March 28, 2012

Almost Twenty-Two

That’s right. Twenty-one, almost twenty-two.

Years of marriage, that is.

And he caused my jaw to drop.

Just like that.

Dropped a bomb on me, he did.

Said “I saw bees. I wanted to stomp them, but I remembered you wanted them around to pollinate, so I didn’t…”

Wonder why a comment about bees could make my jaw drop, and simultaneously make my heart glow?

Here’s the quick version: Hubby likes green grass, manicured, weed-free, fertilized and ferti-loamed, broadleaf sprayed suburban green. That’s his desire.

Enter my new, three-year old phase of organic obsession, requiring chemical-free lawn clippings for mulch, and pesticide-free flowers and plants for beneficial insect habitat. I’ve driven him plumb crazy with my rants.

He listened, and he cared.

That.

That right there.

That’s love.

That’s down and dirty, jaw-dropping, knee-weakening, heart-thumping love.

Oh, you youngsters would have been proud of us back in the day. We could have made serious love scenes.

Like that time when we had clothing strewn from the car to the…

Oh, my!

You didn’t really think I was going to tell that story did you? ;)

Yeah, we had that. Yeah, we still know how to light that fire.

But the good stuff, the real stuff. That’s what I’m talking about.

He says tonight (yes, he was full of the good stuff tonight), “you just go on and rest your brain for a while. ” He knew it was a rough day at the office.

Permission to veg.

Permission to sit on the porch and listen to the birds.

That’s the good stuff.

I hope you get to enjoy the good stuff.

Dreamin’ Girl

March 28, 2012

Round Two of Name That Plant

Spring has sprung!

The robins are cheerfully building their nests and the sparrows are darting and dashing and courting and chirping.

The mourning doves are cooing, and the lilacs are blooming!

We’re early, but here we are. I hope that a seasonal freeze will not do irreparable damage.

I wandered around the yard and found a few new items, plants that have staked a claim to spare dirt and refreshing spring rains.

top of broadleaf weed

This is Plant One. There are a few of these plants growing around the base of the pool.

side of broadleaf weed

Here is a side view of Plant One, taken a week later to show the flowering top.

yellow flowered weed

Here is Plant Two, a carrot-like weed that is growing around the pool side, and into the lawn area.

neighboring crop weed

This is Plant Three. The neighboring soybean field was planted with this last year and it has grown again this spring, spreading its happy selves into my garden areas. I’m guessing it’s a cover crop, but I have not yet found its identity.

is it wild sumac?

This is Plant Four, a tree-like plant that grows like bamboo. It colonizes, sort of, and grows rapidly. The leaves have an appearance similar to black walnut, but have a definitive sour odor that leaves no doubt. I believe that it’s a type of sumac, but these have not produced berries in the seven years we’ve had them.