Mother's Day

Finally we are able to really enjoy Spring this weekend. We have had a rough start: bad weather, bad colds, more bad weather, so getting out and doing those early spring clean up chores didn't happen when it should have, so Mother's Day weekend was perfect on all accounts. We have plenty of projects on the list, and we got one major one accomplished. But before I begin, let me share little Lily with you. She had her last pre school program. She will turn five in June and be off to kindergarten in the fall. Yes, she has a paper plate on her head. It was part of her costume for their little play, "The Little Red Hen." She was the kitty with one line, "Not I," said the kitty. And she smiled so sweetly. I took her shopping Thursday and what a little shopper she is.

Heather and the boys were up for Mother's Day, arriving on Saturday. We loaded up the kids and drove the couple of miles to our favorite garden center, Eaton Grove. Do you see the momma pea hen?  She has a nest there next to the the dig your own strawberries every year. She had a clutch of seven eggs, but the farm already has 40 pea fowl. The garden center was quite busy and crowded Saturday with everyone shopping for Mother's Day flowers and this momma was right in the midst of the activity, calmly nesting. 

I brought home two varieties of mallow and some blue veronica and a potentella ground cover. Jen grew our tomatoes and peppers for us this year. She has a pretty successful crop, I'd say.

 For some time I have wanted a drip system on a timer to water my hanging baskets on the pergola. So my Mother's Day gift from Heather was her help installing the system. It will be on a timer set to water the pots twice a day. We already had all of the materials: the water line and the hangers. (what she professionally refers to as spaghetti line)

Thank you, Heather May for your help. You are awesome.

    

The line will be hooked up underneath the deck floor. The timer and the pressure reducer have to installed yet, but then I can hang my flower baskets. The second photos shows how the line will hang down from the pergola beams. Once the plants are in place it will be hardly noticeable.

The little hens have been moved out to the hen pen. We turned the rooster in with the last year's hens and he has left them alone, so far. The little girls like being outside.

Meet Fancy, a Dark Brahma with feather legs and feet.

She will be a grayish brownish color with beautiful green highlights. We now have too many hens: 17.

 Sunday morning Heather decided that the pine cones and needles should be removed from under the big pine tree. So there they are, a big pile of needles. Not sure what we will do with them. She suggested shredding them and putting them in the garden. Nice idea; only we don't have a shredder.

Project: Operation Bush Removal.

We have had some brutal winters that have killed some plants, such as our burning bushes in the front of the house and the three David Austin roses that I loved so. Heather and I had decided that the David Austins aren't hardy enough for our cold and sometimes dry winters. I won't plant anymore.

The one burning bush was quite large and required heavy equipment to remove. Plant removal is always more fun when the Head Gardener can use his tractor.

Now the front is bare. I like the clean look. The daffodils will die back, the peonies on the right will bloom very soon and then I will move one. They are planted in a triangle now, but I will move one to be in line with the others. The tiger lilies on the end may get moved too once they bloom. Now I have to come up with a plan for what I will plant. I want a clean, weed free look. 

This week's Monday Mosaic features the May bloomers: Iris and clematis.

We ended the day with grilled chicken and grilled vegetables with garden fresh asparagus. 

This week's project: Clean the water garden. Now won't that make an interesting post? Join me next week to see. But now, pop over to Maggie's for Mosaic Monday.

Thanks so much for visiting.