Early June Gardening and Dixie - update

Here is our newest addition to our garden!

A beautiful Rhododendron.

It is Peter's gift for our 31. Anniversary.

It should be hardy enough since the stock comes from Haaga in Finnland.

Hence the name: "Haaga"

How it "glows" in the sunshine.

Not much to look at in my vegetable garden. May was too cold and nothing really 

grew. I always get fooled into starting too early when the weather

turns warm, but it never pays off planting before

June 10 in this part of the country.

 In the front there are several sorts of beans and (not yet) corn.

Rear left is peas and carrots.

Top right is planted with kale, cabbage, lettuce and radishes and 

lower right: tomatoes and more lettuce.

The green covered area in the back is a patch with potatoes.

 The tender ones still get covered up against the cool nights.

An impression from one of the hiking paths here in the area. 

A quiet little pond tucked in the deep woods.

 About 60 years ago kids used to go skating on this pond and even further down

in history it supplied ice for summertime use, 

stored in a nearby ice house.

June 10 - Dixie is 10 month old.

A big change from 4 month and 10 pounds 

 to 10 month and 61 pounds.

"I remember you from last fall!" she seems to say

Visiting with Debrorah and Ken and their poodle girls

"Summer" and "Rosie"

New Beds for the veggies

After several years with using my raised beds it is high time to get a change.

 It started out with two frames, my Magic Garden project. Everything was so nice and clean. 

Now the frames show the wear and tear of time and usage. Molly was no digger, 

but Dixie got her paws into the dirt and she is!

She managed not only to dig deep holes but also pried apart the frame at the same time. 

Just like that. 

Burrowing her bones, taking them out again, multiple times. So much fun!

Another reason are the mice/voles. They have cut many tunnels under my old frames and have the bad habit to eat my tender plants as soon as they show a leaf. Not good!

Therefore I asked Peter for help.

He ordered the material (a little off the 12" mark as I wanted) 

and he is now about to screw together 4 new frames. 

Each frame bottom is covered with a metal mesh to prevent the mice from coming up. 

I hope that will help in my battle against the critters.

As you also can see I am about to move the whole arrangement. 

The reason for that is I want a running cable line from the trees in the far end of the yard 

across the old garden patch down to the deck/porch. Dixie will have plenty of space 

to move around, not be able to reach my veggies beds anymore, and 

we don't have to fence in our whole property.

Lots of things to do. I will let you know how we proceed.

Another new arrival of the season.

White-throated Sparrows.

Translation 

_________________________________________________

Neue Projekte sind im Gang. Nach mehreren Jahren sind meine Gartenbeete ziemlich aufgebraucht. Ausserdem hat sich Dixie daran gemacht tiefe Löcher zu graben und gleichzeitig den Rahmen auseinander zu sprengen. Sie muss ja immer wieder ihre Knochen vergraben und ausgraben.

Peter ist nun dabei mir vier neue Rahmen zu bauen. Diese sind etwas flacher als geplant, aber es wird schon gehen. Den Boden haben wir mit einem Metallmaschendraht versehen damit die Wühlmäuse nicht mehr von unten durchdringen können. Hoffentlich hilft das. 

Ausserdem wird das Ganze verschoben damit ich von den Bäumen her quer über die alte Gartenanlage ein Laufleine spannen kann. Dixie wird dann genug Auslauf bekommen, meinen Garten nicht mehr erreichen können, und wir brauchen nicht das ganze Grundstück einzuzäunen.

Viel zu tun. Ich halte euch auf dem Laufenden.

Weitere Sommergäste sind angekommen.

Die Weisskehlammer ist wieder da.