I never fail to be amazed by the seemingly instant changes in the landscape. Last week there wasn't a sign of life and now the wild violets are beginning to fill the spaces amongst the red twig dogwoods and the dogwoods themselves are leafing out. Last week they weren't even budded. In my past days of blogging I had a friend in Australia. She was dumbfounded by our climate, she truly could not grasp how someplace can have -30 F then be green and full of blooms a few months later. I have no idea, I just know it's my normal.
Minnesota Public Radio this morning had a conversation about Creeping Charlie and how to get rid of it. I embrace it, as well as all the wild violets which show up everywhere. I am no longer lawn centric. It would be impossible even if I wanted to try. Between the size of it and the desire of the natural landscape of woodland constantly inserting itself I would be driven mad with trying. I have a large patch of Charlie that's grown out from a tree line on the north end of my yard. I think it's lovely, with its lush dark green foliage and purple flowers. Another really large area is in front of the pole barn attached to the main barn. When this stuff takes over it chokes out the grass, e voila! I don't have to mow that spot. Mowing my lawn takes a minimum of four hours, I appreciate the help!
I know it's No Mow May, another impossible. I would need a farmer to cut and bale if I didn't mow all of May. I think it's a perfect idea for city lots but not for a couple of acres. When we lived in St. Paul most of my yard was garden, only enough green space for the dogs. That was almost 30 years ago!
We had another stormy evening/night yesterday. We have a large pond on the edge of the lower pasture at the moment. In the past when this has happened swans have congregated there. I'd like to see that again. Years ago I was in the barn and heard loud bird sounds that weren't geese. I went out to see what they were and it was at least one hundred swans flying northwest. I was awestruck. That was the first and last time I saw that. It was in the days before smartphones, so no photos, just amazement. The next few days will be mild, mid to upper 60s, so we can hopefully get some yard work done. We meaning he. I can mow.
I could ramble on forever, it seems, but I guess it's time to bring my chatter to an end. Until the next time....
6 comments:
I enjoy your rambling on! Our local park found a way to compromise between mowing and not, given that trees instantly appear if you don't mow. They mowed in sections, so one year wildflowers were undisturbed even if baby trees did start. Then next year the previously unmown was mown. So it kept a balance over time. Good park management.
No Mow May...really...I will be mowing soon especially if it keeps raining:)
That is good management! I can ramble. Indeed I can.
You were in spam again, Far Side! Yes, no mow is for the pollinators. I understand and appreciate the concept, but I have too much grass (and weeds).
Every winter, for at least a month and sometimes more, a huge flock of trumpeter swans congregate on our lake. I'm not sure where they're headed. They fly out during the day and you see them on fields, eating whatever they can find there, then they come honking in every evening and basically spend the whole night chattering away, telling one another about their day. If the walls of the house weren't thick, it would keep us awake. I often wonder what the swan couple who lives on our lake year round thinks of them. They're a very noisy bunch.
The swan couple thinks they are a bunch od noisy, uninvited relatives but are too polite to tell them so. I haven't seen swans for a while. That must be a sight to see.
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