Tree Planting Time

Today is President’s Day.  Temperature is supposed to reach 80 degrees.  It’s still February and this week the temperatures are supposed to be in the low 80’s.  It’s cloudy, but not raining. 

Kevin was going to pick up my tulip poplar trees today and plant them.  Bruce and Nicholas were going to help him.  This past week we found out that Kevin is going to have to have back surgery, and there are a lot of things he cannot do.  However, the nursery is closed today.  So, we can’t get the trees until tomorrow.  So, instead, Bruce and Nicholas are here digging holes and transplanting trees from the woods.  Kevin has Nicholas riding the tractor and doing the digging.  He stays right with him and is teaching him what to do.   So far they have dug two holes in Kevin’s backyard for oak trees from the woods.  They have dug up the stump in my front yard from the Bradford Pear tree that was blown over in one of the big wind storms.  They are going to transplant a magnolia tree from the woods where the Bradford Pear was.

 Now you have to admit this looks like a typical government job.  You have two government employees "supervising" and the youngest doing the work :)

The magnolia tree has been transplanted!  Let’s hope it survives.

While Kevin, Bruce and Nick planted the magnolia tree I was busy weeding.  I weeded one tree (which I think is dead because it didn’t look good last year); four bushes (two of which has new growth already) three flower pots (one contained irises which are coming up, and the other two contained day lilies which I don’t know if they will come back).  So, I have a start on my yard.

All of us went to Kevin’s for supper.  He had fixed a pork butt in the smoker, and Renea fixed slaw, beans and macaroni salad before she went to visit her mom.  Jennifer arrived and she brought a german chocolate cake.  That is Renea’s favorite so Jennifer baked it for her birthday.  Renea didn’t get home in time to have supper with us because her mom is not doing well.  All of us left about seven o’clock.

Early this morning I went to Lowe’s to pick up a few items, and then it was on to Kroger for groceries.  Right after I got home, Kevin called.  He, Renea and Renea’s dad went to the hospital this morning to see her mom.  They got home about the same time that I did.  Anyway, we decided to eat lunch and then head to The Potting Shed and pick up my tulip poplar trees that we had ordered.  When we got back home Kevin, with a little help from me, planted the three of them in my backyard. They look very healthy, and even have a few buds on them.  Right now I have the hose running to water them.

 I realize because they do not have any leaves the only tree you can really see is the one closest in the picture.  The other two are there - in a straight line.  I thought it would be dumb to put three pictures of leafless trees.  

Wednesday I put a boneless chuck roast in the crockpot.  It was delicious and fork tender.  I had some single Bob Evan’s mashed potatoes in the freezer.  They sure tasted good with the chuck roast.  Did my laundry.  Watered the trees.  Worked on my genealogy books.  Actually accomplish quite a lot today.

Okay, it’s Thursday.  I finally broke down and turned on the air conditioners.  I can’t believe it’s February and I have the a/c on.  We have been setting record temperatures in the mid eighties.  IT’S HOT!!!!!!  And summer isn’t here yet.  Is this a sample of what is to come?  Heck, it isn’t even spring. 

 In addition to my regular chores I weeded the containers where I planted my Franklin trees.  No sign of life yet.  I also weeded the two rose-of-sharon bushes I planted inside the fences along the front of my driveway.  I checked the dawn redwood (Jim’s tree) and it is getting buds.  The Bradford pear has a few flowers and some buds.  I don’t understand why that tree doesn’t bloom like the others in this area.  It seems like all the others in the area are in full bloom. 

Where To Begin?

I am so far behind with my blogs I don’t know where to begin.  So, I will just tell you some things that have been happening, and after this, hopefully, I will be able to keep my blogs current.

On Wednesday, January 31st, Brian came to Alabama.  He stayed with me since everything is so hectic at Kevin and Renea’s.  On Thursday Brian and Kevin went fishing.  They had a great time and caught several large fish.  Later that afternoon Rita and Bob came to visit for the weekend.  It was great seeing them.  We had fresh caught fish for dinner and it sure tasted good.  Rita and Bob stayed in Kevin and Renea’s camper.

Friday Brian and Kevin took Bob fishing.  They had a great time, but didn’t catch any fish.  After getting back here we sat around, had a few drinks and snacks.  For supper I had made bar-b-q, slaw, macaroni salad and beans.  There wasn’t much left.  Jana took some home for her supper on Saturday night.  I also had an assortment of deserts.  And, of course, we spent the evening having a few drinks.

Brian didn’t have any drinks because he and Jana were planning to leave for Cincinnati at 4:00 in the morning.  They actually left a 3:45.  Brian wanted to get home in time to get some sleep since he had to go into work that night.  While they were travelling, Kevin took Rita and Bob for a tour of our backyard.  We then went to the Infantry Museum.  We had lunch at Burger King (Bob’s treat).  Kevin then took us for a ride around Fort Benning since neither Rita or Bob had been there.  We then headed for home.  I took everyone out for supper.  Renea didn’t get to go because she stayed with her dad who cannot be left alone.  I plan to take her out to eat – just the two of us.

 Rita and Bob left bright and early Sunday morning.  They arrived home safely.

Kevin and Bruce built a lean-to behind Kevin’s shed.  This is for Kevin to park his tractor and other equipment in so it is out of the weather. 

Kevin and Renea have a new baby – puppy that is.  She is a lab/short haired pointer.  She is chocolate brown, and absolutely adorable.  Her name is Shelby.  She is seven weeks old.  Her and Copper get along just fine.  They wrestle and play constantly.  Lola doesn’t want anything to do with her.  Kevin describes Lola as a crabby old lady.  Kevin plans to teach her to hunt with him, and to keep him company when working in the yard.

We seem to be having a lot of deer in our yards lately.  In fact, a buck rubbed his antlers against the trunk of my weeping willow in my front yard.  I sprayed the area with pruning spray.  Hopefully, the tree won’t die.

I am busy working on my genealogy.  I have found quite a few ancestors of Jim’s on his mother’s side of the family.  Not many, but I am making progress.