a start

This afternoon I got out the gloves and the pruning shears and the cutters (loppers).  Many plants and bushes in my gardens are showing greenery.  I cleared out a lot of last year’s growth.

 

I am a  little uncertain about the best way to prune this hydrangea.  Last year I cut it right back to about 4 inches.  But I am wondering if maybe I should just cut off last year’s flower and leave the stems long.  There are buds poking out of the stems all the way up to just under the flower heads from last year.  If anyone has an idea, I would be glad to hear from you.

 

NOTE the Brown-headed Cowbird sitting on the fence post.

 

Strathroy

Arrived back in Strathroy around mid-afternoon.  By supper-time I had the car un-loaded.  Still putting things away.  I was quite tired last night and fell asleep on the couch. Got up around mid-night, went to bed and slept soundly all night.

I can’t locate my file with my bird lists.  (Life, year, etc.)  Think that I must have left it behind in Texas.  Thought that I packed it, but I guess not.

Things here are just as we left them.  One of our neighbors came in regularly and watered the plants.  Talked to her last night and she said the Christmas Cactus was so beautiful.  One of the orchids is blooming.  Hoping for nice weather this week.  (haven’t looked at the forecast yet)  I have to clean up the flower beds and the pond.  A bit of work ahead of me.  A thorough cleaning of the house is required, too.

I am looking forward to checking out the local parks and conservation areas, too.  Time to take Abby out for her morning walk.

 

 

Heading to Kalamazoo

It is about 100 miles from Bowling Green to Louisville.  For the first 50 miles, there was a lot of road construction.  Then we left that behind.  Nice to see the dogwood in bloom.  The trees are recently leaved out.  Once past Louisville and into Indiana, the trees showed less leaves, but the Redbud trees were starting to be evident.  Saw a Black Vulture and a Turkey Vulture soaring over the highway together just before getting to Louisville.

There was solid construction from Louisville to Indianapolis.  Slowed things up a bit.  We also made a detour of  about 2 hours to drop in to Dave and Cindy’s place.  They are friends from Fun and Sun.  Nice visit.

 

Beautiful spring morning here in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Drove 600 miles yesterday.  Just outside of Memphis, heading towards Nashville, there was the most interesting bridge under construction.  Roads thru Arkansas are in excellent shape.  Took some time out to stop at a museum in Tennessee, near Nutbush.  Ring a bell?  Saw Tina Turner’s old one-room school house.  And Sleepy John Este’s house.  Heading to Kalamazoo today.