The garden on July 13, 2024.

"Answer July" by Emily Dickinson

Answer July—
Where is the Bee—
Where is the Blush—
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July—
Where is the Seed—
Where is the Bud—
Where is the May—
Answer Thee—Me—

Nay—said the May—
Show me the Snow—
Show me the Bells—
Show me the Jay!

Quibbled the Jay—
Where be the Maize—
Where be the Haze—
Where be the Bur?
Here—said the Year—

Honey bees on 26 July 2021

 

In the Garden

We don't have a large backyard, which in some ways is perhaps an advantage. The main disadvantage is that it is quite shady. This photo was taken in early November 2009.

This room was attached to the side of the house... when? No idea. But the house was built around 1950, so probably in the 1960s. At some point, perhaps in 2012, I cut down the lilac bush on the left to about two feet out of exasperation with squirrels jumping from the lilac bush onto the roof and entering the attic by an air vent. The only way to stop squirrels is to not let them enter or to block where they enter, preferably the former. An arborist told me that the lilac bush might die due to my cutting it down; and then, in 2017, I saw a few lilac shoots coming up, it took until 2021 for the lilac to grow about seven or eight feet in height. Photo from July 2011.

Before I began working on the back yard garden I planted pots on the patio. July 2011

Back yard in July 2011

Our ginkgo tree, on our front lawn, July 2011; not sure if it was planted in 2009 or 2010

A sunny day in July (four)

A sunny day in July (three)

A sunny day in July (two)

A sunny day in July (one)