to give hope for spring

Every year when the ground is covered with a foot of snow I begin to grow worried that everything is dead for good. But then the sun comes out, little sprouts begin to grow and *most* things spring to life yet again. In 2019 I let some pumpkins take over most of my lower beds, enveloping several newly planted grasses, roses and my haskap berry bushes. Only the penstemon and hyssop could come close to their vigor. A few pics to let you know that Spring always returns.

I am a succor for roses. Just pure beauty.

Decided to bring in a caterpillar we found in the garden to see what it would be. You can see the cocoon in the corner. This ended up being a pretty non descript moth, but it was fun to see the process nonetheless.

the pink in front is hyssop, larger penstemon (mexican sage) w/ red flowers was my most vigorous grower and new this year, to the left near grass w/ yellow flowers is a smaller pineleaf penstemon and is my favorite as it stays green through most of the winter and is a nice compact plant. On the upper level you can see some yellow flowers on my reliable oenothera macrocarpa (evening primrose)

I do like the dog tuff grass (a variety of bermuda grass) that has filled in well and needs little maintenance (low water and no mowing),  however definitely needs to be trimmed up on the edges a few times each summer to avoid it becoming invasive, which is a concern. 

Only mid summer in this picture, the pumpkins took over our entire patio in 2019. We ended up with 4, 50lb pumpkins, which were amazing and I somehow managed to NOT get a picture of. Or at least I can't find it... There will be no pumkins for 2020. Hoping to let some of my other plants recover that were suffocated by the bounty.

Pooka Poo

my christmas present, painted by Rin, after having a local artist teach her this technique at school

Rin, Pooka Poo, Catherine

All my brilliant 3rd born who walks to her own beat. She is uber particular about having an organized google drive and school work plan (not as much an organized bedroom), is amazingly creative and skilled at design, is always on time and makes sure her mom is as well, is unwavering in her faith and not easily swayed by others, is the first to correct a grammar error and loves to boop her papa's nose.

For her 15th birthday, she let the parents choose the theme. We decided to go over the top on the classic American birthday and did 'Light Pink' (her favorite color) and 'Spirit' paraphernalia. The banner, the plates, the table toppers, the birthday button and horse ears, the balloons. She got it all.

Loves to my Catherine.

4th of July 'Talk to the hand'

Her design that won her a display at Arapahoe Community College. (the colorful one)

Reading to Milo during our Christmas visit