Hippie Chick, Maybe, Flower Child, Doubtful

I always have elaborate plans for holidays. We'll pack a picnic lunch! Drive out to the country because you know how easy that is to find in Metro Orange County. I know, right? J and I will relax on the blanket while our progeny, the fruits of our labors, cavort under the trees. They laugh joyously over the latest find in their Nature Quest. They catch tiny frogs along the creek. They find leaves for pressing. And they settle down in the thicket with Charlotte-Mason inspired nature notebooks, the better to observe and draw what they see. Meanwhile, J is hand-feeding me organic grapes. yes, I know, a beautiful dream, and not much else So, instead of being disappointed, or alternatively battling crowds at the Mouse House, others who weren't creative enough to figure out their own entertainment, we stayed home....

J pulled weeds in the never-ending struggle to save our scrawny lawn without resorting to poisons that will kill small animals, run into the groundwater and probably kill us too. He enlisted JBug and JBear in this endeavor, so it was fairly quiet indoors. I took advantage of this some might say great advantage I sat on my butt, catching up with my email until my stomach let me know it was time to eat. I actually just ignored the whining of the troops...

J asked me to stop and get a push broom at the local big box hardware store. This was a mistake. I took JBean with me, and everything was fine until she asked, "Mama, can we walk through the garden store?" So we did. And...$125 later we left. I bought flowers. Which is funny, since I have no green thumb. In fact, I think it might be a sick shade of grey. But, hope springs eternal. I schlepped JBean, the flowers and fast food home.

First we readied the flower bed. Since nothing had been planted in over a year, this was a job. J turned the earth, down to about 6 inches. Halfway through, we realized there were huge pieces of glass in the soil, left over from when the plate glass window shattered from the heat of the fire last year. So we pulled out the beach toys and literally sifted the soil to pull out the glass. The last thing we want is to try and provide an enriching family experience and have a kid lose a limb!

Once that was done, we were ready to add the nice bag of whatever-it-was-the-nice-garden-lady-at-the-store-told-me-to-get. So far, so good. JBean helped. We planted two false heathers (though I am not sure they were planted deep enough). Time will tell, I guess. I bought some Gerberra daisies in yellow, orange and red. JBean loved planting these. Today, JBug will plant the white petunias in between the daisies. And our garden sculpture, in honor of our beloved cats that perished in the fire, watches over them all.

I also bought an Asian daylily plant in the most beautiful shade of maroon/red/burgandy. I have high hopes for it, but we will have to see. And, in an experiment, I bought poppy seeds, since I love the happy colors of their bright heads whenever I see them. I am hoping to plant it all tomorrow. I would imagine I will be posting here in a a month about how I managed to kill all of them , I am actually pretty excited about having flowers, and I have my fingers crossed that they will be happy happy and flourish.

T, who is missing the Gardening gene, but valiantly keeps trying

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