Outside My Window ~ 4.11.10

Outside My Window…is the end of a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Mid 70’s…..sunshine…..blue skies….just a slight breeze ~ simply beautiful. I spent the better part of today working outside, weeding and trimming. Combined with the hauling and work I did today with the mad house cleaning from yesterday, I probably won’t be able to move tomorrow. 🙂

I am thinking…I’m going to share with you the greatest and most economical weed block I have ever used. Last year in Mother Earth News someone wrote about using newspaper as weed block. The method is to lay down newspaper in the area you want to block weeds and wet it thoroughly. Cover the wet newspaper completely with mulch ~ make sure the newspaper is still soaked when you cover it. You can use any kind I would assume, I used cypress. It worked beautifully during the summer last year, weeds were at a minimum. The biggest challenge came this past fall and winter….a time when I typically don’t pay that much attention to the garden, as this photo from April 2009 will attest ~

I know, pretty bad. This was prior to my weeding and paper blockage. During this past winter, I may have pulled a handful of weeds. And today, my weeding was at a minimum and the weeds that were there came up with little effort. This is the same area a year later…..the newspaper really, really works!

I am thankful for…my apparent non reaction to the shower of pollen dust I experienced today while trimming a particularly tall bush. This bush was so full of pollen dust I was very worried as it rained down on me while I trimmed the branches. I did come in and wash the dust off my face and shook out my hair to keep from having a full blown sneezing attack or allergic reaction. It must have helped because thankfully I am feeling fine this evening.

From the kitchen…is BBQ chicken this evening with a salad. There were so many wonderful meals and treats while we were on vacation….cooking just doesn’t seem as tasty.

I am going…back to work tomorrow after a weeks vacation. Enough said. 🙁

I am hoping…the work week doesn’t drag on and on like they normally do after a vacation. Hey, I can hope!

I am hearing…the ticking of my many clocks……a television program…..my stomach growling ~ chicken needs to cook faster!

Around the house…re-arranged living room furniture…..a newly painted wicker chest….and happy plants because they have been watered.

Plans for the week include…working on the lining for my wicker chest…..continue my mega house cleaning…..back to work. 😐

One of my favorite things…is getting up early in the morning and having a cup of coffee with my dad as we chatted. We did this each morning during my vacation ~ it was a great way to start each day. I will miss those morning chats.

A picture I’d like to share with you…a few images from my garden…..