Work continues on the house. Currently we are waiting for the septic tank to be installed, the power line to be laid, the hardwood floor to be put in, the gutters to go up, and the back porch to be screened-in. Then, of course, there are all the little things that need to be finished or tweaked. At least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel...
While we wait for the house to be completed, Treebeard and I are spending some time planning the landscaping. We are not fans of conventional lawns - monocultures hold little appeal for us. We will have a small bit of lawn in front of the house and maybe a bit off the side porch.
As for the rest of the property, we are planning on having a vegetable garden, a blueberry patch, a grape arbor, and some nut and apple trees. The rest will be left to go native.
I conferred for a bit this afternoon with this Carolina mantis. She pondered for a bit and then agreed that native was the way to go. We communed a tad more and then I put her back on the side of the house where I found her. She had important business to tend to - there are insects to catch you know.
As for the rest of the property, we are planning on having a vegetable garden, a blueberry patch, a grape arbor, and some nut and apple trees. The rest will be left to go native.
I conferred for a bit this afternoon with this Carolina mantis. She pondered for a bit and then agreed that native was the way to go. We communed a tad more and then I put her back on the side of the house where I found her. She had important business to tend to - there are insects to catch you know.
With apologies to SIL and Florida Cracker...
I also checked in briefly with one of the black widows living in the brick pile. She's getting ready to lay eggs again. We will be re-locating her to new digs out in the woods whenever we move into the house. Meanwhile, she's not bothering anyone where she is.
You've got to admit, she is a fine specimen - beautiful and classic with her complete hourglass and posterior red spot.
You've got to admit, she is a fine specimen - beautiful and classic with her complete hourglass and posterior red spot.
8 comments:
I love the look of that house. It's like the old 1920s-30s farm houses you see set back from the road, up a long driveway, when you're travelling the backroads. Nice arthropods too!
I bet your landscape consultant charged a lot less then the one we used!
Hi Swamp4me,
It's wonderful to know your yard will NOY be all grassy. May I suggest you're considering a rock garden when time, money and desire will allow it?
You'll want a fig bush. I used to plant dogwoods but have had some trouble with them. I like Crepe Myrtles summer blooms and the bark looks nice in winter.
Be sure to plant a sweet betsy bush outside your bedroom window. And some lily or the valley is one of my groundcover favorites.
Don't forget some irisis for early spring and day lillies for summer.
Happy trails...
The house looks great. Can't wait 'til Thanksgiving unless you want some landscaping items from the old homeplace.
What a lovely shot of the black widow. Hopefully she will be gone before I visit.
Take care.
Love from Ratdog and SIL
Your new house looks wonderful. A few years ago I stayed in a much smaller house in an Australian rainforest with a (much smaller) verandah like that. At night we'd put out some bits of fruit and then we'd sit watching all these critters come to eat it - possums, sugar-gliders etc. That's how I imagine your new house will be (only with different critters).
What a beautiful house!!
hugh,
That's the very thing that attracted us to this house. It reminds me a little of the farmhouse my mother grew up in -- but this one has indoor plumbing ;)
kathy,
Yes, the consultant was quite reasonable. We bartered for the service - she has exclusive hunting rights on the north side of the house.
uncle bear,
I hadn't thought of a rock garden -- that might be something interesting to consider.
woodduck,
We are currently rooting a fig at a friend's house. Hopefully it will be ready to transplant next year. I have some iris ready to go, too -- Siberian iris and Louisiana iris for the flower beds and some blue flag and dwarf crested for the natural part of the yard.
SIL,
The chestnut we got from the old homeplace is doing well -- we haven't had much luck getting the plums and other things to adjust to our soil, though. Sure you don't want us to put the widow in a jar for you? She's a big one and I'm sure you'd love her ;)
crowe,
There is no shortage of critters at the new house. We look forward to getting to know them.
dani,
Thanks! We like it and are looking forward to moving in.
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