Mother's Day Antics

I'm breaking into my regularly scheduled posting (which was supposed to be about moving the gazebo) to report on Mother's Day happenings.  

When Joel was a little boy, he brought home a rock from the woods across the road for me as a gift for Mother's Day.  He was so sweet in his little red boots and baseball cap, towing the rusty old red wagon behind him.  It took every bit of strength he had to haul the wagon as the rock was quite large for a boy of four.  I really do not know how he managed to load the stone by himself.  I so wish I had a photo of him with the stone back then, but looking back, the moment is somehow dimmed when a camera is involved if you know what I mean.  I keep the memory safe in my heart.

Thus began a lifelong tradition of rocks for Mother Day. Every year I look forward to seeing his newest acquisition.  And with no further ado, here is the 2017 Mother's Day Rock of the Year:

Carl, directing traffic with his hot pink tennis racket.  (No, we haven't taken up a new pastime, the racket is a handheld bug zapper.)

 We had a home all picked out for the new rock, just move the pine needles over and..........

Unload the rock from the truck......

And there it is, safe and sound in the garden; one more memory to cherish.  

 (And I still don't know how he loaded that rock by himself.)

 Joel's Mother Day festivities? Activities? Weren't over yet; at my request, he donned chainsaw attire and we sallied forth to take down three ailing Colorado Blue Spruce trees.

 It was a very melancholy job for all three of us; Joel helped plant these trees as tiny seedlings over thirty years ago.  Sadly, blue spruce has not done well here; they were gorgeous up until they were about twenty-five years old and then began to decline.  
The problem could be they were planted too close, it could be fungus-related, but in any event, it is once again time for a change.

As renowned plantsman Adrian Bloom said in his book, 'Gardening with Conifers', once a plant has outlived its usefulness, take the opportunity to introduce something new.  By the end of the weekend, we ended up cutting down six trees and now we have a vast, open space.  I have some ideas on what to do next, but Carl's not playing along.  (More coming up on what we do next!)

After we destroyed the trees, we were back to working on the Pachyberm remodeling which was begun last fall before the septic tank replacement antics.  Yes, I know, we should to stick to one job and see it through.   

Dave stopped home for Mother's Day on Sunday and was recruited to drive tractor for stone moving. 

  Carl's sister Mary and her husband, Tom, also stopped in on Sunday and were helping us carry branches and move stones and on Saturday, Ann was weeding and hauling branches, too. 

 I think my sons are happy Mother's Day only comes once a year, visiting us is risky business.  

My love to David, Joel and Abby and Audrey for a wonderful Mother's Day!  I am truly blessed.

Next up: What happened to the gazebo?