Thursday, March 29, 2012

Lost in the Weeds

Just a few weeks ago I was longing for the warm weather and the time I would be able to work in the yard all day.  What in the world was I thinking?  I'm just kidding, despite the fact that I have been stooping and bending daily for a couple of weeks now, I am loving it!

We have been truly blessed with some incredible weather as of late.  I still can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that winter (which was incredibly mild here) is over.  I just keep thinking the other shoe will drop and I'll be in 4 wheel drive and slogging through slush.  I think back to the years that we had snow on Easter but I really am beginning to believe this Spring we are having is the real deal.

This is some of what we enjoyed the week of March 7th.




 Last week I was finally able to burn a pile of brush and leaves the size of a truck.  I have literally been trying to get a day to burn since Sept. but it was either pouring rain, too wet post pouring rain or we had winds as if we were on the prairie!   I have also been trying to clean out this area behind Mini's cottage.   I got a wee bit of that done as well. 



 I have cleaned out the flower beds, transplanted some things and generally been weeding like crazy.  I hand weed as opposed to using the trusty Round Up because I like the instant gratification.  I just don't get the same rush waiting around for days for things to turn yellow and then be pulled (I know I'm nuts).

 Naturally I couldn't be satisfied just cleaning up and finishing several half done projects, yesterday (while in a weeding frenzy) I decided that I was tired of the front landscaping.  We have been planning to completely redo it all but this year we have had some expenses related to hail damage (thank you Spring storms) and Mini will be turning 16 and we will be helping her purchase a car.....so, the total landscape redo hit the back burner.  Instead of a complete redo (including some amazing rock walls I am dying for) I will be relocating some things and adding some annuals and hopefully some garden art to spruce up until we win that giant Mega Millions are able to budget for the big redo.  Here is a bit of what the front landscape looks like now (gosh, I can't believe I've let things get to this).



Sadly I can't say these are bad pictures, that it doesn't actually look that sad.  The truth is it looks worse!  We planted this area right after building our home and didn't quite think through the proportions of the beds to the plant size, nor did we know not to plant too close to the house.  We do now!  So I have started the process of hand weeding the area and preparing to rip out, bring in soil and compost, relocate, extend the beds and replant.


I did find a little gem in this mess.   Out of three I have one azalea that is beginning to  bloom....I promise when I get done with the redo I will be babying these guys. 


Oh ya'll this is gonna be a big job for me....kinda wish I had had the patience to just let it be.  Oh well, like the pig at the barbecue I am committed now.

While we are in the front yard I will show you a picture of my front flower bed (weeded, Preened but yet to be mulched).  My iris are all up and ready to bloom.  This usually happens about the 3rd week of April here, but I feel like I'm going to be seeing them in about a week.


The plant to the left side of the picture is my little peony.  I cannot wait until it blooms.  It is just beautiful and the smell is incredible.
This is some of the blooms on one of my two dogwood trees.  I really wish my yard was full of these, sigh...they are spring to me.


Looking up from underneath my dogwood.....look what a beautiful day we were blessed with.


This was my clematis 2 weeks ago.  I was terrified I had murdered it with the heavy pruning I gave it in the fall and some touch up pruning about a month ago.  It is looking pretty sparse here.

That was then, this is now. 

Wow, I cannot believe how much new growth there is and how quickly it came.  I have been tying up shoots almost daily for a week now. 

Last year we redid our back walkway and flower bed and added a lilac tree.  It is in bloom this week and smells wonderful.  The scent wafts around the edges of the house to the deck.  So glad we put this in.


So there you have it....some of the beginnings of Spring and some things as we are enjoying them now.  Which is the reason I can't seem to stay out of the yard long enough to blog!   Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Birthday Tablescape and Blessings

I feel as if I have been gone from blogland forever.  Week before last I spent most of the week preparing for BDJ's visit this week.  Last  week I  just been enjoyed having him home.

It has been a great feeling to go to sleep with both kids under our roof....I have really rested.  We have enjoyed just being in the same place hanging out.  The whole extended family met up last Saturday night at Ted's Montana Grill for Chase's birthday (if you haven't tried this place, do so, it was yummy).  March 7th is his actual birthday so we are grilling out and having Caramel Pie, yeah!
Since he is turning 23 and didn't want a "party" and since he is in training he didn't want a cake, boo!  I did make a caramel pie that should be gone in one night so there will be no leftovers to tempt him.

 I did try to make it feel a little festive at the table.   It is totally stuff you would use for a 3 year old but it was so happy and fun looking I thought I would share (okay, truth is I just wanted to share what a great visit we had).   I used whatever I had around the house, streamers, fabric, curling ribbon and a few balloons.











No one cared about pictures they were just ready for wings and burgers.


Seriously...can we just blow these out and eat?


I completely blew up BDJ's training diet with this dinner but he worked out all week to offset....as you can see he lifted! 

I can't tell you how many times last week that I had to try and explain that Mini is a sophomore in high school not the elementary school Mini she was when he left home and that he CANNOT carry her around anymore. 
Mom, please make him stop picking me up!

 He just kept saying "she is fun sized and I don't get to hug her often."  Oh well....I think Mini and I both finally just gave up!
Caramel Pie....yummmm!

The best decoration at the table?  Having our son home for his birthday! 
What a blessing that was.  Thanks for stopping in!  Join me at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.