Sweating...

Today's completed items from the to-do list:

• put up netting around vegetable garden
• plant seedlings
• plant three parts of the uprooted bush
• pull petals off older roses (I like to scatter them on the lawn so it looks like confetti)

Of course, I already had to do one outfit change on account of the profuse sweating.  But I just cannot justify another change.  So I sit here stinking like all heck.  At least I should be gross and unappetizing to the mosquitoes.  I have been eating mother's roasted red peppers for two days and they are loaded with chopped garlic.   Damn you, mosquitoes!

Speaking of... my shipment of garden supplies is on its way.  I cannot wait to wear my mosquito head net and garden until it is dark with no bugs annoying the hell out of me.  Now I just need to remember to check to make sure I am not carrying any bats into the house on my back...

This fabulous weather is making me so excited for summer... gardening, swimming, art and listening to music on my walkman.  Once I get new headphones, that is...  Perhaps I will even try to see if WMSC is still in need of summer DJs.  

Oh well, downstairs for dessert and then back outside to do more weeding.  Ah, the hedonism!

Muscle Rub

I have a mulberry tree that I grew by mistake.  The thing is that it is being crowded out by a well established bush I planted way back for privacy.  Well, now that the neighbour put up a fence, there is no need for the bush.  So I had the grand idea of not ripping the bush out and killing it, but digging it out and transplanting it.  Let's just say that was not a good idea when I am home alone.

But, I got the job done.  A couple of hours later and the sucker is out.  I split off two part from the the two foot diameter root ball.  Those parts will be planted at the back of the property to fill holes.  The rest... well, I dragged that sucker across the yard and plopped it at a spot I will try to sink that baby.  Oh, if you could only see how how filthy I was.  I would have taken a picture of the grime covered legs but there was no way I was touching my camera.  

And the pain... I cannot convey the pain I am in.  Everything aches down to my fingertips.  It hurts to sit, type, walk... you name it.  

But, damn... it was worth it.  If I could be paid to garden like this, I would be in heaven...

Hyperventilating

So I think I may have selected too many photos to put in the Art Show.  I have to cut the mattes for every single one.  I did have one reliable student cut mattes for two or three days, but I still had to cut it down from the large matte board and measure the windows.  I have students taping them into the windows and working on the labels, but I am getting the feeling that I am behind the eight ball here.  Is is ok to say that the Photo classes produced too much good stuff?  And I have all this to put on display and I left out the typical tree shots that the other two teachers vetoed last year.  Should I try less?  Nah... so I run out of space?  Better to have hard working classes who produce too much quality product than unmotivated, lazy kids.

What torture teaching Photo.... tee hee....

Playing catch up...

Yes, it has been awhile.  It has been a very interesting school year, that is for sure.  I have been keeping on top of all the work which is good.  But I stretched myself so thin that one of my favourite things - doing this blog - fell by the wayside.  Since I know all are dying to know what takes up my time, here is the list:

1. Negotiations team
2. Legislative Action Team
3. Helping sister with Lucy
4. Gardening at home
5. Member of my town's Main Street Design Committee
6. Secretary of my town's Historic Preservation Commission
7. Prepping work for student art shows and going to the shows
8. Doing my own art and submitting it to shows
9. Staying after and coming in to work early

So, yeah, I am swamped.  However, item one is done, two is moving along nicely and five and six... well, that's a long story.  That's for a time when I need to get the anger out...

But right now, I am basking in the glow of a great gardening weekend.  I mulched a ton of leaves to put in the veggie garden and the flowers are looking so good.  The tree that I thought was a peach tree flowered last month and there a a slew of peaches growing!  I have a couple of issues with the raspberries and roses - they need some re-configuring.  But I know the day I do it I will get scratched like all hell and then the kids think Millie did it to me.  Ha!  I think that will wait until the long weekend so the cuts can heal.  I have been giving away herbs to people at work and a friend can use some too.  I hate to pull stuff that spreads, so giving it away suits me fine.  Also, with the time I know have, I was able to weed at my parents' house.  Mother can't garden b/c the place is infested with poison ivy so I do the work.  I did most of the iris patch today but the flying bugs were attacking so I quit.  I can't wait to get home tomorrow to mulch some more leaves... At this point in the year, it is a race to get home to get into the garden...

Oh, and hubby and I went to Prague and Budapest over Easter and loved it!  Report an images to come....