Where the Wild Things Grow

I was gone for 10 days (or was it more?), and came home to flower gardens galore, plus a jungle of weeds, vines and lawn. My garage is almost completely covered with vines. A vine on the side of the house has stretched halfway onto the porch and onto the sliding glass door. Wow. I'm scared to see what this place is going to look like when I get home from the next trip, which is going to be about a week longer!


I'm home for 48 hours or so and making the most of it! Mowed most of the lawn already this morning and am getting ready to tackle some weeds, beat back vines and do some weedwhipping. Plus laundry, repacking, a couple article deadlines, cleaning the house & watching Alice in Wonderland. Whew.


The one thing I am super-excited about is this: My clematis. It is astonishing this year. Finally! After nearly killing it when I first transplanted it, having the trellis fall and nearly pull it out of the ground the next year, THEN having it choked by the "purty but I ain't never planting those again" morning glories last year, I think I've finally succeeded! I think Grandma Becker would be proud.

My flowerbeds are kind of a mess this year. The hollyhocks are a giant FAIL. I need to move them to a new location next year -- if they survive the summer. I'm not really enthusiastic about the wildflower mix I planted earlier in the spring, but I guess a few more weeks will help me make up my mind. Anyways, I'm pleased with the big flowerbed this year -- it's chock-full of purple coneflowers, four-o'clock mix and (hopefully) zinnias:

Never mind the obligatory weeds. I'm not sure how much maintenance I will be able to get in, as I have about 32 hours left in my furlough at home. So I'm outta here. Next blog will be somewhere from the East Coast!