One of my favorite PNW bloggers, Erica Strauss of
Northwest Edible Life, recently started a new feature --
the weekly report, in which she reports in a simple bulleted list (for the most part) what she has accomplished on her homestead for the week. I think it's a great idea, but I don't know if I'm up for doing it weekly. So I thought I'd do a quarterly one for the year, even though it's May and we're midway into the second quarter of the year already.
(As an aside: I'm not sure I can explain my affinity for Erica's blog. At first glance I have very little, if anything, in common with her. She's a young mother who home-schools her children and grows a lot of her own food, so her blog focuses mainly on edibles, cooking, and urban animal husbandry. She just came back from taking a year off from blogging and gardening because her head wasn't in it -- which was true of me for last year too. She lives with mood disorder/depression, which I do too. I've been into her blog since she started it.)
Anyway, here's a list of my accomplishments so far this year:
** Did a ton of weeding and cutting back (which hadn't been done anywhere in over a year)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgaGG9FOS96SStxrexvToiVK34DGswVILS37dCfXBdbP-PMj18uIQhDVFaKUha1ggOehotiA3zDVrx2W88o16WyX9JPvgn4rpKpOUoQDUPcj9J52HBjRw7fLKFmI31xyUZIrzdmiw9xJh/s640/IMG_0712.jpg) |
With the weeds pulled and everything trimmed, you can actually make out the shapes of plants again |
** Got the stream running again
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4lRDetGfQijMmcS0kykSIFnfwnFHLhuh4pcCLVQ_H7ddV3GdY6IPiKEjOK4tPCeZE9NVZY6Tuweu9gIcrNa74TiF1sUdQBdXI74n-tDOHhBOfeL1_tCxkKLjsG3eVfHPc8hNvrmATyQM/s640/IMG_0754.jpg) |
View from an upstairs window of the now-running stream |
** Planted water-loving plants into the gravel of the stream bed
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb-Bwtxp-FYQ5iYHSsF-wMUlADNw1oC1bLe8u-Gd-IVoslubdNDIiaI5hV_7srupXdzvV_iw9zYam3QRtOnf9DidRPrcIJA5sfv26Yv0lisylzoQ3FCKbdk63jRVOyVn-rXLvlW6Da7F-/s640/IMG_0722.jpg) |
Water Hyacinth |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYhcyVVKEhvOQy3p5daK2g867cwhxtCyvP8SsGA404pFjNxJ_iQ7PSIepxGFVuvtJUuETBmEr2AxP5IUJXthJGM_vdw1CuOWaIL0__pBxKSK6cGfuVQb_GNCee8CbABP_fujWzIEBp8lU/s640/IMG_0723.jpg) |
Two black gamecock Iris |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8r8aqSeAZAP-Rm3z1NdkqaBFNBS8QGZ9yQ5_DkrcNbAafeWt6gmv6eDVE7FRz-IUAS5R-32-A9k3B5IDE9hRwcEMA1OSZtVH_DH6uCmzqFcbeM0HZ_zaSPI8RPohxPY07jcm5VYeswC3Y/s640/IMG_0730.jpg) |
At the base of the waterfall, a combo of chocolate creeping jenny, bloody dock, and purple pickerelweed (Can you spot Huey and Dewey?) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylTmo_IuLGxocyg5iVA3TQ_ovfxdqRg08p9Fhdl5YzfBRZ4GEtPLuewNjD5erBhyphenhyphenG6bnRkR1Jo-npsXEpTrCHFzpXuZV6yY8ZyZsj9lR6xntNJLH6Ynnwa5BA5JEaHHIS81S1P0Qm44Mt/s640/IMG_0729.jpg) |
Huey and Dewey (Louie is all by his lonesome is on the other side of the waterfall) |
