I’m not yet ready to tackle weeding the last half of the fence line, so I’ll catch up on…stuff.

On Thursday, I asked The O to recommend a girl-sized chain saw because Tree Dude never showed up, and the other place never returned my call. He recommended that I not buy one because I’d use it so little that I’d have carb problems in no time. Then, he said he’d come and cut it out for me. He arrived after I got home from work, and cleared a spot for my baby pine trees. I went right behind him and poisoned the stumps.

There, you bastards–drink up!

I planted all but three (hedging my bets) in that spot. They’re obviously far too close together, but these are Eastern white pine, and the majority will not survive their first year. Even fewer will make it to five years. I’ll end up with one by the time it’s large enough to be useful to birds. Assuming any survive, of course.

I bought some dwarf butterfly bushes, just because.

I also noticed they had bee balm, so I got some of that for the NoMo flowerbed, and more butterfly bushes, just because…again.

I decided that dwarf butterfly bushes would work on the fence line, so on Friday after work, I got some more, and the last of the rose bee balm in case C wanted it. If she doesn’t, I’ll certainly find a place for it; hummingbirds won’t be at all upset over more bee balm! I also got a couple more Powwow White coneflower for the little flowerbed out front, and a couple of Veronica “Royal Candles” for the edge of the Bee Happy bed.

I started early yesterday, before it got too hot, and weeded half of the fence line,then planted six of the butterfly bushes. I already have some hollyhock there, and will seed scarlet pumpernickel between them. I hate weeding that bed because it’s 300 square feet and takes ages, but at least I had a Toadally Awesome assistant!

It was too hot to weed in the sun, so I went inside for a little nap. When I got up, I roamed around for a while, then decided the pond needed attention,so I got one of my Fat Max saws and hacked out some water pickerel. It has to be tied in place until it grows to fit that spot, but this is a fast grower, so it won’t look like crap for long.

I also rinsed the soil off the roots of the poor, abused sweet potato vines, and stuck them here and there in the Babbling Brook part of the pond. No pictures because they’d lost their leaves and new ones are just starting, so they’re barely visible amongst the rocks.

I planted the Veronica. Might get more…the stuff I planted in Trail of Tears died, but there’s good drainage here, so I think it’ll do better. Bees should love this.

I mowed the lawn, or at least the goddamned dandelions that sprang up when the grass was fine and didn’t need mowing, then got fidgety. I didn’t take pictures because I hate the fucking stuff, but I cut the dead ornamental grass and trimmed the vinca and the wintercreeper out front. As soon as I decide what will replace it, that stuff is going to DIE. It’s like they looked at a list of introduced invasives, and said, “Yes! We’ll plant all of that, right up against the house! We’ll also plant a fucking cedar tree so its roots can grow under the concrete slab, and eventually break it. That’s a great idea!” Anyway, I hacked the fucking stuff back.

I found this “violeconeflower” when I was wandering the yard. Violets may be considered weeds by some , but not by me. They can hang out together if they like.

It was nearly dark, but I also moved the little St. John’s wort to a nicer spot, over by the Cliffie bush.

I was rather glad to sit down after all of that. Laundry and (probably) weeding today, and hopefully planting more butterfly bushes.

Oops. Forgot the pretty Canadian columbine, almost ready to bloom.