Christmas Notebook

I did manage to go outside today. Am finally feeling like I’m on the mend, though still do not feel “good.” But being outside for a while improved my state of mind, if nothing else.

The Spanish bluebells were in the yard when we bought this house in 1994.

There are a lot of columbine in the yard. They spread beautifully. Not aggressively. They just pleasantly fill space.

I rode the mower pulling the wagon, and DH trimmed the redbud trees. Something we do each spring to keep the way clear for mowing. It’s not much fun trying to mow under them. We took five or six loads of branches to the burn pile.

The bridal wreath spirea is a fountain of white. A picture of our home, taken in 1956, shows a bridal wreath spirea near the east porch. I like having some in the yard again.

There’s a pretty spot under the apple tree that looks particularly inviting.

Iris buds are beginning to pop up all over the yard. We’ll soon have other colors than the early purple and the little yellow ones blooming.

It was nice to get outside after being so sick. Still coughing but definitely better than I was.

~~Rhonda

This afternoon, as I prepared to leave the house to pick up DD from school to take her to music lessons, I hoped to get into the yard to take a few pictures. I miscalculated my strength. By the time I struggled down the back steps with my laptop, DD’s guitar, her after school snacks, my planner, my iced tea, camera, etc., and got it all settled in the car, I was worn out. I’ve been sicker than I figured, I guess. Today really is the first time in five days that I did much besides get out of the chair long enough yesterday to make rosemary crackers and soup for supper.

Anyhoo, I took some yard pics from the car as I left. 🙂 So here are a few of the yard in all its raggy glory. From the carport, I got a good look at the peony border. It has shot way up in the past week or so.

The grass is full of dandelions and needs a haircut. I hope I’ll feel well enough tomorrow to get out and do the mowing.

There is honesty (money) plant coming up all over the yard. It’s a great filler for large spaces and we let it reseed itself where ever it likes. It’s easy to pull out unwanted plants. We’ve even taken pulled up plants after the seed pods have set and thrown them out into the woods where they’ve started coming up here and there, adding that pretty purple color.

In the front yard, the bird bath bed is showing great color with the ‘Thalia’ daffodils, the candytuft, and the purple and yellow irises that are blooming.

The ‘Thalia’ daffodils are some of our later ones. They are a lovely creamy white and bloom with two blossoms to each stem.

I love the wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata) in our yard. We brought plants to our previous home from the woods that belonged to DH’s aunt years ago. When we moved, we brought some of those plants to this house, where they have reseeded themselves here and there. This patch is particularly pretty under the dogwood tree.

The dogwood is from your woods, Laurie. 🙂 Thanks!!

Isn’t the wild phlox gorgeous?

Ah, spring! ~~Rhonda 🙂