2009 will be our second year living on our land in the bus. We left North Carolina in late October 2008 with our cabin well underway. Like two little ants we just keep plugging away and lovin' life. We started off the year with a beautiful snow fall and the dogs loved it. 

Gary spent the winter months working on the inside of the cabin while I did garden cleanup. Glen came to visit in early April and helped us clear more of the field (dirt area above the hill in center image). This was our first big project of the season. I added the zigzag fence on the steep hill for design interest and to help with erosion (center image). This hillside has been the biggest headache and gardening nightmare so far. With all the lawn we were creating we decided we needed riding mower . . . my newest toy. I love this mower and my garden cart and don't know how I managed before.

My garden in the bend of the road that I started last summer is looking good this year. My pear trees lining the road survived the winter and look healthy. The garden at the top of the road below the bus patio also doing well.  Boxwood are getting bigger.

It gets really hot here in the summer with the sun beating down on our mountain slope. I couldn't do all this gardening without a way to cool off. 

I created a garden across the road from the cabin. We brought that pretty little Blue Spruce from Rochester. 
We headed for Rochester for a few weeks in early July and the pictures above show our progress to that point.
After we returned Molly came for a visit and that was a real treat for pups because she is one of their favorite people.

My favorite plant of summer is this fuchsia tall verbena that self seeds and is now growing all over. Butterflies love this flower.
​If you don't have this in your garden I highly recommend it. 

In September Gary cleared the area in front of the cabin for a garden. We planted a holly and some juniper. I love pine straw mulch. 

Mystery plant!
At the bottom of our road I caught a glimpse of bright orange and found this unusual plant. I figured out what it was more than a year later when I got an email from Brecks advertising Jack-in-the-Pulpits. There was the orange seed pod in their image!  I did more research and the leaves matched. So, this is Wake Robin Jack-in-the-Pulpit growing in the wild. Well now I am more "experienced" and chuckle about how little I knew "back then." Jack-in-the-Pulpit grow all over these woods and I now have many in my gardens. 

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In October Gary decided to clear a more of the field so we could get a better view. Our lawn is very large now but fortunately lawn mowing on my "cool" mower is one of my favorite jobs.

Ok, you know the drill by now if you've been following us. Time to go to Rochester for the holiday season. Here are some closing shots of fall 2009. 

Click the link to move on to . . .  2010 Plants have taken off!