This is the feral one...he's come a long way.

I did some grocery shopping this a.m. and bought some gift cards (another $200 worth) to finally meet my target spending goal. All told, I had to buy $700 worth of grocery gift cards, in addition to my normal spending! Basically, that's about 2.5 months of advance groceries.

If I decide to do the Sapphire card later this year, I'll make SURE to time it so I can pay my homeowners bill with it. That will help a lot.

This afternoon, I moved a small viburnum I'd planted a number of years ago, that hadn't grown much since it was really getting shaded out by much larger shrubs. i moved it to what i think will be a much sunnier spot in back. I HOPE it will survive having been dug up.

I also sprayed poison ivy growing in the area where I moved three silky dogwood seedlings. I will be berry picking in that area this summer, and I'd rather not be tromping thru poison ivy each time, although I always wear knee-high boots. The silky dogwood is still alive, no doubt helped my some well-timed rain right after planting.

I planted two pots of basil seed.

I did a bit more work digging up sod in my veggie garden. The snap peas are doing well, about two inches high now. Lettuce is teeny, teeny. Cauliflower and collard seelings getting chewed by bugs. Broccoli hanging in there.

I ran to a local bait shop and bought 25 mealy worms for $1.85 after watching mom and dad bluebird fly back and forth, back and forth, to the nest box to feed the babies. I spread the meely worms out on the lid of a bucket and put it on the lawn about 10 feet from the bird box. Took them a while to realize there was good food there, but then I had a lot of fun, watching with binoculars from my office window, as the bluebird male returned again and again to stuff as many meely worms in his mouth at once and fly to the box.

I drove to town hall to see if i could finally find out from voter registar if I can work this Tuesday, a 2nd referendum vote, but the office was closed. I will try to call again on Monday.


Here's a pretty shot I took on a recent walk.

Oh, yes, and I'm psyched. Someone actually responded to a Craig's List ad i put in last week offering some perennials for sale, $5 each. She wants 4 blue milkweeds and is coming tomorrow for them. Truth be told, this is not the best time to dig them up as they're getting ready to flower very soon. But I have some growing on the north side of the house, which gets less sun and so they're a little behind the other plants, growthwise. I don't want them to be so wilted that she declines to buy them, so I think I'll wait til the morning to dig them up. These are pretty hardy plants and I know they'll bounce back as long as they're given plenty of water, as I've transplanted them many times now. I may be able to interest her in some coral bells too; i have both the green and burgundy varieties.

UPDATE: She wants the coral bells...yes! But the babies are small, so to be fair i'll give her 2 small coral bells for $5. Or more, if she wants more.

I hadn't expected any responses on these plants, so I'm happy to be making a few dollars on plants that have multiplied by themselves....It will multiply the cash in my pocket, to about $25.