I’m home. We had a rainy spring and our hostas are giant sized. Everything is larger than life, including poison ivy. I didn’t get to our house until 1 am on Monday and even in the dark I could see that husband had, once again, neglected certain areas of our property. He has suffered from lyme disease off and on for a few years now (and at times the lyme has made him very sick indeed) and because he fears getting a tick bite, he doesn’t mow the edges of the yard that border the woods. Of course, I tell him that by not mowing those areas there will be more ticks because they like the long grass. We usually check each other for ticks if we’ve been working in certain areas of the property. Obviously, this becomes impossible when one of us is away. I don’t blame Don for being wary.

This time, the area behind the kitchen is completely out of control. As is part of the dogs’ corral that we sectioned off from the main corral. He “forgot” about it.

He felt guilty. So guilty that he bought a weed wacker yesterday.  I will be the one using it, but at least it’s a form of atonement. And hey, he might use it, too.

Oh, and he had a few yard sales while I was gone and everything he didn’t sell is still on the porch. The same porch where I love to sit in the summer, where I go to look at the lovely bluestones and the potted plants and the pretty view.

Insert the sound of a scream here.

I would throttle him save for the fact that I love him dearly and I’m happy to see him again and his birthday is Friday.  And he takes wonderful care of our dogs. And he’s a wonderful person. By the way, it’s a big birthday. More later.

Here’s a mini trip around the garden.

I planted this New Dawn rose bush right before I left. I’m a little hesitant because I think the location isn’t sunny enough. If I can just get it to climb a bit more, the sun will hit it perfectly.

A bee sipping a little nectar from the Spirea.

I planted some yarrow when we first moved here – about 6 years ago. It didn’t last. Today I found some that had reseeded about 15 feet away from the original site.

Another bee on a Jacob’s Ladder bloom.

Here’s another surprise. I planted this Clematis at least 5 years ago. Though it always had a lot of leaves, it never flowered. This year? Pretty purple flowers.

Roses peeking through the porch railing.

Hydrangeas and roses – such a cottagey look.

Riley is a little under the weather – his right hip and leg are bothering him. If you read this blog, you know he has hip problems. We’re watching him closely and giving him Rimadyl. My poor little boy has had a tough time of it, but he seems a little perkier today.

I have lots of weeding to do – everywhere. I did the major yanking and pulling and pruning Monday on 4 hours sleep. Today I mowed. The next few days are supposed to be rainy.

That means I’ll finally have to unpack and work on the inside.