Birds and Bees

Well, birds and flowers at least. I notice it has been almost a year since I posted pictures of the wide variety of iris which grow in our neighbourhood. Last year our iris developed some kind of brown spot virus which we sprayed for and cleaned up. Last fall Tanya dug up and distributed her iris bed so this year we have two long rows of yellow iris with a few while ones thrown in and another row of dark blue ones which haven't started to bloom yet.

This week, Tanya planted two balsam or cedar trees that will grow about three meters tall, and three evergreen shrubby things, no idea what they are. The trees were not two expensive, about $20 CAD each for the cedars. They were 50 cm tall and in good condition. Planting them was a chore. Instructions were sand, pine needles, well rotted manure and low pH soil in about equal proportions in a hole 90x90x90 cm. That is about a cubic yard and is a lot of mixing.

We drove to a village about 40 km away, just for the drive and to get some horse manure from a farm where Tanya knew the guy in charge. Then we went to the park and gathered pine or spruce needles and to a garden centre and bought 80 litres of pH 5 soil. Our gardener (I love that sound) Natasha and her man Valerie came over to help Tanya. I ain't allowed in the garden. Tanya had no idea how much hole was a cubic yard and decided to reduce the dimensions from 90 cm to 60 cm once Valerie started digging.

We also (What do you mean "we", White Man?) planted some lawn in the back. Which is to say Valerie dug it up, Natasha and daughter Dasha raked, and seeded it. Tanya has been watering it every second day.

I've almost got my report preliminary written up on the EU project, from which we will figure out the next steps. It has been ice enough to open windows and the cuckoo bird singing has been nice to listen to after his or her winter absence. Tried to get a picture today but it prefers to perch on a wire half way to the marsh so my camera just can't pick up the detail. I did get a picture of a song bird on my walk the other day. Don't know what it is. I miss the red and gold wing blackbirds which at home would be nesting in the high reeds.

Went to the doctor earlier this week. Growing old beats the alternatives but does come at a price. Had to go for blood tests. Three lab locations on the same campus. Drop off urine sample (supply your own jar). At least I didn't have to stay up all night to study for a urine test. then another lab for blood sugar and another for everything else. The labs are part of the hospital so out patients have to go early before they start on ward patients. 6:30 and 7:00 am. Of course we mixed the times and went to the wrong lab first. Had to wait until 9:00 at the second lab because we were late.

While we were walking down the hallway, we passed a very elderly wheel chair. Tanya said not to worry, she would buy me a much better one...(pause)...she didn't think she could push that old one to the river.