The Art of the Scritch

It was gorgeous out today so the majority of my day was spent gardening.

Tasks accomplished:

cleaned/trimmed edges, and weeded all beds, the biggest job.

Transplanted the "Josephs Coat" rose, probably sacrificed the early blossoms but I suspect if

it does well in its new spot I will see some late in the season.

Replaced all the cheapo solar "lights" that got smashed up during last winters snow shoveling. (Note to self just take em inside for the winter.)

Treated the two shrubs that were suffering from some sort of parasitic infection.

It looked like white fungus and seeemed to suck the very essence out of the leaves leaving little dried husks. I think its a bug. I saved them last year by squirting on a noxious chemical.

These two plants may just be too tender to keep. I will have to evaluate.

Planted 3 small pots of annuals for color. I don't do too well with annuals, they seem to want me to water them, that just doesn't happen very often. I am the mistress of benign neglect

Transplanted more chunks of moss phlox and coriopsis into empty spots in the beds and weeded out a decorative grass that has consistantly failed to thrive no matter where I put it in the gardens.

One of peonies has buds and some of the weglias are in bloom.

This year I may put in another bed at the very top of the driveway... I have entered the negotiation stage with Lar. He has veto power on all new beds. Sometimes it takes me years to wear him down and let me do what I want.

For the time being though I am letting everything grow and get strong. I have had so many years of transplanting and right now the gardens seem to be in pretty good shape.

I like many of the plant mixtures I have in the beds. Things seem to be doing better than last year. I will have to thin them as some of the plants mature but that will take awhile.

For now I observe, occasionally adjust, and enjoy.

When I was done outdoors I spent some time with the bird Elvis (named for Elvis Costello).

He is having a hell of a molt right now and just loves a good scritch

He seems to think my hands are birds. I curl up my fingers and he clucks at me and ducks his head down to invite me to groom his feathers.

Then he lets me scratch out all of the new feather sheathes. Before I had a bird I had no idea that feathers emerge in a hard shell. It breaks apart and the fluffy part is inside. Voila new feather. Its gotta be like growing fingernails all over your body

He really seems to like it. I think growing new feathers itches.