It seems I went to sleep about a month ago and had an endless dream that I woke up in the Aleutian Islands. Days and days of forty mile an hour winds, forty degree temperatures, lots of rain. I woke up for a few days in Wisconsin, then had a nightmare that I was in Alabama in August. (Apologies, Alabama, but I am a disaster in hot humid weather.) Ninety four degrees, super humid, for days on end.
I am happy to say that I have finally awoken into my home state in May again, with temps in the 60’s and low 70’s. Low humidity, light breeze. Heaven.
However, my plans for a content-rich post have been squashed by the following To Do list, made extensive because, well, see the weather above. As a result, about 6 weeks of gardening has to happen NOW. RIGHT NOW. ALL OF IT.
Here’s a brief section of what’s on the list in my head: Weedthepeonygardenmulchthepeonygardendothedog’sPTexercisesforgiveselffornotdoingownPTexerciseswalkthedogsdotheirnailsweedthecirclegardenwaterthecontainerplantsinadvertentlykillthehousefinchbabiescuzyouthoughtthenestwasabandonedhelpsaintedhusbandcreatenewplatformfornewfinchnestkisshusbandtothankworkwithhusbandtofindplaceforbluebirdfeederkisshusbandforputtingupprepforclinicwithScottGlenloadupcardeadhead200of800daffodilsfeeddaffodilsweedthewallgardenkisshusbandforbringingmoremulchrealizehusbandprobablyneedsmorethanakissforallhishelpwalkthedogsfillsheepmineralfeederwaterinsideplantsyoualmostforgotaboutmaketheteasandwichesyoupromisedforapartywhiletheBritishBakingmusicplayscuzyouregettinglatewaternewannuals . . . Enough. Time to walk the dogs and have a gin and tonic.
There’s lots more coming in the next few weeks; I look forward to talking about it all.
MEANWHILE, a few fun photos:
This isn’t a magazine quality photo, but I grabbed it driving out to the (fantastic) Scott Glen clinic, (more on it next time). I love how it makes it obvious why they are called Red-tailed Hawks.
I thought this cutie was a grebe at first, but looked it up, and surprise, surprise, it’s a female Hooded Merganser. Not who I’d expect on a tiny pond in the middle of a sheep pasture!
I’ll leave you with the best of spring. I don’t have a lot of tulips, too high maintenance, but I so very much love the ones I have.
Have a good week, everyone. Take joy in everything that you can, no matter how small. That’s our secret to survival.
Wendy S. Katz says
OMG you perfectly expressed my own gardening ADHD! Everywhere I turn there’s something that urgently needs to be done. But I’m reveling in the onset of balmy days and the irises and antique climbing roses in luxuriant bloom. You are so right about the power of finding joy in modest things.
muttzrule says
Gardening plus housework ADD here. Just moved in a few months ago, tons of things still not done. Sometimes the sheer sensory overload of it all makes it hard to decide which one to focus on. Been committing serial weedicide each morning, afternoons are no bueno since July arrived the first week of May, highs in mid 90s. Climbing tea rose has lovely blooms, also black spot. Maggie the magnolia in back looked really sick from fungus plus dead top branches from Snowmageddon 2021. Her sister May in front has the branches but no fungus. Both are recovering nicely with lots of new growth, so much they need to be thinned out.
Things to find joy in: magnolias are still alive, plus Maggie had several babies to transplant. Watching Missy do the dog happy dance roll in the grass in her new backyard. No more Stone Cold Steve Possum, who believed he owned our former yard, for her to battle with. Sense of accomplishment from even small things done. And last week I discovered an extra linen closet, which was completely hidden by the laundry room door!
Tails Around the Ranch says
To more time with the dogs, a few stiff G&T’s, and time to catch up in the garden.
Barbara says
Beautiful photos: especially that red tail hawk photo. How many times have I seen a hawk flying, and I’m squinting into the blue sky trying to see if it is a red tail hawk.
Sarah Z says
Hi Patricia – I just wanted to say that your posts delight and warm my heart, and it is one of the best notifications in my inbox. Happy erranding and thank you for your writings!
Deborah Mason says
Take a deep breath. Let it out. Do what you can, but don’t stress.
First merganser I ever saw was in … Death Valley!! She’d been blown off course, had torn a web & was far from water. So tired I was able to pick her up & take to the golf course to swim in clean water. Next day she was gone, hopefully back on her correct path.
lak says
Yep…spring in the midwest. We in MI suffered the same plight, just that last 2 days we are having more normalized temps in 60-70 with some rain. Can’t complain as the greens are just so LUSH! It all gets done in the end! Love the hawk photo.
Bruce says
We still haven’t made any real gardens at the “new” house we have lived in for 15 years. But sitting on the patio on a lovely spring evening I can enjoy the Viburnum I planted at the old house, a half block away.
That will have to do for now.
Mireille says
Living in Norway now for the second springtime, and I am still amazed at how nature suddenly explodes. Especially now that it is finally raining after an uncommonly dry start of the year (some places had less than 10% of the normal amount of rain / snow, big risks of forest fires, water shortage in Oslo, crazy electricity prices because Norway has a lot of hydropower, so yes, weird times here too). Today finally managed to do some gardening, being hampered by a damaged shoulder (thank you Shadow). Building up a small vegetable garden in boxes, hoping the deer won’t come to visit. Or the snails. Luckily most plants survived the winter and our grass is finally growing. Did I mention poor rocky ground instead of the fertile Dutch earth I was used to? Yes, it is challenging so grateful for everything that grows 😅😅😅. Good luck to you!
Kat says
Gardening ADD is so much my life right now. My yard was turned into what D’Artagnan and Falkor are sure is Pyr paradise–lots and lots of lovely soft dirt to dig massive craters, pits, and excavations of every size. And that’s what most of my yard is right now, lovely soft dirt, massive craters, pits, and excavations. Back when things were growing in my yard D’Artagnan and I had negotiated a couple of agreed upon digging spots but now that everything is prime digging real estate that agreement has been nullified. I’m trying to replant and landscape in such a way that it survives life with Great Pyrenees. Unfortunately there’s a lot of before I can do z I need to do y but before I can do y I have to accomplish x and so forth back to at least the middle of the alphabet and possibly back to a. For example before I can rebuild the short retaining wall along the path I need to bring in a couple loads of compost (if the wall is there it’s much harder to get the soil where it needs to go) but before I can have that delivered I need to move the wood pile and before that I need to clear out the new space for the wood pile but before the space can be called clear I need to transplant the violets and sweet cicely that are growing there now which means I need a place to move those to which means… And now it’s 12:30 a.m. and I can’t remember if the violets I transplanted to along the sidewalk got watered so I guess I’ll give the doggos their last out and maybe water some violets.
Trisha says
Kat: OMG that sounds like my life. Can’t do A without B and B is dependent upon X … Here’s tomyour sweet violets!
Cathy C says
Beautiful, beautiful photos!