09/06/2024 – Around Colehaus

We’re winding down summer here at Colehaus and so many flowers are in final bloom. Many of the old seeds we threw into the west side flower bed to help create a pollinator area (formerly the Golden Arborvitae bed), came up spectacularly with a few surprises here and there. The early pink columbines and these fuzzy leaf, tall yellow daisy flowers are a hit.

Mom planted seeds from some Queen Anne’s Lace she found while walking a field around where she works last year, thinking it would be good in the pollinator bed and good to include native plants. And it was for the little bees, mason bees mostly. It’s known to take over if allowed and toxic to livestock so we’re keeping the cows tethered up on the other side of the yard with the squirrels and such (we don’t have cows). Not sure if we’ll bring it back next year or not. It grew kind of big and sprawly.

Another bunch of wild collected seeds we grew was something called Butterbush, which is also toxic to livestock it turns out, but the bees LOVE it. Since the bees arrived late this year, we kept this tall plant around until the flowers burst into white puffs of seeds that threatened to go everywhere. We definitely will not bring this one back. Sorry, bees. We’ll have lots of other flowers for you to visit.

Visiting neighbor cat Mr. MewMew (KeeKee) says, “Stop talking about bees. It should only be all about ME!” Yeah, hold your pantaloons on. You’ll get your chicken catnip treat in just a minute.

This was the year Mom starting thinning garden areas that weren’t doing well due to either overcrowding or climate change. We have to face it – our area isn’t as moist as it was a dozen years ago and we’re making adjustments. With some patience and a lot of labor, she dug up six sad daylilies, divided and kept the ones she liked the best, and gave the others away to gardeners in the area. She pulled out most of the weedy plants that had taken over an old area and refashioned the space, creating a dedicated daylily and short annual/perennial spot. Within hours of finishing up, including spreading a bag of bark mulch, she went out to admire her work and there was a dove sitting in the middle of it!

Mom took that as a good sign, then later read that doves aren’t the brightest birds in the bird feeder, and are known to put together a single twig or two, call it a “nest,” and lay an egg. This dove didn’t lay an egg but did look pretty comfortable and cozy out there for a good three hours.

We let the on again/off again Clematis trail through a bush this year instead of trying to get it to climb up the star magnolia which was a big fail the last couple of years. And it gave us a dozen beautiful flowers in return.

One of the Berry siblings, visiting neighborhood cat Blueberry visits once a day to see what snacks might be available. Turns out, he likes the chicken catnip treats, too, but not enough to let Mom pet him just yet. His sibling and near twin, rarely comes to visit so Mom doesn’t worry about ever getting to pet that one.

Mom’s cyclamen is rebounding! It bloomed in early spring and then looked like it was done for. Nope, it’s almost doubled in size so she fertilized it a couple of weeks ago. Lots of new leaves now. We put a protective cover over it during the harshest part of the winter here and will continue to do so. Maybe it’s got years left after all!

Something else Mom will be thinning out in just a couple of months. We have four or five patches of these sedums. Beautiful, yes but too easy to grow. Because they are big bee magnets in late summer, not everyone likes them but we do. Hence, why we have so many. Three patches along with most of the striped iris and a good portion of the spreading Bergenia will find they way either to other gardens or into the yard debris bin because enough is enough.

In about a month, once those 90 degree days are behind us, Mom has a little more adjusting to do in the west side flower bed, involving moving a BIG azalea that’s hogging a sprinkler head and transplanting this tall cardinal flower perennial that’s hogging the sun from the regular Nile Lilies that didn’t bloom at all this year. Only then can she call it a good garden year. But you know her. Next year she’ll want to change up something else; in fact, she’s already started her Garden 2025 list!

As summer turns into fall in a few weeks, our crepe myrtles will burst into bloom and our first tall sunflowers ought to open up provided the squirrels stop chewing off the buds.

All the Colehaus Cats are doing well. Pia’s fur is growing back in, Quint’s finding more spots under blankets to make his napping forts, Tessa’s still taking over Viola’s spot on the kitchen chairs, and Viola is as happy as a clam in her island counter top box.

We’re hanging in there financially after the necessary purchases of a new refrigerator and washer. Mom’s job just switched back to 12 hour days until next summer (she says ugh) and overtime opportunities have come to an end. Dad’s still working and unfortunately, not looking much for anything else that pays better. His layoff six years ago really took a toll on his mental health and he says he doesn’t have it in him for many more rejections. We’re okay, just struggling like most everyone else we know.

We hope you’re hanging in there as well, or doing better. We’ll all get through this and if we all keep looking out for one another, we’ll all be fine. Let’s ensure that happens. Thanks for visiting us today and give yourselves and your loved ones a big hug.

~ ~ ~ ~

A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2023 – Dapper Napper Quint
2022 – No post
2021 – Reporter Olivia
2020 – No post
2019 – C’mere Friday
2018 – No post
2017 – Full Moon Eyes
2016 – No post
2015 – No post
2014 – No post
2013 – Young ‘Uns Part Two
2012 – No post