This is what I did today . . . and a lovely day it was!

 Good Evening,

Today was a beautiful day and I was able to spend it outside planting and working in my magickal gardens surrounded by nature.  My day started with a cup of coffee as I watched the squirrels and birds eat breakfast on my kitchen balcony.

I placed items I'm reusing from other garden spots in my newly created whimsical garden.  I have removed an in-ground shell that was a water garden.  A small pond that at one time I thought was a great idea! But I found it high maintenance and lately simply a mosquito hatchery!!  I'm very careful about keeping mosquitoes down to a minimum due to our increasing loss of the little brown bat found in North American, which is dying off in rapid succession.

So I eliminated this water garden and instead  filled in the hole and placed flat stones making a sunken whimsical garden.  I placed fun items from other gardens around the house and I am planting begonias and marigolds between the cracks of the stones tomorrow.  I placed some hummingbird liquid food in a hummingbird feeder and placed this in the garden also.  Hummingbirds are like little fairie spirits to me and I enjoy having them in my garden. The begonias will also attract them.  I will plant some bright red salvia along the wall to bring in a bright spot of color and again to attract the hummingbirds.  I have a small seating area right above this little garden and it faces West so I can enjoy the sunset while enjoying this little garden of fun and fantasy.  Here's a picture of this garden, but remember I have yet to plant the flowers. 

Then after placing some items I went out front and mowed down a small hay field that had grown in a front garden. Daffodils and tulips had gone over and a strain of field grass took hold and got a nice start as I decided what I wanted to do with this older garden.  Many of the sun loving plants I had planted as perennials had died out and that's because the area was now mostly shade as the maple tree at one corner grew and flourished transforming the area into something new.  This phenomenon happens as some plants or trees do well and other ones don't.  So I now have a full shade situation and after some thought and planning I dragged out the lawn mower, I really needed a tractor with large cutter for cutting hay! I relentlessly mowed the entire area, dismantling a wishing well I had made out of bricks, dry stacking them. I moved these to the side to reassemble at a later time and mowed everything down.  Then with the help of my sister we laid down black plastic to kill the field grass that had taken hold and placed brown cedar mulch on top. A full 4 yards of mulch. That's 36 bags and .  .  .   that's alot.

I then planted impatiens, a shade loving pretty annual, in small clumps of three plants each. I put three plants in one hole and they should make a nice rounded plant in a month or so.  I will need to water daily, so out came the trusty sprinkler, and buying fertilizer is on the list.  While I was planting each little plant, I carefully took each plant out of its plastic tray, used my fingers to split the root ball of dirt to help spread out the roots and thus giving them a larger area for the roots to grow.  Especially with root bound plants, by not separating the roots allowing some air in they will die. (in heavily root bound plants, I actually will cut a third to a half of the root ball away and using my fingers to brush out the roots so they hang freely and not bound together). Failing to do this will result in no growth and sudden death of your plants.  I do a little more, than the average gardener, when I take each little plant, it's roots free and open, I bring it close to my mouth and breath a breath of air onto the roots along with a blessing that they grow strong and vibrant, healthy and abundant. Then I place the three little plants into a hole and cover them up with mulch. Then I watered them very well, for over an hour, and after today, twenty minutes of watering in the morning and again at night should do the trick of getting them firmly established and growing strong.

I will fertilize after they have been in the ground for two weeks.  Fertilizing too soon after they are transplanted, along with transplant shock can cause the plant to become burned with fertilizing causing over stimulation, so let the little plants rest after their big ordeal of being transplanted and feed after at least a week, better two.  The breath is sympathetic magick as you breath life into the little plant as it is placed in its new environment.

While working all day in the front yard I had a very inquisitive cow bird visit me and he kept up quite a lively conversation as he chatted with me and perched on top of the rock, the sundial and here on my Harry Lauder Walking Stick shrub.  He's a bit hard to see as he's a dark gray but if you look closely .  .  .    His voice was much brighter I assure you!

I was able to spend some time today also admiring some of the plants that have been with me for many years.  I have a beautiful climbing rose bush, called 'Zepherin Drouhin' and its a unique rose because not only is it thorn-less, but it is designed to be grown in the shade! The only rose bush that I know of so specifically developed.  It also has an amazing  Old English Rose  aroma.  

Then I went to check out my Rhododendron that I had trimmed last fall on top of an 8 foot step ladder.  If trimmed properly and with care, you can cause the bush to almost be completely covered with blossoms with no gaps.  It takes some tricky trimming but I'm really pleased with the results.  This was heavily pruned, shortened by at least 6 feet,  just last November, so I was happy  it did not need a year of recovery before putting on an amazing blossom display.  Here, let me share it with you.

I trim my Rhody into a tree, so the lowest branches are at least four feet above ground, but its blossoms are so heavy its hanging close to the ground. So incredibly beautiful this year.  To think this bush was a small plant purchased at KMart in 1975 for a couple of dollars.  By trimming the Rhody into a tree, I get many benefits, from ease of cleaning the garden bed in the spring and fall as well as being able to plant shade loving annuals and perennials underneath its amazing branches. So I get color even after the early summer display.

Then later in the afternoon I had a nice conversation with the neighbor girl next door, who being recently married is starting to branch out into different gardening ideas and experimenting. I brought over some scrap books I've made over the past thirty years of designing and planting the gardens at my home and it was very cool to see her in the same place I was almost thirty years ago. Just starting off, wanting to learn so much and plant everything, but trying to be cautious and reserved and not go gardening crazy. What fun!!

I chose to wear a pedometer today to see how much mileage I put in just working in the garden today, and it came in at a little over 10 miles. Oh my.  Hmm, I think I'm a little weary, but very happy.  But I'm not finished with my day.   .  .  

For dinner,  I made gluten free Panko breaded sea scallops, along with homemade, gourmet seasoned french fries sauteed with sweet onions on the gas grill ( I love to cook outdoors!) and served dinner with  a small green salad with a freshly made balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  For dessert I made gluten free chocolate chip cookies and served two with whipped creme and fresh decaf coffee. 

Hmmm, come to think of it, I'm really tired, but I had to share with you.  This is what life is all about. Days like today, that you look forward to experiencing and look back on with fond memories. What was so very special, is I knew that,  while I experienced today and that's priceless.

What did you do today?

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Peace and Happiness


Please check out my newest blog The Life and Recipes of a Medieval Cook @ http://thelifeandrecipesofamedievalcook.blogspot.com 

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