The Bog, "child" of the pond, is a swampy area of tall grasses that runs along the eastern side of the pond--maybe five yards wide--and then expands into a considerable larger area between the pond and the front of the Acres. In addition, it has a very miniscule little "sister" between the house and the pond--a very, very, very, small area that is, nevertheless, boggy most of the year. Actually, at one time the bog connected with the mound area, but I have separated them with a path for my walking Iten's Acres treks.
When I first arrived, I was not certain about the "value" of the bog. Early during the first summer I bush hogged the area and talked some with my neighbor Aaron about putting in pipes to drain it. The next summer I just let it grow. Ahhh. A wise non-decision. You know, that if you have to do something, but don't do something, you've actually done something. Now, I love strolling between the pond and the bog with the tall grasses forming a roofless "tunnel" that towers over my head. Serene. Honest. I would love to cut another path right through the middle of the bog for my walks, but it's probably too wet to do that. Perhaps someday I can build an elevated boardwalk for my journeys.
Anyway, I find its wildness appealing. And the creatures love it as well. I hope Aaron doesn't disown me as a neighbor, but I wouldn't dream of draining it or cutting it down now. I do admit, however, that I haven't had a great deal of success finding flowers and shrubs that will thrive there. God has planted some of His favorite wildflowers in there: trollius, bluets, monkey grass, cardinal flowers, to name a few I can identify. I've tried some others: Japanese iris, Siberian iris, camassia, and this fall as an experiment I put a leopard lily out there because it was "advertised" as liking wet feet. Next year will tell. Only the camassia have bloomed consistently--lovely bluish purple flowers. The others are alive, but inconsistent in their flowering efforts. Some years, yes; some years, no. I often flip through my Ohio wildflower book taking note of the flowers that like wet areas and wonder if God will add them in the future or if somewhere there is an Ohio wildflower store where I could purchase such beauties. So far, I just "window shop" and let my imagination hope. Yet, even if I never find more flowers or shrubs that will thrive in the bog, I will be well content with God's additions--flowers and grasses.
The little bog area on the house side isn't doing much right now either--except for tall grasses and a spindly excuse for a pine tree. For the first few years here it was alive with a huge bouquet of dark purple Siberian iris. Every year there were more of them, rising from the tall grasses in their magnificent color. My cousin Eddie painted a gorgeous rendering of them from a photograph my mom had of the area. It adorns the wall in my living room right now. In fact, I'm admiring it at this very moment as it sits just above my computer. The problem is that last year the number of flowers decreased significantly, and this summer, nada. Nary a one. I have no idea what happened. Since the area is boggish, the tall grasses have always been there so it shouldn't be a matter of competition. The scraggly pine tree has been there all along as well. A mystery. Sad mystery. I'm going to mow the grasses and cut down the pine--it shades a garden I have behind it anyway, and I want more sun on that flower bed. Hopefully, I will find some iris under all the grass, and they can be encouraged to resume their beautiful display. If not, I'll always have the painting, But I would love the real thing too. Greedy of me, eh?
Behold the bog. It survived the thoughts of destruction and has become a favorite walking ground for chubby old bald men. Ahhh, the power of a non-decision.
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