March 25, 2015

So, I didn't make much progress today.    I needed to purchase some plants for the sculpture, so took the morning off to go with a friend to one of my favorite flower nurseries, Big Bloomers in Sanford.  There I purchased some mini brass buttons to spread out over the face to make it a living sculpture (bought 8 plants at $4.95 each for sculpture - got the really full ones to break apart).  The other place we went was to a thrift shop.  There I purchased two small pyrex dishes that I painted the inside with black (pupils) and blue (Irises), along with two white plates to break up for the whites of the eyes (total spent at thrift shop - $2).  I got those put in, and plugged in the plants I bought.   In case anyone is just joining this, please don't think that I know what I am doing, I am flying by the seat of my pants, not being an artist, or a horticulturist, or having even done this before.  I am a bit worried about some rain coming in though, so we shall see how that works out.  Here's today's progress (pictures taken by my husband.)  You can see a little bit of a cave in on one side due to an enthusiastic dog.  Gotta Love 'Em!

This one give more of a size perspective.

Our other help.

This is a little closer for detail.

March 24, 2015

Well, today was day two of my spring break and work on the frog pond and pond sculpture.  I made progress with two additional golf cart trailers of dirt moved and the infrastructure of the living sculpture.  My intentions for Wednesday are to locate some plants, finishing mudding the infrastructure around the edges of the face, find material for the eyes and teeth, and dig more in the frog pond.  Here are the pictures:

more progress on frog pond

More progress on living sculpture

 

March 23, 2015

The school I do finances for is having their Spring break this week, so I am trying to get a lot accomplished from my to do list, despite the fact that I have no transportation due to one of our cars being in the shop.  I am working on some unfinished projects.  Today I started working again on my frog pond (to draw in frogs to eat insects.) 

As I was excavating, I needed somewhere to put the loads of dirt (I used the trailer on my golf cart.)  The first load was deposited on one side of the greenhouse where the plastic was working it's way loose.  The second load was taken up to the pond to start work on my living sculpture.  It will be like the one on my pinterest page, but female. 

I have many loads of dirt to haul this week, but it's a start.  I also hauled rocks back to the area that my frog pond will be in.  I also took a few pictures around the farm including the daffodils that we moved here when we bought the farm in 2011.  They are on both sides of our driveway and across the front of the property. 

 

The peach tree that we brought from our last place is blooming:

 I am also adding compost to our basement area.  Last year I added a small amount and spread it thinly.  I was told that it wouldn't do anything, but it grew grass.  I am convinced it is the change in pH.

March 20, 2015

Six Rows of Organic Carola Potatoes

Amaryllis

Onions Added to Garden

Cuttings of Muscadine Grapes

The first day of Spring.  Thank goodness!  This is what's going on at the Powell Acres Farm:  Vegetable seedlings are planted, perennial flowers such as hollyhocks, foxgloves, and some cosmos are planted in containers, we have planted six rows of potatoes (100 ft.), and a couple rows of onions (red and white.)  The Amaryllis is blooming in the pot.  We have also taken cuttings from our muscadine grapes and are trying our hand at rooting them.  We were very thankful for the advice of Cathy Jones from Perry-winkle Farms of a way to mark our rows while we are plowing.  This is shown in the picture.  My husband came up with the pvc pipe contraption so when he goes to the next row, he can keep them in alignment without having to measure the rows.  It saves so much time over hoeing each individual row and measuring with strings.

5" Spearpoints added to plow

PVC pipe and wire used to line up rows

March 6, 2015

Winter Doldrums.  It has been so very cold.  We have have been having snow off and on, as well as rain and freezing rain.  On the plus side, it has filled our pond to within about 18 inches of the spillway!  We are so excited!  Here's a picture: