Just A Bit More

From the earliest of spring before the world has even turned green to several weeks past the first frosts of autumn, something is blooming in the sunny utility meadow. It is in constant motion. The natural processes of nature have been enhanced by the hand of woman.

Seed flinging season has begun.



How many kinds of aster are in there?

This one I think is Symphyotrichum pilosum, the Frost Aster. Maybe. You never can be sure. They can be a pain in the aster to identify. It is a native, most likely to have arrived on its own.

Other inhabitants of the sunny utility meadow have been introduced by the relentless scattering of seeds.



I have assisted this year by spreading the seed laden flower stalks of Chicory, Cichorium intybus into the meadow and gathering the seeds of Lupine to be flung. Baptisia grown from collected seed was also gifted and planted into the meadow. We need more blue.

The Lobelia cardinalis is one of the former introductions as far as I know.



I finished doing the you know what the way the inspector man wanted and filled the system with water. There were no leaks so we should be good to go. I can't wait for that first real flush.

When it rains I do insulation inside. When it is nice, now that you know what is finally finished for good, I have turned my attention back to the siding.



A few more planks of the Hardie Board have made their way onto the cozy cabin. I will be so happy when the house of Lowes is no more. There isn't that much siding left to do. It is just all of the stuff furthest from the ground and the walls with all the angles. That makes for slow going.



Four more stepping stones were added to the transition landing back to the dirt ground at the rear service entrance. I am not liking it. I think I need two more to make the stepping stone landing more uniform in size to the deck platforms. The gravel slope down will just have to be made smaller. Once the driveway and parking area is regraded and filled with gravel, that gravel slope leading to the stepping stones won't seem so out of place.

Then I can plant me some evergreen shrubberies to hide the ugly.



Some of the darker Joe Pye has managed to keep its head in the meadow. Perhaps it will seed some dark offspring while my deep dark patches grow to the point of division.



The lone Miscanthus in its end of season majesty reminds me of walking through a wet river side jungle. It towers over my head and you can just imagine an elephant hiding behind there. More likely a deer like the one I saw in the forest this evening or even the invisible cow that still wanders through on occasion.



The Spots follow through the meadow and back, enjoying the sights in their own particular way.



And we are back in time for just another sunset as it inches closer and closer to Mount Sterling on the left and the borders of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.



Tomorrow a few more planks of siding should get attached to the side of the cabin and doubtless a few more sacks of gathered seeds will get flung.