Artsy Fartsy

[lydamorehouse]

 
Image: Artsy shadowy shot of a bee on a fleasbane blossom

I think I will try this one on the New York Times. It's awfully artsy. I'm not sure how the New Yorkers could resist something this fancy! Even though, I'm pretty sure that the shadow was caused by my own body. But, they don't need to know just how amateur I am.

Yesterday was our last day up at our friends' cabin. As I've noted, they have a rewilded and naturalized their shoreline. What I may never have mentioned is that maintaining native plantings is constant work. One of the things I like to do for Gerriann is pull whatever non-natives they identify for me. This work is not required. Our friends are extremely generous and would have us up to the cabin even if all we did was laze around in the sun and swim in the lake. We've been friends for decades. Mason doesn't know what summer is without a trip to visit Ger & Barb's cabin. 

But this year I had some fun because Ger identified TWO new plants for me to pull. Mostly, what I'm pulling are trees that are trying to establish themselves in this nice sunny spot on the shore. Some of them are even native trees, but when you do this sort of thing--rewild or naturalize--You do sort of have to decide what kind of look you want and Ger wants sun and sedges and a kind of open prairie (only with lake plants) look. At any rate, I am sore but happy today having dug up a bunch of offending trees!

Even though the wind was cold yesterday, I also spent a huge amount of time in the actual lake. At one point it was just me and the loon. Lovely.

Here's all of us!


Image: Geriann (center), right front (me), right back (Barb), center back (Mason), and left (Shawn)

Comments

[pameladean]

That's a really great photo. Everybody looks genuinely pleased to be there.

I hate digging up little tiny trees, it seems so cruel. But I'm currently living with an extravagant explosion of exactly what happens if you don't do that. So strength to your elbow. Anyway, it cannot be said that the North Shore is really devoid of trees, overall.

P.

[lydamorehouse]

I am actually terrible about digging up trees in MY OWN YARD. We have two volunteer mulberries and I am afraid one of them will have to go. And the idea of cutting it down makes me almost sick to my stomach, but it is in Not A Good Place in terms of nearness to house and electrical wires.

And, thanks re: photo. I think it does help that we are all, in fact, really happy to be there.

[cowfan]

Those are both good photos. How could the New York Times resist such a great bee photo?

[lydamorehouse]

I don't even know!

I'm sure I've done something wrong in terms of sizing or quality, but I just keep throwing things at them because I can.

[lcohen]

what a great photo of the group of you! i am not artsy enough to know about photos of bees, though :) .

[lydamorehouse]

Me either? But, I figure the New York Times can be the judge of all that.

And, thanks! We're a good crew who have been friends a long time. I am, in my small way, "responsible" for Gerriann coming out. Full story for a private email with you at some point!