Several steps closer

Last updated on February 17, 2021

The vaguely U-shaped plant beds we dug are now officially PLANTED!

Bluebonnets, potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, sunflowers, lavender, echinacea, larkspur, moon flowers, morning glories, and one sad little Platycodon (the only survivor)… in that order.

The little echinacea spot is the only mini-circle done. Once it cools off again a little, I’ll go dig the other three circles and plant red poppies, baby’s breath, and more wildflower mix.

The wildflowers over Opal’s grave are taking off like gangbusters. The rose bush is (very gratefully) doing fantastic. With luck, we’ll have blooms this year. The catnip over Ferocious’ grave is growing like crazy. The other rows of baby’s breath, plus the cilantro, liatrus, chamomile and dill are all making me so proud…

And, as though that wasn’t enough, the star jasmine I transplanted into a 12″ pot is doing great (blooming like mad!), the jade plant I transplanted into an 8″ pot has actual new growth AND new shoots, the first plant I got this year (a scrawny little ivy) is becoming more and more lush by the day, and the potted Pansies that Lili gave me for Mother’s Day are big and green and flowering…

I’m a proud plant parent.

And I always avoid alliteration.

Except, I think I got a little sunburned. I’m sure the neighbors (were they home) would have gotten a cheap thrill from watching me work in a miniskirt and camisole, but it was too hot for real jeans. A cool breeze came in from the north, but every place that was covered spontaneously started to sweat profusely. I wonder how much trouble it will be to set up the 15×15 pavillion, just to work on the yard a little?

Left to do:

** Dig the other three mini-circles and plant them.
** Dig up all the rest of the yuca and give it to our neighbor-lady so that she can experiment with making soaps and shampoos.
** Level out the “lawn” with the extra soil
** Dig another row on the far side of the “U” for food-plant seedlings (they have to get spaced out, or they won’t produce).
** Level out the firepit dirt.
** Buy another bag of ant killer for the Big Piles and then USE IT IMMEDIATELY.
** Weed-wack the remaining little bits I didn’t get with the tractor this past weekend.

ZOMG, this was so funny. When our neighbor offered us the tractor, that was cool. The next day, I went out to start taming our prairie, and after just a couple of minutes, Joseph comes screaming out of the house without shoes on, Lili trailing behind him. “MOM, NOOOOOO!” He was freaking out. Not to let him worry or anything, I told him that I wasn’t going to discuss anything until he had his shoes on. A little bit later, he comes blazing out again, shoes on this time, and what does the kid want?

“MOOOOM! NOOOOOOOO!”

“Honey-bunch, I have to mow the yard so you can play.”

He gave me a very serious look and said, “Mom. No. Up, please.”

He wanted to help me drive the tractor, so I picked him up and we drove around and around and around, mowing it down. He even “steered” for a little while. That lasted right up until Daddy got home, and then I was chopped liver again. 😉