I've been able to put lots of time into the garden this year, and it is so nice to be back in the dirt! Over half of the gardens are completely weeded and tidy. I still have a lot of work to do on the North side garden, but I can't work there until M gets the dog poop cleaned up. Even the smell of dog poop can make me vomit, so I won't garden in an area unless it's poo free. I got enough done this week that I can skip working in the garden for the next few very hot days. I have a few things that need to be planted yet, but I can get those done within a half hour or so, AFTER the sun goes down and it's a bit cooler.
Other than the weeding, planting, and other general maintenance tasks, we need to elevate all of the flagstone paths, as years of adding compost has left the garden higher than the path, which makes for a very messy path. Once the paths are elevated, then I can add the much-needed layer of mulch to the garden. In addition to that, we are slightly expanding one of the flagstone seating areas, and we're still toying with the idea of adding the pond this year.
The front garden is full of clematis, lilies and poppies right now and looks very bright and cheerful. Our fruit and veggie plants aren't doing much yet. We try to only water when absolutely necessary, and with the drought this year, our veggies are still on the small side, so we're going to have to water a bit more generously, I think. The sunflowers are starting to open already, and the cats and I are looking forward to watching the many finches that feast on them.
The damn Japanese beetles have arrived, and they always decimate the roses. I'm trying to get myself to spray the roses, as they've been destroyed for the last four years or so, but I can't quite bring myself to do it yet. Maybe this year. I hate the chemicals, but I will never be able to have roses without them, thanks to those nasty pests.
Without my gardening work this weekend, I will be forced to work on the much-less enjoyable housework that is always waiting for me. I have also committed to a couple of consulting projects this summer, so I need to put some major time in on one of my projects.
Interrupting my gardening time and my sleep, has been Delila on her latest grudge mission. She is normally a very calm, confident cat, who doesn't engage in fights or territory battles with anyone. She's pretty mellow and easy to get along with for the most part, except when she is crossed. We first noticed this phenomena with her and Charlie a few months ago. They had always played together and gotten along well, until Charlie did whatever unfortunate thing he did to anger Lila. For the next three weeks, she hunted him down and tormented him in a cruel and vicious way we had never seen from her before. She was relentless! We would run to rescue the screaming, trapped Charlie (who is much bigger than Lila) and reprimand her, only to have her take right off after him again. It was a brutal few weeks. Then she just magically got over it as quickly as it started.
About a week or two ago, she started the same crap with Mimosa, who had previously been her favorite playmate. Mimi is not a fighter, but she is definitely a screamer, so we can hear and go rescue her when Lila goes after her. I have to keep Mimi or Lila with me for a while to distract, or Lila goes right back after her. Several times, I've been out in the front yard gardening, only to hear the god-awful Mimi screams coming from the cat enclosure in the backyard. This morning, L and I were both awakened at 5:00 by Mimi's screams and Lila's ferocious growls. L. was in her bedroom with the door and windows all closed and still heard it! I really wish I knew what Charlie and Mimi had done to upset Lila, because it's so odd to see her behave this way. I'm very disappointed in her. She couldn't care less. I never would have guessed that the happy-go-lucky, friendly kitten I raised could turn into such a grudge-holding bitch! I hope she gets over this one before I lose what's left of my mind.
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