Sunday, August 3, 2025

August Garden in Massachusetts

Rudbeckia or Black-eyed Susans Early August 2025

Zucchini Early August 2025

Eggplant Early August 2025

Cherry Tomatoes Early August 2025

Zucchini Early August 2025

Eggplant Early August 2025

Peppers Early August 2025

Blackberries Early August 2025


Garden Paths at Kuusamo


Garden Path August 2025
Ethan and Mom spent time this summer 2025 redoing
the garden on the south side of the cabin.
Some of the plants include daylilies, Tristan's pine tree, small evergreens, irises, creeping Jenny, Maltese Cross, delphiniens and a rhubarb.  Tristan's driftwood art sculpture and Ethan's Frog El Bow grace the garden.  The stepping stone from Amy and Kevin's first house also has a place in the garden.

Garden Path August 2025
Kevin placed and reconstructed this path from the wooden pathway at the Lakehouse last summer and this summer 2025 Ethan and Amy steadied the path, put in a few finishing touches, prepared the soil, rearranged some plants and planted others.
On the west side of the path is a natural forest and on the east side 
of the path is the developing garden.

Forest Path 2025
This is the other garden path, more of a forest path and the original path that Reegan and 
Kevin built.  It is on the east side of the driveway closer to the community road.
Forest Path 2025


Thursday, July 31, 2025

Garden Paths in Boylston





 Chad and Logan worked hard hauling gravel for the garden paths. July 2025. Looks awesome.


Winnipeg Parks Rose


Planted July 31, 2025
in the backyard by the back fence. 

I think the rose bush 
 at the other of the flower bed is also a 
Winnipeg Parks Rose.



Winnipeg Parks Rose will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. 
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight.

This rose is highly ornamental and will turn red in the fall. The fruits are showy red hips displayed from mid to late fall. I often deadhead the roses but will leave them from this point forward in order to benefit from the rosehips.
This bush has cherry red flowers, dark red-tipped foliage, red hips, is excellent for cutting and is 
a tough, long-blooming, fragrant rose.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Midges

 Midge invasion at the lake this June 2025. 
 Clouds of midges arrived en masse and created piles of midges on the decks and in between the screens and windows when windows left open.  Made it very unpleasant to be outside and had to dust Charlie off when he came into the house.
So far we've only seen the midges at the Lakehouse and not the cabin.

First noticed the invasion when we woke up on June 10. Will try to update the blog when the invasion is finished.
Update- The invasion of clouds around our house only lasted two days but midges are still about.  Today, June 16,  we were swarmed on the sailboat.

Apparently these non-biting midges adults only live a few days 
and die shortly after mating. 
It is said to be  a sign of a healthy lake ecosystem.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Terrace



Vancouver Terrace Newly Planted April 2025

 






Hellebore also known as
Christmas Rose, Lenten Rose and Winter Rose

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Ice Out 2025

The official results have been announced.
Ice Out 2025 is May 4, 2025
Ethan wins the title! 

May 4, 2025 Rustic Beach


We started following the ice out dates in 2019.  I have no record of the family winners of our ice out competition from 2019-2021.  
If anyone remembers who won those years let me know 
and I will update the list.

Family Ice Out Competition Winners 
(Winners buy Ice Cream or whatever Grandmaman randomly decides)

2019
2020
2021
2022 Chad May 12
2023 Reegan May 10
2024 Grandpa April 28
2025 Ethan May 4

The annual competition is up and running as of today, March 27.  Predictions rolling in at lightning speed.  Scientific theoretical predictions, data driven decisions, evidence based theories or random guess based on your gut feelings and impulsive choices. 

Papa, Charlie and I went out for a walk today and observations were a wet looking ice covered lake with one or two ice shacks still on the lake. 
One large truck still driving on the lake. 
Last week there was a few inches of snow left on the lake.  

March 21, 2025

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

2025 Predictions As Follows So Far

April 16 Logan
April 22 Jenny
April 25 Reegan
April 26 Tristan
April 31 Charlie
May 1 Chad
May 2 Papa
May 3 Amy
May 4 Ethan
May 5 Sadie
May 11 Grandmaman
May 30 Oliver