Well, what I’m going to do this year with drip irrigation is finished. I still intend to put in a few soaker hoses, but the drip is all done!

On Friday after work, I was too tired to actually do anything, so I just swept the patio clear of all the leaves, sticks, and other tree debris left from the storm earlier in the week (the one that brought us some more rain, but seriously fucked up some parts of town). On Saturday, I got up early, and a little before 0700h, I was outside, digging the trench to bury the line to the Trail of Tears bed. It was already hot, but I finished that, then put in the third drip line in the Honeysuckle Horseshoe. Since we had to mow, I couldn’t just leave the line lying in the grass, so I decided to dig the trench for that one as well. I did my best to put the grass back whence it had come, so the trenches aren’t very noticeable. I had a few spots where I removed dandelions, or there was black medic (which doesn’t like to stay together when dug up), but as long as I don’t let them dry out until the grass roots have regenerated in their new spot, they’ll be fine.

I still have to tidy up the “octopus” area, but it was so goddamned hot, and it’s not like I have nothing else to do, so I’ll leave it for now.

Saturday afternoon, I started picking out the last few weeds in the poor, sad-looking milkweed bed, and putting in some new mulch to protect the soaker hose from UV light damage. I didn’t finish it until this morning, but it’s done now.

I was concerned about insects crawling into the soaker hoses in search of cooler, damp spots, and also of mulch or debris getting into the hoses, so I got some vinyl caps on eBay (I don’t know what their actual purpose might be, but it must be something to do with car audio), and those will go over the quick connects on the soaker hoses while they’re not in use.

After we finished mowing, I connected the tee and laid out the soaker hose for the fence line so it would straighten. I had to water pot plants (and run irrigation) this morning, and it’s laundry day, but in early afternoon, I sucked it up (heat index of 104F) and went out to place the soaker hose. The way it ended up, I have just enough hose to add to the one in the “swamp” part of Sarah Flah’s bed so that the gaillardia will get watered. Well, after I get another tee, that is. Anyway, I didn’t take pictures, but all I have left to do on the fence line is put a bit of mulch over the spots where the hose is exposed; I “wove” it under the honeysuckle where it’s rooted/touching the ground, so it won’t be a big job to put down the mulch.

While I was working on the milkweed on Saturday, I found a couple of very welcome friends. I couldn’t find them again today, but I hope they’re still there! Monarchs have thus far been very scarce; P says he’s seen a couple, but I haven’t seen a single one yet this year.

I forget what I was doing in the Black Swallowtail bed, but I was shocked to see that it’s finally earned its name! I had almost decided to just stop watering it and let the plants live or die, but then I saw five little reasons to keep watering. I hope nobody eats them.

Random picture of Miff, who is a part of the Bistro even if he doesn’t go outside because when I come in sweaty and dog-tired from working out there, I can basically count on having company when I lie down to watch Netflix.

 I was out on the patio, about to take a photo of Onje when I heard a little “plop” on the concrete beside me. It got Boo’s attention, so I guessed it must be a frog. It was nearly dark and hard to see, but a frog it was! First, he jumped up onto my anti-gravity lounge. 

Then, he hopped up and had a seat on the chair.