A Vermont Memorial Day

Little Plymouth has no Memorial Day parade; the big event happens on 4 July, Calvin Coolidge's birthday, so we spent the day up on the hill involved in yard work and battling the black flies.


First, the Canada geese now have four goslings (I've numbered them in the photo but am not sure if the numbers will show). They must have hatched on Saturday. We watched them float across the pond. We don't know where the beaver is though its destruction seems to be still fairly recent. This afternoon we saw a pair of mallard ducks; maybe they also have a nest?


Yesterday en route down, I stopped and bought some hanging plants so as to make the deck look nice for summer. It's too buggy to sit out on the rocking chairs — so, so frustrating.


I had bought some asparagus for down here but given that it has been a fair amount of time since purchase and planting, they may not survive. Whatever, the bed now is prepared for planting. Of course nothing is simple around here and in order to prep the bed, one has to dig up blackberry roots. However, this prize, the root that is vertical in the photo may be from the adjacent birch tree in whose drip line I was digging. If so, I apologise to the tree. These roots are tough enough that when one finally lets go, it is all one can to not to fall over backwards (as I did at least once).


Compa ended up doing most of the planting while I fetched wood chips for mulch and soil from our compost pile. Even knowing where the plants are, it's hard to make out the stakes and I couldn't identify all of them in the photo but put red ticks by the ones I clearly could see. If they don't come up, well, next year the bed will be ready and we can try again.


These little rocks flowers bloom only at this time of year. They are fun.


The lilacs are just coming out here.

Both of us are a bit weary from digging, tugging and hauling. It doesn't seem like a lot of exercise at the time, but later on, one feels it some. So, time to kick back with a little ron or beer and enjoy. It's back to work tomorrow.