Eggs, Bunnies, and Spring
I headed up to visit the parents over Easter weekend, especially since (a) it coincided with Mom's birthday, and (b) she's been out of the hospital only a couple of weeks. Overall, it was v. positive, going out with Dad on Saturday to get some stuff for the garden and helping him putter around in his garden and with his various potted plants while Mom napped in the afternoon, and grilling for both brunch and dinner on Saturday. Their church had a preacher candidate coming to try out for the newly-open position (their former preacher moved to be closer to his wife's parents, who had both gotten really sick). Unfortunately, he didn't exactly overwhelm me. Worse, I found out that he & his family were being invited for Sunday lunch when they were invited for lunch. I'd been looking forward to a nice Easter lunch with the family. Ah, well. (Mom thought she'd told me. She had at least told my younger brother and his wife.) Still, it was fun doing a little cooking while up there, and helping Dad with the grill.
Dad's garden in front of the house is just exploding with color, with the daffodils, tulips, petunias, dwarf rhodendron, plum trees (one of which is almost totally covered in white blooms, many of which will need to be removed so the ones left can fruit), grape hyacinths, and whatever else he has going. I'm envious, as always when I visit in the spring & summer. He really works on both the flowers in front and the herbs/vegetables in back, though. It's the one biggest drawback of the place I bought--not much space at all to grow stuff.
The added bonus of visiting and helping with the gardens was that Dad sent me home with a shepherd's crook (for a hanging basket), a hanging basket, and a long planter. I went out to Home Depot this afternoon and grabbed some impatiens (for the basket), some Provence lavender, and some strawberry plants. Oh, and some good potting soil. I now have orange and white impatiens in the hanging basket next to my back patio (a nod to my college alma mater) and lavender flanking my strawberry plants in the planter. And Round 2 of my tulips, after last year resulted in stunted and non-blooming tulips. Hopefully, this year will do better. Regardless, the tulips will end up being replaced after they're done. I'm still debating what to put in that particular planter; I'd love to do some heliotrope (in honor of Wildlands South), but HD didn't have any. I saw some at one of the nurseries I visited on Saturday, which got me to considering it. I suspect it does better in the hills of East Tennessee than in the higher heat & humidity of Atlanta, sadly.
Failing that, I might grow some cayenne. Or some verbena. Or maybe some snapdragons, to keep with the "upright colorful flowers" thing. Maybe cayenne or verbena flanking some snapdragons. :)
Dad's garden in front of the house is just exploding with color, with the daffodils, tulips, petunias, dwarf rhodendron, plum trees (one of which is almost totally covered in white blooms, many of which will need to be removed so the ones left can fruit), grape hyacinths, and whatever else he has going. I'm envious, as always when I visit in the spring & summer. He really works on both the flowers in front and the herbs/vegetables in back, though. It's the one biggest drawback of the place I bought--not much space at all to grow stuff.
The added bonus of visiting and helping with the gardens was that Dad sent me home with a shepherd's crook (for a hanging basket), a hanging basket, and a long planter. I went out to Home Depot this afternoon and grabbed some impatiens (for the basket), some Provence lavender, and some strawberry plants. Oh, and some good potting soil. I now have orange and white impatiens in the hanging basket next to my back patio (a nod to my college alma mater) and lavender flanking my strawberry plants in the planter. And Round 2 of my tulips, after last year resulted in stunted and non-blooming tulips. Hopefully, this year will do better. Regardless, the tulips will end up being replaced after they're done. I'm still debating what to put in that particular planter; I'd love to do some heliotrope (in honor of Wildlands South), but HD didn't have any. I saw some at one of the nurseries I visited on Saturday, which got me to considering it. I suspect it does better in the hills of East Tennessee than in the higher heat & humidity of Atlanta, sadly.
Failing that, I might grow some cayenne. Or some verbena. Or maybe some snapdragons, to keep with the "upright colorful flowers" thing. Maybe cayenne or verbena flanking some snapdragons. :)