When I Walked Out to Get The Newspaper

I noticed how nice the front bed by the garage looked, after a day and night of rain.  The tree with white flowers is a viburnum tomentosa (double file).  We originally planted three of them in this spot.  One gave up on it's own and the third had to be chopped down.  We couldn't dig it out.  The roots are still sprouting.  Wanting to grow again.

The lesson here---read the little card that comes with the plant.  It would have been very nice to have three tall trees around the yard now.  Not just one.  IF we had planted them in three different areas. But they were so small when we bought them.  Hard to think about them getting BIG.

Across from that bed is the bed G and I worked on last week (the rocks were a big project).  And the bark chips.  We have a pink/white rhododendron at the driveway side and in the front left a pink beauty bush just starting to blossom with the apricot Cameo Quince below it.  The plant in the middle is a purple Smokebush.  Eventually, it will be very tall.

G and I have noticed we have way too much pale pink in the garden.  The crab trees, the rhodies and in a few weeks the Clethra (sweetshrub) between the sidewalk and porch.  Perhaps we chose the pink to make the dark woods seem brighter?   This bed was once the home to the three tall oaks we had cut down a year or so ago.  Lots more sunshine these days.  And bark chips.

So, I finally got the Brussels Sprouts planted and the escarole and weeded the herb bed which has the parsley and dill.  I need to start some more parsley.  Only 7 came up.  I think it might be enough.  I never can tell when they are only 1/2 inch tall.  My potatoes are coming up.  Which is a happy thing.  Twelve fennel are still standing.  The garlic looks good. Onions are still looking okay.  I have a few carrots.  G planted more.

I also emptied two of the compost bins in the garden.  Moved what was still not composted into the new bins by the shed.  Added three bags of coffee grounds G got from Starbucks, some straw and some decomposing leaves.

I also, finally, remembered to take my raincheck for those sale bottles of Tide.  Three dollars off.  The clerks said they rarely, if ever, get rainchecks.   I ask for them all the time when they don't have sale items I want.  But, I also forget to have them with me when I shop.  I still have one for 85% ground Angus chuck.  It was $2.49 a pound on sale.

Anyway.  Today was a good day.  Lots of work done.  No rain.  Some sun.  Hardly any bugs.