Forest Garden

In just three weeks, the 'Forest Garden' has changed so much! The rain and warm humid weather of course is a factor.

Here is the view from the west side of the rock formation three weeks ago.

A view from the top of the rock just before the rains came.

View from below the rock.

I marked some spots where I planted seeds with dragons and dinosaurs.

The garden should be a place of curiosity and exploration. So I have little objects all over the area.

The neighbor children want to come and explore the rocks and garden so I keep things interesting. 

If you want to take a tour of the garden, I did a video of it. It is 2.5 minutes long. I am NOT a videographer so just keep that in mind if you watch it. I did enjoy trying to piece something together to sort of get an idea visually of what it is like on this rock outcropping.

This rock outcrop is rich in dirt, however it is on top of a rock. So I had to get creative with planting some seeds. I filled a hollow log with dirt I dug up and used the log as a planter.

Of course the unicorns will protect the seeds until the plants come up!

This spot is smack dab in the middle of the forest pasture so there is an electric fence surrounding it. Will the deer invade and eat all of it? Gosh, they might come fall. Right now there is plenty of browsing for them in the rest of the woods.

So I can be in my cool shaded forest garden and enjoy my critters at the same time!

This may explain also why my mules don't wear fly sheets and fly masks. They are constantly walking through thick brush and branches.

Just for fun. 

Do you see this grumpy guy?

And that is it... for today. 

Charlie and I plan on going exploring today. We like rainy days.

All is quiet...

Can you spot 

Charlie in 

the middle of the photo?

Our morning walks get pretty wet sometimes. Between the creek water and the dew fall, Charlie is usually soaked by the time we get back home.

I actually was able to stay awake the other night past sunset!

I worked on my night 'shooting' skills which need... a bit more work I'd say. It is hard to focus on tiny blinking lights!

However it was fun sitting in the driveway with Nature's Light show all around me.

Hot days are for early mornings in the garden, working on those pasture weeds, yard work, and flower garden work.

Yesterday morning I finished clipping mule manes and got that done for the summer.

So far this summer/spring, the days have been pretty pleasant.

I've spent some time on the porch with Charlie. He watches and naps. I read and listen to the birds.

Today I am meeting with Bill, my hiking friend. To combat the heat and bugs, we are going to bicycle the Old 131 trail like I did with Kristine on Monday.

It will be too warm for yard work with Rich and Bill suggested a Hot Hike.

I suggested we bicycle and create our own wind.

I'm looking forward to it.

The numbers are starting to increase around us so keeping Distant is always on my mind along doing activities that are not considered risky.

Stay Safe.

The Garden Dog

The whole idea was to extend my garden a bit and make it easier to mow.

Or..
just plant more flowers so I'd have more to look at!

Ignore the broken down garage...it is

a project to be taken care of..

one day....

So I started putting the mulch down on the 'walkway' and re-arranging other parts of the garden.

I gathered up my collection of odd rocks and put them all in one spot, so I can admire them.

Really, aren't they odd and strange rocks? I want to say they are concretions, but I have never had any one tell me exactly what they are.

Odd and strange fossils are abundant in our area.

Apparently Charlie believes I put the dirt out just for him to sunbathe in. Won't he be surprised when I put seeds in there?

It seems as if the Unicorns have started to move in.....
I hope they like the big barn I built for them out of a coffee can.

Oh and the Rat Skeleton! Well, I was building this 'garden' on the idea that it would be fun for kids or adults to walk through the flowers and find odd and interesting things.
I intend on continuously changing it of course.

The Squirrels? Well, the Rabbits will come soon and hide out between flowers and stumps I imagine.

Okay...this was a Christmas Card holder...but...
I'm putting it in the garden...
the head bobbles...
It was one of the strangest gifts I've ever had. I've had a mind to toss it, but oddly enough I can't just toss it. I find myself putting it away for a while, then bringing it out again.
People can't help themselves by touching the head and watching it nod wisely.

Maybe this reindeer thing is wiser than the rest of us.


But maybe I just got a Garden Dog instead...

~~ that look...
Charlie has the right idea. Just lay out in the sun light and don't worry about a thing.
I wish I were Charlie!

Toys on Trails

Last week on a whim while at the dollar store I picked up a small bag of Unicorns.
I mean, who doesn't love unicorns, right?

I thought it would be fun to put unicorns in my non Fairy Fairy Garden this spring and even more fun to try and 'create' a Fairy/Miniature Stable for the unicorns to enjoy.
My father once told me not to lose my sense of imagination.
After all my little village was getting larger and it seems it is filling up with wildlife.

I think there is room for a stable!

When my company arrived on Friday night I showed them the unicorns and of course my little houses. I asked the gals to pick a couple of unicorns to take with on our hike for Saturday.

We were going to go Ice Formation Hunting and enjoy the day out.
I wasn't sure how I'd handle the hiking, my knee was still bothering me enough so that I was walking slowly. The swelling was still there and stepping 'down' was pretty painful.
The doctor had said I could walk...on flat surfaces and of course I'd asked her where in my area would I find that? She told me to come to town and walk 'the streets'. Insert 'snort snort' here....

The Unicorns were a huge hit.
They appeared in trees....

They appeared behind ice formations...

I found one dancing in the snow...

Another one  prancing along the trail ....

Aren't they cute?
These are my photos. The kids took quite a few also and I'd love to see theirs.

Oh what about the hikes? Beautiful.

Inside the ice... layers of melt and refreeze.

The large ice cave did not disappoint at all. It will dwindle now each day as the weather warms up and it will leave piles of fallen ice on the floor of the cave.

Is is any wonder why I love winter?

The view along Weister Creek.

The view from the other end of the creek looking back:

The days are growing longer, the ice falling and melting...

Time to start thinking about my gardens.

My first Master Naturalist class is this evening. I'm nervous and excited.