Stephanie says

On a hot day, in classic “dress for success” style, I wear: cargo shorts; a loose tee; a long-sleeve cotton plaid workshirt; big straw hat; garden gloves of course; my sweatband is a folded Harley Davidson handkerchief, American flag just recognizable in the claw of an eagle, (its provenance best forgotten. Doesn’t that just get you wondering?); and the final element is knee-high black rubber boots.   I’m making a fashion statement to any passersby who might notice: that one must armor-up before venturing into the tall, unmown grass known for snake habitation.   The beauty of a small town is that nobody pays much attention to the random oddball.   Besides, I’m past the age of drawing admiring glances as I’m doing yardwork, and I’m conscious not to present a full (and by that, I mean broad) bent-over posterior view to the tweeny boys venturing past on skateboards and bikes.   I don’t want to damage their tender sensibilities.    All for a tee...

Ripening raspberry emerges when I thwack down weeds in the berry patch! 

are being gobbled by snails.  Eau du Hosta attracts the greedy little mollusks from afar; an attack on delicate leaves ripped into shreds by microscopic tooth-like rasps.  The bastards.  I've spread new bark mulch, encircled the plants with ground eggshells and an outer ring of coffee grounds, which supposedly act like razor blades to crossing snails.  From my lack of success I suspect this is about as true as garlic keeping away vampires. I've been out in the early hours,  and out in the late hours, hand picking the pests and crushing them underfoot.  My next plan of attack is allowing them to eat hearty and fatten up and I'll be eating me some escargot.  With garlic!

Maybe plant envy is a more accurate term. Last year I built two raised garden beds in the side yard.  Brought in fill dirt And got planting. The kale overwintered and I'm eating it frequently.  But two raised beds don't seem like enough space  This is valuable real estate and everywhere I turn there are new plants to buy or seeds to sprout. My original garden is nicely fenced, which keeps the dogs from wandering through and crushing tender plants in their path, but...  it's a snake breeding zone.  I let it run rampant and now it needs serious attention and soil amendments.  Gotta do it though as there are eggplant sprouting, spagetti squash seed to sow, and I'm really craving celeriac.  And maybe okra. The (self-imposed) pressure is on with Memorial Day, traditionally post frost season, this Monday.

West of Triangle Lake has a thrilling rock slide  and a deep pool with a rope swing  Massive rock ledges  Beautiful in every season.