Blooming Hydrangea

Since my peony never did bloom I'm even more excited to see the Hydrangea in full bloom. I took this picture a couple days ago and the blooms were even bigger today!

Frank and Frank-o got the retaining wall done around the new back patio too. Things are happening around here! We had cord wood delivered this past week so when cooler weather comes that will be cut up and split and stacked. We considered going to a gas boiler this year but decided to keep on with the wood boiler for another year. As long as I don't get laid up it works out fine. I figure it's good exercise in the winter.

It was sure a hot one today. Humid, too. Very difficult on Frank when it's like that so, he had Frank-o take the "day off" and will bring him out tomorrow. If it's still hot they will organize in the shop where it's cool. There's plenty to do in there too.

P.S. Guys vs. Gals = tie

We've come a long way, Baby!

We purchased the property we live on almost 12 years ago already (hard to believe!)
It started out with a 1940's farm house that had been somewhat renovated inside.

Let's just say we didn't buy the place for the house. Hubby built me the little barn garden shed out back and I finally got a chance to use the "Mr. Ed" door I bought at an auction a hundred , several years ago.

The place has a beautiful hedge of lilacs in the back yard, and although definitely an added bonus, still not the reason we bought the place.

So, we remodeled that old farmhouse with kind of a pole barn construction around the old place and adding on 2 additions. We also demolished the top story and got rid of that. Those stairs were too much and we figured it was only going to get worse. We added heat in the floor in the new additions.

Finally getting a start on some landscaping in 2011 after tearing down the old outbuildings, building a new shop and remodeling the house. Starting to come together finally in 2011(8 years!). It was a bigger undertaking than we anticipated.

The landscaping is finally filling in that big area in the front of the house.

Having family here to enjoy all the wide open space to explore, ride bikes, golf cart rides, games, etc., THAT is why we bought the place.

Unwanted Pests

I have an old boiler out front that I plant annuals in every year. Last year a tree sprouted in there but I left it there. I figured it wasn't hurting anything. This year it was much bigger and definitely a poplar tree. Still no biggy until it was overtaken by worms. I didn't get a picture of them but they would line each leaf and eat it entirely. Well, that was enough of that, I got the big pruner and cut it down. I'll have to dig out the roots this fall when the flowers die back. I don't know what kind of worms they are but they are small and, apparently, hungry.

I had entertained the idea of relocating it somewhere else, maybe out by the pond - pre worm infestation. Oh well, what do you do? Sure looks bare in that planter with it gone though.