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01/29/2007: "Of Roses, Walnuts, and Mice"

So I woke up this morning and wondered if I was still asleep! This little deer mouse had apparently climbed up the curtains to escape the cats and was stuck way up high. I rubbed my eyes, then asked Nate to confirm that there was indeed a little mouse peering at me from above the window. The cats had forgotten about him completely by morning. This is the first rodent we have seen in the house, and what a place for it!


This weekend I tackled the roses in the front yard. It's about time to prune all of the dozens of roses on the property, but these four needed some special care.


These are long-stemmed, red tree roses. They are quite delightful, but the previous owner had planted them under the shade of the large walnuts in the front yard. Roses want a bit more sun than that! All summer they grew leggier and leggier, even with my trimming back. They had also fallen and leaned in their places and were a hazard for the unsuspecting visitor coming up the walk.
So I dug them up!

I replanted them in a nice group on an east/west fence line. They'll get partial sun until midday, and then full sun. I pruned them pretty heavily, and I hope the transplant wasn't too rough. We'll see how they go! I gave them a nice helping of Nate's fantastic fertilizer, then covered them in a weed barrier cloth.
Signs of spring are all over!

We're planning a "pruning and planting" party soon, so watch for invites!

Here's another beautiful sunset. The peak in the background is Mary's Peak, the highest point in the Oregon Coast Range. It frames views from the western facing upstairs window as well as the upper terrace of the property.