May 25th

In the places I have lived (Polish countryside, Warsaw, New York, Chicago, Madison, the farmette), May 25th has always been nothing short of spectacular in terms of natural beauty and robust flora. Abundance (in nature), freshness, promises of bounty, coupled with (most often) warm weather and still the lovely absence of pesky bugs, so that you can actually sit outside at dusk and not feel like you're fodder for the mosquito population. It's just a perfect calendar moment for a gardener.

(first day lily of the year!)

When Sandpiper was born on this day two years ago, honestly my first thought was -- lucky guy. It's a beautiful day to have a birthday!

It's a little cool today, but it's sunny and the heavy gardening work is behind me, so yes, I can take in the loveliness of the moment. Morning walk:

Nonetheless, at breakfast (which is in the kitchen because the morning is unusually chilly), Ed and I argue.

I'm actually not sure if the proper word is "argue." We dont shout, we don't say nasty things, quite the contrary phrase such as "nice being here with you" flow freely, we are sweetly helpful and pleasantly calm. But I revive an ongoing discussion that has no solution and so I have to think that this can be classified as an argument. Ed has a position, I have a different one and neither of us will budge and I feel wronged and he seems indifferent to the whole matter -- or at least my disappointment does not change his view on the matter. And unlike in his refusal to travel, where I don't want him to change, because I understand the deep-rooted nature of his convictions on that matter, in this discussion, I want him to change his view.

So what's the problem? Well, you've heard it here before: it's about trees:

There are too many and they keep multiplying (on their own).

The ones that have been here since our time have grown to be monstrously big. They shade everything.

Newer ones that used to be a mere nothing, have also grown to be monstrously big.

I agree we can't do much about the maples out front. It's their domain. The flower bed by the road has to live in their root system. They were here first.

Nonetheless, the box elders (dont get me started on box elders!), the black walnuts (so many new ones pop up from the nuts each year!!), the honey locust (seed pods the size of whales litter the flower beds and of course, sprout new trees everywhere!) -- in my view they are invasive and if you let them be, they will shade your property completely. I mean, even the beautiful crab apples grow to a size that threatens my flower beds, but they can be forgiven: a nice trim will keep them from totally blocking out the sun.

Enter Mr.-I-don't-want-to-hurt-any-trees Ed. If I beg, he'll cosmetically trim some of the smaller branches. Maybe. Giving my flowers perhaps ten minutes more of the sunshine they crave. When I started the Big Bed, the flowers there had plenty of sunshine. Now they have far fewer hours than they need for a full bloom. They wont die (for a few years anyway), but their flower output diminishes each year. 

So at breakfast I once again lobby (argue?) for a tree reduction around the Big Bed. Take down a third of the locust and remove some of the invasive ones further down so they dont overwhelm the courtyard with shade.

He wont budge.

I will not give up!

In the late morning, I finish work on the meadows, though I keep a pack of seeds for damage control. The chickens will surely dig up spots that will need reseeding. I'm prepared! I divide and move a couple of lilies, and I water some of the newbies. (Ed weeds out the big hosts bed by the barn. He tends to put in some extra work in or near my beds to compensate for his stubbornness on the tree front. Ho hum, big deal. I'm not impressed.)

In the afternoon, Snowdrop is here...

We do some of the usual stuff, but, too, I have to get ready for a birthday dinner party for Sandpiper. Just with family, but still, the little guy turns TWO today!

With three kids in the family, he falls into the category of kids who can do without new toys. There are so many that his sibs have outgrown! Nonetheless, you do not want to have him pay the price for being third in line, so yes, there are a few gifts, and there is his favorite food (pasta!), and of course, there is a birthday cake. Not baked by me -- he's too young to request that! 

He is, like all my grandkids, a happy happy kid! May it always be thus for you, little one! May you and your sibs and cousins thrive and bounce through life on big balls of happiness!

Happy Birthday, Sandpiper!

With so much love...