My Mother’s Day Gifts

We have a busy weekend here. Today’s the dance recital, which means lots of work and lots of fun! This is our ninth or tenth year of dancing, actually I should say this is “my daughter’s ninth or tenth year of dancing”  but it doesn’t really work that way. As a dance mom, it’s my project too, and now my youngest child has joined in so we spend more time at dance then ever. I believe that dance is a wonderful way for my girls to develop skills in many areas. They love to dance and we love to cheer them on.

When I let Winnie out this morning I was greeted by this view. It was rainy and overcast but all I could see were the flowers.IMG_1266

Of course I was drawn right out there and I had to keep looking. Tomorrow will be garden day for me but I’ve been so busy with rehearsals and running people places that I haven’t been down to the garden in a couple of days. I’m always surprised by the changes when I’m absent for a little while.

The rhubarb is in flower already.IMG_1277 Shallots are peeking out.IMG_1275 My daughter decorated the fence for her birthday party. I think the lights are staying here, I love them! This perennial border is starting to come together this year.IMG_1274 We need some more rain to fill up the pond so that the kids can use the canoe, and I need to make that fence with the dogwood twigs.IMG_1272

There’s always bleeding hearts and spirea for Mother’s Day, along with the flowering cherry in the background.IMG_1269

Dancing and flowers…what better gifts are there?

A perfect Mother’s Day weekend to me!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Michele

Advertisement

What’s Happening In the Garden- May 1

Happy May Day!

 I hope that you had as nice a day where you are as we did in Salem. It was gorgeous out there!

 I had to spend some time poking around outside and checking things out.  Here’s what I saw in between dropping off and picking up children…

Lady’s mantle and siberian iris, with the bleeding heart in the background.

IMG_0853

I pruned the beejeebes out of this poor butterfly bush the other day. I’m planning to move it way over to the left in the next few days. I ran out of time and steam when I started this project so I have to get back to it (or get Michael to help me, soon)…IMG_0855
The sweet peas are all in a row, ready for their climb up the fence and trellis…
IMG_0860
Asparagus is peeking through!IMG_0864 And we have this beautiful pile of red twigged dogwood branches. I have to decide what to do with them. I think that they would make a great little fence!IMG_0869The rhubarb is ready. I wish I liked rhubarb more. My mother-in-law makes the best rhubarb custard pie in the world! I should work at that.
IMG_0872 The flowering pear tree that we planted last spring is turning out to be beautiful!IMG_0874 The soloman’s seal is poking through. I need to clean up and get rid of the dead stuff around it, however that requires me to  steel up my courage because it’s snake country over here, not across the yard, just over on this side ;)!IMG_0875 There’s a pot of potatoes underway. This year I’m planning to add a little bit of soil at a time, as the plants grow.IMG_0877 The radishes pushed through. Radishes are great to grow with kids because they germinate in 4-6 days and you can be harvesting them in just a few weeks. IMG_0856 Here’s the view looking down through the dogwood tree. Dogwoods take several years to flower after transplanting. I think this is going to be the breakthrough year for this tree. I have a feeling that it will have been worth the wait.IMG_0848 And finally, looking out at the juneberry tree. This is another example of patience paying off. I was very tempted to cut it down a year or two ago because it just looked so sad and sickly. We treated it with Treetone organic fertilizer last spring and fall and the comeback is dramatic. It looks quite healthy and happy this year!IMG_0843

Try to hang in there with your plants and trees.  If your having difficulty with something in your yard go ahead and google for a solution, or ask me to help you find one.

My husband will tell you that I live for this stuff 🙂

Enjoy everything!

Michele