It takes a village, or at least a couple of helpers

Today the weather was absolutely perfect - cool but sunny, after a couple of rainy days. My son is visiting, so I put him to work, mowing and cutting down volunteer mulberries and honeysuckle, then he weeded the orchard. Meanwhile, my SO did some repair jobs around the yard and we hung two more planters on the pergola. Their assistance allowed me to clean bird houses, weed, plant peas, spread mulch, etc. If I had been the one to mow, I would have been too tired for anything else. Now I am feeling hopeful.

Last summer I enjoyed a Wild Ones tour and visited the Chicago Botanical Garden. This year I am going on the Garden Bloggers Fling, in Minneapolis. gardeninacity is a regular on these tours, and I have enjoyed his posts in the past, never imagining that I would someday get to go. I didn't realize the only qualification is that one be a garden blogger for at least six months. Believe it or not, I have been at this blog for almost ten(!) years. Also, Minneapolis is not that far away AND a place my SO and I have visited and wanted to return to. My guy helps in the garden but doesn't contribute to the blog, so he will have to entertain himself while I saturate myself in inspiration. I am really excited to be going.

Finn has been doing his job as rabbit controller, catching (and eating) at least three bunnies so far. Today I spotted one in the vegetable garden *and* saw it escape through a gap in the fence. I plugged that hole. Meanwhile, the sparrows are really doing a number on the tulip poplar, stripping bark from the lower branches, presumably for their nests. The poor tree looks positively frayed.

There was a misunderstanding between my garden designing friend and me - basically, he is no longer designing gardens. He did offer up the names of some others who can help me, so all is not lost.