Bogieblog

What's Bugging You

Ever notice that when I say I won't be posting for a while, that I post a whole bunch (comparitavely speaking). Yes, I should be resting my elbow, but as much as I use the computer at work, I don't think this little bit really hurts it much worse.

Anyway, if you have a bug that you just have to know what it is, go to What's That Bug?

Found thru the Garden Djinn.

Suckered

Sunday, as I was going down Main Street in Hillsboro, I was greeted by quite the sight – a Japanese Lilac Tree in full bloom (it hadn’t been in bloom Saturday; we passed it twice and I would have noticed). After completing my errand, and on my way home, I stopped to take a closer look at the tree. Actually, at that point, I wasn’t sure if it was a JLT or a Fringe Tree, as I hadn’t gotten a close look on my first

So, I parked in the driveway of PSNH. At that point I could tell it was a JLT, but I had to take a sniff. MMMM! All the goodness of lilacs in bloom! I got back in the truck and turned around in their parking lot

“Hmmm,” I thought to myself, “I wonder how these propagate. I wonder if I can take a sucker, place it in water and get it to develop roots.”

Understand that this is a tree that has made it to the final cut in what I have developed as my dreamscape for when we take down the fruit trees. It was brought to my attention in my last Landscaping class, and I found room for it in my plans. I had to sacrifice the Fringe Treethat I had decided would be placed near the center of the site (although I am still trying to figure out how to get a FT in there too). It was actually a toss-up between the two trees until I realized that the JLT blooms in June – which is a time of year when not many trees are in bloom.

With other trees and shrubs that I have selected, something will be in bloom from March (possibly even late February) into the summer. There may be a short break, then leaves will start turning for fall. After the leaves have given us their show, and fall to the ground, there will be red berries to be seen thru at least part of the winter (depending on how fast the birds eat them).

But, back to my story: So, it should come as no surprise that I parked the truck once again, went over and found a nice healthy sucker about 2 feet long, and ripped it off the tree (sorry – I didn’t have any shears with me, but I did take it in one swift tug and didn’t rip off any extra bark). I took it home, trimmed off some leaves and the base of the stem, and stuck it in water.

If all goes well, in a couple of weeks I will be the proud parent of a newly potted youngling. If not, well, I know where one JLT is, and have located 2 more (by where I am pet-sitting), so I can try several times if I have to.

Now if I can just find a few other trees and shrubs on my list . .

Blooming Quiz

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

quiz plucked from Atlantic Avenue.

FYI

If you're looking for the Weekend Pundit - go to his backup site. Seems that his regular site is down again.

Still Here

Yes, we are still alive. We found out just a few days ago that WS's other 2 brothers and their wives will be up for the 4th of July weekend, so we have been busy getting prepared. Saturday I actually got some planting done between pet-sitting duties and rain showers. Then the call came in and the whole itinerary changed.

I, of course, did some house cleaning that I should have done a few months ago, but kept putting off. During the spring, I had washed all the upstairs windows except for one - the one behind the cats' dining room table. That got cleaned as did other places that I have been ignoring, If I had more time, there are some walls that desperately need scrubbed, but that is just something that won't get done.

I already had on my list for the weekend to scrub the birdroom floor and that got done last night. Tonight, the one day that it isn't supposed to rain, the dogs will be getting baths. I have been brushing them every day anyway because they are shedding out their winter hair. But they do have a bit of a doggy odor, so they will get a bit of freshening.

Best Laid Plans

Let's see, on the list for the weekend was to plant some of the stuff that is potted up on the deck in their assigned spots in the yard. That didn't happen.

Friday, I spent:

1. I went to the dentist for a regular cleaning. One of the stains on my teeth was finally turning into a cavity. The dentist had time, I had time, so he went ahead and filled it. That whole thing took about 2 hours out of the day (including drive time),
2. I got home about noon, had lunch, then spent over an hour just trimming back the lilies that I would be digging up.
3. Went over and worked on the rock wall on the upper driveway for a while - it was shady there, unlike the lilies.
4. Watered all the plants on the deck, did laundry and other household duties.
5. Oohed and ahhhed over the nice loam that WS brought in (3 small dump truck loads).

Saturday, we left at 7 AM for Weirs Beach (on the bike) to join in the festivities of bike week, cooked ourselves in the 90 degree weather, and got home about 5 PM.

Flower Pic

I have a new Photo Album called Garden & Yard 2006. Some of my spring bloom pics have been posted there. Go take a peek.

Pics on a Warm Day

So, last week was in the 50's, the first of the week was in the 60's, then a couple of days in the 80's, now today and tomorrow in the 90's (95-96 today). That has got to be the worlds shortest spring!

So, to get out of the heat, I decided to show you some pet pictures this afternoon. These are fairly old (Feb. and March), but I just recently took the film in for processing:

Tory looking miserable.

Prince looking silly (with help)

Missy and her Lips.

Father's Day Wish

Happy Father's Day! 

to, of course my father.

Just a Bit of Water

55 feet abouve flood level - that is how much that Everett lake is up. That is the reason that the state park will not be opening this year. Here is the whole story from the June 9 edition of the Concord Monitor.

Clough State Park won't open this year, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced yesterday. The Weare park, which is just downstream from a flood-control dam and is a popular spot for swimming, has been flooded since last month's heavy rains.

As of May 30, the water in Everett Lake was 55 feet above its normal level as the Hopkinton-Everett dams and reservoirs drained, said Amy Bassett, division spokeswoman.

State officials had hoped it would go down in time for a July opening. But by Monday, the level had dropped only a foot. Officials predicted it would take at least 20 days of no significant rain to fall to normal levels. This week's steady rainfall dashed those hopes.

Bassett said it will be late July by the time the water drops. Then, there will be damage to clean up, she said. The park is expected to reopen in June 2007