We have had a good solstice. Up at sunrise to greet the day. Then we fed the animals, and then us.
It has been a gardening focused day. We finished up the migrating monarch butterfly way station of milkweed. I dug up the bed and planted 32 plants a couple of weeks ago, and mulched and watered them in. Today DH split some stones for me to use as edging around the bed. You'll never see a prettier bed of weeds!
![Very Happy :grin:](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
Migrating monarch populations have plummeted in recent years, and they need all the help they can get.
I also fed our new plantings with some fish fertilizer water today. We have been planting all spring, adding to what we put in last year: lilacs, climbing roses, trumpet honeysuckle, clematis, highbush cranberries, elderberries, mulberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, cherries, irises, echinacea, daylillies, summer lillies, blackeyed susans, tomatoes, peppers, clematis, sage, dill, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, boxwoods, marigolds, cedars, and probably some plants I am forgetting.
DH removed the "pond" that came with the house. It was about a 75 gallon plastic pool buried in our front yard, surrounded by rocks, gravel and pavers, with a plastic "waterfall." It was hideous. I tried last summer to work with it and make it pretty, but finally we decided that it had to go. He emptied it, pulled it out of the ground, and filled the hole. It will look much better once planted. The goldfish have been living in the horse water trough since last fall, so the pond was no longer useful (and it was never pretty).
And, I trained my young horse. He is coming along nicely. I should be riding him in the next couple of months. He is a 5 year old Missouri foxtrotter. I rescued him from a horse hoarder last winter. He came to me with no real training, but he is sweet and willing. I think he will be a super riding companion.
Two of our three Icelandic hens are broody. They are both setting on eggs. I hope they successfully hatch chicks! I check on them twice a day.
It is rolling around to evening here and I am tired! There's hours of daylight yet. We'll have a cookout in awhile here and watch the sunset later.
Happy Solstice