I worked in the yard Saturday, but did so for my own pleasure, not mulch guilt. And it certainly wasn't as grueling as yesterday. All I did was putter around my potted plants and work on Bird Central in my back yard.

For the arduous task of getting my photo taken (it is quite awful) and submitting my passport application, I rewarded myself with a new bird feeder and an iron pole with two curved hooks for hanging feeders. I also bought a third hook and some thistle. And...I bought a squirrel baffle!

I was quite excited at the prospect of feeding only birds and not the local squirrel family.

Getting it set at the right angle so that no squirrel could leap from the tree took quite a bit of persistence, but I believe I prevailed.

I also discovered some seedlings from last summer among my plants, so I repotted them with root stimulator.

Altogether it was a great day...but soon became greater!

You see, I discover the miracle mint.

What is miracle mint you ask? Well, let me tell you. Last summer, I went to spend the weekend with my best friend the week before she her first child was due. We were going to cram in lots of games and such since she would shortly be quite busy with a newborn. But her daughter had other plans. She decided to arrive early.

It was quite a blessing for me to be able to be there as my friend welcomed her daughter...even if it meant that we weren't going to be playing lots and lots of games! The day before, I had been admiring some mint in her yard. It reminded me of my childhood. My friend gifted some to me and I brought it home as a reminder of her new beginning.

Unfortunately, I neglected to bring the mint inside before the first freeze and it died since I had left it in the pot. I was quite sad about losing the mint.

Well, Saturday, after I had puttered and potted and assembled, I fell to watering the plants before going inside and discovered the miracle mint!

My friend's mint was growing in the same pot as one on of the perennials that I had tried wintering inside. Now, you might think that is not quite miraculous, but I do. The mint had been in the corner of the upper deck beneath the water fountain, while this plant had been on the lower deck in the opposite corner. How did it get transplanted? Birds? Those rotten squirrels? Why didn't I see evidence of the mint all winter or even in the spring? One day...seemingly...poof!

I suppose I will never know, but I did rather gently pull the mint out of the pot and put it in another with much fertilizer and moist soil! I cannot wait to make mint tea!

P.S. Many, many, many more birds have come now that they have squirrel free feeding zone... but alas..no golden finches...