Bits

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Today we're having a fun day -- a walk in the woods and lunch with Grandma. A little math to do and a little language arts and I think we're mostly done for the weekend -- a nice, long weekend.

I have so much to do outdoors that I am really very anxious for school to be finished. This time of year drives me nuts. Everywhere I turn is work that needs long periods of time to accomplish. And I only have bits.

Last night I worked on the garden. I've worked on it here and there in the evenings, but have barely made progress. We have large side yard that is terraced for growing vegetables. A couple years ago, my husband used sections from the exterior of a huge tree that was cut down to contain the beds. Now the wood is rotted and the dirt is pouring out each time it rains. So every few days the kids and I go and buy more concrete wall pieces and fix a small section. It's hard work. I'm getting too old for all this. Would you think worse of me if I told you that last night, after a particularly hot and grueling session of "building the beds," I took a nail brush, a lit candle, and an ice cold beer into a nice-quite-so-cold-but-definitely-cool shower? Well the candle didn't actually go into the shower, but the beer and the nail brush did. Have you ever taken a shower by candle light? It's almost as good as a bath. Of course in my peri-menopausal state, I can't take hot baths, so the candlelit cool shower is actually better. It was almost worth the backache (and buttache!) I have today.

Rambling.

If you're not a nature nut, I apologize in advance for my obsession with our woodpecker parents. They are just so neat. I think woodpeckers should be on the Top Ten Best Parents list. I read yesterday that every time they bring a bug (they feed the babies one at a time) they take out some waste. I say again, if human parents had to work that hard...
We made an observation the other day. The papa woodpecker doesn't like us on the deck, at least not grilling because the grill is right under their nest. He flits around and cheeps at us, but won't go to the nest. The mama flies to the nest and goes right in. She has babies. They are hungry. Don't mess with the mama.

Well, I'm off to have a lovely day. May not be back this weekend, except for Mary. If I don't see you, have a good Ascension Thursday (and Sunday). Enjoy your Memorial Day. Remember what it's all about.

Some pictures from the garden:

Mint growing up through the hostas.
I love the leaves when they're so fresh and green (both the mint and the hostas).

An abundance of flowering chive.
I enjoy the flowers more than the herb.

.Salvia -- so pretty this time of year.

My new Double Knock-out -- Rosa "Radtko"