It rained all day long yesterday and into the night. And it’s going to rain tomorrow and Saturday. I remind myself that we need the rain right now and that I have to be patient.
See how green the grass is getting? Very, very soon I will be taking a first pass at it all with the lawn mower.
Yes. It’s that time again.
I saw Henry munching on some ground cover last night. There’s something that grows near the lilac that he likes. Have at it, Henry. And while you’re at it, mow the lawn!
Nothing much to report – I ran errands yesterday and I’m going to take a stab at some of the poison ivy today, so I bought a special pruner just for that job. (I’ll be careful. I also use special gloves.) And it’s also time to take a whack at the brambles. Neither of these jobs are what I’d call fun, but they’re necessary.
There are still a couple of garden beds to clean out before I add some topsoil and, once things really get going, get ready to mulch. All in good time. (Isn’t that what the Wicked Witch of the West says? “All in good time, my pretty…all in good time.”)
In other exciting news, we’re getting a new sump pump today. I know…it’s almost too much excitement, isn’t it? Poison ivy, brambles and a new sump pump. Be still my heart.
Happy Thursday.
Dottie says
I think you need a Cupcake to add to your exciting life.
Claudia says
I always need a cupcake, Dottie!
kathy in iowa says
for everything there is a season, right? :)
it’s getting more to my liking here with some greening, buds and a few blossoms, too. also the bird-calls and a brave little guy who jumps from a second-floor railing to the top of a shepherd’s crook to get into the tray feeder and feasts a bit on mixed seeds, then stares in the window and gives us the stink-eye for telling him “that’s enough for now. give the birds a chance” (said by opening the door to the deck and calling his name – which is “earl the squirrel” …). it’s a wild life here, too. :)
enjoy the rain (i am jealous of your having several rainy days in a row). i am enjoying that it’s almost friday … i have the day off to go to a big “junk jubilee” here in town. :)
kathy in iowa
Claudia says
Have fun today, Kathy!
Donnamae says
I think it’s the little things that get us excited, because it’s something different to do, to see. Now…watch that excitement level…contain yourself…but not too much. Celebrate that new sump pump! ;)
Claudia says
Sump pump is in! Huzzah!
Eve says
I once watched a tree-trimmer chew and swallow a clump of poison ivy. He said it gave him immunity. It gave me the chills!
grace says
Amazing!!!
Claudia says
Oh my heavens! I wonder if it did?
grace says
Henry just warms my heart! Bear in mind,better a new sump pump than no sump pump. And maybe a treat (such as Dottie’s cupcake suggestion) to celebrate after all the work is done!
Claudia says
The one we had was quite old and though it was still technically working, we figured we should get a new one. I had two ‘encounters’ with our sump pump this year that were exhausting.
Deb says
You made me laugh! Your mission is complete. I had to shudder when I read what Eve said about the tree trimmer chewing poison ivy. I am so allergic to it that I would probably break out inside! Twice when I was young I had it so bad that my eye swelled shut. I learned and keep my distance but one never knows when it may be lurking about.
Cupcake is a good idea, let’s all have one.
I have a defective smoke alarm that won’t stop chirping, a new battery did not do the trick. Waiting for maintenance to come and fix the issue. See, my life can be exciting, too! LOL
Claudia says
Oh, I feel you on the smoke alarm. Two middle-of-the-night chirping sessions so far this year. I finally yanked the battery out!
Tana says
Had to laugh at this post! You have the right attitude. I am scrubbing down my deck and will be doing it for the next month. I only work at it for one hour a day because of my bad back, but I am hoping to get it all done by June 1. It’s a big deck. Then I will be able to enjoy it all summer. I am dumping a bucket full of sludge over the back fence every day. Over the fence is still our yard, but it is wild and doesn’t mind soapy, dirty water.
Claudia says
Good for you for taking it slow, which is something I should do. I tend to do too much at once.
Audrey Johnson says
It sounds absolutely thrilling. I would love to be home doing all that work instead of at a job. Eventually……Enjoy your day!
