Weekend at the Farm July 17 - 19, 2015

This is Illustris Colocasia.  They grow 2 - 3 feet tall depending on how much sun they get.  They need some shade, morning is best.  If morning sun is not an option then they should be grown in the shade.

Took the day off , arrived Friday morning.  Had pizza night at our house the night before with Mom, Dad, Nan, Lisa, and Gretchen and Beckett.

• Spent Friday morning weeding in the Star Garden.  I trimmed the anisacanthus out of the paths, pulled a zillion weeds, and cut back various plants away from the paths.
• Weeded in the Vegetable Garden and cleared out paths where marigolds had sprawled over and taken root.  Marigolds will root along the stem wherever they touch the soil.
• Watered some plants around the pool that were gasping and in the Rose Garden.  The hottest part of summer has set in.  Now we are just marking time until the fall weather sets in.
• Swam in the pool.  Bert arrived mid-afternoon.
• Saturday morning I sprayed herbicide on the driveway, in the Vegetable Garden, and in the Shade Garden.
• Drank mimosas and watered various plants in the Star Garden.
• Worked all morning in the Rose Garden.  I watered a few of my young roses.  I weeded for a long time.  I dumped three wheelbarrows full of debris on the edge of neighbors' property that backs up to ours.  They won't notice, they don't mow in that area.  Sprayed herbicide on all the paths.  It's really really dry out there.  Everything is gasping. I need to hand water all the roses, but I don't think I'll do it this weekend, probably next weekend.  Swam three times during the process so I could cool off.  Looks a lot better.  I need to re-landscape in the Rose Garden.  The boards around the raised beds are rotting and the crushed granite needs to be re-done.
• I spent the afternoon preparing to harvest my honey.  I washed all the jars, and made ready to sterilize them.  I set up the centrifuge.  I gathered all my honey tools together.  Bert started the smoker.  I washed out the wheelbarrow for loading the supers into it and carrying them up the hill.  I put on jeans and a long sleeve shirt and then my bee suit and mask and gloves.  No honey!  There was no comb built on most of the supers.  I couldn't believe it.  With all the rain earlier this year I assumed there would be an abundance of honey.  Either my bees swarmed or all the rain prevented the bees from gathering prodigious amounts of honey.  I had such big plans for my honey this year.  I managed to collect enough honey for 4 large jars, but since no comb was built clearly the bees were eating the honey rather than storing it, so I didn't dare collect more.  They have to get through the winter.  I'm going to feed them next week.  Big disappointment.    
• Took an early evening swim, everything was in shade and the stillness was palpable.  The temperature was like bath water, so swimming was incredibly comfortable, not like during the day when you are seeking cold water to cool yourself off.
• Sunday morning I started out weeding the Star Garden.  There is a large bed near the front of the house that is mostly empty because I cleaned it out a few weekends ago.  I did a bit more work in there and seeded it with zinnias.  I set a sprinkler on it so it will get watered all week while the seeds are trying to germinate.  Looks pretty good in the Star Garden right now.  Not a lot blooming, but clean.
• Spotted a Monarch while I was working.  That is only the second one I've seen this year.  Of course, August is the big butterfly month, so maybe that is good omen.  I'm ready for them, I have lots of butterfly weed. 
• Went down to the Orchard to get some mulch to lay down where I was working in the Star Garden.  Ended up staying in there for most of the rest of the morning weeding, laying down mulch, deadheading zinnias, and cutting back both live and dead blackberry canes.
• I spotted a Zebra Longwing in the Orchard.  Exciting!  I didn't see any last year.  They are really beautiful butterflies.  I had zillions two years ago, and then none last year.
• Worked in the Medicine Garden for a long time too.  Nice and shady in there and right next to the pool.  Swam for a while, weeded for a while., etc.  Cleaned that up pretty well and laid down some mulch in the places where I weeded.  Cut back lots of dead Catnip.  Moved the sprinklers around.  I need all new sprinklers for that area.  The water is so bad here that sprinklers get corroded pretty fast and quit rotating.  
• Bert put a window in the front room of the Greenhouse. He bought it at Adkins Architectural Antiques.  It looks very old, and the glass is opaque.  I needed some more light in that first room of the Greenhouse so it will be easier to spot wasp nests.  That is a favorite spot for wasps.  The window looks really cute and fits with the style of the little building.
• I pulled weeds in the Star Garden around the mock orange tree.  That spot gets pretty weedy, so I mulched it really well.
• My Harlequin Glorybower is in full bloom.  It is attracting a lot of butterflies.  I have seen Tiger Swallowtails and Giant Swallowtails sipping nectar all day.
• Swam some more.  Pretty tired!  Laid in front of the tv and watched the British Open for a while and napped.
• Worked some more in the Star Garden pulling weeds and adjusting the sprinklers.  I set up two trellises and planted some moonflower seeds and Heavenly Blue morning glory seeds. 
• Watered my young roses in the Rose Garden.  All done for the weekend!