Cleaning up.

I spent this afternoon in the yard after work. Mostly I spent time in the perennial bed. I weeded out some spent annuals, more crabgrass, lots of privet seedlings, and future majestic oaks. Things are starting to look empty in some areas, especially either side of the arbor.





I took out the castor beans. I tossed them down into the gully, seeds and all.





I found out what it was that gave me a terrific stinging sensation on one of my fingers. Saddleback caterpillar. They become an ugly, plain, brown moth. This one was hanging out on my Turn of the Century Hibiscus.



Lord Baltimore is blooming again.



Then I replanted both window boxes with a couple six-packs of dianthus. I'd like to think they will survive the winter, but I'm not sure I have enough soil to keep their roots from freezing. It was just under $2 for all of them. Meh.



I also potted some coleus into the terra cotta container by the front door. Carla got the ficus tree from that pot. I rooted it when I lived in Greensboro. I stuck it in water and a few weeks later, I had roots.

While I stood by watching the hummingbirds defend their own personal pineapple salvia, I remembered the peas I planted last week. They're snow peas, my favorite.



There are also two cabbage doing well, no collards to speak of right now, very little mustard, and the bok choy...Hope the rain kicks things into high gear.

It's 77 degrees, partly sunny. Rain and storms in the forecast tonight and tomorrow. I'll get back into the kitchen later this week when I have more time. I just needed to play in dirt that didn't contain pieces of chicken bones.