Gardening Days...

This is day number 7 in the yard. This time last year we were preoccupied with Jimmy's health and spent our "extra" time primarily in the doctor's waiting room and the yard didn't get full attention. But that's a different story. For the past week I've been weeding and weeding (the roots go to China) and creating a crisp edge to the beds and borders. The bushes got a haircut, too. I trimmed all the borders with my new Toro electric trimmer. Jimmy has a macho Echo gas trimmer but it is so heavy and powerful, I'm afraid I'll do more that cut grass with it. My new one has a vertical trim feature that I really like (and Jimmy does, too) and other than miles of extension cords, it's easy to use. No gas engine to start. A truck load of hardwood mulch really sets of the plants and makes the front yard look like a magazine. I planted 3 new Endless Summer Hydrangeas on the side yard and hope they work out.

This morning I was weeding and mulching the crape myrtle near the driveway and a big brown spider jumped in the sleeve of my Tshirt. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and when I looked inside my shirt, it started jumping all around. It bit my arm--ouch. Then he took a leap into the front of my shirt. I started to shreek when he found his way out the bottom and he was gone.

I came inside and called Jimmy who was on his way to Newport News to play golf with the Uncles. He said to call the doctor. Meanwhile, I went online and the spider that bit me did not look like a brown recluse spider. It was kind of a cocoa brown, fatter and had thicker legs. So I'm washing the area off and applying good old Neosporine. If it worked on my horses years ago, it's good enough for me. The doctor just called and said there's not much you take, except some Benedryl. I told him it was like a bee sting.

Jimmy tries to play golf with the Uncles once a week, weather and schedule permitting. I've always pushed for him to do this since they are more like brothers than old uncles. You have to make time for the important things or they will pass you by. Jimmy was impressed by "Tuesdays for Morrie" and that has gone a long way to his creating time with them. There's an enormous amount of wisdom and intelligence in that group. Uncle Roy is 80. Uncle Phil is in his upper 70's, I think. We just lost Uncle Donnie to colon cancer a couple months ago. Golf with the Uncles has given them all some good memories of sharing time together.

The weather is glorious--clear, blue skies and up to 82 degrees today, and best of all, no humidity! I'm anxious to plein air paint some this afternoon. I might just stay here and paint the willow trees behind our house. But first I have to have everything ready for Jimmy to make me 2 more raised vegetable beds. There is a pressing need to get the heirloom tomatoes in the ground and growing.