Once a year, our building's landscaper and hausmeister (lives across the hall from us), do a little work in our yard for my landlord. Since we live on the ground floor as does our hausmeister, we have the only yard space of the building and lucky for us, it's not shared. I was curious as to what they'd do back there and felt compelled to go help.
I was a little alarmed, however, as I saw them heartily raking up all the moss in the grass. Moss constituted at least half of our "grass" and I think I'd prefer it to what we've got now. They spread down grass seed and then COVERED it all with sand. As if my floors weren't already bad enough -- now I've got sand in every nook and cranny! McKay was in and out all day and kept saying, "Mom, it snowed!" He'd throw it up over his head and giggle with glee. I feel robbed of perfect spring weather being enjoyed on a blanket with a good book, Morgan gurgling, McKay snuggling up and Easton reading by my side. Good thing it's been a little cooler and rained yesterday! Besides, my "good book" is the driver's exam study guide right now. Hmph!
So why is this ol' bod sore, and not just grumpy? To "help" in the landscaping effort Saturday, I decided to attack a little spot on the side of the house where some lavender bushes, a small tree, and ground cover had grown amuck. I'd been told by a friend earlier to trim off the tops of the lavender to help the new stuff grow in. I had some little pliers and some scissors just going at it nice and slow. Herr Gotz, the Hausmeister, approached me in his broken English with a huge grin on his face and a manly pair of clippers to demonstrate for me - his horticultually-challenged neighbor. He was literally laughing at me! I had to laugh at myself when you compare my dinky little scissors snipping off each stem one at a time to shearing whole sections with robust chops! I think then and there he realized how desperately he needed to guide me.
I asked him for help now and then and each time he expertly showed me up, very kindly with a grin. When I told him I wanted my lavender bushes to look like his, I think he just about laugh/coughed up a lung! A girl can dream, right?! In the end, I weeded and cut back those bushes like no one's business. I weeded a couple other little areas too and felt pretty happy with myself for the little time I put in. I am looking forward to planting my Morning Glory sprouts when they've grown a bit more in the windowsill. I hope they really take off and bloom, climbing up one of the trellis's outside the living room.
But for now, I'm resisting the urge to shew away the birds pecking away at my sand covered grass seed. I'm a softy since it's the same momma bird who lost her eggs to a magpie two weeks ago. And they were such perfect speckled eggs and I was so excited for me and the boys to watch momma take care of her chicks! For a few days in a row, I'd hear momma and papa bird screeching and I'd run out to shew away said magpie. One morning, I was too late and the magpie had eaten three of the four eggs. Now momma and papa only fly in to eat my grass seed and peck in the yard, having abandoned their pretty nest. These pics were taken just a couple days apart.
PS. . . Ryan found us an 8 passenger 2006 Honda Odyssey minivan. Utility vs. Machismo - He has finally succumbed to being a van driving family man and I love him dearly for it! We also have a friend gifting us their old van until it dies. We will actually (GASP! Be still my heart!) be a two car family and I can run errands during the day again!!! Oh happy day! Now if I can just get my current flare under control so I can really head out and embrace spring's beauties beyond my sandy yard! I'm happy to report, Morgan has adjusted to bottle feeding quite well although she's resisting my efforts still to get her to sleep through the night. And boy do I hate keeping up with bottle washing though! Grrrrr!
