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.