Claudia says
I’m thinking you wouldn’t. Working with brambles and poison ivy is not fun!
Christine Henry says
Poison ivy just the thought makes me sweat. Poison ivy can be a sneaky thing so whenever I work outside I wash may hands with Dawn dish soap. It is much more effective in removing the oil from your skin.
Claudia says
I have a special soap I use and I just doused myself with it! And then I took a shower.
Kay says
Ha, glad to see your life is as glamorous as ours. Last weekend we watched a pair of chickadees taking turns swooping in again and again to an area we couldn’t see near a front window. Dean finally went out to see. Seems they found a weak section of wood siding and went at it. The hole was a good 3-4 inches in diameter by the time we discovered it. And that’s just the first item on a long list of outdoor maintenance. At least it’s getting warmer every day.
Claudia says
Whoops! Those smart little birds!
Janet in Rochester says
Ah, the plain simple pleasure of ordinary days. I don’t have a garden, but what I remember about helping my mother in hers for so many years was that it provided me with so much Thinking Time. Hours, sometimes, of being able to just think about whatever. And combined with the raking and digging and general cleaning up, the whole thing felt very therapeutic. Almost like having had a massage. AND – quite a sense of satisfaction as well. Hope you get to do all your garden work in sunshine today. And we lift a glass to that new sump pump! Cheers! Peace.
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
Claudia says
Well, today was about avoiding touching the poison ivy inadvertently and then being pricked by a thousand brambles. So, not so contemplative, but it was good to get it done.
Chris K in Wisconsin says
I remember you had a couple of bad sump pump days. Isn’t that feeling of security you get when something new is installed great? I’m like you ~ for things like that, even when they still technically work, if there have been a couple of bumps in the road with it, I am all for replacing it sooner rather than later. Makes me happy to beat a complete fail.
It is so nice to have windows open. The cat is in his glory going from one to the other! Hearing the birds again is magical after the silent winter. We all need a mundane day or two to catch up on all of those mundane tasks! Hope your list was completed so you can move on to the fun stuff. Have you decided to go to the city for the weekend? It is a lovely option to have!!
Claudia says
In discussing it with our repair guy, we talked about the fact that I’d been here alone the last two times it gave us trouble and what if I was away and it failed? So we went for a new one.
Linda @ A La Carte says
Sump pump is a good thing to have and I do remember some troubles with the old one. It’s going to rain here this afternoon so Mom and I did errands this morning including getting our hair cut! Mine was so long and it feel so good to get it shorter for warmer weather. I am now dreaming of a cupcake even though I had a doughnut for breakfast! Hugs!
Claudia says
I want one too, but I’m so tired after all the work outside that I don’t have the energy to get one!
Wendy T says
For every unexciting day, there will be two or more exciting ones! At least we can hope so! Had lunch with my niece yesterday and she brought seed packets she picked up at Earth Day events at her workplace. So, excited to be planting different types of carrots and eggplants, among five or six other veggie seeds. We have had very dense overcast in the morning that burns off for sunny afternoons. Since it’s our usual late spring/summer pattern, I’m glad that my favorite seasons have finally arrived.
Claudia says
I remember those days – we called them June Gloom in San Diego.
Marilyn says
It is too bad that Henry cannot mow the lawn. Be careful with that Poison Ivy. We still have more cleaning to do outside. It takes so much time and you can only do so much in a day.
Marilyn
Judy Shaw says
Good to get rid of poison ivy, and good that you are careful. The rain gave you a day off, and that can’t be too bad!
Claudia says
More rain tomorrow and Saturday, Judy.
Claudia says
I’m always careful with poison ivy!
Nancy Blue Moon says
You are so funny sometimes Claudia…lol…asking Henry to mow the lawn!..I have way too much poison ivy here also…I dread getting near the stuff!…best to get the nasty work out of the way so you can enjoy the rest…
Claudia says
Exactly. I’ve done what I can with the poison ivy and the brambles. You have to be in the mood to tackle it and I was yesterday!