We are having guests again at the Chaparral Retreat, but with some changes in order to take into account the continuing threat of COVID19 and its variants. I will miss cooking breakfast for our guests and spending time visiting with them as we ease back into the new normal. Everyone's safety is our primary concern! The peace and quiet of the Retreat, beautiful sunsets, flowering gardens and trails through the woods are all still here for visitors to enjoy. See the website at www.chaparralbb.com for updated information. I am also keeping up to date on postings to the Chaparral Retreat facebook pages.
With all of the rain we've had, the property has become a jungle. I am working to pull up vinca that is encroaching on paths, and continuing our annual battle with the grasshoppers. The vegetable garden is surviving but we're going to try a different tactic to keep the grasshoppers out since every other method we've tried has proven unsuccessful. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought several yards of a twill netting and intend to make small tents to place over the garden areas that are susceptible to the grasshoppers. They specifically like the basil.
I was walking along the front of the house yesterday, with scissors to cut the vinca that is extending onto the cement path that leads to the New Mexico room. I had not yet met the visitors who were staying in that room, but they were sitting on their patio and saw me, and asked if I was the proprietor. I introduced myself and they asked me some questions about the property and how we came to Watonga. We actually had a nice visit before the sun came out behind the clouds and the humidity shot up. The thing I missed most about shutting down during COVID was visiting with guests. We get to meet some interesting people and they usually end up being long-term friends.
Drew and Jenna have returned from their vacation to visit her parents back east, and they are both busy getting caught up on work and school planning/assignments. Martha was a good traveller but was obviously happy to be home where she can run to her heart's content. I know Sadie missed Martha even though we tried to give all of the animals extra attention while the kids were away.
The summer flowers are starting to bloom: coneflower, phlox, lantana, purple heart, and four o'clocks are putting on color. Our black currant bushes were eaten up by some kind of caterpiller but we did get a small harvest of the berries. We also found a mulberry tree on a friend's property and I collected some berries and made a mulberry jam. I have to say, it came out really good. I'm ready to make another batch after the ground dries up (the trees are in a low spot in a yard near a creek so it is especially muddy right now.
We are looking forward to having friends come to visit this summer, and have one Oklahoma house concert scheduled for September 13. We are going to try and hold the show on the back patio if the weather cooperates.
I hope everyone had a good fourth of July and that everyone is tolerating the heat and humidity of this time of year!
