Hello there...

So the school year is over for The Girl and I--The Boy has four more days.  The Girl is officially a junior (!).  We were going to go up the ski apartment this weekend, but it is snowing in the mountains, so we stayed home and worked on a few projects instead--

An artsy view of the secret garden--the gnomes live there now and area very happy. In the front are our baby Sequoia trees...someday they will need bigger pots, but not today.

The garden, I actually can't remember everything I planted, but I can see cilantro, beets, corn, carrots, green beans, and maybe spring onions.  Of course, there are always onions, garlic, and scallions.

View from the side yard--it suddenly looks so green--its amazing what a spring snow storm will do for the plants.  There are some dead leaves on the fruit trees--I'm hoping that is just a minor set back.

Biggest project of the weekend--new arch and gate in the side yard, to protect the side yard plants from Morrison . She can't seem to leave the plants alone...

Of course, the rest of the side yard is a bit iffy...but we're making progress. Mr. IM has started working on the sprinklers so we can put in some plants.

I transplanted a bunch of the plants from the greenhouse--fingers crossed that it really is warm enough at night...here are a bunch of tomatoes and peppers.

Looking into the new gate.

We put new trellis in the backyard to make sure that Morrison doesn't get into the grape vines.  She jumped into the wooden trellis several times this winter and destroyed them...

A few more plants...

Plants outside the greenhouse and garden stuff stored in the greenhouse...

St. Francis and his raccoon.  There is a frog now, too...

Flowers and peas...

Oregano and lettuce

Sad kale.  I need a better plan next time.  Maybe we'll do a fall crop.

Another view of the greenhouse.  It might need some attention.

New trellis with pots that fit in it--very colorful!

No IEPs done today

My only trip outside the house was to the new grocery store early this morning and I'm at 17,470 steps...I guess I did get something done today...but no IEP's....Here are some pictures from around the yard and house.

Little patio owls had a bath so they are ready for spring...

Beach gnomes are enjoying their seashells and the warmer weather

Side yard frog and some mint...it is popping up in new places now!

A little new mulch in the front--clearly some more is necessary, at some point...but this covered the bald spot for now

One grape vine with leaves and buds

Ducks had a bath and are ready for summer, too!

Hostas have a little new mulch--they are looking good!

There is a hole in the bird bath, so now it is a bird nest.  Or something...we'll see...

New seating area?  Or maybe I've had the table there before.  Clearly the border needs some attention, but that is as far as I got today!

Side yard patio cleaned up--ready for plants and decor as soon as it is really summer!

View from backyard looking towards side--peach tree looks good, despite the crazy freeze last weekend!

A few of the surviving succulents...Morrison likes to eat them...

Another view of the side yard, with the dog containment gate in place.

Garden, seeds planted...we'll see what happens with weather during the next couple weeks, I guess!

My new hummingbird light--the girl thinks it is ugly!  The nerve!

Purdue planter gets a plant...although I think I need one in a smaller pot eventually!

Saint Francis, his raccoon, and his bunny survived the winter..

Greenhouse is full...now to keep things at just the right temperature--I hosed it down a few times today to keep it cool enough!  Even with the door open it was warm in there today!

View from deck

Another view...

Ducks again...

I put the gnome village in the backyard this year--we'll see if the boy lets them stay there--they are pretty cute in their new place..

One planter from the greenhouse--I was hoping it would flower by now, but it hasn't...so next year I'll have to get a greenhouse heater and start growing things in January!

We're going to "test out" the yard for the first spring party--next week is LobstaFest (a fundraiser for the Colorado SIDs foundation).  Should be a good party!

As some of you commented on facebook, we've been cleaning inside as well-we've sold and given away several items, including the train table and a couple bikes.... photos of the inside of the house to follow later!

What I read in April 2017

Somehow I only read five books in April and one was an audiobook.  Egads...

1.  The Tsarina's Daughter (Carolly Erickson)--a very fictionalized version of how one of the last Tsarinas (one of the older daughters) could have survived and lived a "normal" life outside of Russia.  It was a good story and would have been believable if the author hadn't written a long preface and a long epilogue telling that it couldn't possibly have happened.  I like my fiction to be fiction...
2. Belzhar (Meg Wolitzer)--So remember a couple months ago when "everyone" on Facebook was posting the fifth line of the 30th page (or whatever it was) of the book nearest to them?  A quote from this book was posted by one of my friends, and I googled the quote, then picked up the book at the library.  It is about a group of teens at a boarding school for kids suffering from grief and loss.  It was a good read--I enjoyed it, even though it was dark.  It had a little bit of science fiction/magic, which added to the story.
3.  The Very First Damned Things (Jodi Taylor)--A good short read while I wait for her new book to come out in a couple months.  This is the "pre-story" of how the organization that examines historical events in their historical context ("It's' not time travel!") began.
4. The Lost Tribe of Coney Island (Claire Prentice)--Nonfiction, set in the early 1900's about a group of Filipino tribespeople who came to the US to be exhibited at Coney Island and other places.  Their manager turned out to be corrupt and the book is about not only the exhibitions but about the subsequent court trials. An interesting read.
5.  Night Train to Memphis (Elizabeth Peters)--Always a classic--I downloaded it from the library and listened in the car.  If you're familiar with Elizabeth Peters, this is a "Vicky" book and is the one where she goes on a Nile cruise and a mystery occurs (as always).

Probably no top ten this month, but all worth the read!