Madame Antoine Mari Rose December 12, 2015

Mid December, blooming her heart out.  She looked really pretty this weekend, and loaded with unopened buds.  She is a tea rose, introduced in 1901, named after the wife of the breeder.  The flowers are a pink blend.

Weekend at the Farm December 5-7, 2015

Nolan, Nick, Henry, Oliver, Wes, and Zelda on Thanksgiving Day.  Nolan was driving, and he took a turn too sharp and knocked our bone tree over to one side.  That's okay, that's what this place is for- knocking things over.


Arrived about 2:00 on Friday.  Left on Saturday afternoon to babysit Sammy and Koy.  Both sets of parents had a Christmas party to go to.  Bert went to Groesbeck.  We both met back at the farm on Sunday, and I drove to work from the farm on Monday morning.

• My goal was to get all my daffodils planted that arrived from Brent and Becky's Bulbs.
• I planted 5 Falconet and 5 Geranium bulbs along the front of the bed where my Pink Vitex is planted.
• I planted 5 Thalia Sun by the iris I just planted in the Star Garden, not much else of interest is that bed:  the iris, the daffodils, and a Pink Muhly grass.
• I planted 15 Martinet along the front of the Long Border in the third section, that far end.
• Walked the mile roundabout with my three dogs, Hank the neighbors' dog and Grey Kitty, the other neighbors' cat.
• I spent a lot of time wandering the gardens with all the animals following me, the pleasant silence sometimes interrupted by the neighbors' ancient Boxer and faithful companion Black and White dog coming over to get into a barking match with my dogs.  Well, I'm sure it's the highlight of their week - a chance to protect their master's turf.  What else have they got going on?
• Saturday morning up early.  Took another walk around the property accompanied by the same group.  Hank and Grey Kitty were staring into the bedroom window, side by side impatient for us to wake up. 
• Planted 25 Thalia bulbs, a pure white daffodil, in the Greenhouse Garden.  I planted some under a pin oak tree, some in the bed where my Feverfew grows, and some in the bed where the Tardiva Hydrangea used to be.  I pulled up the dead Tardiva in the process.  I'm going to replace it with a mophead hydrangea.  I think the location is perfect for a hydrangea, some early morning sun and filtered shade for the rest of the day. 
• I dug about 15 holes in the Rose Edge Garden.  It was easy, that soil is so sandy it was like cutting through butter.  I planted 25 Ice Follies, 20 Sweetness, and the rest of the Martinet. I planted them all in groups of three and five at one end of the bed so that next year I will know where to begin planting again.  In the Daffodil Border I was planting willy nilly, mostly because there were so many yaupon roots, so when I begin digging sometimes I unearth bulbs from last year.
• Left for Houston about 1:00.  Babysitting got tricky at one point.  Sam woke up crying about midnight, very unusual behavior for him, and Koy was up for a feeding.  I was holding both crying babies, one in each arm.  Luckily thier parents arrived soon after.
• Returned to the farm Sunday morning.  
• I planted 19 Avalanche bulbs in the La Marne bed where the others are planted.  I cleaned up in the bed and spread pine needles over the area.  I planted the remaining 6 bulbs in the Rose Edge bed.
• I transplanted 5 Ox Eye Daisies from various paths.
• Bert arrived about 1:00.  He shot another deer t his friend Donald's property in Marlin.  
• For the rest of the day I walked around the property and thought about what a long way Bert and I have come.  Here and everywhere in our lives.