Everything is coming up irises!

Last year our irises were busy establishing themselves so only a couple of the plants actually produced a flower or two.  The plants weren't very big or strong but this year is a different story.  The plants are large and producing several flowers per stalk. We're pretty pleased with how our flower beds are transforming and how lush everything is looking.

This is our Root Beer Iris.  It smells like root beer!  No joke.

The garden is under going an upgrade this year.   8 yards of soil was delivered Friday afternoon and a frame for a raised bed was built today (Memorial Day).  I wish that more could have been accomplished but Mother Nature put the kibosh on using power tools Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday was spent shopping for the lumber to build the raised bed frame as well as to purchase a new circular saw.  Yes!  The saw is my first power tool purchase.  It's completely geeky but I was giddy driving home in Hank (my F150 pick-up truck) with the bed full of lumber, a new wheelbarrow and a circular saw.

Originally, the plan was to rent a mini bobcat to move the mound of soil from the driveway to the garden bed, but with the rainy weather it was uncertain whether the soil was going to be delivered on Friday.  With the materials being wet, less than 8 yards would have been delivered.  We'd have been paying for water weight.  In any event, with the soil delivery up in the air I didn't want to rent the mini bobcat, and once I knew the delivery was a go, I learned that the rental store didn't have a mini-cat to rent.  It was being used by some other lucky person.  I've been moving soil with the wheelbarrow and have scarcely made a dent in the pile.  Depending on the price, this weekend there may be a mini bobcat helping me to move the soil to the garden.  The soil can be moved in a fraction of the time and save my lower back from strain.  Plus, the mini-cat would be so cool to operate!

Here's the progress thus far...



Chet really wants to join me outside.
Both cats peek out the back door regularly when I'm outside.

Mama Robin.
She was very patient with all of the noise and activity today.

Mr. Spencer.  He enjoys supervised time outside in his collar and leash.

It was a beautiful day today and as much as I worked my butt off, I enjoyed the day and the work that got done.  Hopefully your weekend was relaxing and a safe one.

L&J