Overnight

It seems that grass is turning green and flowers are blooming ---Overnight!! These lovelies certainly did!!
You can see the peonies up about 6 inches behind the daffodils, which were not open yesterday when I called it a day. The delicate lavender blossoms on the phlox (I think it's phlox) appeared sometime today while I was at work, as did the red tulips that can just barely be seen against the wall. I have to admit I've never seen those tulips before...They've haven't been there in previous years; because you have to dig them in so deep I know I didn't put them there and I certainly wouldn't bury them behind the peonies. Oh, well.

This trellis creation is my Christmas present from James and Naphtali. It spent several months at months at my mother's, waiting to be claimed after Christmas. I've been moving around the yard looking for the right spot, and this may be it!



Friday, Saturday and Sunday homework, housework and yard work made claims on my time and attention. It felt good to get the winter debris cleared away, dig a few weeds and get a look at all the budding/greening that is happening around the house. Tim and I both pitched in on various projects and made mental lists (they will find their way to paper) of things, some necessary, some optional, yet to be done. Charlie loved being outside and I did, too. Blankets were hung to air, windows opened, good days. I switched from flannel to regular sheets this weekend, also. There have been some (too many) years that it seems I switched too early but maybe this year I got it right.

last week

we had the most delightful hint of fall in the air. outside projects became possible. baking was not only acceptable but irresistible. getting dressed became interesting again. (i hate the heat-driven dressing for survival mode)
one of the projects involved -one of my personal favorites- the removal of grass. neither tim nor i enjoy mowing. in fact, we hate it. but it has to be done. in previous years we've found ways to share the task: front yard/backyard, every other time, trade for cooking. this year (bless his heart)he's doing it all. i contribute by occasionally digging up grass to create a new flower bed thus reducing the amount of mowing that has to be done. the maple tree in the back yard has some protruding roots that i decided to protect from the mower with a four foot circle of mulch.


the tree








the tools(impressed by the high tech gear??)











the first cut











yes, all my sod has been cut by hand. and on this job, at the end it was both of us on hands and knees, fistful by fingerfuls as we pulled it from between roots.

fini

some day i'll figure out how to chronicle the in-between steps but for now once i'm in the midst of the work with dirty hands, wanting nothing more than to finish, 'photo op' just doesn't spring to mind. i'm lucky if i remember to take before and after shots.....

finally

we finally had a decent day - one that i was actually home to enjoy - on saturday. things are growing. it seems like you can measure growth from one day to the next. we've had rain and the colors are simply popping!!
these tulpis are under the mailbox and the lovliest shade of pink. i'll try to get a better picture in tomorrow.



this is one of my mystery plants. i can't wait for it to open.


i spent a lot of time weeding on saturday but my big project was this:
last spring i dug out another piece of yard making a flower bed in the center and preparing a horseshoe shaped path. we couldn't decide on the material for the path so i covered it with newspaper and landscaping fabric and let it sit. it's now brick. or will be by the end of the week. it started raining in the late afternoon and all day sunday. i have about 10 rows to finish. unfortunately, (you were waiting for an unfortunately weren't you?) as we were using old brick already around the house - we were short. the last 10 rows, remember? not too much of a problem.
knowing they would, at a minimum, look new we knew that i would have to pull old bricks from random spots and fill in with the new. extra work but do-able. when i looked at the brick tim returned with the next day i could have cried. or cursed. they are about an inch taller than what we have. i not only have to pull 'a' random brick, i have to pull 3 or 4 to dig a deeper spot for the new one to fit level. i could have cried. and may yet. and yes - it was all they had. tomorrow the garden club is going out to the home of a friend - a master gardener- who has graciously offered to share some of her splits with us. marilyn has incredible plants and i'm planning to fill spots in my beds around the new(and it is pretty cool) brick path with some shade plants.....

end of a long week

well the convention is over and our club came home with several awards. unfortunately, my personal favorite was lost!! it was mailed with the others but apparently never arrived. the chair to whom it was sent will take another look - maybe it got buried under a pile of ....so that was a disappointment. and possibly my fault - i should have had delivery confirmation or something? a long day.

and yesterday i did get out in the yard and did some major clean-up. for whatever reason this year i seem to be so much more aware of how things are growing. it is just so fun to see the sprouting and the overnight spurts and measurable changes in how things look. i was amazed at how my peonies had shot up with 2 warm days in a row but i remember, as a child, going to this particular house and getting bunches of peonies and iris to take to the cemetery for memorial day. so i guess they're right on track...

had a call from jacob yesterday - sounds like they're doing well. kate has about a month left before finals. they've been able to enjoy the park/waterfront with good weather out there.