May 21 ~ 

This time of year, I bite my nails over late season frosts---not because I was arrogant enough to plant out tender crops or flowers, but because I want my beloved Lilacs to bloom.

I grew up with several lilacs in my yard, lavender and white. My grandmother had several different types of flowering shrubs that filled the yard with delicious scents, but the lilacs were the first to bloom....and they are so majestic. When we first moved to our home 32 years ago, I immediately noticed that there was a lilac bush at each corner of the house and later learned that it was a tradition in the 1800's to plant them in graveyards and around home foundations. Over the years, trees have become so large that they began shading .........

May 20 ~  

Right now, my previous "panic" has now settled into a more positive "I CAN do this" mode even though there is so much more to do. Also, every inch of me aches after my gardening muscles had their winter's vacation. But, everything is beginning to look nice and I have learned to pace myself, as I re-learn every year.  I should not overly complain, though, because much of the work the "needs" to get done...could have been accomplished already......if only I didn't know so much!!

Instead of barreling through with my various mowers, weedeaters, tillers and loppers, I am constantly stopping and wondering whether to gather that little bit of garlic mustard--even.........

 May 11 ~

It happens every year......this gut wrenching panic about how much there is to do to get the gardens ready and how little has been done and how time is running out. My deadline is always June 1st, because that is a few days before my summer classes start. Here it is the middle of May and my property looks HORRIBLE.

This is the general scenario: By mid- April, I feel somewhat in control...lots of ideas, rested from winter, the grass has not started growing yet, so everything "looks" manageable. The end of April/early May, we always go to DC to visit family. When we get back......everything has taken off, grass is several inches high, weeds everywhere (can't even keep up with them between eating and .........