A Walk Around the Garden

We didn't get as much unpacked as I'd hoped yesterday. There were several things we needed to do in town, and so we spent a good part of the day running around. The refrigerator is unpacked though, and that's the worst part. I'm feeling confident we'll be able to finish it up today. We're staying home until Monday when we'll get our vaccines and run a few more errands on that side of town. 

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a little time walking around the yard, inspecting some more damage and looking for more flowers. Of course, I had company on my walk. The kitties seemed a little more relaxed than the day before.

There isn't much blooming yet, but I noticed these little mini iris blooming in one of the whiskey barrels.

Also, I looked for more crocus. There are many more coming up, but only a few blooming.

Here's a little white one getting ready to open. We planted a mix, and so I'm hoping for lots of color as more open up.

The daffodils are coming up in huge clusters, but none are open yet.

I'm happy to say our sonic mole repellant stakes were still buzzing when we got home, and they've kept the gophers and moles out of the peony bed. You can see the peonies coming up behind. Obviously this bed needs weeding badly, as does the rest of the garden. Also, I should mention that those green weeds you see there are hairy bittercress, which is edible if you get them before they go to seed. Now's the time, my friends! I noticed some out front that were blooming, and so I'm going to try to get those pulled up today. When they go to seed...oh my goodness. They broadcast their seeds terribly.

Out front, I got a better shot of the front door Japanese Maple tree. It lost a large limb. So sad.

These two trees near the "friendship bench" lost a significant number of limbs. Some are still hanging high up in the tree. We're going to have to hire someone to come and remove the ones way up high. The trees probably need the work anyway. Fortunately, the bench was not damaged.

Several of our flowering plum trees were broken off at the tops. The guy who does our tree service suggested giving them all haircuts straight across the top. They too probably need the work anyway. 

Oh, and I found one of the birdfeeders face down in the gutter. It partied too hard, I think. Sadly, the shield that protects it from the rain fell to the ground and was broken too. We'll get a replacement for it on Monday.

Mr. Smitty is happy to be back in his large catio to catch the rays of the setting sun.

Oh, and what's this? A chipmunk seems to be living under our deck out here. There are seeds and other debris scattered around the opening to his humble abode. He might want to think about moving now that the cats are back patrolling the neighborhood.

So unpacking will be the goal for the day. I have laundry to do as well, but I can multi-task laundry with sewing. There are a couple of projects I want to get going on. I want to finish up the little inchy wall-hanging, which is my OMG for the month.

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with it...just put a border on it, and maybe a narrow stop border. I believe I have some fabrics that will be just right for this. Also, I need to get going on my art quilt for the latest Endeavourers challenge. The prompt this time around is "color theory," and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing for that. Reveal is May 1st, and so I need to get going soon. I'm very nearly finished with the Liberty Sampler I'm stitching. When that's finished, I'll catch up on the next two Posies blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This was my January block:

The embroideries are from Jenny of Elefantz. February's and March's have been posted, but I haven't stitched them yet. I'm combining her BOM with this year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge and doing the borders in the color of the month. Way to kill two birds with one stone, eh?

So there's lots on the agenda sewing-wise. In all of that, I need to get going picking my bucket o' weeds until I have the garden weeded somewhat. Today, in addition to unpacking, I want to get out a pull up those blooming hairy bittercress. Just doing my part to keep them from conquering the world. You're welcome.