An entire, hot fucking day is what it took to get the hole dug for the zinnia and Mexican sunflower, and since it’s pouring fucking rain today (thunder, lightning, wind), I didn’t even get the dirt in it. I was too tired to take pictures after I finished, so I did this morning before the rain. The hard part is done, though, and assuming it ever stops raining this week, I can put them in like I did joe-pye and friends…bits after work. I moved it out a little, past the gas line mark. Oh my GAWD, the soil! A little normal Parview dirt, some clay, and I think that’s where they dumped the leftover gravel and sand when they poured the concrete slab for the house. No wonder nothing but grass and dandelions would grow over there; grass is shallow and dandelions have taproots!

The sod went to make a grass puzzle on the bare spot out back. Looks a little ghetto, but it’ll settle. Hell, if it rains any harder, it’ll just flatten right out!

Old Lady’s lilac is blooming, and it’s white. I’d have preferred purple, but Dale has a big one in front of his house that I can smell as soon as I come out of the house.

I saved this weed; I forget what it is, but butterflies should like it, and flowers are scarce at this time of year. I’m going to move it, though. EDIT: It’s butterweed; Packera glabella

I’m not going to replace the vinca here. I like the violets better, and the city cant make me mow these like the ones on 544’s lawn!

Found a big, fat Bronzed Cutworm. Didn’t ID it until this morning, so I didn’t kill it. It eats grass anyway, so meh. Only one beetle grub, which I squished because it looked Japanese.

544’s Bright Lights have their second set of leaves!

Elderberry doing okay; it looks like most of them rooted and have a new little leaf or two.

Honeylocust has sunlight now, since I cut down the honeysuckle.

Spicebush is leafing out.

Yellow trumpet creeper leafing out nicely.

Orange is getting there!

I don’t know what these are, but they’re happy in the Honeysuckle Horseshoe.

Miracle Tuliptree!

Mystery Lilies are huge.

Peonies, too.

Clematis wants something to climb.

And…guess who arrived yesterday? Dale!!

Now for this morning, in between sticky heat and getting rained on. I’m reseeding the milkweed with cold-stratified Common. Darker is field-stratified, lighter was refrigerated. The eBay seller sent 200 of each, though the listing was for just 200. I sniped two auctions…hehe.

Almost done, but got rained out. If I have time later and it clears (or at least isn’t raining), I’ll finish it.

Oh, and my Sugar Baby watermelons are up. Dunno what I’ll get, if anything, but it’s worth a shot!