Something different- gardening

I mentioned a few posts ago that I have taken an interest in gardening since we moved to our new house. Here are a few things I've learned:

1) I am so grateful for the people who lived here before us, who apparently had enough money to hire a landscaper. :)
2) Gardening is HARD work! I have spent a lot of time and effort to make the yard look nice, while knowing that flowers are a temporary thing that I don't have a lot of control over.
3) I'm also very knowledgeable to people who have more experience. Who would've known that there are so many plants that can look exactly the same to people who have no knowledge. "Green pokey thing," "Another green pokey thing," ""Ooh... green shiny pokey thing!"
4) Apparently I do not mix well with poison ivy... at all. It's ironic that I'm great at following social distancing rules and quarantining and then break out by ending up in the ER twice. (I'm better now, mostly.)

      Here are some of the beautiful things that have been growing in my yard over the past month. In all fairness, I did not plant any of these- but some of the things I did plant seem to finally be coming up. We'll see I guess!
                                                                
     The picture of the flowers in the vase were flowers given to me by Peta, an elderly woman next door. They were beautiful and smelled so nice! She grew them in her garden. They have also sent over scallions and rhubarb!

Happy anniversary

       I am not a girl who "needs" flowers, but every once in a while, it's nice to receive them. Today is my 19th wedding anniversary and I wanted to show off the beautiful flowers my husband sent me.
Very sweet! Marriage can be a lot of work sometimes. These were a really nice surprise after taking the boys out to swim at a local river. Thanks, Matt!

How sweet

    Today is my birthday. I got a call during a class today telling me that there was "something special" downstairs. After some speculations from my 5th graders (and them realizing that it is my birthday), another teacher brought me these flowers. The students were convinced they were from my husband and sons. I didn't think they were because I'd be just as happy if the boys went and made me a leaf bouquet as I would if they spent $150 on roses (probably be more happy with the bouquet since we aren't rich). Well, I opened the card and, wouldn't you know, they are from 2 8th grade girls and a 5th grade boy (brother of one of the 8th graders).  How sweet. In addition to that, they gave me a card and each wrote a special letter to me. I'm so blessed.

 

PS. I was also spoiled at home :)

Fall pictures from this weekend

I love autumn. I have spent a lot of time outside in the past few days. Yesterday I attended a local fair and today was so beautiful that I just kept going outside. These pictures are not the highest quality but they show what it looks like around here lately. Looking over these pictures, I feel like I had the camera on the wrong setting. The colors looked a lot more vibrant in person. Guess you'll have to come visit me in MA if you want the real thing!

 This row of aliens just made me laugh.

 You know what else made me laugh? This man with a Minecraft sword. Matt couldn't believe I snuck a picture. Seriously though, when am I going to see this again?

 Tim tried his hand at riding a mechanical bull. He did pretty well. He's concentrating very hard as you can tell by his tongue hanging out in almost every picture. (Which is also why that cut on the side of his lip won't heal.. )

 Pretty scarves

 Animals at the fair

 I loved this cute little goat

 Eating the paint? Surely the hay isn't THAT bad.

 Sand sculpture.

 Displays outside the flower building done by a local nursery.

 Inside the flower building.

 Look at these amazing flowers and displays. I am not usually one to insist upon getting expensive flowers, but you have to admit these are beautiful. (If you insist on buying me expensive flowers, I have recently come across this site. How beautiful are those!?)

 There was a really cool bird with this bird but I couldn't get a good picture.

 This painting was done by a friend of mine. I just took a picture of it because I was proud of her. Way to go Judi!!!

 Outside my house this afternoon

Pictures from a walk with Timmy.