It's that time of year again.

The ground is broken, disced and hilled. The drip irrigation is laid, the slips are planted and the seeds are sprouting. The tomatoes are caged and the chicken wire is up complete with a web of string to confuse the crows. Best part is, the Dude did most of the work this time. Ever since we started planting a garden 5 years ago, it's mostly fallen on me. It was my endeavor and my Dad helped me a lot. But it started out relatively small and every year it grew. It grew to the point that I couldn't handle it by myself. Last year, while I was recovering from surgery, the grass finally took over because it was simply too much for me. It sucks to wield a hoe in 100 degree heat and when it hasn't rained in 3 weeks. This is some hard dirt to work, especially when the giant mud puddle down the road is calling your name. I love growing my own stuff, of course, just not weeds. If you refer to a post from back last summer, you'll see exactly what I mean. This year, we really hope our corn will be ready for the Bailey Boil. The last couple of years, Uncle Washtub was our corn connection and thankfully, he usually has an abundance. However, we really are working toward self-reliance (although that's probably silly since we always have several folks who bring lots of goodies). So in a way, the garden kicks off preparations for our big ol' feast o' seafood. Always a whole lot of fun with 100 or so of our favorite folks, complete with cornholio (You hear that? I hear a buttwhipping in the making for a certain CPA I know ;)

Beauts in the yard (Part Deux)

It didn't take long for Maybe to start looking pretty again. I was dismayed that she showed no lovely blooms this year, making me wonder, is she really a 'maybe' after all? I need to compare her leaves with a full grown Maybe maybe. Do you follow me?

These irises are a kind of a symbol of hope for me. I just transplanted these from my mother's yard a couple of weeks ago and amazingly they are blooming. Even the azaleas I moved are budding, which is shocking considering they should be in major shock. I say they are a symbol of hope because my sweet mother was just diagnosed with diabetes, the dreaded malady which haunts my entire maternal side. I was devastated and so was she. This changes everything about her lifestyle and my future lifestyle. She's always known it would happen sooner or later, so denial was short lived. She is now armed with information, a One Touch meter, and a willingness to take care of herself. I can't help but wonder, when it is me, will I be as willing to change everything to accommodate the disease? Let's face it, it's going to be me one day and that's a stone cold slap IN my face. While I've been making some changes due to trying to control my migraine headaches, I'm not sure I'm ready for life to catch up to me quite so rapidly. At any rate, when I discovered these gorgeous blooms yesterday, I was reminded that hope is always in our midst. Hope that my mom is going to be okay because she is a fighter. Hope that I can be strong also. I love you, Mom. Now put down that biscuit!

This baby is not exactly in my yard but just across the farm road in the neighbor's pasture. She is only a couple days old and I love that she's already up and walking around. And she obviously loves her mother too! awwwww....

I can't help but wonder why God, The Almighty, gave us babies we have to tote around for a year yet the horse walks from day one. He probably knew that we selfish humans wouldn't take the time to bond with our babies unless we were forced to carry them around. I can't complain, I still love to pick up my youngest and twirl her around, finishing with a big hug and kiss. The oldest keeps trying to pick me up and twirl me around. Happy Wednesday dear, dear readers!

Beauty in the yard.

I do love spring. This is the time we see the daylillies and liriope form fresh, lush greenery, prior to the summer sun scorching it away. Bradford pears, cherry trees and crabapple trees burst into bloom. The delicate daffodils say hello and the tulips give their colorful show. My yard doesn't have all those things, it is of course a work in youthful progress. But I can highlight a couple of things here. With the cold weather finally breaking, Rudy boy finally leaves his garage bed and enjoys the warm sun. That's the best part of this mild weather for an old dog.

This is a new addition to what will eventually be our serenity garden...otherwise known as Weem's resting place. The two arbovitas were transplanted from the EJ office as they just weren't thriving. They're just as lopsided here as they were there, but we're hoping the sun will eventually pull them upright. The bench, candytuft and daylillies are thanks to my mom who recently gave up her huge flower garden.

This is what we affectionately call the 'Maybe' tree. She was gift from one my best friends. She is supposed to be a dogwood and she is Maybe Chinese. I'm teaching her English as soon as she gets big enough to talk. Frankly, I'm amazed that she's coming back after the winter. I give her credit for being a fighter. The weeping crabapple is making a show of her little self. We can't wait till she grows big. She's got one season under her belt in our yard.

Oh, this is just gross. Thanks to Lillybelle for this particular little artifact. In the last couple of months, we've had legs, heads, tails, spines and some unrecognizable parts adorning our yard. Lilly smells like dead stuff most of the time. I'll be glad when she's done finding carcasses for the year. Surely the boys will stop shooting at some point... I mean deer season has been out for some time. Little Colorado is shaping up nicely for another spring. We are expecting a little more growth from our maples and river birches, although not much since the soil in our yard is pretty unsustaining. I feel lucky that anything grows. We had hoped to add a couple fruit trees this year. We shall see if that happens. I'd love to know how my readers' yards are faring so far this spring. I take great interest in people's landscaping projects. I personally am not very good at landscaping, but I try to find inspiration in some of the lawns I see. If anyone has suggestions or great ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Hope Springs Eternal and so on and so on

My mom recently gave up her large flower garden, as she just isn't able to keep it lovely any longer. Before the bulldozer came through, she asked me to come in and transplant whatever I wanted to my own yard. It was a beautiful day and mom, recovering from a recent surgery, sat outside to supervise the digging up of irises, daylillies, azaleas, candytuft, daffodils, and variagated liriope. It was a nice way to spend part of the afternoon together, she and I. The digging was easy since it was all mulch. Then I got all these plants home with the daunting task of digging holes in my hard as a rock, mostly clay yard.

This took several afternoons after work and part of the next saturday. Of course, I'm well pleased with myself. But the best part is the discovery of the little sprout you see in the photo there. Since the Dude and I said our I Do's, that's eleven years past, I have wanted peonies to grow in my yard. We've lived in five different houses, at which almost every one of them I've attempted to plant peonies, and FINALLY my wish has been granted! Last year, I purchased yet another peony bulb from a local lady, thinking, one more fruitless attempt. And yet, there it is, actually beginning to grow. BIG SMILES This makes me pretty happy as my grandmother's nickname for me as a child was Peony and she always grew them so easily. Well Grandma, I hope you can see this one when it blooms. This baby is just for you!