Between bands of storms

Just popping in here between rain showers for a little garden update. Stud Muffin and I worked outside much of yesterday. I finished installing the tree rings, laying weed blocking fabric and hauling mulch. He did stuff too, but I can't remember what! Oh, yeah, he spent a very long time using the heavy leaf blower trying to clean our neighbor's gravel off of the drive where it had washed in the rain. Anyway, back to me! Isn't the orchard pretty now??



Okay, not this peach tree because, well, it's dead! I want to replace it with a Granny Smith apple tree, or some other tart apple.



And this peach tree isn't done because I ran out of weed block fabric.



But otherwise, I got them all done! Yeah me!! Closer inspection of said fruit tree brings us this.



I spy, with my little eye... baby pears! Lots of them!



See them?!? If they all survive, I'm going to have tons of pears this fall!! Last fall... um... 6 pears total from 4 trees.



And I spy little peaches starting, too! Or "puzzy peaches" as they are known around here!



Last year, I got 1. Well, none, really, because after waiting for it to ripen, it dropped to the ground, rotten. *Sigh*

Today, I went to school to take my Math final online. I had to go to the testing center to be proctered, so they know I didn't cheat, or something. I had checked in last week and seen that the test was available online, with the procter's password. So, I got there, spent some time doing a final review, but when the procter tried to sign in with the password... no exam!! Where did it go?!? The professor didn't answer her phone, so I killed some time doing another test, but eventually left without taking the final exam. Arg.

I made myself feel better by buying some new flowers for the boxes that hang on Steve the shed.



Now Steve is ready, if ever Marmy comes for a visit. She has already staked out Steve as her home, especially since we sold the Big Rolling Turd out from under her!



Spring is really here now. The azaleas are starting to bloom.

These Encore azaleas will bloom more than once a season!

And the dogwoods are lighting up the forest interior!

From the backyard.

This Doggie update for my girls:

Naughty Nick ran off while I was planting the flower boxes. After quite some time back in the house, and still no Nick, I took the Buggy out to Glen's place next door. I can usually find Nick hanging out in the horse corral, waiting for some fresh poo to appear so that he can roll in it. This time, I found him nicely playing with Glen's boxer dog, Diesel. Nicely playing, that is, until I showed up and Diesel wanted to say hi. Then Nick started to growl at poor, sweet Diesel. Time to leave. We drove back up to the house, parked the Buggy, and I said, "Let's go in." Nick shot off into the woods as if I had strapped a lit rocket to his hiney!! Totally ignored all my hollering to come back.

*Sigh* Back into the Buggy and off down the road towards the creek. All of a sudden, here comes Sassy passing me, running hell bent on election. I guess she was going nuts watching me drive back and forth without inviting her! But still no Nick. We returned to the house, parked the cart, and out of the woods comes the dirtiest, mud-covered dog pretending to be Nick! I mean, head-to-tail covered in creek water and mud! Up his nose, in his ears, everywhere! He must have jumped face first into the creek! Needless to say, the hose was employed to the fullest, but he stills smells like beaver-water wet dog! You guys need to come home and take care of the dogs!!