wanderings of a woman and her family

Activity of the day....yard work. Holy exciting! I figured, since it was 50 degrees out at 11, I should get out and enjoy it. Now...I say enjoy very loosely because tackling over gown and dead shrubbery isn't exactly "enjoyment" :) But I did and felt a little bit accomplished. I hope my landlord doesn't think I am encroaching on his "man" thing. I just figure since I am here and don't leave the house to work...why not. And it certainly helps the munchies stay at bay. 

beat them with one of their own son!

So here is the start of my quest. These would be dead and over grown hollyhocks. I thought they would be easy to rip out...but the very special stalks have decided to take up growth again...so it was a tug of war match. About a quarter of the way through I started to itch...because the very special plants were shedding some fine little spines. And it was annoying. 

 a quarter done...and had to walk away

I took a break and watched my son try to climb a tree. Of course he actually figured out how to sit himself in it...until I wanted a picture and then he couldn't repeat the process. So I watched him flail around and hang off limbs. BUt he was still very proud of himself.

look at him hang!

After that little distraction was over I walked back out front to continue an earlier mission I had set out to do. Rake up the leaves and dead grass off the trying to reach the sun plants. You have to take pity on them...when they are trying so hard to peak out from underneath the mess of winter. 

be free little crocuses!!!!

So I freed and raked and freed some more. Is freed even a word? It's not picking up on spell check...interesting. Kind of like sister. Say that 15-20 times and tell me that isn't weird. Anyway. I had to tell my son to get a t-shirt on because it was warm out and he was getting hot. Of course that translated into him putting on another long sleeve...OVER his other long sleeve. Really? But he finally got it right. And felt the need to put some water in his hair to make it "like a rock star". 

I didn't catch the hair because his eyes are too pretty. 

The bed he is standing in front of contains some strawberry plants and Iris' in the corner. I fished them out of the dead leaves and old growth. And just like a polygamist house...they were kinda crowded.

yes...sleeping and growing all over each other. 

They desperately need to be thinned. But this is not my flower garden so I will just let them breathe and the master can do as he wishes. After all this activity....I recruited the help of my MIL. She needed something to do anyway. So the two of us finished picking up the lawn mess and putting it into bags. Then we waddled out back to finish up the itching deterrent of the holly hocks. And we got it done.

now all the mess is sitting in front of the bed. Oh well. 

It was a productive day. We attempted to clear out the leaves by the fence....but it's quite a job. Needs some serious mental preparation. I mean look at what's left...

the whole fence line is at least 6 inched deep with leaves. 

I love trees...but I'm not too sure I like the mess they leave. All in all it was a gorgeous day and it felt good to go out and make a difference in the world. Ok...maybe just my house...but still. And my daughter sat out in her gym thing and enjoyed it too. 

the end.