Postcards from the Farm

Sunday Mike was able to take me out to the farm for the first time since we got home from Nashville. This is the longest I have ever been away from the farm. Most of the daffodils and fruit trees are finished blooming, as was the Japanese magnolia. But a number of the flowering bushes are in full bloom.

We also checked out the beaver dam and the lake/pond. Not only have the beavers built their lodge, but they have dammed up the overflow drain where the lake/pond will flow out into the creek if the level gets too high. Now there is water flowing out onto the farm road and in part of the front yard. We will have to be talking to our pond guy and getting him to see about clearing it out. We noticed our yard guy has not yet started mowing. That should have happened a month ago. I'll need to be making some calls this week to find out what is going on there.

Another thing that needed to be checked was the water. The kind we pay for from the municipal supply. Mike had noticed the sink at the pavillion was leaking back last fall, so he turned off the water out at the road. Yesterday we were able to determine that the only problem was the sink drain has developed a crack. By turning off the water to the sink, the main supply could be turned back on for the house, the hoses and the rest of the buildings.

So here are the postcards of the farm this weekend. Enjoy!

Buckeye bloomstalk


Prairie Fire crabapple blooms


Beaver lodge


Twin Sisters daffodil - these normally have two flowers per bloomstalk, but this one was a single.


Japanese kerria - aka Yellow Rose of Texas


Closeup of kerria


Swallowtail butterfly on lilacs


Top of barn with weathervane and hex symbol


Confederate violets - these grow wild all over the farm. The pastures are full of them.


Bridal wreath (spirea) and lilacs - the spirea is the most beautiful I have seen it.


Looking down on the pavillion and the lake/pond


And finally - Pine Trees! Mike and I both grew up with pine trees. Part of my family's business in Louisiana is tree farming pine trees. Pine straw makes wonderful mulch for plants like blueberries, hydrangeas, and azaleas. Pine cones are great for fall and winter decor, plus they are a super treat for the parrots to chew. In fall of 2008 we planted some pine trees, both loblolly and Virginia pines. Here are some of the loblollies. I am so excited to see they have survived and are tall enough to be seen in the places where they were planted. Just think what they will look like in another couple of years.



namasté,