Marmalade, Queen of the House

  Marmalade, now Queen of the house since her brother went to the Rainbow Bridge on December 1, is at the moment viewing her stash of very expensive cat food, send to her for Christmas from her cousin, Chloe. Although Marmy seems unimpressed, she did a fine job of scarfing up some of the pink salmon (wild) a day later. It's clear that I've not taken enough pics lately. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity followed by long days of idleness. 2009 will bring some changes to this household, now ruled by Queen Marmalade.

It's a Brand New Year

 

December 2008 looked like this a great deal of the time. I'm looking forward to bluer skies over the valley in 2009. Tonight we experienced a pink sky as the setting sun burnished high clouds near the mountains, creating that wonderful Alpine Glow on the earth. Didn't get a photo of it but was transfixed for many minutes while watching the colors change from inside the warm house.

The back (weedy) area hasn't been touched for more than a month. Snow covered the gravel pile for much of December, the shovels I'd carelessly left out began to rust, and weeds began to pop up all over the already graveled area. I must go to the store and purchase some Roundup....one of those nifty containers that you pump a couple of times and the sprayer keeps spraying for long minutes.....hopefully, more than 2.

A package of crepe myrtle trees sits on my front porch, enduring freezing temps every night, waiting for the hard frosts to discontinue so they can be planted. By the time the weather warms a bit, I should have decided where to plant them. So far, I'm thinking of putting them all together in one large circle. Maybe not the best idea, but while they're small, they ought to be spectacular once they begin to blossom.

Most of the trees have buds on them. My rain barrels are full of water that freezes over at night, ready to be used when I begin to put water on the trees and plants.

I haven't yet pruned the roses, nor have I gone outside in the cold, cold weather to prune the herbs in the herb bed. Those are tasks that must be done this week. Not my fave thing to do, but necessary for good growth this spring and summer.

The Rainbow Bridge

  This is my vision of the Rainbow Bridge. A few days ago I was told the story of a wonderful place where our beloved pets go when they die, where they happily play and are well again and have everything they need except their human pal, so they wait and play and live happily until that moment when the human pal appears and they cross the bridge together. So, yesterday, when this rainbow appeared in the sky over the valley below the house where my beloved pet left us on Monday, December 1st, I imagined it as that very bridge where my sweet cat waits for me. When my pain is less intense, I'll post photos of that wonderful tuxedo cat for the whole world to enjoy.

What Kind of Bird Slept Here?

 

 

I can't tell if this bird nest is elongated by design or if it's just come to look that way after getting soaked in our last rainstorm. I wasn't able to see it until the rain and wind blew most of the leaves off this Raywood Ash. I'm happy to see that the local wildlife is able to use the trees I've planted all over the yard.

Progress, A Week and 2 Days

 
  I'm encouraged now that this job will get done. I also think I'll only need one more truckload of gravel. So, the cost to me (after a second truckload) will be $700. Not bad, when I think of how much I've paid over the past 8 years to control the weeds in this part of the yard. I figure I'll break even after two years. Then, I can begin thinking about graveling the rest of the yard. And if it's in this lifetime, I might consider hiring a couple of muscular teenage football players to do the hauling, while I stand around giving orders. LOL

One Week Into the Gravel Job

  Shot #1

  Shot #2

  Shot #3

And I'm too tired to write a description. Let's hope a picture says a thousand words.

The Split Trunk

 

So far, the Honey Locust looks good where we clamped the trunk together after it split in late spring. We've had to make one adjustment already, but it seems to be staying together. Assuming it might take a year or more to grow back together, we'll keep our eye on the split and readjust the clamps as necessary.