Good morning – what an amazingly beautiful day! 50 degrees this morning….it’s April 17 folks and here we are enjoying a morning at 7 a.m. with 50 degrees! When I stepped outside in my nightgown and flannel shirt to go out to the car to retrieve my laptop, it felt like Italy, a lovely morning on the cruise ship – the one morning that we pulled into port in Naples and were greeted with the beautiful sight of Mt. Vesuvius. I think it may be time to go travel again!?

Updates on the garden….there are no updates on the garden yet – it should be tilled this morning, then hopefully I can start putting things out very, very soon! I might even toss out some some things in the raised bed today. Phlox, Catananche, Dianthus, Campanula, and possibly a Columbine-there isn’t a ton of room in there, but it will be so much easier to maintain those with them being in raised beds.

The roadside stand did indeed make it to the end of the driveway just last night – 8 trays (about 288) of seedlings will be traveling down to the stand to hopefully be bought up and moved OUT of my property. I have other things to start – beans, tomatoes, Zinnias, Cosmos, and finally my Maximillian seeds arrived this week – soooooo excited!

I have so many things that are doing so well! I started a bunch of Amaranth this year, and am so looking forward to seeing all of it. My Asters that I started back in February look A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Yet, here I am at a loss as to what flowers I will have, and of course worried about if I will have enough – the same lament as the past two years, but I’m doing better!

The stock looks great – and need to go out ASAP. I did put out 21 Sweet Peas, a very stark comparison when I look back at last year, I put in 80. They were certainly pretty, but I didn’t need that many, and by not doing that many this year I’ve made room for Poppies – which are coming up extremely well, and will allow me to put in the Phlox and other things I listed before.

Even though I’m very apprehensive about my bloom count – I’m oddly also at peace, I remember my first year it was really stressful – feeling like I didn’t know what I was doing. Then last year I had a bit more confidence, but still a bit of stress, this year a bit more confidence, and less stress – kinda! Honestly, I haven’t had a lot of time to breath and relax, yes I went to California, but it was with a high energy & high maintenance 16 year-old-so it was a bit of a different type of relaxation. When I got back from that I had a plant sale to attend – I didn’t sell a ton, but my goal was to get things in the hands of people who ordered. It was nice to meet some new people, trade stories, visit and find some new Dahlia tubers. Yes, I bought or traded a few things for tubers that I swore I wouldn’t grow! It will be fun–they said….hahahhaha

Speaking of no time to breath, I’m having my Succulent Fairy Garden event today, it filled up quickly-with friends and family mind you, but it’s full and my inventory is leaving – all good things! People will get some yummy treats to nibble on, raspberry strawberry lemonade to sip on, and some free plants to take home in addition to some fun prizes. It should be a lovely afternoon spent in the yard with friends and family doing something new and different. Tomorrow we go down to take delivery of a new to us truck, and probably stop at a few nurseries on the way-you know because I need more things to grow in my life.

The tulips in the raised bed didn’t make it…..well, I think maybe 10 out of 100 made it – yellow ones, I think a pair of pink ones also made it. Apparently I just wasn’t meant to have Tulips – of course the thing I really wanted most…(or does it just feel that way because I can’t have them?) but I do have some really spectacular Daffodils that are thriving, so next year I will buy more of those. It will be okay!

Lily-Bean is doing well, mommy and daddy have been enjoying doing projects at home between doctors appointments and blood draws. Daddy will go back to work soon as his maternity leave is almost over. We still have no idea if the Zolgensma shot worked, my daughter seems to think that Lily-Bean will never walk, but it’s still too early to tell. She is eating, sleeping, and being a beautiful baby just fine – that’s all that matters right now. We will cross those bridges when we get there. Lily-Bean did have high amounts of troponin levels in here blood two weeks ago, which is indicative of heart damage, but this weeks draw showed it had gone down. The EKG she had a week ago came out looking good. Now we wait, and love on that little Bean as much as we can – which isn’t much take note! She is being sheltered because she’s on very high amounts of steroids which lower her immune system. This grandma is ready for some more snuggles! She’s not gaining a ton of weight yet, but getting longer, we expected her to be a big baby – so not a lot of small clothes were bought. Of course this grandma was more than happy to do some baby clothes shopping! All sorts of fun things to buy! Little pants with matching shirts & adorable tiny sleepers!

I should jump off of here and get busy loading the stand. I’ve had a few early bird orders to fill – signs that need to be put up & succulent packets to print out.

Thank you so much for stopping in today, I hope your weekend is as fabulous as mine is going to be! I’m thinking next weekend will be an empty weekend – as in no appointments, no running around, just being home and hey – maybe putting in more of the garden perhaps? Until next time – hugs to you!