Thanks to my cyber-nephew, Tom in Vegas, I am sitting here listening to Eva Cassidy's CD, Songbird. Thanks Tom.
Today we purchased all our tomato and bedding plants. We also found a wonderful old fashioned wooden screen door for our laundry room door. Shopping of that magnitude made us pretty hungry so we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Tomato Street compliments of Harold's music class at Holy Names Music Academy.
They lavish him with wonderful gifts at the end of each year after calling me to inquire about his favorite places to eat and shop. I thought about suggesting a BIG gift certificate to T.J Maxx but figured they would know something was a bit hinkey about that.
Meet William
William used to be "Bill the Cat", a really poor excuse of a tree. With only three long branches he was not at all what I imagined for the corner of my back deck. Two years ago I decided to do some very hard pruning with the help of my husband. Bill was delighted with his haircut and now is known by the more fitting name of William. (And no, we don't name all our plants.)
Jeffrey over at Roving Medievalist loves lilacs. I finally have lilacs for you Jeffrey. Enjoy! I haven't included all the lilacs because that would get really boring.
Bordering the cutting garden.
Bordering the veggie garden.
More lilacs on the back acreage.
The tool shed. Please notice the shingles that are now falling off the ramp. When Harold first built the ramp I kept bringing up how slippery it was when wet. "Ah hon, could you put some shingles or something on the ramp??" He did - the afternoon after I broke my leg. I forgave him and painted the door red just as he wanted.
Lilacs in the "back yard." All our white lilacs (about 10 bushes) were from starts that I found at a rental property owned by my friend and boss in the car business. This was close to 20 years ago and when we bought this house 10 years ago, I brought along starts. My friend, Larry, died of cancer about 5 years ago. I think of him always, but most of all when the white lilacs bloom. 
More lilacs and flowering trees. Uncle Jim, please note - these are next to my driveway, not the road.
Even more lilacs in the the front.
One of my five weeping willows. Soon my bench, named Sarah Jane, after Sarah Bernhardt and Jane Austen, will go under the tree for afternoon reading, (and no, I don't name all our furniture, either.)
Looking toward the front deck. The little red chairs and table in the corner next to the tree is my "morning place" for coffee.
