In the yard

We’ve been spending a lot of time in the yard lately. It seems like we skipped right over Spring and are now in full Summer weather mode (for the moment!). It was 90 yesterday. That might not seem like anything special to a lot of you, but out here, wow. Especially in May! I used to live in high desert in CA so I know all about heat, but living in Chi-town has made me a warm weather wimp. That stuff about your blood thickening is really true: I can handle zero degrees with little discomfort, but anything above 85 has me reeling and feeling sick. A-n-y-w-a-y, enough about the weather. If you wanted to talk about the weather you’d be chatting with your grocer or neighbor. I’m sure you’ve got better reasons for being here!

So, the yard. We’ve been getting a lot of work done, in addition to all of the outdoor playtime we’ve been having. Over the weekend, Brian and I planted a whole host of hostas around the perimeter of our front/side yard. These hardy plants were given to us by our neighbors who wanted them out of their yard. Score! Check out the pretty lilac trees in bloom, too.

And, of course, I’ve been spending time in my garden. It’s crazy how fast weeds spring up. Here are my little plants getting bigger everyday! I can’t wait to eat them! Behind the garden you can see the old cracked cement foundation where the garage used to be (and little legs, exploring the terrain). Brian has been getting a workout with the sledgehammer, trying to break up the concrete. Once it’s out, we’ll be able to install a fence that will enclose the rest of the yard. I’m also hoping to put in another raised bed for my summer veggies!

And here is the rest of the yard. General up-keep on a yard this size is a lot of work (I’m told, I don’t do most of it!). Recently we’ve been able to clear the yard of all the random sticks/branches that accumulate over the winter. They are all sitting on our front yard waiting for the monthly branch pick-up. It’s so nice to see the blooms on all the trees!

And let’s not forget all the fun we’ve been having. With the hot days I knew it was time for some water fun. Our little pool from last year broke, so I improvised with a storage bin and the hose. I don’t think Parker minded at all. In true little boy fashion, he insisted on drinking from the hose. Oh what fun.

Love that little face!

I do eventually need that storage bin, so I decided to pick up another pool this morning. We got one from Target that shoots water off of one side. Parker just can’t get enough of it.

Splish splash!