I love it when we go to Joanne’s memorial garden and the horses come to the fence near where we park expecting a treat. The pastures are extensive so it’s especially friendly when they trot up from way down the road.
“The treats will be mine, all mine.” (22 July)
After a bit, they get back to their own business.
salt lick
We park by the combination house and barn (house on top, barn underneath) and from there survey the condition of the garden. This one gets a monthly visit so there’s always much to do.
looking down to the garden
(Above) Straight ahead, the garden-surrounded pond. Waterfall comes out by the piece of driftwood. To the right, the raspberry patch. Allan, tired at the end of a full day, returns to the car. To the left (out of the picture) a stream runs past the gazebo and into the small natural lake.
the pond, 22 July
north end of pond garden, 22 July
It’s odd that deer don’t browse this garden. The daylilies are never chomped. There are dogs around most of the time but they are not let loose at night to keep the deer away…
In July of 2009 we visited twice, not just once…We must have been backed up on the weeding!
27 July, the pond
27 July, back of pond garden
27 July, daylilies reflected in the pond
The frogs in the pond and small lake are enormous and I think must be the dreaded bullfrog (invasive in the Pacific Northwest). The smaller frogs make a high pitched sudden cheep when they jump into the water. Having one of the big fogs suddenly leap and splash from next to one’s feet can be startling.
This guy keeps watch from a perch next to the water and perhaps referees territory squabbles between the little and big frogs.
sentinal frog
Back when Joanne was alive, she had a sweet old black labrador named Cassie who was expert at catching the smaller pond frogs and carrying them off into the pasture. We called her “the frog-eatin’ dog” and she might have bothered more little frogs than the bullfrogs do.
Tangly Cottage Gardening 