Where Have All the Pretty Flowers Gone?

My tulips are not blooming yet this year. I’m pretty sure I had a lot of blooms by this time last year so, not quite sure what is up with that. Also, not happy.

This weekend, we are supposed to start our landscaping project. Hugh is going to till and enrich the soil in the backyard and start trenching for the new sprinkler system. Prior to the Remodel from Hell, we had a very nice backyard with like, grass and everything so, in a fantasy world, the system that we had back then would still be somewhat usable. In the real world, however, Hugh admits that there will be much yanking up of old pipes, complete with cursing and random expletives.

I can hardly wait.

On the bright side, Jana and company will be helping with the chore so, at the very least, I will have a drinking buddy. Whether or not we are allowed to simply sit on the rocking chairs on the porch, sipping white Merlot and shouting occasional words of encouragement while the men folk work remains to be seen.

And, of course, this entire plan is dependent upon the weather, always a gamble here in beautiful (indecisive) Colorado this time of year.

Should we get rained out (or snowed out, heaven forbid); I will be greatly disappointed as I am really hoping to have a vegetable garden in by the end of May. Once upon a time, I had a nice garden and it would be really nice to have one again; we saved a ton of money on groceries when all our vegetables and herbs were coming from our own little plot, money that I could use now to buy more white Merlot. Or, you know, shoes for the children. whichever.

An additional benefit to having my own garden was the plethora of opportunities that it gave me to do deep squats and knee bends, not to mention the workout that pulling weeds gave my lats. Gardening: The latest craze in workouts, you heard it here first. Also, I just enjoyed watching the random wildlife attracted to the garden; frogs, ladybugs, walking sticks, praying mantises (praying manti?), sneaky children in need of a fresh pea fix, you know, all the normal stuff.

Currently, our backyard is a hot mess of leftover lumber and other remodeling detritus. While it makes for a fabulous chew-toy treasure hunt for the dog, it doesn’t do so much for me. I anxiously await the carpet of soft green grass under my feet, flowerbeds rioting with color, and a small water feature bubbling away in a far corner of the yard.

That and the banishment of the mud; my wood floors, they have been through so much.