Aha!

I tested the Ph of the soil in the Death Square today and it blew the top off the alkaline end of the scale. According to some info I found, adding Aluminum Sulfate should instantly bring down the alkaline numbers. I will try to find some.

My 16 red fairy rose bushes out along the front stone wall are lush and beautiful -- and at least one is totally infested with aphids! They must die! Usually it is Japanese Beetles that get them -- by the end of the summer. Insecticidal soap to the rescue.

I got the shed and the door by the patio painted today, so I'm slowly but surely working on my list. I spent a lot of time today thinking about all the things I needed to do but not actually doing them - It took me until 3 to really get started. Bailey came out and helped for a bit -- then turned on the hose and left it running on the patio while I was checking out the aphid situation -- big flood!

The bearded irises are blooming - I am so glad I divided them last fall. Also here is a pic of one of the healthy Joe Pye Weed plants I bought off of eBay last week -- all happy in its new home -- it came from Arkansas.

Is this not the cutest thing -- though I see his nose is hung crooked now that I see a pic. It is called a Forest Friend - he's looking at the swingset. Finally, this is the view from the hammock - down by the creek -- I actually laid in it for about 15 mins and watched the little squirrels run through the trees - very restful.