesday nights.  Lots of playing with clay.  Montpelier is having a show for students soon.  We have to submit one piece by the end of next week.  Not every piece will be selected.  I think I have a good shot at getting a piece into the show, as not many students are doing masks. 

And the Tuesday class at the senior center is also having a show - in May, I think.  I don't know how many pieces we can each submit.  No details available so far.  Neither of these shows will have pottery for sale.  However, I am hoping to go to a sale in southern Maryland later this spring.  It would be nice to actually sell some of my stuff.  I need the space in the basement!

I've not been blogging very often this spring, mostly because nothing very interesting has been happening in my life.  The weeks fly by without anything to generate a blog. 

As I look out into the woods behind my house, I see pale green leaves adorning most of the trees.  I can still see the houses across the river and through the woods, but in another month, all I will see will be trees.  It's nice not to see the other houses, but the foliage also hides the stream, which I do enjoy viewing.  Can't have it both ways. 

here's what's blooming in my neighborhood

I just took some snaps of various ornamental trees around my neighborhood.  I think they are all cherry trees, both white and pink.  Pear trees bloom white too, but they have a different shape and the blossoms look as if someone had tied cotton balls onto the branches.  Anyway, whatever they are, I love seeing them every spring.  I still haven't decided on what to plant to replace the flowering plum tree that fell over last year.  The choices are between dogwood (white or pink), flowering cherry (perhaps weeping cherry), and Japanese red maple.  I have to decide if I want spring flowers or year around color.  Decisions, decisions!

 This is, I think, a white cherry.  There is a group of 5 of them on the corner, just a few houses down from mine.  They aren't very exciting the rest of the year, but in the spring they are wonderful!

 This is the weeping cherry.  Isn't it gorgeous?  I really love these trees when they get to be this size.  However, when they are small, they look rather insignificant and they are rather slow growers, I think.  I don't know if I have the patience to wait ten years to get a tree this size.

This is a pink flowering cherry, not the weeping kind.  It is a bit past its peak, so the color isn't as bright as it was last week.  It would look a lot like the flowering plum that I lost.  However, the cherry, like the plum, does not seem to have a good root system.  One of the homes down the street lost theirs in a storm a few years ago.  I'm very hesitant about buying another tree that will give in to wind and rain.

I don't have any photos of dogwoods in bloom because they aren't blooming this early.  I think it will be nearly a month before they bloom.  We have both pink and white ones in our block.  Both are very lovely.

Japanese maples don't have a showy bloom.  Their leaves are their glory.  I've seen some that have leaves that are green, white and red variegated.  I'll have to do some serious looking soon in order to decide on what I want.  I need to get the tree into the ground before the hot summer weather.

Tuesday, I walked around Lake Elkhorn again.  It was a bit windy, but the sun was shining and it was a pleasant walk.  I counted turtles again and saw a total of 17.  Nine of them were on one log!  Not much else of interest in the lake.  The white heron has not appeared so far this spring.  Perhaps it's too early for him.   In fact there were very few birds on the water.  One pair of ducks and a pair of swans.  The others were not hanging around the paths looking for handouts either.  They must have found better pickings somewhere else.  There are signs prohibiting feeding of the water fowl, but I suspect some people do it anyway.  It's a lot of fun to throw bread to the birds, but not good for them to have too much.  And if they don't eat it all, it messes up the water.  Of course, the Canada geese mess up the paths, with green goo.  (it's really sh-t, but we mustn't  say the naughty word)

I'm trying to walk every day, but so far am only succeeding on Mondays and Tuesdays that are sunny.  I won't walk in the rain. (I guess I'm more a cat than a duck!)  As the week progresses, I seem to lose my ambition for taking a walk.  Also, on Thursdays and Fridays,  I would have to drive somewhere to find an interesting walk.  Somehow, that seems to defeat the purpose of walking.  Anyway, I will keep on trying.  Even twice a week is better than not at all.