In Focus

Where did the lilacs go?

I swear it seems the time they actually bloom becomes shorter and shorter every year. I really enjoy going outside and just smelling the fragrant air every spring.

The perennials are now in full swing and showing color, and the hostas seem to get bigger every year. It will never cease to amaze me how quickly they grow in just a few short weeks. Everything else is growing and hopefully we will see more blooms soon. I am also patiently waiting for the veggies to produce.

I apparently don’t know when to stop planting things. I recently added blueberry bushes and strawberry plants, as well as a few more herbs and flowers.

I have a small flower bed in my backyard and I couldn’t decide on a border I liked or could afford. I ended up going with cinder blocks. A friend had some she was getting rid of, so it worked out perfectly. I definitely tested the limits of my car with all that weight when I hauled the blocks, leaving about an inch of space between the tire and wheel well. But we made it home just fine.

I pressure washed all the debris off of them and painted each block a different color, based on the colors I had in the garage, pink, red, light blue and teal. They actually all worked well together. After a few days of drying and a good rinsing, I will fill the holes with soil and plant more flowers in them. I’m going to plant ground cover-creeping “stuff” so it will flow over the edges...I hope.

Also, an awesome neighbor pulled out some metal fence posts that have just been an eyesore in the yard. Everything is finally coming together and it looks like a comfortable backyard and garden. I’m just glad to get the majority of these projects done before my weekends become very busy with fairs and town festivals.

And I want to enjoy summer, too. I’m just happy to be outside and enjoy the sunshine and the colorful landscapes.

And wait for my veggies to produce...