mulch

Papa’s World – Living in the South!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Palm tree in the back yard!

Growing up in Pa. and NYS. – A palm tree would not exist there.

Even when we moved to NVA!

But – in OIB – close to the borders of S.C. and N.C. – we have three!

This one is in the backyard.

One is about 50 feet away and toward the side.

The other is in the front left corner as you look at the front of the house!

We also have four Cepe Myrtles – two are white, and two are pink!

They all survive the winters here.

And last winter we had a very rare and freak snowstorm- 15 inches!

They say this only happens once every 40 or 50 years!

Three days later, it had melted and was gone!

We don’t even own a snow shovel! ( A good friend bought us one!!!!)

The two Crepe Myrtles –

Both Pink and I will say I like them better than the white ones!

The white ones are on the front corners of the house.

They were installed by the builder as part of the landscaping package!

The two pinks – Sherry and I picked out at a company that sells trees –

And we picked out the three palm trees.

We hired a landscaper named Andy to install them!

In fact, he did all of our stone borders around the house!

Since we were one of the first to landscape the lawn like this-

We allowed him to put up a sign, and he became very popular with the rest of the neighborhood!

Papa standing on the front porch –

But note the stone landscaping which Andy did!!!!

This goes completely around the house!

The builder supplied Straw, which in this part of N.C. – S.C. is big!

We did not like it ( Snakes love it!)

Then we tried for one year black mulch – ( Insects love that!!!)-

And then we did stone with a border of cement stones!

LOL – We got rid of the landline years ago!

For the third summer –

We are trying to grow lemons!

The first two years, we got a couple of them.

Then this Spring, Sherry found this self-watering tub on wheels.

We put it together and transplanted the lemon tree!

BINGO – it is now full of green to turn yellow lemons!

The other was root-bound –

All new Miracle-Gro grown soil –

There is an enclosed reservoir at the bottom with a sort of float device that tells when the water is low.

The roots go down to the water through perforated holes –

When that float is all the way down –

You just take the water hose and start watering until it comes back up!

That way, your plant always has water.

That and Miracle-Gro keep it healthy.

There are dozens and dozens of lemons on here now!

Guess a lot of LEMONADE is in our future!

Plus, this is all on wheels and can be moved whenever we want!

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PAPA’S WORLD – LIVING IN THE SOUTH –

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Papa’s World – A new bridge – a new pond and a new path!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

There are now three new ponds in Cameron Woods Community and a small pool of water behind our home!

Above is the pond that the pool of water flows into from the wetland!

These ponds are collection ponds for surface water.

This mulch-covered path comes from the cul-de-sac – between the common area and two houses –

To the new ponds and toward the new bridge.

In the middle of the treeline on the far side is our home which you can not see.

This treeline is protected wetlands and is right behind our property-

one of the reasons we chose this is for that barrier.

At the end of that walkway-covered mulch path –

is a new bridge going over a drainage ditch to what I believe to be the largest of all ponds in Cameron Woods.

There is another large pond to the right of the bridge but the walking path does not lead to it – instead, you would have to walk common ground in the rear of a couple lots!

After crossing the bridge you look back at the lots and houses on the cul-de-sac.

This is the last of the building inside of Cameron Woods Community!

This is the view of the large older pond that was here when we had our home built-

I do not know if it was here to begin with or was a catch pond for runoff!

Looking down the water to a corner and the pond goes beyond that –

a nice walk and covered with mulch –

I wish it was gravel like the other pond!

We saw one gator and it left the bank as we walked –

that is a good sign as they are afraid of us as we walk.

We are careful and on the look – out for gators and snakes!

Sherry walks back after we saw the gator and did not finish walking around the pond –

later we came back and walked all the way around –

and saw the gator in the middle of the pond!

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

PAPA’S WORLD – A NEW BRIDGE – A NEW POND AND A NEW PATH!!!!!

Papa’s World – Sherry and I landscape the treeline!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

LOL – but this little project was like working out – heavy lifting – raking – spreading – and digging!

It took us two years of just looking at it and then deciding it was time –

let the work begin!

Anything behind the mulch and toward the trees and bushes – is protected wetlands –

so we can not do anything beyond what you see here –

there is a drainage ditch and until it gets hot – will have water in it.

Beyond this treeline are several ponds – a catchment system to contain runoff and rain.

We have added a birdbath – a white bobbing bird – and an Oleander bush in the foreground.

This is the downward end – water flows this way and out to the ponds.

We have planted perennials here to come back each year.

The upper end has our birdfeeders which attract many birds throughout the day!

Note the yellow flowers – they were eaten down to the mulch by a deer!

Here you can see the bush I planted last spring – and has grown really big.

Forest “FACES” look back at us in our backyard!

23 Bags of mulch I carried from the front – and opened and dumped for Sherry to spread –

we had to first dig out all the weeds – rake and level the ground –

It was labor – a workout for two seniors almost 75 years old!

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

PAPA’S WORLD – SHERRY AND I – LANDSCAPE THE TREELINE!

Papa’s World – A new mulch-covered trail – pond!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Good day everyone – in our Cameron Woods Community – the last single-family homes are almost complete –

And at the end of a cul-de-sac – on common space – a trail leading to two ponds –

one almost a small lake –

It was covered in mulch and led to the bigger pond-lake –

The other pond was sodded with grass and will be mowed.

The path to the large pond will have a bridge – this day only wooden pallets served as stepping

path to cross the ditch!

You can see the mulch path on the other house side of the ditch –

and the pallets on which you stand to cross the ditch.

All the homes you see on the other side are just being completed and some have occupants

This pond lake is the biggest of all the ponds we have.

We walked the first big pond on the other end of Cameron Woods – and came here and walked this neighborhood –

And that walk alone was just two miles!

I would say if we walked all the neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs –

we would be close to seven miles!

Including all the ponds that are walkable.

This is the view to the left after crossing over on the pallets.

The path goes to the right and leads to the far side of the water.

It continues following the pond out of sight of the water and into the woods on the far upper side.

The pond then continues through the trees at the bend of the water to the left.

The path is about 10 or 12 feet wide-

Large enough to allow maintenance trucks if needed.

Yes – we have seen small gators in here and if there are small ones –

well the mother must also be here.

Now – later in the Sring and Summer – bugs will be out –

so the spray will be used!

But on this day – the woods were full of birds singing –

and as always I am watchful for snakes in here.

Have not seen any but I am more vigilant –

They are more present in my mind than the gators in the water.

Here is the view after walking to the right and around the pond and through the woods from the left

side of the pond.

The walk was level – saw no gators or snakes!!!! LOL

We now have the ponds to walk along with the roads and cul-de-sacs!

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

PAPA’S WORLD – A NEW MULCH-COVERED TRAIL AROUND ANOTHER POND!