Hiking Update.
The Rock Bridge High Ridge Trail is off limits until next Fall. When Jorgie and I were walking the guys on Sunday afternoon we were constantly brushing ticks off the dogs, and by the time we got back to the parking lot Petey’s ‘undercarriage’ was full of ticks, and Buster had at least 10 of them trying to burrow through his fur.

When we got home we did more de-ticking and estimated that we found no less than 20 ticks on each dog. Thank goodness for Frontline, but that still doesn’t repel the ticks.

Gardening update
I haven’t got as much done as a would like. With the Missouri clay, the soil is either rock hard or soupy. I still need to finish digging out the area between the deck and the house. I have to wait now for some rain because the soil there is pure heavy Missouri clay.

I got a few Dianthus put into my ‘island’ garden and finished getting the mulch down. My Cosmos seeds have started to sprout, so we will see how they do.

My Jackmaani clematis is going great guns and should bloom soon. I’m excited to see how it looks- I’ve always wanted one, and bought this plant last year on sale at Lowes…it wasn’t doing too well and came up with a few feeble blooms last year. This year I think I cut it back at the right time, and it seems healthy and happy.

I also did some pruning on the apple trees. I should have done this during the winter, but never got around to it. Basically they just need to have all the sucker branches cut off…I’m most of the way done.

I’m hoping that we can start on the patio/fish pond re-do this week. I’m still not completely sure what I want to do, so I need to get my plan finished up. I’m hoping that we can rent a bobcat or something to help with dirt/gravel moving. I’m not sure that my physical being is up for that amount of labor.

Not much on the Jorgie front…Erik bought Mario Carts for the Wii, and he is playing the heck out of that. I don’t like it as much as Mario Carts for the Nintendo 64…it just isn’t quite the same game.