Weekend Update

I know you are all on the edge of your seats wondering about Gilbert the groundhog (for those of you scratching your heads and wondering what I'm talking about, I talked all about him here).  The last Gilbert sighting was about a week ago when I saw him, once again, chilling out in the long jump sand pit at the high school.  When he ran off, it was in the direction opposite my house.  I obsessively check all of his entrances every day and haven't seen so much as a single moth ball out of place.  Side note: there is at least one moth ball missing, and I know exactly where it went:  Howard's belly.  And, subsequently, my living room floor.  Lovely, and I think it's safe to say he learned his lesson.  I'm still applying the rodent repellent stuff every few days, and will probably continue to do so for the rest of my life or until I am convinced that Gilbert is gone for good.  I'm done with moth balls though--the smell is just too much.

Not all my time this week has been spent on Gilbert control, thankfully.  I've made more progress on the landscaping and now have 75% of my garden beds ready for mulch.  I still need to buy the mulch (details, details...) and plan to do so next week.  It's nice to finally notice some progress, albeit very little.  It gets discouraging to work for hours and have sore muscles but have very little to show for it besides a million tissues and an empty box of Claritin.  Is it just me, or is the pollen out of control this year??

I haven't taken any more landscaping progress pics (don't plan to until the mulch is in), but this little tree just started flowering and I thought it was so pretty:

Not sure what it is, and I don't remember it being there last year (at least not with those beautiful flowers on it).  Chad brought home this little beauty a few days ago.  I send that boy to Trader Joe's for sandwiches and he always comes home with something extra.  I'm not complaining :)

So far I've been able to keep it alive with very little effort so I'm quite proud.  I'm hoping to plant it in a outdoor pot in a few weeks, but that might be pushing it.  If I can keep from accidentally murdering it, I will be very happy (and so, I imagine, will the flower).

The cherry quilt is 100% finished and packed up to be taken to the Avant-Garde show on Sunday.  I can't believe it's here already!  If you can make it, please come: Wagner's Country Inn at 30855 Center Ridge Rd. in Westlake, 44145 from 10-5 on Sunday, 4/29.  Admission is free :)  I hope to see you there!  My table is in the South Ballroom.

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Stacy