Weeks 2 & 3

'Country Living" isn't a truly accurate title for these posts as I'm not 'living' at Lonsdale. Rather, I am visiting (and working!)

Aunt Karen and Fauntleroy would scold me for saying this, but there is such a thing as too many gardens. As least if they are left untended and / or consist of a random plant in some random spot in the yard.

The previous owners made gardens on all sides of the cottage. The west and south sides get a fair shake of sun. Gardens in the east get a lovely, but not as strong afternoon sun while the backside struggles with a smattering of sun in the AM and even less in the PM.

To be truthful, the west and north areas aren't gardens so much as an odd assortment of plants running along limestone. Hydrangeas, roses and assorted other plants that need more sun than they receive are scraggly, skinny little things. The other two sides are much more promising but sadly neglected and overrun with crabgrass.

Those who know me know I like things just so and I set about making them right. According to me anyway. Today I planned on recovering the stone walkway from the driveway to the side door. More grass than stone showed which did me in from both an aesthetic and a tracking crap into the house on your shoes perspective.

What I thought would be a couple hours with a edger and a good wire brush turned into a day long adventure. Whoever put in the original path liked the 'one stone per step' approach and let nature takes its course. It was not as simple as rolling back the overgrowth as if it were fresh sod. Turns out, there was more ground than stone.

So began my task or searching my 6 acres of heaven for more pathway materials so I could turn this:

Into this:

Of course I now want to run out and buy Spanish moss and have that grow between the stones instead of the grass but that would be on my terms. Snakes run amuck in the garden to the left (which also happens to be where the well is) and I want to take that out due to grass, weeds and really, one should't have a lot of roots right next to their water supply.

J'adore a yew hedge and I think one well maintained and trimmed would look a treat and yet not taste like one for deer. Quite poisonous for them apparently.

Thoughts of my dad came flooding in as I cut the grass yesterday. At odd intervals throughout the yard are peonies, currant bushes and other as yet unidentified plants. Don't get me wrong, I like most of these things - in the proper setting!

I will salvage / move what I can but there is going to be some order brought about.

There is STILL an unwanted guest in my attic. I now know it is a raccoon and I think it has eaten a good deal of rat poison and likely has a mouse trap on it's paw. Long story but it deserves it for ripping a hole in my soffit. I have on loan from my neighbours a 'catch and release' trap and I've loaded it with peanut butter.

WHEN I catch Ricky, oh and I will, there will be no release. A swim with the beaver might be in order but we'll have to wait and see.