hands in the dirt :)

It was a beautiful day today!! We went to a late breakfast, the flea market (best local place for flowers), and then home again. I had been dreading the Saturday that was nice enough to work in the yard...we have a wisteria that has caused hysteria in our front yard. I'm not a tree person, the only 2 trees on our property that I care anything about is the weeping willow and the magnolia. The wisteria was attacking (like a boa constrictor) the willow, so it had to go. We spent at least an hour dodging bees while trying to free the willow of the snake-like grasp. My husband even had to climb up into the tree to get the top parasitic vines. I've got to find someone to come get this thing...wisteria, free to good home.

I was looking forward to the Saturday nice enough to work in the yard because of my newly organized flowerbed. The pups and I spent a lot of time over the last few weeks getting the weeds out and planting seeds. Seeds are nice, but I like planting flowers that I can see. Today, I planted daisies, verbena, and a raspberry bush. I potted some plants for the porch and for mother's day presents also.

I used to hate planting stuff...my mom had to put watering flowers on my chore list to get me to touch the flowers. She could never talk me into helping her plant stuff, everything she ever gave me died. My mother and grandmothers and great-grandmother have always been gardeners. My mom buys new plants like I buy new flip-flops in the spring. I never put any time into the plants in our yard, anything that bloomed did so without any help from me. Last year, I started trying to actively keep plants..I watered and fertilized and pruned...

And who knew,

The yard looked beautiful! My allergies acted up and the bees got comfortable, but there were so many colors around the house and the butterflies also got comfortable. This year goes beyond my porch and the area just around the steps into the greater front yard and my flower bed.

I'm just hoping that I don't get too disappointed when something that I worked on dies and I become discouraged...