Goats and Roses

Okay, I could NOT resist!  As long as I'm taking you touring anywhere but my garden, I had to share this photo, taken off Long  Ridge Road in Virginia Beach.  This goat was just sitting in her chair, looking outrageously comfortable.  No other option but to stop everything and snap this photo.

Incidentally, the goat's "garden" looks about like mine.  <sigh>

True to form, this isn't my garden either - it's my mother-in-law's yard and the mother of my own lovely Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'). I just found this on the camera.  Exposure is a bit off but you can still see the arching habit and amazing May flowers that make this rose such a special garden highlight.  Roots from cuttings - no thorns or pests that I've ever found.  Ours used to be wa-ay out back on the pump house, which it threatened to engulf, so early this spring I yanked it out - dug and chopped and swore and made all kinds of tender promises - and I put it along a length of fence near the house where it survived -even bloomed a bit - and where it promises to copy its mother... just like this!

May? Already? Already Mostly Over?

Mile 7.8 South on the Dismal Swamp Canal Bike Path (formerly route 17)

You'll notice this sure isn't a photo of my garden.  But it's a good shot of where I've been instead of gardening!  Seems like any decent day I'm out - either on the Back Bay/False Cape trails south of Sandbridge beach or on the amazing Dismal Swamp Canal Bike Path. Can you believe this?  Chesapeake VA set aside almost 10 miles of two lane highway -seriously! no cars! - right along the beautiful canal (which you can't see in this shot) strictly for cyclists, runners, walkers and even horses.  When I started biking to get ready for The Great Bicycle Tour,  the 200 mile ride I'm doing this July to benefit the San Mar Children's Home, that field over there on the right was bare.  Now the wheat is soon ready to be harvested.   - - - Unlike anything in my garden.  Ha. - - -

But all is well.  The decidedly neglected looking landscapes around our farm are just counterpoint to the Over-Three-Thousand dollars raised to help the kids at San Mar.  Whooo hoooo!

I just hope that some of those fig cuttings I sent out earlier this spring made it.  I know some didn't (very sad, very sad) but I do know that some went out to folks with as much experience as I have... and more!.... so hopefully little trees are starting by now.  And lawd, but I'm glad to see from everyone else's blog that Somebody is out there gardening!   Sure hasn't been me!!

Clearing the Beds & Garden Recycling Notes

It's way past time to get the garden beds cleaned up and into spring.  The rest of you are making me feel like a bad mother, with your tidy, tended gardens and bursting spring harvests.  While you've been fluffing those carefully mulched beds, I've been out being chased by wild boars on my bicycle.  No lie. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is an amazing place.  Hair-raising might be a better word.

But, anyway, I'm at work in the gardens around the farm.  Firstly, because I've been cursed with a cold and I can't breathe enough to pump bike pedals. Secondly, because - as always - I've been sucked into plant sales and come home with trays of stuff that have no gardens ready to receive them.  So, wheezing guiltily, I'm at work on this one balmy afternoon for this week.  Hoeing away (no mulch down yet), I was thinking about recycling (yes, it's Earth Day Week) and how gardeners are intuitive, natural recyclers. Not just composting, but plant dividing and sharing, seed saving.... and then there's the entire world of recycled garden art.

Here's an example from my side garden (admittedly still looking a bit ragged):

Add to that the fact that virtually everything in this garden - daylilies, palms, coneflowers - are all divisions, swaps, or gifts from friends, and there you have it.  A totally recycled garden!  Which will now be mulched with  aged shreddings from the last time Dominion Power cleared their right of ways down here.  Voila!

It is Spring! Where is the Gardener???

So now April has vanished and I don't even know what's happening in my poor, neglected gardens!  Seems like every "good" moment, I'm off bicycling to fulfill this commitment to biking 200 miles on my 60th birthday.  I've actually decided to hire HELP in clearing the last of the winter weeds and spreading fresh mulch.

