a summer weekend
You know another reason I love my husband? Because he loves to go on garden walks with me. He actually was the one to have the forethought to get the tickets a week or so ago and put them proudly on the front of the refrigerator. How lucky am I? AND he likes to weed....
So on a gray and cool Saturday we dropped the boys off at my folks and set off. Many of the gardens were great but I must say, by and large, they make me appreciate and be proud of parts of my garden. The thing that really always stands out are the bones of the garden....good and interesting trees....nice hardscape....there was definitely some stone terraces and edging I was jealous of. It's a wonderful way to get ideas.....and also have to chance to peer at peoples' houses! Without a doubt the highlight was Mike and Taya Ross' garden. My picture doesn't really capture it but it was definitely the most creative and appealing of them all.
Although I do find myself drawn to shade gardens by and large.... This garden had a wonderful use of evergreen trees that really gave me pause. We need to kind of rethink our garden and put in some small trees, etc. that will give it some winter bones....
In the evening we listened to the rain pour....a wonderful sound anyway, but particularly after our drought like year. This morning I did the church and shopping stuff with my Dad and then took my mother clothes shopping. Schlepping her wheelchair in and out of the car in 100% humidity may have taken a few years off my life but she had a great time. Sometimes it's a little hard to get her out but then she lights up when she's out of the house. Afterward I drove her by some of the gardens we'd seen yesterday, which she loved. She's trying taking pain pills---they help but make her nauseous. Anyway---it was overall a good day but I gotta say it took it out of me and I still have the headache to prove it. She did say that maybe we should look into the cheaper assisted living option. It will kill my father to give up his cats though. I can NOT put those cats to sleep and Ernie, as wonderful as he is, has said NO to us taking them. I'm not sure what I'll do about that.....
My dearest neighbor Dave lost his father yesterday and I also heard from my very,very good friend Kathleen that her mother had died. Not long ago our friend Jeff lost his father and not that long before that our friend Doug lost his mother. A sign of my age I guess but it also makes me realize I need to cherish these times with my parents....headache or no headache.....