I took a bunch of pictures today.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography
Current Mood: busy

I took these photos on Saturday.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography
Current Mood: busy

Today is beautiful, mostly cloudy, breezy and cool.  :D  

Round 1, I took pictures and planted morning glory seeds.

Round 2, I transplanted some wild morning glories and started clearing weeds and brush around the purple-and-white garden. 

Round 3, I sowed more grass seed in the bare patch.  There is a chance of rain tonight.   I also cut more brush around the purple-and-white garden.  It's about half done now, I think.

Round 4, I cut more brush around the purple-and-white garden.  It's about 3/4 done, although I'll probably need to go back and touch up parts later.  It already looks a lot better though.

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal
Current Mood: busy

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Poem: "Uncertain Miracles"
Sunday Yardening
Litha
Saturday Yardening
Super-Queers
Garden Photos 6-22-17 Flowers
Garden Photos 6-22-17 Nests
Thursday Yardening
Poem: "One Familiar with Self-Defense"
Hard Things
Garden Photos 6-19-17 Flowers
Garden Photos 6-19-17 Birds


This week's half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics had only modest participation, despite having the quarter-price option. However, I do have one donor who's still picking out poetry for funds already sent, so there will be something more.


Poetry in Microfunding:
"A Hope and a Promise" belongs to Polychrome Heroics and has 15 new verses.  Aidan and Mrs. Ozenne talk more about Saraphina as she interacts with another toddler.  "Essential for Human Survival" belongs to Polychrome Heroics: Cassandra and has 11 new verses.  Groundhog and Cassandra encounter one of the monks. "The Inner Transition" belongs to Polychrome Heroics: Berettaflies.  Valor's Widow finds out what Stylet has in his backpack.  

Weather has been cooler and pleasant here.  The nest of baby robins fledged!  :D  The cardinal nest lost its egg.  :(  Currently blooming: dandelions, carnations, marigolds, petunias, lantana, million bells, snapdragons, zinnias, firecracker plant, torenia, yarrow, white and red clover, penstemon, daylilies, rose campion, coreopsis, morning glories, aster, spiderwort, echinacea, golden rain tree.  Mulberries and black raspberries are winding down.

Tags: blogging, personal
Current Mood: busy

Today is beautiful, cool, and breezy.

We checked the firepit after yesterday's Litha bonfire.  It had burned down almost completely, just a double handful of stubs to pick out.  Then we shoveled up the loose ash and wheeled to dump in the prairie garden. 

Round 2, I watered plants.  Then I picked up sticks in the savanna.

Round 3, I sprayed weeds.

It's getting dark now, and the fireflies are coming out, so I'm done for the night.

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal
Current Mood: busy

I posted a tidbit about our Litha ritual.

Tags: event, holiday, illinois, paganism, personal
Current Mood: busy

 Today is beautiful, cool and breezy.  I took some pictures.  We are planning a Midsummer ritual later today so I don't know if I'll get much else done.

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal
Current Mood: busy

 Tonight is moist and mild.  There are fireflies everywhere!  :D  Also some fireworks to the west of us.

Tags: illinois, nature, personal, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

These are more pictures from Thursday.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: birdfeeding, gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

I took these pictures on Thursday.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography
Current Mood: busy

These are more pictures from Monday that wouldn't fit in the previous post.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: birdfeeding, gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

These pictures are from Monday, June 19.

Echinacea is beginning to bloom beside the barrel garden.


This is the barrel garden.


This pepper is beginning to ripen.


Moss rose is blooming.


So is gazania.


Million bells are blooming on the patio.


Here is the septic garden.


Cleome is blooming in the white garden.


Yucca is almost done blooming.  I was out in the evening and surprised to discover that they are more fragrant at night.  Since they are pollinated by moths, this makes sense, but I had not noticed it before.


Some of its flowers are setting seed.  This also surprised me, because I didn't think yucca moths came this far north and also I've never seen their little holes (made by exiting caterpillars) on the pods.  But perhaps their range is expanding, or some other moths may have done the duty.


Most of the morning glories have been eaten.


This is the cardinal nest in the hazelnut bush.


Here is the wildflower garden.


Echinacea is just putting out petals.


Prairie onions have heads.


Asters are blooming.


These black raspberries are in the blackberry patch.


The blackberries aren't ripe yet.

