April Showers and May showers too!

The sun is FINALLY shining. We have had rain, rain, rain for several weeks. I can't complain too much because in between showers I went out and worked in the garden and there's nothing like rain to make weeding easier. Of course, it makes the weeds grow faster too -- but it also makes the flowers grow like weeds. So my circle garden is looking wonderful! Les fleurs sont tres belles!

I'm a cool weather gardener and the temps have been low as well - perfect working weather. In fact, I've been so energized I decided to cut down the shrubs in the front of the brick stoop. I'm not particularly fond of Japanese holly and these were overgrown, required lots of cutting back during the spring and summer, and just aren't very pretty. So I got out the clippers yesterday and cut down the ones closest to the driveway. Amazing -- those huge shrubs came from only two plants on each side! I'm hacking them down to the ground and then letting them stay for the rest of this season until I decide whether I want to dig them out altogether. I know they'll start sprouting and fill in by the end of the summer. You can never get rid of things you don't like without great effort. It's the flora you love that shrivels up and dies! LOL! Well, not entirely. I love most of it and my garden is thriving. Especially the Black-Eyed Susans which would take over the entire garden if I let them.

If you want some Lambs Ear, Chives, or Black-Eyed Susans come see me. I could start my own nursery specializing in those. The chives are delicious in salads and have beautiful purple flowers so they are a win-win plant. I really do love gardening - at least before the weather gets hot - and kneeling down in the dirt gives me much food for meditation.

One last bit of news. The hummers are back and came looking for the strawberry feeder. I posted about them at Les Femmes along with some of my other favorite birds. Gosh, I love Spring!