The last couple weeks I have been spending a lot of time outside in the yard with the kids and doing a lot of gardening. All I can say is: This yard is so much fun. I'm pretty sure in the last couple weeks I have fallen head over heels with gardening. A good friend of mine has been helping me sort through the garden, flowers, and figuring out where to go with everything. The gardens here are
extensive, to say the least. It is addicting and I have entered a new world of learning all sorts of different flowers names, being able to identify leaves and flowers. My good friend, Becca, said there are probably about 50+ different perennials in the yard.
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| This forsythia tree in the front yard was beautiful. Its yellow blooms lasted about 2 weeks. |
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There are a ton of these quaint, dainty blue flowers over by the pond in the back yard. I
have figured out what they are yet.
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| This tree in the front is a magnolia tree. These are the first few blossoms I saw and there are more now. Although I've heard magnolia trees are not doing as well this spring with the cool weather. |
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| I was so excited to see 4 big rhubarb plants on the west side of the house! I have many memories of my Mom using her rhubarb planst to make rhubarb slush, jam, and other desserts. I love everything rhubarb. |
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| These three white dainty flowers are just the cutest. They are at the base of the climbing rose bushes. They open during the day and then at night time they close! |
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| I think peonies are my absolute favorite. The blossoms don't last super long, but they are so full and gorgeous. There are several peonies out front by the big boulder. It will be fun to see what color they are. |
I spent time on Mother's Day going to Gerten's with Becca. So much fun and it gives so many ideas of what it would be fun to plant. All in good time.... Then the next day another friend called to offer to come over and help in the garden. It was chilly, but we got a lot done. There is much work to be done, and it will just take time - a lot of time! Some of the other things I'm find are Bleeding heart, dianthus, columbine, lots of tulips, a beautiful azealea bush is blooming right now out back, rose bushes, honey suckle, jasmine. I know there is phlox, echenacha (sp), sedum, solomon's seed, hydrangeas, and then many others that I don't recognize yet. Very fun.
All in all, this house continues to be just a huge, tremendous blessing. It really is fun!
Otherwise, life is filled with the kids and other cooking, knitting, quilting, fermenting food, entertaining guests, busy school life at St. Agnes fun. The kids are at such energetic ages and it is fun to see them learning and taking everything in. Probably one of the most rewarding things to see right now is how the kids' relationships grow. They absolutely adore each other (yes, they fight too) but they are so aware of each other and love playing with each other, it is pretty fun to see.
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| Here is Agatha in her Easter dress. Our happy baby! |
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| Jude and Benedict are hilarious these days. They are SUCH boys. I hear them making a fort in the next room while Jude holds his lego creation and Benedict has a Batman mask on. I hear them making up stories with each other. Jude: "We have to fight the bad guys, Benedict!" in a monster like voice. Benedict, "Yeah! Let's get 'em" followed by battle sounds and antics. It is quite amusing. |
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| Faustina is drawing. The 3 of them hung out here for about 30 minutes eating a lunch on Saturday. Whereever the most people are convened, Wallace joins the party! |
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| She's my little doll. so stinkin cute. I am pretty sure she is everyone's favorite. And she is so SO easy. |
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| I was inside the house and heard Benedict yell, "Jude I lost my shoe!!". So I watched Jude run over and for the next 5 minutes, he tried to put Benedict's shoe on. In the end, he was successful. |
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| Jude and Benedict laid out sleeping bags on the lawn and 'were taking a nap'. |
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| Faustina and Benedict probably have the most similar temperaments (at this stage). They get along super well. |
