Spring has Sprung

It took a good long while, but we finally got some Springtime. Trees and flowers have bloomed, birds are nesting, and gardens are being planted.

My own garden work is going slowly – I have the boys here most mornings, and watching to make sure Silas doesn’t escape the backyard and run into the street takes most of my time and concentration.  I hesitate to start any garden project that is very involved while they’re here. There are some very early mornings in my future so I can get the garden work done before the boys arrive, then we can concentrate on playing. I do let them “help” when I can – I want them to enjoy the garden and take some ownership in growing the vegetables.

This is rather a dismal view of the backyard garden, taken a couple of days ago. It actually looks better now. We had to add quite a bit of dirt to the raised beds this year, and the perennial herbs were cut back pretty hard. I pulled both thyme plants out completely and will replace just one. I didn’t really use the lemon thyme that much, so won’t miss it. That cattle panel arch has been moved to the far south bed, making a “tunnel”, as Brad calls it. Most of the bedding plants have been purchased and I’ll plant over the weekend.

We’ve enjoyed several different birds, including these Orioles, who loved the blossoms on this ornamental cherry tree. The blooms are gone now, and the tree is leafing out. A couple of days ago, the wind was blowing petals off the tree, and it was like flower snow on the boys as they played.

The bunny garden survived being filled with ice and snow, and there are new blooms on the pansies. With the heat we’re having those pansies won’t last much longer, but we’re enjoying them right now. I suggested that we retire the bunny garden and do something else with this pot, but that was vetoed long and loud by Bradley. He loves his bunny garden and we’ll keep it as long as we can.

The Easter kites finally got opened and the boys and I enjoyed some kite-flying the other morning. As a kid, I couldn’t get a kite up in the wind to save my life. When our kids were little, Greg taught me how to fly their Easter kites and it was so much fun! Brad seems to have inherited Grampy’s mad skillz, because he can fly kites all on his own already. This one is an inflatable TMNT he’s flying. It went up pretty easily, but never got very high, which is okay. It was easier for Brad to manage that way.

Silas has been enjoying all the trucks we see going by all morning long. Of course he has to drive his trucks up and down the sidewalks as well. I’m okay with that since it keeps him close, though if he sees a bird, he must chase it! Never have I wanted a fenced-in yard more than I do this summer!

Finally, one of my most favorite events of Spring – the blooming of the lilacs! I don’t have any of my own anymore, but there are a few across the alley and I help myself to those. The boys loved that we brought in flowers from the outside and decorated the dining table. The dining room smelled lovely all day long. The succulents in the old silver are doing great. I planted those mid-April when a friend and I attended a seminar to learn about growing them. They’ll be moved outside before long, but for now I love how this display looks.

Lots of grand plans and projects, both inside and outside that I look forward to completing this summer. Check back and see what we’re up to – it’s gonna be fun!