Memorial Day weekend

We had a good weekend in spite of windy weather this past weekend.  Andy returned  safely from a job in Omaha, Nebraska.  Vicki Williams and I manned the first Farm & Garden Market at the Armory in Watonga.  We didn't have any produce vendors on Saturday;  with the late freezes we've had the outdoor gardens are not yet producing much except greens.  I harvested some lettuces and took those to the market.  I also took some potted plants and sold a couple.  It was a very nice day and we had several customers come by the Armory.  We could only tell them to come back in following weeks and we hope Aubrey Drew will bring some of his produce and canned goods.  Otherwise it was quiet in the town of Watonga. There was no Pioneer Day celebration so the streets were dead.   

At the Retreat we had guests who came to town to be with family and visit loved ones' gravesites.  And we had a couple who came just to get away and relax.  Thanks, Tim, for telling the young couple about our place when the Lodge was full.   They sat on the back patio and Andy fired up the chiminea.  It smelled like a campfire.  We sat with them and visited for a while under the stars.  The weather was perfect.  I feel like we made new friends and hope they will come back to see us. 

One of our guests this weekend purchased one of Drew's paintings from our Liquid Art evening.  She liked several of the paintings we have on display at the house, but I was only willing to let go of one of them.   

In between Andy's work on the outdoor oven in our backyard, Andy and I are working on a friend's yard -- cleaning up and putting in some new landscaping.  We've gotten the "cleanup" part done and now I'm ready to buy some new shrubs and plants to fill in the empty beds. 

Last week I suffered an injury and have been recuperating all weekend.  I don't think anything was broken but I have some pretty ugly bruises and my right side hurts like hell.  I feel like I was kicked in the side by a horse.  The funny thing is, I don't know what happened or how it happened.  Andy wasn't home so it is certain that he didn't beat me (just kidding!!) The only explanation we can come up with is that I got out of bed in the middle of the night while still asleep, fell against something in the bedroom, and got back into bed.  I don't remember anything happening and I woke up in bed on Thursday morning with an ache in my side.  The bruise grew over the next couple of days and I could feel the soreness deep inside, especially when I coughed or laughed or took a deep breath.  I found a scratch on one of my arms but no other scrapes or bruises.  I definitely bruised my ribs but don't think I injured any organs or broke anything.  Today, Tuesday, I am feeling a little better, not as sore I have been over the past few days.  I really can't afford to go to the doctor so I'm just hopeful my body will heal itself. 

The irises blooms have just about played out for the year. We had a good show but there were also lots of irises that didn't put out blooms.  It was nice to see flowers blooming from the highway.  Andy and I like to walk around the property and figure out where we need to move plants and add color.  I have some white irises given to me by my friend Katie, and I'm hoping to get some multicolored plants from another lady in Watonga who is willing to let me "thin out" her iris bed.  Right now the mouse-ear coreopsis and tickseed are blooming bright yellow and gold, and the turk's cap is putting on some blooms.  The sedum is also putting up stalks where yellow flowers will open in the next week or so.The summer phlox is coming up along with the obedient plant so we'll have more color later in the summer.  My variegated vinca is growing like a weed and I am transplanting some of into pots to take to the Farm & Garden market.  SPRING is finally here in earnest!