Bliss and Blisters

What a weekend. It was a wonderful weekend at The Shack.  I went up with the intention of planting the trellis. Unfortunately, that did not happen.  I was reminded that sometimes things happen (or don't happen) for a reason.  I think this was the case this weekend.  

My trellis is not installed. 
But I am not unhappy about it.

The Trellis Fail?

We built a trellis.  A sturdy trellis that I think will look great once it is installed.  It is so sturdy that I was very relieved when my roommate said he'd drive it up in the truck on Friday night. Woohooo!!  I had been ready to try to strap it to my Jeep top, like I do my kayak. But the Kayak weighs only about 40 lbs. A small stack of lumber weighs a good bit more than that. I was very relieved when he said he'd haul it up for me. That means all I'd have to do is dig the holes and re-assemble the trellis.

Saturday morning I started digging the holes.  Rather, I began breaking rocks as I tried to make a holes for the posts.  I had been smart enough to bring a shovel, post-hole diggers, and a pick-ax, but WOW.  I was not prepared.

With blisters already in place, I refused to give up. I sat on the ground as I lifted the chunks of rock from the hole. Eventually, I drove down to town and purchased a digging bar (a heavy bar with a type of chisel on the bottom).  That digging bar helped some. But I still was not going to get four 2' deep holes dug in two days. I began to feel like I was in way over my head. If I couldn't get that stupid trellis in the ground, how in the world could I live a homesteading, off-grid life?!

The Plants

I had transported my two rose plants and a small lilac bush up there.  I had planned on planting the rose bushes with the trellis (Oh, what an overly-optimistic DIY planner I am!).  With all of the rocks, I decided I'd wait for the roses - I could take them back to the apartment for safe keeping. But I would plant the lilac over near the remains of an old apple tree.

Lo and behold, while still very rocky, the digging was easy near the deceased apple tree.  I very easily planted the lilac bush.  

As I sat there, with the big fuzzy bees visiting the tiny purple flowers that grow there, I decided that the stump would be the better area for a flower garden and trellis.  As I sat there, resting, looking down to the opposite end of the yard, I realized that the spot where I was trying to dig was probably one of the old orchard "roads" - causing the rocks to become so packed and difficult to dig.

The Beginnings of a Flower Garden

It was too late in the weekend to plant the trellis - even if the new spot was easier to dig. But I planted that lilac, one rose bush, some lavender plants, lavender seeds, marigold plants, and four gladioli bulbs.  

I made "cages" for the lilac and rose... hoping to protect them from hungry deer. I only had some extra re-bar to use as posts. I need to buy some small posts.

I also impulsively planted a few mammoth sunflower seeds near the wall of The Shack.

I took photographs of a horrendously thorny bush that appears to be some sort of rose bush. Wouldn't that be a hoot if it turns out to be a bush like the one I've been searching for?  I hope to try to identify it with the photos I took with some internet research tonight.

Right before I left, I re-positioned my brand new game camera and hung a bluebird house.

As I tidied the cabin, and washed the dishes on my back deck, I watched a doe and fawn trot down my hill and into my woods.  Then I loaded up the dogs and the climbing rose bush and we headed back to the city.