Small Goodies

I spent most of the day working on Confidence Camp. Cathy came over and we divided and packaged a lot of the items that participants will receive and learn how to use. I spent most of the rest of my time refining "lesson plans."

Meanwhile, some more areas of the rock garden are looking nice. This area of color is great. The yellow is Moneywort, Lysemachia nummularia 'Goldilocks.' This has totally surprised me by looking better than ever since I've revived the rock garden. It really prefers something more moist. There are violets, and a Sempervivum Margaret gave me that stays quite red.

This is another of the miniature daffodils I bought a long time ago but has come back. This is 'Sweet Sue' with violets and some of the first of the moss phlox to open behind it.

This is a daffodil I split last year that had gotten all bunched up. The other patch didn't come up, but the ones I left in the rock garden did. They are really too tall, but I put them at the very bottom, so that works. These are a tarzetta daffodil, variety 'Erlicheer.' The leaves persist way too long, so I need to figure out what else I can also put there for later in the year.

I just have to show you the Sempervivum 'Gold Nugget' again. It's starting to change from red to gold!

And for the final act of the day, we will switch to the front flower bed. This is the sunburned Brunnera I bought at the end of the summer last year. It's the first of my Brunnera to bloom this spring! Variety is 'Variegata.' I'm really happy with this one. I really bought all of my Brunnera for the foliage, but have been delighted with the early spring forget-me-not-like flowers.

It still hasn't rained, but it's been plenty windy!

See A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Two Picnic Tables

Today's accomplishment was getting the two picnic tables I bought on sale last year for Confidence Camp assembled. Whew. My body gets a little more sore than it used to doing heavy jobs like this. But they are ready for stain and all the tools are put away.

That won't happen tomorrow because it's supposed to rain. Not in the morning, but they wouldn't really have time to dry. So, they are covered with my big green tarp which only has one hole in it! Probably can work on stain on Wednesday.

Sunny is uncovered. The critters pulled out the aluminum foil I had stuffed in the crack at the bottom of the door, but I guess they didn't like the peppermint repellant I put on a paper on the floor, because nothing is chewed.

I wish I could say the same for the three crocus I moved. Something dug them all up and ate them.

Here's the patch people will get for attending Confidence Camp.

And here is the bandana.

I still have a lot to accomplish before May 10 when camp begins, but I'm working on it! Finished one editing job today too.

See Confidence Camp

Earth Day Event in Ludington

For years, the AFFEW group (A Few Friends for the Environment of the World) has been hosting an Earth Day event in Ludington. Various groups with outdoor/environmental themes have booths, there are a few vendors, and there are environmental programs all day. I've manned a booth about the North Country Trail there quite a few times, but not recently. I see that I've never blogged about doing so, although it doesn't seem like THAT long ago since I attended.

Anyway, our Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the NCTA had a booth today which I staffed. Not too interesting without me or someone standing there, but this is proof of a presence. I talked to quite a lot of people and we had 5 that signed up to receive notices about hikes. Handed out a pile of maps.

I was delighted to discover that I was next to Jim McGrath. He's has built a well-known reptile and amphibian educational program in Michigan. In fact, our chapter had him come to a couple of National Trails Day events quite a few years ago.

His animals are always healthy, clean and alert. Look at this attentive bullfrog!

He says one reason his animals are so active and interesting is because he always feeds them at these events, and they have come to associate times when the air is full of the scent of humans with being fed, so they keep their eyes open. Literally.

And speaking of that...as well as giving the frogs worms, he fed the hognose snake at the end of the day. The kids sure paid attention as the snake ate a toad!

He also had a spotted turtle. This is cool. I've never seen one in the wild. They are a little south from me.

There were also crafts for kids, and that was busy all day.

The Petunia Parade (the group that plants and maintains all the petunias I've showed you in Ludington) had a booth, and these fun flowers to pose with.

This took all day, and then I got groceries and came home. And that's enough for one day!

See Memory of a Special Earth Day

Seven and Eight

I've never done an Enneagram, but it looks like I've finally hit the year that fits how mine would probably turn out. Sevens and Eights are highly self-assertive, independent, and strong willed. Both types also resist being controlled or limited by authorities. Ha!

The day began by enjoying the soft air coming in through the open deck door, now that I have the screen fixed. The turkeys were gobbbling!

And a number of other birds were calling too. I got the Merlin app to work and it said Field Sparrow, Catbird, Cowbird, and... Brown Thrasher! I haven't seen one yet this year, but I almost always have them around the house. Here is a picture of one from 2010.

I will get to do fun things another day, but I didn't work too hard today. One order of items came for Confidence Camp, so I checked those items in and started the next order.

I worked on some of the never-ending projects, and did some more prep for Confidence Camp. Both the custom patches and bandanas are now ordered. Maybe I'll show you another day.

I'm glad I showed you the white grape hyacinths because something ate them last night :/ But here is the rock garden on my birthday which looks about the same as last year. But that's fine. There are several more things starting to bloom.

I fixed the fence on the front garden yesterday. Guess I should have gotten the rock garden done too! Here is the front garden looking so much cleaner than any of the recent springs. Here is the west end.

Then I sort of goofed off. It wasn't a personal requirement for me to watch this movie before Confidence Camp. I sure hope no one will be faced with this kind of decision, but I watched "127 Hours," about the young man who got his arm caught under a rock in a slot canyon and finally cut it off to save his life. Recommended if you want some heavy drama, but it's pretty realistic. I also own the book, but haven't talked myself into reading it yet. Somehow the movie seemed less gruesome. Won't know if that's valid until I do read the book.

It rained on and off. The world is fresh and green. Thanks to so many for all the birthday wishes on Facebook. Here I go into the next year...

See Lucky Sevens

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

What an absolutely glorious day! Temps in the 70s with a light breeze. And I have flowers blooming to prove it.

The Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' is pretty much in full bloom, and I now have at least 3 clumps. Maybe a couple of other spots of it. I'll be happy to have this spread because the leaves die back in summer so there is plenty of space for other things to fill in.

Just to complete the report, this is as good as that one lonely regular hyacinth is going to get. However, I see that there are a couple of other clumps of leaves. Maybe they will do something. I keep hoping for that, but in all honesty, they never do. They probably don't like sand. I also moved the three crocus that were in the yard to this flower bed.

The rock garden is starting to come alive! There are blue grape hyacinth all over the place. Also an OK thing because those leaves also die back.

A few violets are starting to open. I pretty much let them bloom and fill in wherever. They self seed all over, but they are easily ripped out if they get too aggressive.

The 'Kaydee' daffodils are in full bloom. Yes, the trumpets are sort of a salmon color. These are medium size- not miniature, but not full size, either.

And finally, the first photo shot of trying to show off mixed colors. The white grape hyacinth, violets in the middle and the 'Gold Nugget' Sempervivum behind that.

I worked on most projects, did errands, fixed the nylon screen door for the deck (ahh- a nice breeze), put out the bird bath

The front garden bed is pretty much cleaned up for the spring. It was amazingly easier than other years because I got it in good shape last year. I also started through the rock garden. I'm starting later than last year, but everything seems to be about a week later.

Of course, I see that some plants lived and some didn't. I'll post the body count as it becomes certain.

See Festival in Yellow