And yet more work in the yard

I woke up early, and then couldn't go back to sleep. So I got up and had coffee on the porch. It's going to be a beautiful day. When I came in, I continued putting finishing touches on the house, and had some breakfast. Justin, Preston, and Jim were here about 9, and we had a great time in Anderson.

I bought a nice little marked Fire King grease jar, with the lid, for $5. It is a plain ivory, but has no chips. In Justin's book, which is about 10 years old, it was priced at $14-$16, so it was a good deal. Plus I just really liked it.

I saw a few pieces of Depression Glass, but it was either clear or priced too high.

Mainly what I bought today was plants. After last year's disaster, I had sworn off of them, but something about spring being in the air just makes you want to buy flowers. I also found some really nice ones today :

- Zinnias (pronounced ZEEN yas down here) in four colors - butter yellow, hot pink, orange, and red. They are supposed to proliferate like crazy, and come back, which will be great. I have always liked them.
- Fiesta lantana with the multi-color blossoms. This variety goes from yellow to gold to a deep orange. I had the plain yellow already, but have always liked the multi-color stuff, and wanted some.
- Colias for the front porch. I didn't do so well with them last year, but I learned I have to pinch them back really hard, so I'm trying again. I got some really pretty deep red ones, and am setting them out with some light green ornamental sweet potato for dramatic contrast. Should be pretty. I also got a splashy varigated one for another pot by itself.

Of course, buying all these flowers meant I spent more time outside today, setting them out. I usually hate to work in the yard. But when the weather is so gorgeous outside, I just want to be out there in it. It was 74 and absolutely scrumptuous today. I started by doing all the planters on the front porch.

Since I had already weeded the bed by the front walk, the soil was already turned. I dug out all that old artemesia that I have never cared for, and set out zinnias around the purple plum. I also started something I have been meaning to do ever since I moved into this house.

There is almost a perfect rectangle between two sides of the yard, the sidewalk, and the road in front of my house. I have always wanted to dig it into a bed. But it will be quite an undertaking - apparently even more of one than I thought it would be. Since I had the multi-colored lantana, I wanted it in the bed by the walk. So I decided to move the plain yellow down by the road. I went down to dig a nice hole, and was amazed at how rocky the ground was. I'm surprised even the weeds could live down there. That section must have been gravelled at one time. But after a good amount of work, I had stripped out all the grass, and dug out the rocks to make a good place to move the lantana into. I hope it lives. I dug out pretty far around it, so it should have a good root ball, and I had prepared a good place for it to go into. I hear that lantana is pretty hearty, so I'm thinking it should be OK.

That done, since I was already dirty, I decided to tackle the privet hedge. That wasn't as bad a job as usual, because a) I cut it back really hard last year, and b) since it was so dry last summer, it didn't get as huge as it usually does. While I was pruning, I cut the purple plum away from the house again. Michael set it out too close to the house, so that is a constant thing. Eventually, I am afraid that tree is going to have to come out. That finished up all the pruning.

I was pretty whooped at that point, and hadn't had any lunch, so I went in for some sandwiches and a nap. When I woke up, it was about 5, and I decided to call Russ and Billy and see what they were up to. They were in Charlotte last night. They were free, but Russ was still working in the yard, which meant if I went over, I'd be sitting outside with him while he did planters and things. I decided I couldn't go over there and sit with him in his yard while mine still needed attention. So I mowed the grass, then cleaned up and went over. My yard right now looks about as good as it ever does. I am full of plans for improvements that I'm sure will be abandoned when first real hot spell hits. It's kind of an annual thing.

I got over there about 7, and Russ was finishing up. Plus, it was turning off chilly. Billy had an online meeting to attend with LOCK though, and that went on for an hour and a half. I sat in there with him on the laptop, being teased by the Food Network. They did have some good stuff on. By 9, Russ and I were starving, so we went on out to dinner at the Olive Garden. I know that Olive Garden gets a bad rap from a lot of foodies. But the food we had last night was delicious. For some reason the one over on our side of town isn't quite as subruban as the one over off Laurens Road, so I don't feel like I'm going to spontaneously combust or be turned into a Stepford Steve while I eat. Russ and I had a great meal, and then I went home for bed. I am tired.