Don't Know My Eggs From my Aphids

Almost without notice, our activities have shifted toward getting ready for next year's garden.  While clearing out the residue from the second planting of peas, a young milkweed plant was pulled and placed in the weed bucket.  A large number of golden eggs caught my eye but I placed the entire plant in the bucket.  The chance that I may have inadvertently trashed monarch butterfly eggs haunted me.  Monarchs are described as laying their eggs thinly on many different plants.  What I saw on the milkweed stem was a large number of eggs.  Finally the milkweed stem was removed from the weed bucket and tied to a standing milkweed plant.  I had to give the eggs a chance to hatch.

A picture seemed appropriate to record my actions.  While taking the picture I had noticed ants working the eggs. I figured that some of the eggs would be eaten by the ants.  Examination of the picture revealed that the eggs were actually aphids.  The camera sees much more than my old eyes.  It plainly shows the length I went to in order to save aphids and ants from the indignity of the compost bucket.  We have never claimed to actually know what we are doing.  

A Push From Irene?

We have never done anything to change the plant growth down by the road. It is so wild that Ed is hard to find in this picture. The wildness was mostly on purpose. We liked the idea of having our secret garden hidden at the end of an old farm road. Sumac trees have been growing along the edge of the property line. Not sure of the exact location of the property line, Ed thought the sumac trees would have to go. I was hoping they would get to stay. Irene settled that question for us. Apparently Irene didn't like it that way and the Sumac  trees were wind thrown by the storm. The mowed area in the background belongs to our newest neighbors. They actually gave us a bigger push to do something with this area before Irene even got here. Where there used to be an old rusty barbed wire fence, the neighbors want to put in a post and rail fence.

Ed has already been planning and working on this latest project. He has been clearing  more of the wild space  making it safe to mow. Piling the clippings will kill the plant growth in preparation for spring planting. Ahead of the brown area just behind the beautiful electric pole, (Yes our power is back on today!!!! ) he plans to build a short  low stone wall. A low maintenance perennial border will be placed on our side of the fence line.  Janet, a friend with years of  experience at the NYBG, will help us choose low maintenance plants, and help us plan their spacing and placement.

 Since Irene uprooted the trees, it will be easier to clear them away and we will work on that soon!