karczel

Today is mostly cloudy and hot. It's 83°F already. :/

We went out to Market on the Prairie at the fairgrounds. This was mostly flea market stuff and a few crafters. I picked up a couple of hand-painted bookmarks and three plant stands. \o/

We also stopped at Whiteside Gardens for the last day of their Spring Spectacular. They had a craft table and a bubble station out. :D I picked up a celandine poppy and Doug got a yellow-green hosta.

The first field is sprouting with corn, which is odd because corn is a warm-season crop that won't sprout well in cold weather. Soybeans are usually sown first. The only thing I can think of is that, if someone's planting by measuring soil temperature, things are really fucked up for the soil to be corn-warm in mid-April.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I planted the new hosta with others in the forest garden.

I also moved a couple of indoor flats outside to get some sun, and uncovered the mixed plants in the water jug greenhouses.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I planted the celandine poppy in the new shade garden at the east end of the savanna.

I've seen a male cardinal and a fox squirrel with nipples. I heard a bluejay screaming but didn't see it.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I was going to do more planting, but the wind has picked up so much that I just brought in the flats of seedlings instead. :/

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- We picked up sticks from about the first third of the south lot, starting at the garden shed in the east and working down to the birdgift tree. So that will be ready to mow later.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is cloudy and mild. It has been spitting a few drops of water now and then, but the promised storms have not arrived. :/

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- While we were out at Whiteside Garden, I picked up a generous clump of wild ginger. :D I also saw a red-headed woodpecker.

We stopped at Home Depot and bought 12 concrete blocks, the kind with two holes, and water sealer. I'm going to make a planting bench with the solid-top pallet that we obtained earlier.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the clump of wild ginger at the east end of the savanna where moss is growing. I'm going to try establishing a woodland garden there.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did some work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the mountain mint in the wildflower garden.  This looks similar to the mystery wild mint that I had before, which is among the most popular pollinator plants.  If so, that boosts genetic diversity.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I hauled 6 of the 12 concrete blocks out of the car.  For some reason the guy putting them on the flatbed trolley gave me two different kinds; some have flat ends and some have ridges sticking out, and these aren't the kind of blocks meant to interlock.

I am done for the night.