Just Around Blackberry Homestead after the Rain

May 14, 2025

In was raining the morning of Tuesday (May 13), when Bruce drove me to PT. We got there early, so we went to next door to Home Depot to get more trellis supplies.

I kept an eye on the time and headed over to PT while Bruce finished shopping at Home Depot.

My normal physical therapist was on vacation, so I had a substitute. I got to try a new exercise, sitting down and pulling weights.

After PT was over, I went to Home Depot and started admiring the plants. I texted Bruce to let him know where I was. He saw me as he was heading from the truck to the PT office. He had brought the trellis supplies and then, he walked the short distance to Publix to buy some groceries.

He asked was the text was me, which I replied, “Two of them were me.”

It rained a bit after we got home, then cleared up. We walked around the yard, admiring nature and the gardens.

After supper, we sat outside on the front porch, watching a bat and fireflies, while enjoying the tantalizing scent of honeysuckles. The bat pictures didn’t turn out well, but I am still sharing them.

Today (Wednesday, May 14), we got a break from the rain.

Bruce finished mowing today. While he mowed, I planted seeds; four types of basil, cardoons, cilantro, three types of dill, zucchini and edamame.

I had four marigolds plants I also planted. Using the square foot method of weeding, I weeded the garden beds. I took one square at a time and removed grass and other unwanted plants from a square.

I took a few pictures of my pepper plants in their buckets and a picture of my herbs.

I came in to cool off and saw a package had been delivered. It was the small shelf unit I ordered. I put it together. I put the tea brewer and French press on the top shelf. I also put Bruce’s mugs on the bottom shelf. The counter looks less cluttered, which made me happy. I also have more space to work with now.

After supper, we walked down to the mailbox. It was just junk mail.

I told Bruce I was going to check the figs. The Celeste fig didn’t appear to have any more fig rust on it. The brown turkey fig had additional leaves with the fig rust. I sprayed the brown turkey fig with more name oil and pulled off the badly infected leaves. I do hope it recovers..

We sat outside, admiring the sunset. With the buzzing of mosquitoes, Bruce brought out a new gadget that is supposed to repel mosquitoes. He had purchased a Thermacell (TM) Mosquito Repeller with refills. It worked!

The mosquitoes cleared off, leaving us the enjoy the sunset in peace.

The birds were singing and I wanted to know who was singing. The Merlin app identified several birds: mockingbirds, cardinals, bluebirds, redwing blackbirds, robins, Carolina wrens, chipping sparrows, blue-grey gnatcatcher, tufted titmouse, yellow-throated warbler, white-eyed vireo, indigo bunting and a great crested flycatcher.

We saw some of the birds listed at the feeder. A cardinal was eating at the feeder and a bluebird sat on top of the shepherd’s hook stand, looking around.

We didn’t stay out long enough to see fireflies or bats.

We did see the sun starting to sink towards the horizon.