Monday, June 22, 2009

Planting, Mowing and Sweating

I skipped working out today. I was tired. I had a headache. I was grouchy.
I felt guilty. My penance was to mow the side and front lawns while Little Bean slept...at noon, during a stupidly humid Ohio day.
As I went back and forth, back and forth, back and forth I was reminded that home ownership is a lot of work, and yard work is even more. However, in the same breath I thought about how much I love my flowers and hostas and flowering trees. I thought about how great it is for Addison to spill out the backdoor each day and snack on mint, play ball and swing like a monkey.

When I came inside I looked out the kitchen window and saw the Stella d'Oro lillies in full bloom, the St. John's Wort starting to explode in cloud of yellow, and the spirea waving pink in the (minimal) breeze. I looked to the back of the yard and took in our latest additions: three Quick Fire Hydrangea and an Eastern Redbud tree, and I realized all this yard work is worth it. Our home and our yard is becoming more and more ours.

The hydrangea will give us beautiful color from June through Fall, white to pink to red.


Quick Fire Hydrangea...should grow 6ft tall and 4ft wide. Purty.

The Redbud will light up the corner of our yard in early spring, a brilliance of purple, and provide shade in the summer and fall...and a reminder of a beautiful man.


Our new Redbud. Purple in early Spring, beautiful green leaves in Summer

So while the humidity and the sweating and the grass cutting and the mulching and the weed whacking might be a pain, the results are worth it...particularly while we enjoy the fruits of our labor, in the evening, out on the patio, with a glass of wine for me and a cold beer for him.

Fresh Mint...mmmm ..................Spirea

St. John's Wort ..........................Stella d'Oro Lilly

2 comments:

Sue said...

Nice work with the new camera! I am loving the spirea photo...

Kate C. said...

The plan is coming together. I just can't believe how much work you've put into it. I love it and can't wait to see it in person.