Yes I captured a bee midflight...I know National Geographic was like, "go on girl with your bad self." At least that's what I imagined they said.
So Andrew's been away on another long trip...he had just returned from Brazil, when it felt like he was leaving for Dubai (enter grumble grumble grumble). I've done my best not to complain about it via social media outlets, because who really wants to hear a wife complain about how much their husband is away? Except me...if I could find someone else complaining about how much their spouse travels - I'd be like, "Do you like pizza? Lets get some and whine this out!"
The only highlight this week, because I am not kidding when I say so many small things have gone wrong that I've started crazy laughing and saying loudly, "of course! of course this is happening!" But back to what I was saying, the only highlight this week has been the time in the flower beds. My Allium's haven't quite fully bloomed yet, but they are getting there and I am loving them so much! I can't wait to plant more this fall. You can see their beginning here, and here.
You guys the weather has been amazing! This is my kind of spring. I know spring started off confused (lots of snow) but it has found its groove once again and is the best spring I have experienced in awhile. I love when the sun is warm, but you still need to wear a light jacket. The evenings are long, cool and quiet. Everything is so green, and our plants seem to be tripling in size.
Andrew and I have been spring planting. We've got everything we're going to plant this spring, and have been digging, tilling, and planting. We are very sore, but it is the best kind of sore. So far this spring we've planted 60 plants (more pictures to come) and more planting too! I don't have the energy to list everything we planted, but I'll do some before and in progress shots below. I'll name everything in future posts.
I don't know if you remember this post, but last year we put in these huge flower beds, and this spring we've started to fill them. We're no where close yet, but it does feel like we're finally getting somewhere, and it makes me giddy and anxious all at the same time.
Before - I had planted 3 lavender plants last year
In Progress - lavender and more
Before
In Progress - ferns ferns ferns
Andrew and I will eventually edge our flower beds and make them pretty. We have a lot of ideas to do that, but until they're established enough and we feel they won't get ruined by random cats, dogs, our bullies, and such...we've been using chicken wire to keep them safe. However, the chicken wire is ugly - so we've found this lovely sturdy green fencing...however again, it is expensive, so we're slowly putting it up around all of our beds. It will be a few years until we won't need the fencing anymore, but I don't mind the green...it's my favorite color after all.
We haven't done much mulching yet either - right now the focus has been planting, and then in a few weeks we'll mulch. Everything in time...for the plants and for the finances.
In Progress - slowly getting there...oh that chicken wire.
My lilies are back...or should I call them lily Vikings!
We netted our blueberries - two of the varieties are very close to blooming and we don't want the birds to eat them up! I know our "netting" skills aren't the best, but it was affordable. The best part has been to watch the bumble bees trying to get through - they are little drunken chubbies bumping into the screen until they get through. I am terrified of bumbles but I do love them.
We have a walnut tree that hangs over our property and drops nuts everywhere. It is a squirrel's dream, but when spring comes we find loads of these growing in our beds. The squirrels have planted them over the winter.
It's time for a third bedroom update. Progress had slowed for a couple of weeks, but we're back at it! Phase Three is putting a thin layer of drywall over our badly water damaged wallpapered ceiling...yikes! That part is in progress right now, and should be finished by the end of this week.
Phase Four will be to paint, paint and more paint. Though the room is small - having bare plaster walls will take time and care when it comes to painting it. We are also going to need to repaint all of our trim in this room because when we were removing the wallpaper - some of the paint came up too. Let's reflect, shall we?
Before
In Progress - wallpaper removal day. Boo.
In Progress - wallpaper removed. Now time to remove all the glue on the walls.
In Progress - All of the wallpaper glue removed. Now time fill in all the cracks on the walls.
In Progress - All the cracks on the walls filled in. Now time to drywall the ceiling.
We had a lot of rain this week and with that everything started to wake up....this is my favorite time. Watching everything grow, hopefully coming back stronger than the year before. One thing (or many things) that did come back stronger were weeds. I have to keep repeating to myself over and over again when I am outside looking at our lawn...it is going to take time Tiffany, it is going to take time.
That's what is kind of amazing about nature...it really teaches you the importance of patience, because no matter what you think you've done to fix it - it is there to remind you that the years it was neglected were long and there is no quick fix. Nature is so sassy.
I thought I'd take some quick snaps of what is opening up - we haven't laid fresh mulch down yet, so everything is pretty rough looking from the winter.
My lilies are back in force! I am so excited to see them!
All of my hydrangea's are looking great! Yes, I will be weeding this Sunday.
I am relieved to see our peonies coming up - we planted them in the fall, so I was worried. Three out of the four we planted have come up...the fourth one is being stubborn.
So the three varieties of Allium's I planted have tripled in size and I am a bit worried about them - they seem too close. Andrew likes it, but I'm worried about air circulation. We planted the space they recommended but look at those monsters!
The four different varieties of blueberries we planted last year are looking great! We can't wait to eat all those berries!
Well that's it for now! We've had a cold spring so far, and with everything still being very young - I did have my concerns. But I am pleased with how it is all coming along.
March brought us snow, and now April is bringing us a heat wave...May better be gentle because my flowers are getting confused. Luckily, our Allium's seem to be pulling through. I am so excited to see them breaking ground - they're gorgeous now, I can't wait until they're full grown. I only planted a handful of them this year, to see how they would do. I staggered white and purple varieties...so I'm looking forward to seeing how they'll compliment each other.
I really do love this time of year...at least when it's cooperating. There's a blessing in each new growth that appears. It reminds me of the good in this world and I try to keep that feeling close.
