Labor Day?

I think we got the two holiday weekends that bookend summer confused at our house this year. Memorial Day weekend included A LOT of outdoor labor. The weather was perfect--not a drop of rain, plenty of sun, and low wind. Our activities included: mulching (apparently I am a natural mulch raker, according to my husband. This is how he kept me helping. He's a smart man to remember my love language is words of affirmation), mulching, mulching. Ripping out dead bushes and shrubs. Cutting down a dead tree (much to the horror of our 5 year old who shouted "Stop!! Why in the world are you hurting a tree?!?!"). Planting about a zillion perennial flowers and bushes (pretty sure we single-handedly supported Sargents with our business. I made no less than 4 trips). Finally getting pots for the front porch and planting them. Adding to the garden (added more kale plants and a row of my favorite fairytale eggplant). Starting our little orchard--Matt mowed out an area in our previously unmowed portion and we planted two honeycrisp trees, a snow sweet tree, and a zestar tree (all delicious MN varieties of apples). And, planning to try and catch and relocate a rabbit who has decided our front mulch beds are his personal toilet. If you need to know what rabbit poop looks like, you can come here. We have a disgusting amount of it. In between tasks we chugged iced tea and lemonade, ate a variety of grilled meals on the patio, and made sure the kids weren't getting into too much trouble in the yard. About 1 p.m. on Monday we all hit a total brick wall and just had to call it quits--it was showers for all, and the Lego Movie (it's possible Matt and I dozed for much of it) in the cool darkness of the basement. Now the fun begins....if you need us this summer we will be watering and weeding.

My pretty pots. Someone really needs to get a more respectable mat for our front door.

I'm on a quest for more color around here...both in and outdoors

This is what my first born looked like at 5 p.m. Sunday when we loaded up to go back to the nursery one more time. It's a wonder I wasn't turned in for child neglect. She looks like an exhausted  country bumpkin-ragamuffin for sure! But, she still managed to grab her purse. Priorities, people.

And child #2. Totally wiped and insistent on wearing these goggles that are meant to make sidewalk chalk drawings 3D. We have no shame over here. I am doing my best to raise confident women who take serious fashion risk.

Matt's BRILLIANT idea of setting up the tent saved the weekend. It was a great play area for the girls and a nice spot for some respite and book reading during the warm afternoons. There is no way we would have been able to be as productive if he hadn't done this.

Yes. This is me pulling on the rope to help cut down this tree. My husband took this pic while he had a chainsaw in the other hand. No worries, he only needs his eyes for work. 

Planting the apple trees!

The humble beginnings of the Howe Orchard. Check back in about 5 years, maybe we'll have some apples if the fencing we put up around each of them actually keeps the deer out.

Trying to lure that darn pooping rabbit into a live trap to relocate him. No success thus far...pretty sure all the bush whacking around here may have taken away his hiding spots and he decided to move on. Let's hope! I have had more encounters with rabbit poop the last three days than one should have to endure in a lifetime.