Saturday Work

Today Matt made waffles for breakfast and we had a leisurely time over coffee. After we finally got dressed, we scattered and started chores and yard work. Matt put the screens in the doors and the windows upstairs (the first floor window screens just go up and the storms come down, but upstairs you have to take out the storm windows and put in screens.) He had actually planned to paint, but that didn't work out. He planted my climbing roses at the back fence and dug out two hostas I have wanted out of the garden since last year.

We began preparing the vegetable bed by putting up fencing, digging up mint and daisies, and transplanting daffodils and irises to the flower garden--I have no idea if they will live next year, but I couldn't bear to toss them. Tomorrow we will finish weeding in there, add compost and plant the vegetables. We also weeded more in the flower garden and planted zinnias and one of the most gorgeous flowers I've ever seen--ranunculus. When Aunt Pat and my mom were here yesterday, we went to a farm to see if they had herbs yet (they did not) and were looking around. I was captivated by these flowers which I'd never seen before-- they sort of look like a cross between roses and a tissue paper flower. They don't have individual petals; rather, their petals circle the entire flower in layers. It's hard to explain, but so beautiful. I got 6 plants-- two yellow, orange, white, dark pink and light pink. Aunt Pat said she had them when she lived in CA and they were lovely year after year. So I can't wait to see them every year.

It was gorgeous weather again---Julia, Ben and Emma played in the sprinklers today for the first time! Their shrieks and games could be heard up and down the whole street....

Tomorrow we will focus on the veggies and planting the climbing roses in the front yard. Hopefully we will get to some kind of painting or at least prep work for the painting. It's the ugly truth that painting needs to start again...

--Jen