** Planted new plants along the back of the stream
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-IVUIVphyLDi4sZyTYyry25mjbDY0GigKZu5m54tk3uYMRenDItOcDa8LzEHIcNR2ZXicJTnDcDMmzrJXhkNUbYsCTrCI91DAIUgndO56oUARrOveADjb70HV9VQOfCyMapE9y1_3OZt/s640/IMG_0724.jpg) |
Cyclamen, Corydalis lutea, Hellebores and Thalictrum ichangense have been added to this area, but it still looks rather bare |
** Planted new plants in the Northeast shade bed
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Y0aEV4yxOpE3_5257BdtBLpmlf6se2sXX87Tni6hRXqycbRFeUX3V0ta8GKJptUVytjWXkUkb4u_EOsvxhhANJkVCfT9c-2xTqEBVtDhdDgIGn7NfQ5jSC8PkidfGca591FHt9PGZKeX/s640/IMG_0719.jpg) |
New gold-leafed Hostas and other perennials have added bright spots to this dark corner |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKYd1xXK6hDMdmIs9BQ5g2UQhsLhvBXXfzC9sV_OOVh2_m-uOcGlUlByNtk4usRtt4xJVtrazkiPwrdc-wp-1QcFQbDmyPMjqfdSE9pxbH_QcA7UzZrrAvQQR5vxg6giJntbAtbXuTXDf/s640/IMG_0720.jpg) |
That empty spot in the bed on the right might be the future home of a fern table |
** Started seedlings in the greenhouse (now being hardened off outside)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcbPWgMuYlJci4GbSlmrxVHxR_7rzP9gAVqz-OIm4NINPa_6bk1ZSK4MbC0mdkanKoB5mCjYy-SkD2MxF6aFWNMZBpm_ouQBEnZ_smzCnZZMRGASt81M1GFcF6X-htZdOFEtEBojrsFmC/s640/IMG_0704.jpg) |
Too many Castor bean seedlings |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mwKJNFMjH_9FwDTTN-5mDaJ9Susyg2v3H1EQJwiKxDZTDL8br-ySrRFBrS5pOQkthKcCFRpyZoJjWIziQovw5Kk_EHIp5nTLblFW89W7tgkgx68L2g9f6CeFLO-_bxmSYoiimg6373JE/s640/IMG_0705.jpg) |
Unhappy Tithonia and Cerinthe seedlings that want some heat and to get in the ground |
** Pulled out plants from the front bed by the street that were inappropriate (got too tall and flopped) and planted shorter, more appropriate plants instead
** Moved the Brugmansias out of the garage onto the driveway
** Put in a new flagstone and gravel path to serve as a short-cut through the front bed along the street (photos to come in a future post)
** Took out the lilac bushes (technically I hired a strapping young lad to do this, but it counts)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjsxoomsFBav-nxSYAPK2lHad37IEfmqqek2blM3GDcvLQb7HVkEDt5F6tu828Rl2xdBBMD8wL8YQb7EJ21Pnx-Bi8lrOhyr45C2qLZvcjO4rleJzegY_Zorj8yUiIxVqBf-dSZvp6CX7/s640/IMG_0706.jpg) |
Empty hole where lilacs used to be |
Still to do:
** At least three more beds still need weeding and cutting back
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-qwYAIWUSBktxQqO3YNeAFt5s9tMM8F1n2OT8UtINP6XTmJAR9dH6Lk84MnlbWQs2F24r0mTifc6yrNWufmr8B2wmEoxNMGF-uOHc6FIZiK5CnsGyO6Hq_yBQlc22AlzWisV2REqv8sQ/s640/IMG_0715.jpg) |
I ignored this bramble last year when it appeared, now it has popped up again this year as well as 10 feet away and even more vigorous than before |
** The Great Migration of Plants
** Plant onion starts in the raised vegetable beds
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIik1L-sEd9fZ9tckTZObAy8rY0iyPA9eOSqvpGRD53Gc6yw563_vIgPo73LRpXCauQipih8YP_KNiO2PZDLlK3lglBIPxHqu1M_qr0fyiSUeULJUrKmpfQ_GYHJfMg5ZtZQbhr7UThic/s640/IMG_0713.jpg) |
