Since yesterday was Earth Day, I thought I'd share some summer scenes.

Our annual dump truck delivery of mulch arrived earlier in the week. Years ago when we were 'mulching rookies,' we had free mulch dumped at our house from the local township. Free is always good, but the mulch was quite chunky and there were often many large branches, and hunks of wood in it. Once there was even a shredded up shoe! We ended up spending quite a bit of time separating the usable mulch from the unusable mulch. Time is money, right? The amount we pay for our mulch is worth every penny. We always order 'natural' and make sure it is double-ground. Going through the shredder twice makes it fluffy and easy to handle. Now, as I weed I can immediately apply the mulch. I like to put down  at least 4" on my flower beds. 

Reasons I like mulch:

1. It keeps the weeds in check
2. Soil moisture is retained
3. When a weed pops up it is infinitely easier to pull out 
4. The soil temperature is kept consistent
5. The gradual decomposition of the mulch amends the soil, and 
6. It improves the appearance of my flower garden
   

Time to get busy...the weeds are calling.

Road trip! And you can probably tell from the first photo what I liked the best. Ange and I drove down Highway 33 towards Ontario, WI, right through Amish country. I bet we passed by 20-30 Amish farms. It was a gorgeous spring day and many farmers and horses were out plowing the fields. Quite a few carriages were on the highway, as well.

Our destination was Trail's End, which is an Amish-owned salvage yard and farm. (I have heard it referred to as "the Amish Wal-Mart.") It is located a mile or two before you get to Ontario on Little Ridge Road. Ange and I were looking for some cast iron antique parts to re-purpose a TV stand. Upon arrival we were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of STUFF. And it was everywhere. We literally didn't know which way to go first. There were even semi trailers parked in the fields that were filled with junk! Believe me when I say we have never seen *anything* quite like this.

I asked the Amish gentleman who owns the place where all the stuff came from. He said he has friends who just drop the junk off when they no longer need it. It's a win-win. His friends get rid of their junk and he sells it. And sell it he does...there was a steady stream of buyers. We came home with the back of our SUV filled with salvage. Ange's 'To-Do' list just grew larger.

What a great place to find antique whimsy for your flower garden! There were dozens of plows, milk cans, cider presses, sausage stuffers, pulleys, planters, an assortment of wheels, and every garden tool under the sun. I bought an antique cast iron 'rotary tiller sunflower spike wheel' (pictured) to put in my daylily garden. Ange is going to mount it on a cast-iron pole for me. We thought the prices were very reasonable.

Ange and I enjoyed four hours of unadulterated FUN climbing over piles and piles of junk and making discoveries. Even after four hours, we didn't see it all. I'm confident in saying that we'll be going back in the future!

I may be just one person, who grows just one garden, but my chemical-free yard does make a difference.

My flower garden:

• reduces pollution and purifies the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and  releasing oxygen.
• reduces greenhouse gases.
• helps to remove chemicals and bacteria from water in the ground.
• supports beneficial insects, bees, frogs, butterflies, birds, and bats to name just a few.
• has plants, trees, and shrubs that can absorb sound and help with noise pollution.
• assists with reducing water run-off and soil erosion.
• provides beauty and tranquility, keeps me fit, but most of all -- makes me happy.

Pictured: A tiny visitor sitting on a day-old bloom of 'Techny Peace'