Eventually Hopping Away

This month of April we've had those 136 different kinds of weather in 24 hours that Mark Twain noted ages past. In one of the lulls on Friday, I decided it was time to remove my hops plant. I don't want to toss it out, it is such a lovely herb. Dangerous, aggressive beyond belief, unknown, but lovely! A much missed Tillamook friend and I brought plants back from Imbler (maybe?) and I put mine in a bottomless container. You can see in this very early photo of the yard where it is waiting to be put into the earth by the pink tub. (2009) It didn't take long to establish. 

June 2010, this plant has taken off! Every year it needed cut back to the base. Jodi trimmed on Tex's side, Steve and I trimmed on ours. 

Sometimes it seemed to not be quite as vigorous, it was biding its time! This photo below is from August 2011. 

 Eventually, it was everywhere. By 2014 no one was entirely fond of it, but I still didn't want to get rid of it. I do like the flowers,  they smell heavenly! A small plant I'd separated out for Tex didn't stay in her yard long and my host plant didn't seem to mind having been divided one bit.

 However, looking at the yard and the work involved in controlling the creature, it was time. So, I decided to attempt removal during a break in the April rains. Thankfully, Jonathan came home from work to apply more leverage and weight than I could.

 I had hoped we could pull it out with the bobcat and it would still be sort of in the pot. Not a chance. It had broken through the pot, a million giant roots were everywhere, and a good portion of the root ball was still firmly entrenched by the time it commenced raining again. I'm hoping it can finish being removed as soon as possible. I have a honeysuckle I'd like to move in. Also vigorous, yet less dangerous. Except for the stinging insects!

 It has grown under the very heavy pink bathtub and might even be veering off into what is now Jodi's yard. I'd not be surprised. The thing is almost an Audrey 2! Thankfully, most of the injuries it leaves end up as small scars instead of entire bodies being consumed. I'll need to be diligent about picking up bits of the hops plant, each one will most likely root!

 After the digging and rainstorms, we (and most of Oregon, it appeared from the pictures online) were graced with a beautiful double rainbow. A sign and a promise in the midst of mud and change.

Fabulous Fall Fun! (or what I did while the guys went deer hunting)

I saw someone post a fall wreath on FB and when I clicked the image, it looked very pretty and fun. It was made with Japanese Lantern flowers and other assorted fall decor. I googled more images and saw the prices on some of them and decided, "hey, I can do this!" So, I gathered up a bunch of materials.

 On the table you can see the grapevine wreath (which I have had around for ages!), some 'berries' on metal wires (also things I've had for ages), Japanese Lanterns (which grow in my yard and are a very unusual and interesting plant), some poplar stems with changing leaves (from the front yard), ribbon, Calendula (which is a flower I grow for the herbal properties and dries very nicely), hops (which I are growing EVERYWHERE this year!), and pheasant feathers (which had been in the window for several years gathering dust). Under the hops you may see some purple plums. I did not use those in my wreath project. I was going to use pods from the dollar plants, but decided it might be too much.

 I twisted the hops around the vine and was impressed at how it looked. As the leaves die, I'll snip them off, if needed. I then clipped up my Japanese Lanterns and stuck those in the wreath. I didn't use any glue and only a few wires--I reckon if it falls apart, it will be time for a different holiday decoration! I then added the poplar leaves and Calendula. The bead berries looked nice, but I had to add one more thing. It is a tad overdone, but the feathers are for my teen. He has always wanted me to use them somewhere and now I have!

All in all, I think it turned out pretty well. And hanging it outside was an added benefit since the hops are covered with juices and aphids, the Calendula always have tiny bugs in them (those are a very sticky flower), the hops and lanterns were also cobwebby, and the feathers were a bit scraggly since they had been in the laundry room for a very long time and had also been used as cat toys! I can totally see why someone would purchase these things from a craft store. Although, I did compost what didn't get used.