Hot and bothered again...but for good reason.

With some help from DB, I managed to get the majority of the mulch down and put in new bushes behind the bench where the old ones died. I wanted to get all the work done, but I was growing too weak, so I left the final two beds for later. The reason for this was that one of the beds has hostas that need to be split and the other is where the hostas pieces will go (I lost some in last year's drought). I knew I would not be splitting or digging or anything else with a shovel.

I was right about the basement. Yesterday morning, I took a look-see and ignored what I saw. When my writing student came over, she went down there to fetch a TV-tray for her to use (we eat and compute on them). She rather gently told me about the water, and I admitted that I was in denial. However, most of it had evaporated, so the only real chore left was putting to two rugs out to dry on the deck railing and putting the laundry rug into the dryer.

The good thing about all the rain is that the moss I transplanted has taken firm hold! Those tiny spots of green in my flower pots are so cheering. All the plantings are also soaking up the rain quite happily. Thursday night, my homemade-rain-gauge-mason-jar filled up to the 16 ounce mark or 3.5 inches.

The best part of this day is that the azaleas I purchased were both on sale and still blooming. It is as if I get to have an extra year of enjoyment from them. The added bonus is that I have been told a check covering their purchase on their way. My annual birthday check from my father will cover the mulch, so all is wonderfully accounted for and beautifully in place.

Below are photos from the back yard. I added one from the corner bed that is on the side of the house so that you can see what a sliver of rosemary can become if it is clipped from the amazing rosemary bush that is growing in my writing student's back yard. I also added photos of the upper and lower decks. In posting them, I realized that I did not capture the baker's rack I have on the upper deck that sports all the moss gardens and the two bonsais I own. I shall add that one some other time.

Can you see my puppy dog?