Odds and Ends from the Photo Collection: Lake Chelan Trip

When we first arrived at Lake Chelan State Park I thought these were "sign" from some animal. That shows how much I know about wild animals and their droppings. These were black walnuts and were everywhere around the camp sites. JEJ bagged some up after we cracked some and realized how tasty they were.

Because the lake was so low during our visit to Lake Chelan the groundhogs/woodchucks were everywhere in the rocks. This one didn't even move when I took his picture.

This guy seems to be looking longingly out to the lake in hopes of finding something.

Can you guess what these are? By the bright colors you would think they were some sort of candy. These are Trix. When was the last time you had a bowl of Trix? I got a variety pack of cold cereal for camping so this was one choice. My goodness... did we have such bright, colorful Trix back in the day?
Early on I began notice a unique decor added to the picnic tables around the park. No, these were not all mine. At first I thought the beer caps were just at our table.
When we took a hike we also found them at other places at the campground. We also spotted a bird nest, perhaps from last year. It was fun to review the photo collection and remember these unique photo images from our trip.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #10

Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars by Prichard, Idaho

Lost

Stand still.

The trees ahead and bushes beside you

Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,

And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,

Must ask permission to know it and be known.

The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,

I have made this place around you,

If you leave it you may come back again, saying

Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven.

No two branches are the same to Wren.

If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,

You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows

Where you are. You must let it find you.

David Wagoner

Spring Project #2: Finding Another Use for The Trees

Spring Project #2 has been in full swing at Inland Empire Girl's house. The former owners left pine trees in the driveway and created islands in two places using the trees and adding plants. The longer we have lived here the more problems the islands have created. Their locations create snowplow and parking problems, especially in the winter. The trees continue to shed way too many pine needles and cones. The trees worked well as a holder for a bird feeder and my seasonal flags, but the islands were dry, thus making it hard to keep plants flourishing. JEJ is working on felling these trees. This is what was left of the first island when I arrived home yesterday. Once the stumps are removed it will make the driveway a much smoother place. It has already changed the landscape of the yard. We will have more light, but hopefully have enough other trees to provide needed shade.

Annie decided she needed to inspect the huge pile of branches and needles removed from the trees.

The last tree to go down today will provide more light in the garden and do away with falling needles. I had a hard time finding the stump until I realized it was still acting as a post for the garden gate.

All the wood from the trees will be split to provide firewood for the next few winters. Now that is another upside of the project. We certainly found another use for the trees.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #9

Neighbors

The live alone
together,

she with her wide hind
and bird face,
he with his hung belly
and crewcut.

They never talk
but keep busy.

Today they are
washing windows
(each window together)
she on the inside,
he on the outside.
He squirts Windex
at her face,
she squirts Windex
at his face.

Now they are waving
to each other
with rags,

not smiling.

David Allen Evans

Propagation: Notes From a Country Garden

We learned about five years ago how to propagate plants. I had always known how to put starts in water to root them. That works well with wandering jew, ivy, and coleus. Then we tried stem cuttings. This has been very successful with geraniums. Last Sunday was propagating day in the greenhouse. This year we also tried it with fuchsias and begonias.

Find a healthy stem cutting off the plant.

Dip the end of the stem in root hormone powder (found in any garden department of a store).

Place it in a small pot with potting mix added.

You can place a little plastic tent over it to create a little greenhouse. In the spring we don't find this necessary. We placed each plant in a sunny window.

Watch it and keep the water moist.

When it forms roots, move it to a bigger pot.

I especially like to do propagating of variegated varieties of geraniums that I enjoyed the season before. I also have success with scented geraniums.

A good resource book I find helpful is Seeds and Propagation by Susan McClure, from the Hands-On Gardener series by Smith and Hawkin.

Lily followed me around the greenhouse Sunday afternoon and was my little helper.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #8

When I Am Asked

When I am asked
how I began writing poems,
I talk about the indifference of nature.

It was soon after my mother died,
a brilliant June day,
everything blooming.

I sat on a gray stone bench
in a lovingly planted garden,
but the day lilies were as deaf
as the ears of drunken sleepers
and the roses curved inward.
Nothing was black or broken
and not a leaf fell
and the sun blared endless commercials
for summer holidays.

I sat on a gray stone bench
ringed with the ingenue faces
of pink and white impatiens
and placed my grief
in the mouth of language,
the only thing that would grieve with me.

Lisel Mueller, “When I Am Asked” from Alive Together. Copyright © 1996 by Lisel Mueller.