The weather outside is delightful...

The inside of the house has stayed pretty much the same over the past few weeks. The quartz arrived and looks fab. The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint was purchased and is sitting on the kitchen table. Jeff installed crown in the family room, but it needs to be painted. A few hooks have been hung up, but that is about it inside. Outside is another story. The weather has been so nice, a lovely long summer and I want to take advantage of it before the rains come.

So I have been busy tidying up the yard doing all sorts of fun things. I have loved it all. I have been weeding, weeding, oh and weeding. I have also been removing invasive species like English Holly and Lamiastrum, which I suppose is another form of weeding. I loath English Holly and Lamiastrum and forbid you from ever purchasing these two invasive plants from any nursery or garden center and ask that if you have them in your yard, get rid of them! Please. Click here for reasons why. Remember, forbid you! 

Oh, tangent. 

Before: Big green, tall bush by fence- Ivy

After: See that dead tree leaning over, culprit Ivy

 Here is a nice Echinacea for you instead of that Ivy.

Love me some Echinacea

I am also super proud of my ability to now sit in the garden with multiple spiders hanging out around me. Which is OK because these are Canadian spiders that wont kill me, much unlike their Australian cousins whom would view me in the garden as a nice afternoon tea snack. But we did have a 2 foot long Garter Snake and even though it is totally harmless I squealed like a little girl and ran the other way. Some fears will always stick.

I managed to plant some things too, scored some great Hostas and a Rhubarb plant from my work, thanks Demonstration Garden, and things are starting to look pretty. Plans are in the works for some apple and pear trees too. 

After Hosta

I also did some planting out front by the wishing well. I planted some pansies for the fall, and removed some Yucca's and put in some Lavender for the bees.

So the inside list is still pretty long. But that is OK, it will start to rain soon, then I can paint the kitchen cabinets.