Four Days at the Farm March 7 - 10, 2013

 Above, there are 100 double campernelles about to bloom, and 50 singles that are in full bloom.  Cheerful even on a cloudy day.

 These are double daffodils.  Josh gave them to me for my birthday.

We finally got internet in Burton.  We had it many years ago and cancelled it in an effort to cut costs.  Drove in to Houston on Saturday evening for dinner at Triniti for Nan's birthday, then drove back to Burton.  Cold and rainy Friday and Sturday, but I never complain about rain.

• Spent most of Friday shoveling crushed granite into the cub cadet, driving it over to the Star Garden, and spreading it in the paths.  Then the cub broke down.  We put it on the trailer and drove it into town to get repaired.  That put a serious crimp in my weekend plans.  Twelve yards of crushed granite and no way to move it over a long distance.  We had it dumped in the front of the property because those heavy dump trucks can really mess up the driveway.  After that I concentrated on the path leading to the Rose Garden.  It is almost finished.
• Pruned several roses in the Rose Garden - the Cadenza, the Star of the Republic, several Belinda's Dreams.  I did some additional trimming on the Bermuda's Kathleen to make the path more manageable. 
• Pulled weeds in the Orchard and the Star Garden.
• Sprayed herbicide on several paths and in the bed that the 75% sculpture sits.
•  Raked leaves around the pool and piled them up next to the shed.  Too wet to shred.
• Cleaned the small oven.  Vacuumed the bedroom and shook out the rugs.  Cleaned the toilets and sinks in the master bath.
• Raked in the Shade Garden, but couldn't get real motivated to work in such cold weather on Saturday.
• My husband put some cedar posts in the Noisette bed in the Rose Garden so that I could pull the long canes upright and out of the path.  Noisettes are low climbers or they can have a sprawling, waterfall habit.  It looks much better, and definitely more passable.
• My husband and I drove in to Carmine so I could dig up some bearded irises I spotted under a tree in an empty field. I'm bringing a clump to Janine Snapp, and I planted several clumps in the Long Border and in the front flower bed.
• Transplanted a plug of Clerodendrun Bungeii to the Shade Garden.
• I planted 4 wild onions in the Rose Garden that Janine gave me last week.    
• Fed the bees some sugar water on Monday evening. Foolishly decided to wear my garden gloves instead of the bee gloves.  Stung six times, maybe more.  My hands are throbbing! 
• We had the propane folks come out and fill our tank.  This is the first time we have had it filled since we built the house.  There was about 20% left.  $472.  Cub Cadet repair $378.  Expensive weekend.