Salvaging the Day

It was a bad morning. I woke in one of those moods that means all who disturb me risk both life and limb, and Little Sprout was determined to disturb me as much as possible.

I held out as long as I could, hiding in the shower for a time. The problem with shower-hiding is that, eventually, either you run out of hot water or the one you are hiding from finds you. Not to mention the trouble it causes with your water bill. Seriously, though, if you think being tortured while you are fully dressed and able to run away is bad, try it when you are naked and wet. Just sayin'.

After a couple hours, I resorted to taking Little Sprout to the park. The theory was sound. Take her to a playground (where hopefully there would be other children), let her run off some of her excess energy, take her home in time for lunch and a nap, get some peace and quiet.

It kinda worked.

She played. She had fun with another little girl. About the time other moms (with older and more rambunctious children) were showing up, I was ready to go. That is when the battle started.

Oh, the screaming! Oh, the hitting! Oh, the misery of making Little Sprout leave the magical land of City Park!!!

I don't know if it will be better to take her back again soon so that she trusts that we will come back, or if I should just never take her out of the yard again.

Ugh.

I finally got her home, fed, and tried to lay her down for a nap. That wasn't happening, so I let her come outside with me while I worked in the yard. I planted out the tulips and daffodils that I accidentally forced earlier this spring (and have now died back). I also managed to get the woodchips back to the veggie bed paths, and I was pleased to see that I used less that half of what the tree guys left us for that project. Now I am thinking about using the rest as a casual garden path on the south side of the house, under the pine, where we can't seem to even grow weeds. The soil is so hard packed and totally devoid of nutrition in this area of the yard, it's just sad. I ammended the heck out of the flower beds last spring when I put the hostas in, and will continue to ammend it every year in hopes of building some good soil for other flowers. I just don't wanna do it on an area we are going to be walking on. I found out that my county has a community compost site that (theoretically) has free chipped wood mulch for residents. It would be mixed woods, and no guarantee that it is chemical/disease free (though the county asks that wood/brush brought in to be dumped be free of both), so I am not entirely sure that I wanna go that route. It is free, however, and that is a big draw.

This is the area I am talking about:


I think it will be beautiful. I am even going to ask Dad how much work it would be to cut some of the many piles of logs on the north side of the house to make stepping stones and a little patio area. Something like this pic:

I don't think I would want to do anything this complex, but several large pieces together with woodchips to fill in around it would look really nice. Of course the wood will decay with time, and it will be a pain to replace the log slices, but it would look so cool in the meantime, ya know? If I was allowed to run the chainsaw, I would be out slicing that stacked oak instead of sitting here talking to you!

I am going for that "woodland garden" thing in the back yard. It may not be Mr. Barefoot's favorite garden style (he tends to go for formal stuff), but I can do it cheaply and I find it very restful. Since I am going to be the one out there enjoying it, I should make it the way I want, right?

I am in a much better mood after getting to fuss around in my gardens, so I guess I can say that the day was salvaged. I have laundry in, I got to take two showers, and life is all around pretty tolerable right now. The wind has picked up, and it looks like the weathermen will be right (for a change) in their predictions of rain and cooler temps for the next few days. I don't mind... I will be working, and it is much more fun to sleep during the day when it is rainy outside than when it is sunny and beautiful!