Happy Earth Day

This is the 26th anniversary of Earth Day. A lot of progress has been made but ever so much has been lost.

To celebrate Earth Day I moved dirt! For those of you who are purists, you will be happy to know that no fossil fuels were expended (other than those which were used to make the shovel and wheelbarrow) in my dirt moving project. The dirt came from two years ago when I built the patio for Jill's wedding and has been sitting hiding behind a fence and to day I moved dirt and leveled it out and tamped it and watered it down to cover the edge of the patio so we can have Maddox's birthday over here next weekend. Hopefully I can get all of it done and get rested up so I can enjoy the party! While I was moving dirt, Kathy was cleaning off the front porch. Man, the winter can add up some dirt and soot, can't it? She got it all cleaned up and then told me I had to clean the windows some time this week because "you get them so much cleaner than I can!" I am so being played! Well, luckily, cleaning the porch wore her out because moving dirt has worn me out, so we pretty much won't get anything else done today. Which is a good thing because Natasha and Ethan are coming over to spend the night with us. A little intimidating. Natasha is no trouble at all. She is almost 5 and is going on like 25. She gets herself ready for bed and helps with her little brother and as long as you promise her cinnamon rolls for breakfast in the morning she is an angel. Ethan, on the other hand, is a little high maintenance. He really likes to be held. This will be the first time we have ever had him all night. Luckily I am a heavy sleeper, so it is pretty much up to Kathy to take care of him in the middle of the night. Which is ok, because he likes her better anyway! Rotten kid!

Susan has suggested that I post pictures of my yard because there is so much in bloom. Great idea but you'll have to bring over your camera because I am still in the Middle Ages (that's middle ages not middle aged) and still don't have a digital camera. But if Susan or one of my kids will bring over a camera I will be happy to post some. Though there isn't really that much in bloom. We have a couple of irises, dark purple, that are out. About three weeks early. And the peonies are blooming, the whites seem to have taken over the pinks. I will probably have to dig them out this fall and split them and add some reds and pinks. The May Night salvia is beautiful. It doesn't seem to spread very much. This is the third year and it is still pretty small and staying where it was put. Amazingly well-behaved for salvia. The false dragon's head on the other hand is about to take over.... AGAIN! If anybody has a few acres of slope that you want to cover up with a herbacious perennial, let me know. This stuff will cover in about two years. A while ago I gave some to a lady at my church, after telling her that it was invasive, she still yells at me. Apparently I didn't stress enough how invasive it was. Think bamboo, only short and with an attitude. There's not really anything else in bloom. The weigelia has finished blooming, it is almost completely spent. Doesn't seem to have taken very long this year for them to blow. The hardy hibiscus is about 6-12 inches out of the soil. Everything is proving that God has brought us Spring again, even if it does feel like Summer.

Be good to yourselves. This is the time of year to let your inner child out and let 'em run barefoot. But make 'em watch out for stickers!

Wayne