A garden, a mine and a side of scrubs

Lately my free time has been a mix yardwork in small batches when it is not 9oo degrees out, Minecraft, and Scrubs with a bit of laundry mixed in.  There were some days that I didn’t even fire up the laptop. True, having an iPhone makes it so I’m still connected to the digital world, but it is still not the same. I was up and somewhat moving.

Tiger lilies

I can sit outside and enjoy this or hack at dig work at the surrounding flowerbeds depending on my mood. I’ve honestly never gotten excited about bags of mulch being on sale before this summer.

Since this is only one section and I know even with both Darth Husband and I working on the yard, it will take a lot of hard work to get it to where we want it to be. Honestly, it will take years or a chance to be on Desperate Landscapes though it probably wouldn’t qualify for it to really be done. Then we’d have a new idea and it would start over if not somewhat all over again.  This I don’t mind since I know things will die, things will go crazy and need to be thinned out and we will continue to find more of the awesome dark maroon/purple-ish lilies that we both like.

Another tiger lily and an unknown purple flower

When I wasn’t out in the garden, I’ve gotten hooked on the pixelated land of Minecraft. Darth Husband is a gamer but the kind that moves, bathes, and interacts with real people and I’m a fan of video games as well unless it is Halo since I play it like a drunken penguin. I’m more of a puzzle person if we are talking non-Mario or Mortal Kombat era of games. Several people started talking about Minecraft and then Darth Husband downloaded the demo.

It all went downhill from there and by downhill I mean us both “fighting” over the Xbox. Realistically, I don’t play that much but it seems like when I’m all geared up to play he has a game time set up with a friend or two. (Please read “game time” as a somewhat pre-determined time to meet up online and not mix it up as a “game night” which is a whole other animal, vegetable, mineral.) When I have played though, with the game on peaceful, I’ve found it quite relaxing.  I just need to wear my glasses because the pixelated graphics make my eyes a bit wonky – not really hurt but a little “off” for a lack of a better word.

However, the one thing that has been running via the Xbox that we both agree upon is Scrubs. I had only seen the show in bits and pieces of later episodes. It sorta made sense but I had a feeling it was one of those shows that I had start over and watch from the beginning.  This was on my “to watch” list but I hadn’t put too much of a priority on it.  Darth Husband started the first season and I ended up getting hooked. Yes, I know this is an old show but for some reason I never watched it when it was new. The safest bet was that it was against something else that I did watch. Luckily through the beauty of Netflix, that’s not a problem.

We just finish watching Season 8 and started Season 9 but it’s ok. I also started Supernatural from Season One…

Music for this post: Fun.

Keep It, Kill It, Move It, Remove It: Gardening 2012

Normally May is when I start to think about the garden and the imposing doom of future plant chaos. This year, due to the unusual warm spell, everything is several weeks ahead. Everything, that is, except me. I have a plan this year and I really hope it ends up well. I enjoy working in the yard but there is always that point where I get a little behind and then it gets crazy. In an attempt to not get overwhelmed or rather not as fast, I am trying to first set things up as Keep It, Kill It, Move It, Remove It.

KEEP IT:
The prior owners of our house, especially the woman, were serious gardeners. We lucked out that they had a good amount of perennials including daffodils, hostas, sedum, phlox and hostas. We have a few rose bushes including one that wants to climb on the roof if we don’t keep an eye on it. There are a few tulips, one peach iris, and a clematis that have kept going as well. If we can split anything to move elsewhere, it will save us money and as long as it takes, it will be less stress in the future. I don’t like matchy matchy gardens but having the same elements here and there looks really nice.

KILL IT:
Goutweed. Snow on the Mountain. Bishop’s Weed. I Hate You and I Want You to Go Away Plant. If anyone offers you this and you don’t want it to try to take over EVERYTHING, say NO!  The yearly attack on this plant is aggravating. I think it is a reason why my tulips never came back fully. This choked them out!

We also have wild violets that like to come back every year. While they are pretty, they can get HUGE and take over.

MOVE IT:
Tiger Lilies are one plant that do extremely well, sometimes too well.  I love the flowers so this puts them in the “move it” category.  If they don’t take, it isn’t that big of a deal since we have many many more to use for a second try.  I have a few places that need a pop of color and I think these bright orange flowers will work perfectly.

There is a section of our yard that is looking a bit Jurassic Park-ish with all the ferns so those will get thinned out and moved as well. Last year we even had one pop up in the grass though the little plastic dinosaur looked hilarious that was moved before it got really huge.  I never knew just how crazy big they would get. We had one last year that was almost hip height. It is safe to say that wherever they end up, they will work and eventually get moved again.

REMOVE IT:
There is one shrub that you can find at our home as well as homes of family and friends, Rose of Sharon.  We have ones with pink, white, and purple-ish flowers. I love them all. What I don’t love is all the ity bity little trees shrubs that pop up.  I do keep some if I want to make a bit thicker hedge, if there is a gap needing to be filled, or to plant elsewhere. Otherwise they get pulled while they are small and I don’t fall over trying to pull one out.

Now I just need a weekend of nice weather or a few days when I have the energy in the evening to get going.  The first serious push will be a lot of work but it will totally be worth it.