Kicking off a three day weekend...

Recuperation has allowed me time to sit in the garden and consider what work needs to be done. Pruning the trees, an ongoing task, seemed most pressing to me. And we (well...I ) have been nothing but slothful the past few days.

We have been just watching a lot of movies lately; Greenfingers (a great Helen Mirren flick) Charlie Wilson's War (Houston story, eye crossing to know what happened back in the '80 to get us where we are today with Afghanistan) PS: I Love You (nice, but I didn't cry) and Bagger Vance (again..if you love hats, you really, really must see this flick.) I even watched a truly weird Bollywood film based on a Russian novel....hoo boy.

This morning Bernie suggested that we do tree trimming on Monday so the clippings could go out with the trash on Wednesday.

He was thinking right with that, but I was raring to make the trees look like I had envisioned, so I headed out. He and Laura followed, and took charge of the tools that were needed to make the changes needed.

I wanted all the branches that were over their head GONE. With the branches gone, it would be possible to see our neighbors lovely tree that turns yellow in the fall, and the pink flowering and blue flowering trees in their yard as well.

It is called "borrowing" landscaping.

It was so hot and steamy out that the camera kept fogging up.

Naturally Tiggie joined in. He is very fond of playing "sticks" and there sure were a lot being created here.
I accidental stepped on his tail at one point. He yowled, gave me an offended look, then settled right back into the action. Bernie found it quite challenging to drop large branches without hitting the cat.

See? Doesn't that look a lot better? Same view as the first shot....
(Notice the Faithful Orange Cat is still on duty.)

We cleared out a tree that was growing almost parallel to the ground. We had stalled on removing it because it always held one of our big bird feeders. We'll replace it with one like the one pictured above, and hang it from a shepherd's crook.

Clearing the branches out should also allow more sunlight to fall on our back lawn area. It has basically died from lack of sunlight. Strangely thought, a volunteer sunflower has bloomed in the most shaded part of the garden.

I'm thinking of scattering more sunflower seeds; the one flower looks so cheery!

I've still got to replant the garden bed. The last few years I've planted coleus; this year I have loads of volunteers. Wouldn't you know it, this year I have a hankering to plant inpatients.

For some reason this year NONE of the local nurseries are carrying inpatients!

I am getting really impatient for impatients!

After four hours of work, we were all sweaty and ready to retreat inside for a nice bison burger cooked on the barbecue (sooo much yummier than beef...) and some mango lassi (yogurt, ice, sugar and mango drink, very refreshing) and we plan to wile the rest of the day away watching a few more flicks.

Are you doing anything exciting this weekend?

Tell me about it.

It has to be more interesting than what we are doing.

I am amazed to think that this time last year I was in Switzerland; what a difference year this is!