Yard labors...

The thing to do when you've only recently seriously injured your back is to prune your forsythia because guests are coming and they won't be able to walk past it when you ask them to come see your new driveway and the back side of your new haven.

I tried using a drop cloth to minimize the clean-up, but I really should have wrapped it around like a Christmas Tree skirt.  Next time.  If I remember.

The forsythia looks better, right?  And you can walk past it.  And it did not hurt as much as it could have ... I think.

Yes, I ....  Well, I was sweaty and shaking and already hurting, so I tackled the weeping cherry, which I have been avoiding because it requires bending over and that is always rather difficult for me, if not downright dangerous.

Here it is just five years ago.  A bargain at $38.95.  Who knew it would grow so well!

The disappointing part of this photo is that it really doesn't show just how hard I worked on the tree.  I think I did my best job yet at reducing its girth.  Though, looking at this photo, I probably had just a bit more I could do on the left side as it is curving to the back side.  Later, though.  I reduced its girth and trimmed it up about 18 inches from the ground, a difficult task since the yard slopes down fairly significantly as you move from one side of the tree to the other.  Still, I think that I trimmed it rather evenly.

On my Amos walk, I so enjoyed the variations of peonies that are blooming.

Pink is the most popular color in my neighborhood, though there are so very many shades of it.  These are actually a bit lighter than appearing here.

I like the color combination on whatever this is.  The dark center with the soft peach is quite beautiful to me.

These are the oddest blossoms I've ever seen.  So low to the ground and unassuming, yet they, too, are beautiful.

I very much doubt I will continue to be given such an impressive display as I have been for the past month, but I have so enjoyed the landscaping in my neighborhood.  Though ... I do admit that I oft feel my yard is wholly inadequate.  And I am certain that I need to fit in some peonies somewhere.

I sort of started to panic about not having any plans for my birthday celebration yet.  There was someone on Facebook who was telling me, basically, that I didn't need any plans.  Her comment hurt because I do need plans and anyone who's read the very vulnerable posts I've been making for months now would know that.

It really hurt.

I thought I would start on a meal plan tonight, but all I did was moan and groan over my yard labors and try not to go nuts over the near constant twitching in my right eye.  I am so very exhausted.

Maybe tomorrow I can start a meal plan and get started on a shopping list.  The one real cleaning task I had hoped to do is to shampoo the hallway.  Amos has watered a few doorways in protest of my leaving for appointments.  I now leave him wearing a belly band.  He's not happy with me.  Amos' weakness aside, although I have been assiduous in spot cleaning, I keep thinking I might be smelling something untoward.  However, shampooing requires carrying the water bin back and forth as I work.  I am not certain I can do that.  I am fairly certain I should not be doing that.  Becky arrives Thursday. I'd need to shampoo the hallway by Tuesday.

Because of his weakness, Amos is forbidden any bedroom but mine (he would say "his").  So, they are all still completely clean and fresh-smelling.  Were I working, I would splurge and put flowers in all the bedrooms.  I miss being able to really treat guests well.

SIGH.

Hopefully, I can get some plans started on the morrow to quell the anxiety starting to brew within.  And maybe ... I can pull the few weeds that are out front.  That requires bending over.  Just a few though.

Is it so wrong to want my homestead to look spiffy for my guests??