Thank Goodness for Mike O!!!

After our tractor being down since last fall, our yard looked like a farmer's field. I had been cruising Craig's List for used mowers, after Joe had tinkered with it last fall and again this Spring. As we were about to load it up on our neighbor's trailer to go to the local repair shop (hoping it wasn't terminal) I called Mike O and asked it he would PLEASE come up.

It was only a few minutes before I heard the mower roar. I was ecstatic! The next thing I knew I saw Joe go by on it and Mike following him on his own mower. He had hauled one up to mow, just in case. Within a half hour my yard looked wonderful!

Crossing Off Stuff on "To Do" List

When I woke up this morning our neighbor was already pushing dirt with 1 of his 3 tractors that eventually ended up in our yard today. The huge hole from the pool is finally being filled! Now unfortunately since we had a rough year, he ran into first our deceased cat, Sam and then he found Andy's dog Spike. Both were reburied and the work continued.

Our yard has been the playground for moles for the past couple of years. I swear it started when Fr. Ben had mole exterminators over at the church! Today the kid were all yelling and I went out to find some little babies that had been disturbed by the tractor.

I told Andy to get a shovel and chop their heads off. He wouldn't do it. I had been trying to get rid of those moles forever! I have tunnels all over the yard and now I had them and he wouldn't kill them for me. We finally found a wildlife sanctuary and they delivered a box full of moles to be released into the woods. I didn't care as long as they were GONE!

Unfortunately I couldn't save some of the trees in the yard. The yard had to be leveled and the roots were all over. I looked out the front window and watched my favorite tree go by.



I was consoled by my friend Tami who helped me take shoots and put them in water to root. I will regrow that thing, I swear. I started it from a shoot 14 years ago and I will miss the purple blossoms each Spring. Come on roots!

Joe trimmed more trees and bushes for hours, worked on our mower for hours, ran errands and even cooked dinner. He didn't finally relax until 11pm. when he fell sound asleep. Well, he did take ONE break while he watched Andy haul brush.


Andy continued to fill the hole with brush all
day and it doesn't need much more dirt, although
our neighbor will be back tomorrow morning
to finish the job.

Tami came over to view the progress and help me plan the plantings. She has offered to bring
shoots from her plants and Joe promises my pond will be in for Mothers Day. That pond has been in the box for 3 years now and I cannot wait to sit next to it and relax.

We usually try to relax on Sunday, but since we are on countdown to Open House, the neighbor is coming to work and there is much to be done, I think we are going to have to work again tomorrow. Catie is going to pick rocks out of flower beds, since she spent most of today with her girlfriend. I told her nobody escapes this time, but she said it sounded like fun!