Spring May Not Yet Have Sprung But I'm Preparing For It

Why does it seem like when life is busy, it gets even busier? Or it's similar to when you put a little on your plate, then it looks real good, you get hungrier and pile more on. Some people are like that, I am one. I’ve always liked staying busy and that will probably never change. Hence, I haven’t been able to write for a few days. But, I’m back.

Spring is coming. I can feel it. I’m making it come. I’ve order perennials and at the first signs that Spring may be coming – not matter how far off – I’m ordering plants. I placed an order the other day for some two-for-one deals. I like these and am always choosing when and what I order by what is on sale. If it is something I want and it doesn’t go on sale, then I will finally order it before it is too late and may go out of stock. But this order consisted of 2-for-1's or buy 3 get 3. I usually always order my plants in three’s anyway. If you are going to add a splash here or there, it needs to make a statement. Threes make a statement and adds a sense of balance. If they are smaller plants, I’ll do six.
　
My order the other day consisted of Mixed Dutch Iris, Cinnamon Ferns, Jacob’s Ladder, Toad Lily Mix, Cloth of Gold, Maiden Pinks, Red Rocket Carnations, Corina Lilies and a double Red Perennial Garden Collection. These are all fill-ins, which means they are going to fill-in spots in some of my other garden beds where I need a color of this or a color of that, or I’ve got a bare spot. As for the Red Perennial Garden Collection, I haven’t got a spot picked out for that yet, but don’t worry – I’ll find it. I have ideas but I need to wait until I can walk around the yard some to get the right spot. The problem is when Bob sees me walking around the yard with a tape measure and old garden hoses (I keep these and use them to lay out garden plots which makes it easy to visualize them) – he starts thinking that maybe it is time to pack his suitcase. Just kidding, of course, because he’ll stand in the window and watch for a few moments, then come out and want to know what I am up to and what kind of work that means for him. This is my subtle approach to telling him, hey, Honey, I’m planting some more flower beds.
　
My next order is waiting for me to say go. It's in my "shopping cart" and is patiently sitting there, pleading for me to hit the "checkout" button. This order consists of Blue Bird Rose of Sharon, Freedom Rose of Sharon, Blue Fringe Daisies, Blue Fusion Everblooming Hardy Geraniums, Chinese Lanterns, Clara Curtis Daisies, Diamond Grass, Double-Decker Coneflower, Fiesta Daisies, Little Business Daylily, Maximilian Sunflower, Northern Lights Grass, Purple Love Grass, Red Hot Poker and Super Aster Daisies. Some of these are fill-ins but some are replacements for along the front of the house. I’m pulling out a bed that I have had for about ten years that I am just not happy with. It is mostly greens and it definitely needs color. So I’ve got some digging out and replanting to do. Plus I also want to do some landscape blocks along this area.
　
My plans last year were to do some landscape blocks around some of my beds. I got carried away with quite a "few" new, big flower beds, so I put that on the back burner. It is now pushed to the front. But we are also putting out bids right now for a new roof on the house and the barn and I know that will cause some chaos in the yard whenever the roofers come to do the house, so I am going to have to time this perfectly. I’ve got to draw up some plans for the front because it will have to also incorporate my 50th birthday present from my sons. They gave me a sentimental gift which to some may seem foolish or of no consequence but to me it meant a lot. It was the old dinner bell from my family farm. The farm was in our family for well over a century. When my dad’s health deteriorated, my parents decided to sell the farm and one of the things that got sold was the old dinner bell. A cousin of mine bought it and he planned to keep it in his family thinking it was a family heirloom but then realized it was the wrong side of his family. With his health deteriorating and knowing that I wanted it, he decided he would sell it back. I hadn’t gotten around to getting it and my boys jumped on the chance to get something that really meant a lot to me – especially for my 50th birthday. (I now realize that the bell has a date on it of 1869). With that said, Bob was supposed to do something with it – as in make a stand where it could be mounted outside. That hasn’t happened yet – so I’ll have to remind him it is now on his Spring project list. I’m sure he will quickly try to forget it. It’s funny how swiftly that "selective Alzheimer’s" comes and goes.