Law. Where's my botanical sense??
But there are lovely things happening without any 'interference' from me.

Here's a beautiful outburst worth sharing, blooming without attention along the front fence.  This is "One of the loveliest of all the Viburnums, 'Kern's Pink' (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum 'Kern's Pink') features bronze-tinged foliage and delicate, soft-pink flowers in May. In full sun or partial shade it can grow to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. In time some flower clusters will be pink, some white, and others mixed pink and white." (Description courtesy of Ozark Gardens website - a great place for you viburnum lovers.)

A closeup of the blossoms on my bush - pretty lovely, eh?
Meanwhile, my old giant honking viburnum - the one I keep meaning to prune every winter - is heaving huge blossom clusters over my head - I swear they get larger every year.  Take a look:

You have to love the magic that makes these things happen - whether you are right there fussing over the plants or not.  It's a beautiful day outside - I hope everyone is out playing in the garden!

Need a Loquat?

This is a "shout out to my homies" here in Hampton Roads.  Several of you have coveted my beautiful Loquat trees (Eriobotyra japonica).  I just stopped in at a neighborhood greenhouse/nursery operation down here in Blackwater on Hungarian Road (Cedar Creek Greenhouses) and, as I was driving out, I happened to glance into one of the unheated houses to notice TWO loquat trees, probably 7' each.  They are a tad spindly; loquats really need a bit of room and these were seriously pot-bound.  BUT, if you haven't found any loquats at other local plant outlets - here's your chance.  Alas, I did not stop to get the prices.  If you are seriously interested, let me know and I'll go ask.

These are extraordinary trees for our area, not over-sized and beautifully evergreen with deep green, almost hard, leaves and very fragrant flowers that turn into golden nuggets that are one of my favorite little fruits (if it's a spring without hard freezes to damage the forming fruit - like this spring).  For beekeepers, they are even more special because they bloom and provide food for bees during November and December, when there are few other flower sources around.  On a warm winter day, our loquat trees vibrate with hundreds of greedy bees.

Very cool plants - go get one!
Sybil

Signs of Spring!

I love redbud (Cercis canadensis) because the blooms last so long

and because the bees are mad for it every spring.

It positively vibrates with color and with bees!

Okay, this is not perhaps the single most outstanding weeping cherry tree

anyone has ever seen

BUT

only a few years ago, when I planted it,

it looked like a little chopstick.

So I am proud, proud of this baby!

This is the Electric Green new foliage on the Panache fig

out front along the fence.  It's such a nice tree

and the new foliage is absolutely INTENSE in its green-ness.

So not much constructive gardening is getting done - 

I could start rice paddies between the house and the barn.

But, my, I'm enjoying the brilliant, rain-washed colors!

Peacock Woes.....

Last year, our beloved pet peacock, Cuppers, got a mate - also from our friend, Cindy Boggs.  Her name is Curlique (or Q or Princess Q).  Rob took one look at the long neck and little white head on top and dubbed her Q-Tip. 

Anyway, it was our hope that having a lady "to hand", as it were, would keep Cuppers from calling for a mate - yodeling would be more the term or perhaps screaming, if you are not a peacock lover, and also keep him at home.

He's been happy and all this spring has been displaying like a maniac with his lovely, HUGE new tail.

Lady Q has not been impressed... and in a resounding display of indifference, marched off through the fields to a neighbor's chicken yard where she appeared to be smitten with a tall white rooster.  So much for arranged marriages.

Cuppers called and yodeled and paced and called some more.  Called all night, in fact - something ALL of our neighbors can attest to.  We hiked to the neighbor's,  trapped Q and brought her back home.  In fact, in a desperate attempt to placate her misplaced libido, we even brought home the rooster..... not that we wanted a rooster.....

So here is the new rooster, who really IS a handsome lad, now known as the SnowMan.  (We considered calling him "Pollard" because he's a perfect copy of the Pollard's Chicken rooster, but that seemed a bit cold-hearted.)

