But back to spring-time. I can't take credit for the wonderful spring yard. It was all done before we moved in. I can't even take credit for the red mulch which sets off the green and flowers beautifully...that mulch was purchased by Ian on accicident. But even if I can't take credit for the loveliness, I can enjoy it. This afternoon I spent about an hour pulling dandelions and these obnoxious purple things that grow all over my grass (for about four days our lawn looks like a wonderful meadow...then the purple flowers die and our lawn looks like it should be hiding some sort of avacado-green refridgerator, broken-down car up on cinder blocks, or at least a hill-billy with a shot-gun*). Now, there are times when pulling dandelions seems like work, but today was so nice out, with the sun shining and a warm-ish breeze, that today it was much more like play. It was the kind of day that made me think that I could/should pick up gardening as a hobby.
Now, I'm chillin' with some chilled iced tea (made yesterday via the sun - yum!), waiting for the girls to wake up. Since they started walking, they've become pretty good nappers. Which is nice - I mean, I LOVE hanging out with them, but last year, when they napped for about 25 minutes at a time on a good day, they made it impossible to do things like pull dandelions. While they nap, I thought that I'd share my good mood with all of you (a FANTASTIC way to avoid writing an Econ test, by the way). I can't send you all the flowers (first, they would die before they got to you, I'm sure; second, there just aren't that many); but I can try the next-best thing.
So, want to see a bit of my yard, but don't have the time for a trip to CR? I need break from just showing off my kids :-) Here, I'll take you on a tour:
Dwarf Magnolia - its best blooming year since we've been in the house.
These are naked lilies, they won't bloom until July, but when they bloom it will just be a naked stalk with a flower - no greenery...pretty neat, actually.
We have tulips all over the place. Not all are in bloom, yet, but I love the ones that are.
Virginia bluebells
I don't know what these are. But I think that they are neat.
Our Bleeding Hearts grow like weeds...pretty weeds, though...
And not just flowers: my raspberry patch is out with lots of new shoots! Hopefully it will be a knock-out crop with lots of berries for ice cream, muffins, salads, mmmmmm....
We planted some rhubarb last year. By the end of the summer, I was a bit worried, but it came back...
You didn't think I'd completely leave them out of a post, did you?
Cora's working pretty hard here to get that bucket pushed all. the. way. across the patio.
Evaline is walking up the stairs holding the railing - just like a BIG girl! Help from Mom? No thank you! Where did my babies go???
This was earlier this month...Cora's nose is all scrapped up from when she did a nose-dive on the Neilly's driveway. I blame Jenny. (Just kidding Jenny!)
*I hope that I didn't offend any hill-billies with that comment. As I was typing it, an old episode of the Colbert Report came to mind where he made a joke about people still making fun of hill-billies and how they were one of the last groups which it was socially acceptable to poke fun at. The comment was not intended with any ill-will, and I realize that not all hill-billies have shot-guns or overgrown yards. I'm really not someone who stereotypes. Really.
