summer's dance

We're back to the Summer dance of swimming, gardening, family celebrations and a bit of sleep thrown in. I do love waking with the sun, and then because of life with the kids we don't really get to go to bed early. It would seem that I can survive on less than 9 hours of sleep which doesn't seem the case in the Winter! We've tossed in some tennis lessons for Ella and basketball lessons for Roone, but it's not hectic since they're not in leagues, just monthly how-to sessions, which they are enjoying. Maybe we need to schedule a vacation from the hustle and bustle of Summer, oh wait, we already scheduled one!

Until that break, we'll keep enjoying this season here at home including harvesting garlic which has made the basement smell like a pizza parlor, not a bad thing. We had so much garlic from last year's harvest that we passed extra bulbs on to Jesse's co-workers a couple of months ago knowing it would go bad otherwise. It looks like we might have the same problem next Spring, or maybe we just need to eat more garlic?

We're also pretty pleased with the floral beauty in the yard. Last fall I divided the Annabelle Hydrangea bushes to bring some to the back. Below, the first two photos are the transplants (8 bushes) and the third photo is some of the original bushes in the front. We've actually moved many bushes from the front to the backyard simply because we spend more time there and want to enjoy the beauty. The transplants are thriving, and in our first year have a total of 100 blooms from 8 bushes. I have low expectations the first growing season following the division and transplant of a plant. If the plant simply survives, I feel successful, but with all this beauty already blooming, I guess I feel ultra-successful, definitely more than pleased. 

  

If I could list one of the top five key skills a gardener should have it would be being able to divide plants. It's very easy once you get over the initial fear of destroying the plant by dividing it. Plants actually thrive after being divided.  Jesse taught me how, and now, I indulge myself even without consulting him. Besides making him impressed with my skills (!), it's nice to be able to do this for myself without having to ask him to do one more thing, because there IS always one more thing.. However, if it comes to moving a tree, that task is all his.