Sweet Sweet Springtime....

For at least the last two years yours truly has not done any gardening - to speak of. Last summer I had the landscaping people out to do the whole works, and they did a nice job and will be back this year!

Well, Sunday I was on it! Spent the day gardening and going to the garden center to get things for gardening. It was such a fruitful day....the herb garden is planted with our favorite herbs (there is nothing better than fresh dill!) and on Amy's recommendation I also planted a hibiscus in the corner of the herb garden - it all looks beautiful. Amy suggested that I plant some of the lower to the ground and/or creeping herbs in the window box of what is now Sara's room (my old bedroom) - that was pure genius....and then she suggested getting marigolds around the perimeter of the garden...animals don't like the marigolds!

So we took a mid-afternoon break and Rob, Sara, Amy and I loaded up into 'Blue' (Amy's mini-van, that can almost drive itself!) and were off to Lowe's where I picked up the aforementioned marigolds and another little flower for behind the herbs in the window box....I needed potting soil, I had plants I had received when Mom died (almost 4 years ago!) that were still in the original pots. Also got some much needed gardening gloves...I'm sure I have some around here, but at this point I'm not going to aggravate myself trying to find them - think, needle in a haystack!

By the end of the day not only was the herb garden and window box done...but I got all the rose bushes pruned, 24 strawberry plants in the ground, indoor plants re-potted and another bed cleaned up.

I can't tell you what a wonderful time I had. Now, I'm not exceedingly fast, bending over really takes my air away. So, I'd dig and plant a couple of things and then sit on the back step and drink some ice tea...so, speedy I'm not! Amy and Sara hung out with me most of the day, which was great - Amy really does have an eye for good aesthetics and hung out with Mom when Mom was in her gardening glory....after I was grown and moved out! And Sara loved 'helping' whenever water was involved....she loves playing in water!!!

The other thing about my day playing in the dirt....it's like Mom is right there. Mom's last day at home was Mother's Day and on that day, we got her in her wheelchair and I rolled her next door, to my house, and she sat with me while I was doing some gardening. Those are sweet, sweet memories for me.

So, now we are having April showers, and hopefully my plants and herbs and flowers are all 'happy'. But, irrespective, I have those sweet, sweet memories - forever.