Bliss

I have spent most of today in my back yard - which is fitting, since I spent most of yesterday working on the front.  Yesterday morning I headed into the front garden bed with the intent of pulling out weeds, thinning out shrubs, pulling ferns and generally cleaning things up.  Three hours later, feeling pretty parched, I’d finished what I set out to do out front. 

The evergreen under the side window has been trimmed back and somewhat shaped, two dying evergreens – one under the front window and the other acting as a hedge, have been dug out and disposed of, the lilac has been trimmed back and shaped a little better, 90% of the weed-able weeds have been torn out and the big scraggly Rhododendron has been pruned back to a bare nub.  I may have overdone it with the Rhodo, but if it doesn’t live I won’t be terribly heart-broken.

Chores done, I had a shower, made a quick trip to the butcher, grocer and cold beer and wine shop and then I spent the rest of my day in quiet relaxation.

Today, up a little earlier, I tackled what was only supposed to be mowing the back lawn but since I was out, turned into a little more… dog bombs collected & disposed of (the very necessary first step to my back yard gardening) I mowed the lawn.  Not quite satisfied to be finished there, I pulled out the black plastic circles from around the base of the apple tree and the back yard lilac and then dug out the “decorative rock” that had been placed at the base of both of them.

I then moved a few paving stones around (mostly to prevent Herself from digging) and then I got the bright idea to pull the rock from around the pond mound and pile it elsewhere.  That done, I finished mowing the lawn and then had a large lunch and sat quietly in my lawn chair reading, sitting in between the apple and lilac trees just enjoying the breeze, the sunshine and the light sweet scent of the mock orange (also known as English Dogwood) floating around the yard.

Mmmmm.  Bliss.

I really should get back out into the front yard and do a couple more small things, but honestly, just now, all I want to do is have a nap!

With love across the waters,