Birds and Blooms

Well, true to my word, this weekend we did exactly what I told you needed to be done last week – our yard got a much over-due manicure.  

Late Saturday afternoon, my husband and I piled-up in the truck and headed out to Lowes for all the things it takes to create a spring landscape, plus everything else I managed to put my eyes and hands on and sneak onto the cart.

We rolled out of there with one of those big iron-dolly-carts stacked high. A huge bag of potting soil, another huge bag of bird feed, six Boston ferns, two big handle-trays of marigolds - one of them orange and yellow mixed, and one of them huge yellow blooms about the size of two half-dollar coins.

Three miniature multi-colored petunia baskets to hang on the beautiful three-pronged plant holder my

husband made for me about three years ago. A couple of pots of Gerber daisy’s – one red and one orange and a big pot of the newest Gerber creation called Lollipop. One huge red geranium – I try and have at least one of those every year as it’s one of my mama’s favorites and it always reminds me of her.

And last but not least, a new flag pole for our back yard shed, as the last one snapped in-two a couple of months ago and we had yet to replace it.  When we finally rolled up to the register, we looked like every cashier’s nightmare and every store owner’s dream.

The plan was to begin Makeover on Mims House – first thing Sunday morning. I knew it was supposed to be a nice, cool morning; perfect conditions for all the work we had ahead of us.

Complete with the services of Helms and Carter Lawncare and Landscaping – courtesy of our son Zach Helms - he pulled-in with their big-rig trailer full of everything one would need to bring a yard back to life. He cut the grass, edged the curbs and driveway, applied the weed eater to some much neglected areas, and then finished off with the spreading of fertilizer and weed killer.

My husband pulled all of the old pine straw off of all the lantana beds. The lantana in all three beds were already bursting-up through the straw, and the Amarillo’s around the mailbox are also about set to bloom as well.

Next, my husband and I cleaned out and refreshed pots of dirt, re-planting and transferring pretty flowers for hours – working off the tailgate of my truck. It’s the perfect height for me, no stooping and half-bending that would be sure to bring on a backache afterward, and most likely a couple of trips to the chiropractor next week. 

Before we could get our part finished, the birds were already enjoying the fresh food in their feeders. Cardinals flying in from all directions, poking their beaks in and out of the feeder and eying the fresh water that also filled their bird-bath nearby.

Now I can just sit on my glider and watch it all finish developing - in slow, beautiful motion.


copyright 2016 Michelle Mount Mims
Also previously published @ The Havana Herald