Out of the kitchen & Outside!

What a great day! The sun was shining and the temperature was glorious!

I took a walk to the ceramics studio so I could work on a couple mugs and drove to the farmer's market with the top down! Woooo HOOOO!

While I was out & about, HP was home toiling in the yard. We have a very small yard, so it doesn't take much to whip it into shape. A couple hours here & there and it is looking presentable. Today was the first real "couple hours" so it isn't quite presentable, but it was nice enough that we could dine al fresco.

The late frost did a little damage, it is still too early to tell how much. What we do notice is that the early blooms on the magnolia got a little frost bitten on the edge, but the blooms that are coming out now look (and smell) great! I'm a little worried about the peony. When they first come up, they look like red asparagus jumping out of the ground. The tips were out during the cold snap, but they seemed like they slowed for a little while so they could gather the energy to spring out today. All of the things that seemed to take a break for the cold & hold off on showing there face until there was warmth and sunshine to bask in have begun to shyly make an appearance. The hostas are inching out wrapped around themselves, taking stock of the day before they decide to come shove through the dirt. We have little grape hyacinth dotting the back bed and the tulips are opening up for all the world to see out front. Bit by bit my yard is coming out to play.

Of course, there is always the one that shows up early & doesn't seem to care about the weather. Yes, like that party guest that you didn't really want to invite, the weeds (as weeds & party guests will do) have shown up early, they spread out while everyone else was taking it easy and of course, they always go to areas that you had hoped to keep off limits. Really, is there an Emily Post on weed etiquette? I don't mind them showing up, but really, do they need to bring all their relatives. And honestly, the way they reproduce! Please, get a room & keep it out of my yard. So politely, I try to tell them that I've really had enough. They should really just be going on their way--I hear there is a great vegetable garden down the street a few blocks. But, I'm sure they will be the last to leave and I'll have to continue cleaning up after them.

This is what my yard looks like at the end of the summer...