Summer Arrives

I did it!  I got through the stem cell transplant and am on the mend.  Nineteen days in the hospital is not something I would care to repeat any time soon, but I made it and now a beautiful summer is on the way.

The porch is officially open.  The guys cleaned it up on a 90 degree Sunday afternoon over the Memorial Day weekend, and we had our inaugural  grilled brats dinner.  Unfortunately, it's a little too chilly to be out there today, but a warm up is predicted again by the weekend.  This is truly the best room in our house.  I'm so glad it's all ready to go.

Even though I've been out of commission and am still banned, the garden grows on.  It was incredible to see the progress that took place while I was gone.  The hostas are huge, the peonies blooming, and the catmint is covered with busy bees.  I've sometimes wondered what would happen to my garden if I didn't do a thing.  It doesn't look too bad thanks to a kind spring, but it will be ready for me to come back next year with all my plans and pent up gardening energy .

It's actually a good opportunity to try and give my niece the gardening bug.  I offered my small vegetable plot to my sister for the summer so the two of them have planted tomatoes, beans, and a few herbs.  So far, I think my niece likes wearing her pretty boots more than she likes to get dirty, but maybe she'll get excited once she can pick some of her own vegetables.

My husband is helping as much as he can with the yard work.  I don't think  he's developing any great love for it though.  (Maybe I should buy him some pretty boots!)  He still seems to be somewhat unclear about which plants are weeds and which are not.  After a couple of mistakes, he has at least learned to ask before plucking.  As a result, I've got more than a few large weeds sharing space with my perennials.  We'll get to them eventually.  Look away.

Rather than focus on what I can't do, I've tried to focus on some of the jobs that I can do but have put off.  I have sorted through a big pile of recipes, cleaned out my pantry, and knit up some new dishcloths to replace the ones that are worn out.  I do like knitting something so useful and practical.  They're like chips--hard to stop after just one.  I know it's not that exciting, but I think they are pretty when they're fresh and new.  Humble knitting.  These are from a freebie pattern: Waffle Knit Dishcloth.  (Check out the blog that goes with it.)

Finally, even though I have gone on and on about the garden.  I just wanted to point out once again the beauty of plants with ugly names.  Blood roots are the first blooms of the spring, bleeding hearts accompany the pretty lily of the valley.  Well now the garden is blessed by the blooming stalks of the gas plant.  True, it doesn't smell as sweet as the peonies, but isn't it pretty?  Really, who names these things?