Ka-Bloom Day

It has been a moody gray day all around. Thick low clouds hovered above, undecided whether to drop lower and fog things in or lift up to pour down rain. A fine mist permeated the atmosphere. Dread was in the air.

The Humane Society came and got Chow Fun today. Thank you very much to the irresponsible dog owner who has made me feel terrible about your dog.



A distinct chill increased as the day wore on. I needed a sweat shirt to stay warm. It was 58 degrees at 6pm. I am not ready for this sort of thing.

Will a late blooming transplanted Joe Pye Weed make me feel warm?



The news I woke to this morning was grim. The laissez-faire, deregulated, hope that you get trickled on economic policies of the Republican party continue to plummet to their natural conclusion. The house of cards that greed built is going up in smoke. Will September 15th 2008 become the day when the Republican party is finally known as "the party that wrecked America?" Of course you can't dismiss the supporting role of the rest of the lesser politicians known as the Democrats.

This one little Sedum 'Lidakense' has been propagated from cuttings into well over a dozen starts. Maybe this will help me feel a sense of abundance. It's cheery red blooms late in the season are an added bonus.



The second patch of corn planted on the 4th of July has finished blooming and is settling in to form some ears. The coming week looks chilly. I wonder what that may do to the corn? I do know the raccoon has already taken his portion of the crop, impatient varmint, having discovered it during my absence. Now that the corn is being personally irrigated again the pillaging has stopped.



Further afield Goldenrod still holds forth in a section of the roadside vegetable garden. If need be there is more room for food production. How that could happen without me learning how to freeze the stuff is another question. Even with predation, ugly tomatoes and miniature melons, the vegetable garden is bountiful.



The other major event of the day was the beginning of my own road to nowhere. An earmark from the federal government is not paying for it and I will never pretend I wasn't for it all along. I was however more for it when it was an idea in my head than I am now that I see it. It changes things dramatically and I swear I felt the earth cry.



It's not like this was virgin ground or that nature itself doesn't tear wounds into the earth. It was just the reopening of an old wound trying to heal.



There was a purpose. The septic system is being installed. For now the road goes to the drain field and the main drain line leading to the field will be in the center of the road. Later the road will head on down to the bottom of the property. This just get two things done at the same time while a machine is here working.



The road cut has created two steep banks that will need to be planted and stabilized. When I think about it, I will be able to incorporate this into the design idea of a sunny hillside of low mounding texture and color. It's just much steeper than it was before. It looks scary, but the banks along the drive at the resident gardeners house are just like this and haven't moved in thirty years and I have way more sun to grow things.

The road to nowhere does have a point. I will be able to use a truck as a gardening tool to haul stuff when needed. This area between the cabin and the road and over the drain field will be the main cultivated and civilized garden area that I create. Once this septic system is in, the real gardening can begin.



So sorry it was a gloomy Bloom Day. There are up to a hundred others to choose from by now at Carol's May Dreams Gardens Bloom Day headquarters.

Another pesky aster has appeared. This one is white with very tiny leaves. If I was organized I might start a list of all the different asters on this mountain. For now it will have to be the unidentified white aster.



Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow.



I would like to have a larger store of warm memories before the chilling days to come.