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First Iris of Spring!


I have been taking the chances to do gardening when I've been home on the weekends (not that often actually since I'm staying busy) whether it was raining or not, since if I can get it under control better now, it won't be such a task, effort or expense, when it all needs to be ready for the Year Six at Hogwarts party on July 16th.

probably 10 buckets of weeds over the past few weeks

planted pumpkins in side yard

drastically pruned back white potato vine on fence (need room for Quidditch hoops in July!)

raked out 4 bags new bark ground cover

groomed large jasmine vine around doorway (all dead leaves & vines cut away)

pruned rosemary - this stuff is out of control!

thinned out grape hyacinth & transplanted around other retaining wall support posts

pruned rose hips - lots of buds already on all roses, including the burgundy volunteer

pruned purple potato vine tree

pruned back blackberry vines

pruned old dead mint stalks - plenty of new growth! lemon sage & regular sage still doing fine

one iris is blooming

retwined passiflora & jasmine on doorway arch - two passiflora blooming ON the first official day of Spring! :)

I also tried starting this project on the BRIATA a few weeks ago, but was foiled by the lack of tools. I bought the right tools at Kragen, but then needed some available daylight time, which didn't happen until Saturday.

Voila! The BRIATA has a nifty new black grill, which will hopefully protect against rocks flying in and making a hole in the AC condenser unit...yes, a few years ago I already had that happen to the tune of $800 repairs, so a $30 grill installed all by myself with $5 tools seems a decent investment. I think it gives a slightly cleaner look, too, but it's probably hard to tell in the photo.

Before grill...


After grill...


So, all that plus a 5th grade school show on Wednesday, Evita on Thursday, Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus concert on Friday, St Patricks party on Saturday, has kept me decently busy lately...