Tags: birdfeeding, gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

Today is cloudy, cool, and breezy.  Earlier I took pictures.

I planted two lemon thyme plants in the Goddess Garden, and watered potted plants. 

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal
Current Mood: busy

Today is mild and pleasant, but quite windy.  I took some pictures earlier, but don't know how well they'll turn out due to all the tossing about.

We picked up many sticks from the strip along the street and up the driveway.  One branch had fallen to stick upright in the ground!

Also I found a nest of baby bunnies, so remowing that area will have to wait a few days until they vacate.  They're hand-sized and furry, so it shouldn't take long before they move out.

EDIT 6/19/17: I planted more morning glories and moonflower around the support wire.  Most of the older ones had been eaten.  >_<  

EDIT 6/19/17: We picked up sticks back toward the east edge of the yard.

EDIT 6/19/17: I trimmed branches from a fruit tree and honeysuckles.  Then Doug cut larger ones from the golden rain tree and the walnut by the road.

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Poem: "The Face of Ruin and Despair"
"To Know After Absence" is now complete!
Poem: "Differently Abled Heroes"
Saturday Yardening
Wonder Woman
Garden Photos 6-16-17
Hurt Comfort Bingo Card 6-16-17
Friday Yardening
Garden Photos 6-14-17
Thursday Yardening
Poem: "Bienvenue"
Wednesday Yardening
Only in Local-America
Good News


The crowdfunding Creative Jam ran this weekend with a theme of "Sufficiency or Indulgence."

There will be a half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics this week. I'm working on the sale outline and will post as soon as I can.


Poetry in Microfunding:
"A Hope and a Promise" belongs to Polychrome Heroics.  Aidan and Mrs. Ozenne discuss secure attachment.  "Essential for Human Survival" belongs to Polychrome Heroics: Cassandra.  Groundhog and Cassandra explore the snack room. "The Inner Transition" belongs to Polychrome Heroics: Berettaflies.  Valor's Widow finds out what Stylet has in his backpack.  "To Know After Absence" is now complete.  See what else Shiv chooses to put in his apartment over Blues Moon.

Weather has been milder with some rain.  I'm keeping an eye on a nest of baby robins and a cardinal nest with an egg in it.  Currently blooming: dandelions, carnations, marigolds, petunias, lantana, million bells, snapdragons, zinnias, firecracker plant, torenia, yarrow, white and red clover, penstemon, yucca, daylilies, rose campion, coreopsis, morning glories, aster.  Mulberries and black raspberries are ripe, but I haven't bothered to pick them for more than samples.

Tags: blogging, personal
Current Mood: busy

We went up to visit my parents today.

I found a black t-shirt with copper lettering that says "Breathe."  Always good advice!

I was thrilled to find a square-fold insulated shopping bag that zips around the top.  We used to have one but eventually it fell apart.  Since then I could only find flat ones, and one very small square-fold.  Yay, new bag!

We tried feijoa fruit.  It has a very strong tropical aroma with musky and floral notes.  The flavor is tangy but with many complex undertones that don't really blend together.  Texture is soft and a little gritty, similar to pear, although it has a complex seed compartment like a cucumber.  It was interesting to try, although I think I'd like it better blended with other fruits in a smoothie or ice cream.  It just seems made to marry with everything.  :D  Fandom bicycle fruit!  Everyone gets a ride!

Tags: food, personal
Current Mood: busy

Today is warm and muggy.  We picked up the remaining grass that had been raked, one pile and a row.

Baby robins are still in the nest.  :D 

EDIT 6/19/17: I went back out later and did more grass trimming.

Tags: birdfeeding, gardening, illinois, nature, personal, wildlife
Current Mood: busy

As far as the eye can see.  :D  After the rain we got recently, it's warm and damp out tonight, something fireflies find very romantic.  So they are all out there with their lights on, making more fireflies.  <3 

Tags: illinois, nature, personal, wildlife
Current Mood: happy

It's warm and muggy out.  We picked up four small piles of grass. 

EDIT 6/16/17: I trimmed grass around the big maple tree near the house.

Tags: gardening, illinois, nature, personal
Current Mood: busy

Today is warm and muggy. I took some pictures.

( Walk with me ...Collapse )

Tags: birdfeeding, gardening, illinois, nature, personal, photo, photography, wildlife
Current Mood: busy