Six pots of onion starts -- why didn't I bring a couple of pots to the swap? Now *I* have to plant them all! |
** Freshen the soil and fertilize the Brugs
** Plant more new plants in the front bed by the street
** Plant new shrubs and perennials where the lilacs were removed
** Renovate the gravel garden
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GgLVPUGEq23F8hS6MlOE9ICDqbG7Jcna6jkEsI7avr4VVPfrW0DgvjuslGAxK8-OGmImRyoRE-Pul4POxdy6SN5j9Z1ppvrnDuRbjjG9Rnz06PskRX4KFGdkNpYZpHid8MD3hLJAYFNJ/s640/IMG_0707.jpg) |
The gravel garden has gotten wildly overgrown and weed-infested |
** Install two more gravel paths
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYhkCc-_06KBBLQ-24rYxwSHz0EroVyq4_PD5CnV_t0PzPOndLQBpWMdEoumA01c3JV4y8Rfw4bl6wG8NXpDKxGmIUHy0jIPJS1AmDfllaOmqdYe0j9mmssTPvV99sWC19nxLCtWq1BPn/s640/IMG_0725.jpg) |
One gravel path will go through here and continue in back of the stream |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLv4g9QXfpTcCIzeIPFZp9s9KjAYXxik6yiEv-9zDN5jkDuZvOrB7aXhbyNURtKoPANSoWV2Vo9iSVHG3zdDxp42fBrZYFt9JiUtmGFTm7WTXDgLtQbh0J3cYDzs67xkuSDqQlzjEudusz/s640/IMG_0739.jpg) |
A second path will curve around this tree and to the left |
** Plant, plant, plant
** Stop hoarding plants
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1BhA-Ls_FoyD3xGbKIa66EE2xOFIbSq_CWtvyFsFu5xwuFvtgmjyKXO2CF7hyphenhyphen3F3GAXia4L0kLJExFJSFe1LBY5Z-BQ5bAQQUAcgG9LqNZ8o74HobzDJeU7LeibvgYZn9BxZRfOnaVCt/s640/IMG_0732.jpg) |
I have too many trays of plant starts set aside for use "some day" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wsDOxcWiYIM2DNMk12NNRNwB6P20In1igx8hYauBBlhWrbbmKe7KwGZNvCL7H5HM57owSs9w2lbUmrn0diowa2xdKWhDmxCLO7vGwNa2KaLU7a0PSwQrfijZDZ718tBfvoYu6UI-F7pn/s640/IMG_0735.jpg) |
While weeding I found a bunch of self-sown red-leafed Euphorbia, but I couldn't just toss them into the yard waste bin like shotweed |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPDeHMio5ixDhSPFrsnm-GZOvguDmpEQmXC9mTbrn_l3AeVRSLNEe_7UR_CW5CTiL1UCYo85fHnn2Xfb0CGDGlY8FC2muDPvYx2rEYte35zpI4hqvKi12Xy_DI2hO1vjsvU1S_OVrhRc1/s640/IMG_0736.jpg) |
When I pruned one of my rosemary shrubs I found three branches that had rooted, so I had to pot them up |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7slgc1HRPPx9HBGl2iemorm6NzIneSRTDyW2bSqioF6sX7YysCeI96vcubPdvxurpRDOB_vRbMImU7iHw1eOCkk7El7KfTcELugGvLSNmfDrDodEW76z_8mbRKYMIhBu-mu5N2Tx5Jh2/s640/IMG_0734.jpg) |
Two of those trays contain Pacific Coast Iris divisions, which have been hanging around for a while now (I bring them to swaps in groups of threes and sixes, I'd be embarrassed to bring them all at once) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_y8zzseS7GgvPHJIEtXl31JULO6pdABEtI5txwLMfZfaDsTrylkkdYUgWv1KcCWlMzSWLVlXY65_YqlksX-wYni_6LWjYzDrYvLTV_D3qfaOn3clp0tn0kws-Z2hBR0QghWV1WprgEpO/s640/IMG_0733.jpg) |
These daylily clumps aren't even in pots! What's wrong with me? |
So, how's progress in your garden? Are you as anal-retentive as I am?