Home Critters

Many places get little guys like this, and that is wonderful. Hummingbirds are truly awesome creatures.

Many places get little guys like this, though people sometimes never see fence lizards. I think it's because many people never pay attention. Did you know, over the span of about 70 years or so, scientists have seen the evolution of the hind limbs of the fence lizard which allows them to get away from the fire ants which have been predators of fence lizards? Cool, huh.

Many places have snakes like this black rat snake. Many people would have killed this harmless guy and asked questions later. This snake eats rodents and stuff, which many people would pay a man to get rid of, sometimes using poisons and dangerous traps. Silly people.

I hung out with this one for a while, I named him Curly.

 I mean, what else would you call him?

 I loved the way he smoothed out when he was done talking with me, I sent him on his way. I think I saw his daddy the other day.

 Many places have bullfrogs, but lots of people would rather eat their legs than listen to their fabulous bass notes in the night symphony. We have several. This is Bocephus.

 But not too many people get this behind their barn. I got up to walk Ginger one morning, and there was this thing in the mist.

 I hustled Ginger back into the house, grabbed my ever-handy camera and stalked around the edge of the barn and caught it by the pond... he's lived here the whole time, but this is the first shot I've had.

Good Times

Spring Contentment

The winter was a strange one. Details of which I will not dwell on.

Spring is now here, and I have more time. Year one is more or less counted. Hello, year two.

 Things are sprouting, and the hodge-podge is looking healthier now that we are dealing with drainage issues (ya moved deeper into the swamp, helloOoo) It just needed a little TLC and homemade survey calculations made by Dr. Bug. Also his, ditch digging, and pipe-laying, and sump-pump engineering. I'll get to all of that later.

I received a new camera, and I am playing with it ... so many functions and settings, who could take a bad picture nowadays? Somebody's bound to like it.

Anyway, so here's what's new:

Raspberry Bushes
Blueberry Bushes
Apple Trees
Lilac Bushes
Daisies
Broccoli
Peas
Lima Beans
Second Generation Sunflowers
Garlic
Walking Onions

Those are in addition to the always-grown:

Tomatoes
Peppers (all sorts sweet and hot)
Spinach
Lettuce
Asparagus
Hops
Scallions
Cucumbers
Cilantro
Basil/Thyme/Insert Herb name

Pictures over the next few weeks, as I am home permanently now. At my own behest, which is so sublime, I can not tell you.

Peace.

and it is having problems... of course.

and this is a test of the emergency textcast system (replacement phone set-up) Thank You

. All extra time is for NaNoWriMo.... just a'chooglin along

d has finally been cut down. We went to the DIY store and got some supplies to start winterizing today. and _SCORE! we got three pampas grass plants for 2$ each

The summer is finally over. Much work has been done, and plenty more to be done, now it is just a shift of focus. The garden was destroyed by hurricane Irene an

Clean Up Crew

Dr Bug, came in the back door, "Get your camera and come check this out." He closed the door.

I got up, the door opened back up and his head peeked in. Excited, "It's, like... awesome!"

Camera in hand, I follow his ponytail, then his face, as he makes sure I'm following...Around to the the pond side of the property and to the far end. He slows and starts stepping carefully and searching..."Look at these!"

Dung Beetles! He said he has seen them in the past...plenty of times, but never in action of doing what dung beetles do... clean up.

They're helping out...Good job, y'all.

Butterfly Garden?

My container planting of parsely has some visitors,
They are eating all of it, and I'm going to let them.

They are the caterpillars of the Black Swallowtail, or

Papilio polyxenes asterius

I figure I'd rather feed my parsely to the butterflies...I'll plant more later

Brewer's Pond Live

finally, it happened.

internet, that is. I made the order. I'm lazy when it comes to commit to spending money. Held off until I couldn't stand it anymore. This world gets crazier daily, and the televison media entertainer-news does a poor job of reporting the whole picture of our tiny little globe.

Being hooked up is imperative to keep up... like this lackluster attemp at a web log. I can't do it all iPhoned mobile. I need to be sitting in my little paradise to be tellin y'all about it. So here I stand.

Welcome back.

I have the tallest sunflowers I have ever grown. So many tomatoes in a variety of size and shape...

Jalapenos, green peppers and green beans. cilantro, basil, thyme and asparagus...the abundant lettuce has bolted so has much of the basil, so there is seed harvesting to do.

Figs and grapes, and wild blueberries grow in several places, and need some taming and care for nice harvesting next year...

some blackberries had been whacked back, but a few sprigs sprouted forth and bore succulent fruits.

Things are shaping up, and everyone is finding their own pace and comfort... places for things.

Finding the rhythm of this place. What works, what does not.


So carrying on with it...

Stay Tuned.

Moving In

We spent the weekend and loads of ATP moving about half of our stuff into Independence House on Brewer's Pond. You never know how much energy you have until you have waited 3 months to get going, and the time comes.

Just prior to moving, we got some garden plants going (some have been in Bug's greenhouse since late winter). There are several asparagus forests, and the hops are growing like crazy. There is last year's cilantro, which transplanted well in the cinder blocks we use as retaining walls.  There are basil, thyme, 5 varieties of lettuce, sunflowers, parsley and spring onions growing, as well as a fig tree and some wildflowers.

I'm staying here full time now, while Bug is still at the old place until I get things right... ie, the shower. I'm using the old clawfoot tub to get scrub-a-dubbed, I ain't scared. I know how to rinse clean with a  large cup and not get water everywhere. So last century ;)

Too Personal

The front yard came with it's own johnnie house.
We cleared leaves and pine needles by the truckload. The outhouse will get relocated. The front yard is just too much ... even for me.

Posterous

I am also putting together a linked service which posts everywhere I add with just one message. I hope it works I may use my other services more often.

Oh Well

I meant to add to the story... however I am not versed in all the ways to blog by phone just yet. Learning curve and all that.

Cabinets

cabinets have been stained and two coats of polyurethane applied. they have also been properly monted. Bug is paying extra for custom counter tops.

Photographic Proof

... of my state of gracefulness

I swear I heard the plaintive and lamenting strains of a bugle.

Casualties

trying to blog by phone is difficult enough. Dropping my phone in a paint bucket made me laugh like a madwoman.

In Time

I've been keeping a sketchy written diary of the construction going on here, and will fill in the blanks with the pictures I've been taking as we go along.  The crew works hard, and they're all competent at their respective positions.

I arrive when I can to do the painting, and be there to answer questions they may have. Generally, I stay tucked up in a corner, in a quiet room and paint to the strains of air compression machinery, saws, the local classic rock station, and the natural conversation of the crew as they forget I'm here and go back to their cohesive jive.

Half the time, I don't try to understand the conversation, a combination of called-out measurements, purposefully mis-sung lyrics and constant ribbing at one another.

I like this orchestra. Then they get quiet as they pack up for the day. I come out of my secluded workspace, and we check out the day's work together. Monday afternoon, one of the workers commented on the frog symphony in the coming twilight. I told him it was my favorite spring herald, and we all just listened for a minute or two, then one talked about the coming fishing season, and the conversations broke out all over.

They fire up their trucks, and go off down the driveway, and up the dead-end street which is our little swamp home on a pond.

I stay still and listen for a bit, as I eye the constructions remnants all around, waiting for tomorrow's use. So much more to be done.

My thumbs hurt from all the painting, and I have more rooms to cover, but for now I just listen to the empty sound of me and the house, alone. Finally.

After a bit I go back to work, tired but content.

Testing