All seemed well.  Q was entertained with ignoring more males than she needed.   The hens, who had been living rooster-less since dear Mr. Chicken gave his life to save them from the dogs, fell in love on sight.  Snowman fell for the chickens.

Everyone seemed happy except for the increasingly frustrated male peacock in residence. 

Figuring what's good for the goose is good for the gander, Cuppers then hiked off to the same neighbor's chicken yard.  We lured him home.  More yodeling and calling.  <sigh>  Not a lot of sleep around here.  To enjoy the experience of peacock calls, you can check out this Youtube clip:  Peacock Calls

So, as it stands, the peacocks are more or less contentedly incarcerated in their large, roomy peacock pen.  Snowman and the hens roam about - - but at least they have the sense to return to their safe coop at night.  Wish I could say as much for the peacocks.  We're going to have to figure out  something.....   It's months until mating season is over.

Virginia Beach Seed and Poultry Swap March 10

Oh, c'mon now - it's SPRING (even through it is an absolutely dismal, cold day today)
and it's time for farm fun in Virginia Beach.  Who could resist the second
Virginia Beach Seed & Poultry Swap

My Speckled Hamburg hen, Henny Penny.

happening next Saturday (March 10)?

I didn't get to the first swap - didn't even know about it! And it is right in my neck of the woods.... err... swamp...

The swap will be at Back Bay Botanicals, 1549 N. Muddy Creek Road, Virginia Beach .

It's the brainstorm of a really innovative gal, Gina Lynch, who has just begun developing a pick-your-own flower and herb farm in Back Bay (between Virginia Beach and Sandbridge).  She's offering seeds and/or plant swaps, chickens, eggs and who knows what else?  She has invented a Rent-a-Chick deal where parents can "borrow" chicks for their childen to enjoy for several weeks (complete with supplies and instructions).

And her eggs come in cartons labelled "Just Got Laid in Pungo".... I mean, can you beat that? I'm still laughing!

I just don't think I can resist.  Between the fun of finding a new chicken person - and a potential supply of chickens in case of need (like when the roaming dogs murdered off 80% of my flock this past winter), I am a huge believer in supporting our local farms and entrepreneurs!

Now I just have to check my seeds to see what I saved that can be swapped.  Hyancinth beans, anyone?

Things You Didn't Know You Could Compost?

 I had to post this quickly before I forgot where I read it.
Do you ever do that with online info?
There's so much!  It's all so interesting.
And I end up saying, "Oh, well, I read it online at
um... you know... that site.... NPR, maybe?"

So here it is, 80 items you can compost
besides your kitchen scraps.....
who knew?

Eighty Items You can  Compost
from networx.com

 Dryer lint?  Toenail clippings????  I'm still laughing!
Garden on!

Sybil

March Spring - In like a Lion.....

It's March, no doubt.



From 70 degrees to 35 degrees,

from sun to rain, rain, rain - winds and a bit of snow.

Hoo, hooo!  I am bundled up taking these photos 

on my way to the chicken coop.

Dark snow clouds building behind the back fields.
I made the girls a huge pancake from Sunday's leftover batter.
Lots of blueberries, lots of carbs.  They LOVED it!

The field is still soggy and puddled from the rains.

Poor chickens are picking their way through the water
looking for bugs and goodies that have surfaced.

After a good soaking like this
in the summer,
this would be a worm feast.
As the poor worms come to the surface
looking for oxygen,
the chickens pounce!

Today looks like sliim pickings!

But there are still blossoms to enjoy, even on this windy March morning!

This daffodil, bought years ago from Brent & Becky's Bulbs

is such a warm delight on hard spring days like this one.

Although sometimes the white on gray contrast with these

cold, windy skies seems more like ice crystals.....

These plum blossoms are hardy - too hardy.

Bees are not out yet!

Back to sixties in another 48 hours.  Perhaps there's still hope of a hardy pollinator

or two for all of these plum blossoms..... but it's cold, cold today.