Yard Work.....Ugh

Have I ever said how much I despise yard work? Well, if I haven't, than now I just did! The kind of yard work I am talking about is, weeding. It's not that I hate it, I have a hard time doing it. With my bad knees, one that I had surgery on a few years ago, and the other one I know I need surgery on, than there is the one I had surgery on that I think I need surgery on again. Whew! Did you get all that? I can't get down on my knees to weed like I used too. I can't even squat down, with my butt on my feet. I'll never be able to do that again. So when I weed, I have to sit on a 5 gallon bucket. It works, but I don't enjoy it. Last summer, I hired my 17 yr old neighbor, little J, to come over and weed for me. Boy, it was sure nice to not have to weed! But that was when I had a job and could afford to hire someone. My OH's mom, who loves to weed, offered to come over and help me this summer. I planned on paying her, now that won't happen. So I was wondering how I was going to get all the weeding done.

A couple weeks ago, I was getting ready to leave for work, I kept hearing Sadie barking. I was wondering what the heck she could be barking at. As I walk down my hall way, and looked through my front window, there is my OH's mom, on her hands and knees, weeding my front flower beds! So I opened the door and said hello, I think I scared her. She said she thought I had already left for work. I told her I was just leaving and thanked her.

I called my OH later that day, to tell him that his mom was at our house weeding. He seemed happy about that! When he got home from work, she was still there! Bless her heart! She worked over 6 hours just on the front flower beds! It would have taken me a few days! The front flower beds were so overgrown. I think someone put some weed fertilizer on them, if they make a weed fertilizer! This was the worst year for weeds. They were probably 2 feet tall, if not more.

Last week, my OH went to go get weed block, caceron and bark. We haven't put bark in our flower beds since we have lived here. I don't know what we were thinking! I did not get any before pictures, when the weeds were still in place. But I did get a lot of after pictures. Now, I don't know why my house looks yellow. It isn't. It's mushroom, I mean, the color is called mushroom. So it's more like a tan color.



We would like to re-do our front porch one of these days. Actually we have been talking about adding on to our house for years. It's approximately 1900 SF, but we would like more space. I do love that it is a rambler, so no stairs! Yeah! It is easier for me to get around in a rambler. Stairs can be difficult for me to climb up, at times.



I wish I could have taken a picture when all the flowers were blooming, but my flower beds hadn't been weeded when they were all blooming.





I absolutely love frogs. I get to hear them all spring and summer. I love to fall asleep, listening to the frogs croak. To me, there isn't a better sound. Oh, except for the nickers and whinnies of my horses! But I don't get to fall asleep to that. They are quiet during the night, but once morning comes......that is another story! Years ago, I started buying frog yard ornaments, is that what they are called? Or decorations. Hmmm... Anyways, I have quite a few. I tried to keep them on the deck, out of the weather, but my OH decided to move a couple into the flower bed. I love this guy, sitting on the mushroom cap.



This here, is my frog family. This family has been out in the weather for a few years, so they are no longer green. I hope real frogs don't fade like this! Just kiddin'! I know real frogs don't fade! I am still waiting to get some real frog pictures. The frogs have been very elusive lately.



I just had to add a horsey picture. Fritzy gets very bored in the pasture. Last winter, she resorted to pulling the water heater out of the water trough and throwing it out. Not good. She also will pick her grain bucket off the fence and throw it around the pasture. Thankfully, she doesn't chew wood! We decided to get Uncle Jimmy's Hanging treat balls. They come in 4 flavors, molasses, apple, carrot and peppermint. We started with one, and hung it up in the barn. Eventually we caught Fritzy playing with it. Almost a month later, she had it gone. So we got another. This one didn't last as long. Brandy figured out what it was, so both horses were sharing the same one. If Brandy was playing with it, Fritzy would chase her away. So my OH decided to get an extra, and put it on the other side of the barn, that way they would each have their own. My horses love these treat balls! We are having to replace them every couple weeks. It really keeps them entertained. No more boredom for Fritzy! I'd also like to get a Jolly Ball. I think Fritzy would really enjoy one!

These next pictures were taken by Pony Girl. She was using her point and shoot, and had to zoom in really close to get the pictures. I haven't been able to get any yet! I watch them playing with the balls all day, but once I go outside to take a picture, they stop.



This one is just too funny! My sis caught Fritzy with her mouth open, trying to grab the treat ball. If only she was using that really nice, new camera of hers! Imagine the shots she would have gotten then!



Although I hate weeding, I love having a nice yard. I can't wait until the flower beds in the back, get finished. There is so much we'd like to do around here, like add on to the house, put in a covered BBQ area, extend our deck out, finish remodeling the inside of our house. Lots of projects, but not enough time or money! I keep telling myself, one of these days!!