What season is it?

Mud!!!

We had our first mud pies of the year today. Or, I should say, Annika did. (I wish I could remember where I read this week about someone's assertion that young women might be sicker than young men because they don't get dirty enough as little girls. That won't be the case with this child.)

The best dirt for mud pies is right in the middle of the path off the patio

We had a nice afternoon sun break, and the kids were both grumpy (so was I), so I pushed us all out to work in the yard a bit. Sometimes it actually helps, but this time both children were in tears after only 10 minutes had gone by. We smoothed that over, but Gabriel went inside for a rest (I made him stay in his bed if he wasn't going to be outside). So, Annika cut the grass with some trimming shears while I worked on the weeds. One of the side effects of living in a climate with mild winters is the weeds start growing before you're ready to be outside.

Shotweed/snapweed blooming already!!

By the time I'm ready to weed, I've already lost the battle. I thought maybe I'd try to keep up with them this year. I was able to get part of the hedgerow cleaned up, and even put down a bag of bark mulch.

The hedgerow. To the left are some strawberries that need a new home, and to the right is bare ground that needs some cover. The big, bare bushes are native wild roses. They will eventually fill in along the fence, I hope.

The ground is too mushy to mow, so hubby is off the hook for a bit. Though some of our neighbors have a yard service come by to mow every week, and they were on duty today. I weeded till my fingers got numb (the temp was slipping down below 45 degrees) and then we went inside for hot cocoa. My mind is turning about what I want to do in the yard this year. I'll be sure to update you as we make progress!