Thursday

 I imagine by now, everyone is sick of seeing daffodil and tulip pictures, but they are still blooming their hearts out, and it seems unfair not to give them their due.  Since the weather turned a bit cooler again, the tulips should last a bit longer than they do when the temps soar.

 The calamagrostis grasses are putting on their new growth at a rapid rate, pictured above is 'Avalanche' showing its nice white stripe in every blade.

It took me years to grasp the concept of planting grass in the garden, especially when the first grass we ever planted was ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea) which is very invasive with a capital I.  It took a long time to eradicate the ribbon grass from the formal garden, and then we tried planting it in a very big stainless container only to find it would try to escape from its confines by growing out of the pot.  We finally got rid of it.

Then Carl saw Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Forester' and showed me how graceful it is in the garden and I grudgingly gave in and planted some.  Now grasses are some of my favorite plants!  The calamagrostis species always put on early season growth, but the miscanthus are much slower, needing warmer weather to come into maturity.  We've been very lucky and have no problem with any of the grasses we grow being invasive or self-seeding.  Once again, Carl was right.  You read it here.

 Not a grass or daffodil, just a picture of our Weeping Norway Spruce with the new berm behind it.

 The first phone call I received this morning was from the small engine parts store, the Dixon's parts were here already.  That was good news, and Joel picked it up for me so I didn't have to go back there and make a fool of myself yet again, lol.  I stayed home and prepared lasagna and a dessert for supper and Dale joined us.

And I have to report, our new living room floor is in!

Ok, it's in the living room, sitting in boxes, acclimating.  (If it was only so easy to install it!)  Carl picked it up this afternoon, and I'm actually more excited about it now, after opening a box and laying some out on the floor.  Let's hope we made the right choice; I guess we'll know more in a week or two when it's actually installed.

After supper, Joel had the front wheels off of the Super H tractor and checked on the wheel bearings, then he sharpened the big Dixon lawn mower blades and reinstalled them and loaded some dirt for Carl while he was working on the east quarry hill this evening.  We're going to miss Joel this weekend as he is headed to Iowa Friday morning for the Concrete Canoe Races with our friend Ann and her daughter.  We expect him back on Sunday evening if all goes well.  He's hoping to be able to photograph some lightning too, as storms are predicted. 

Until tomorrow, Karen