Spring Changes

What a difference a month makes!

A month ago, I wasn't walking; now, for very limited periods, I can. Also, the only thing my leg needs now is strength, so different from a month ago when every movement hurt. Big, big change!

In February, Owen had a lot more teeth than he does now:



As he's gotten more vampire-y looking, he's also developed a thirst (d'oh! cringe) for tales of that mysterious rabbit, Bunnicula. Coincidence?

In February, we had no new seedlings. And now:





Those nasturtiums, closest of the seedlings to the window and to the camera, have doubled in size since I took this picture yesterday.

And the Monster Spray has been repurposed, now hydrating our plants while keeping the house monster-free:



But some things never change. As ever, Luke loves paper airplanes, and this mild winter has presented lots of opportunities for flying them.



Here's to a spring with all positive changes. Fingers crossed!

Two Views of the Same Scene

Our garden, one recent May. Note the fence made of sticks, and the shepherd's crook, lush with gorgeous flowers.



And, today - isn't that insane? No fence at all, you can see just a few feet of the shepherd's crook, and the spiny remains of plant life almost totally buried by snow.

What a winter we're having!

Our Latest Addition

Oh, made you look!
No, we haven't taken on any new children, or pets or anything like that... but check out this little beauty:



See that tiny round ball in the middle of all the foliage? That's a watermelon, growing in our front yard.
But it's not just any watermelon; it's a seed from one of the best heirloom-variety watermelons you ever tasted, and I've been saving the seed since 2007, waiting for conditions to be just right. This year, for the first time, we finally had three important things coincide: a table in the sunlight during spring, good, deep soil in the sunniest, best-drained spot in the yard, and the time to attend to both the baby seedling and the growing plant.
Also, thanks to our hot summer so far, it's growing like crazy. I'll keep you posted as to our new arrival's progress, and I hope that you are enjoying the summer too.
(I'm back by the way... probably going to be slow on posting for a while, but back nonetheless. Did you miss me?)

Garden

All our hard work in the front yard is really paying off now - here's where I spent an hour this morning, playing with Luke and Owen, reading, watering, and just being:

Aaaaaahhhhh.