Plants and flowers, oh my!

Front yard garden - morning of March 18.

Backyard garden - morning of March 18.

I'm hooked...definitely...

Friday night: I went to Home Depot in Fremont after work. I was disappointed by the quality of some of the plants. Overall, I wasn't impressed with much so I bought only a few plants and flowers and made plans to visit a large nursery on Saturday...oh, fun, fun!

Saturday: After donating blood at the Red Cross and eating a yummy cheeseburger at Hegenburgers with Bill, we traded cars so I wanted to take his truck plant shopping.

I spent about 3 1/2 hours at the Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore walking up and down each row, looking at many shrubs and perrenials, piling plants and flowers into the double-level cart until the cart was full (very full). I brought cuttings from some of the plants and a tree in our backyard and asked one of the nursery workers what they were - now I can research how big they'll get and what type of care they need. I got home before 4:00pm and spent the rest of the day planning, planning and more planning (by height, width, sun/shade/partial, color) where each plant would go (most in the backyard, some in the front yard).

Sunday: I spent about 9 hours planting, not including short breaks for a pancakes-and-scrambled-egg breakfast made by Chef Bill, for applying more sunscreen, and for drinking a yummy Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. Stooping, lifting, sitting on the ground, bending, standing, pulling, digging, carrying...for 9 hours. By 6:30pm, I could barely move!

I was sore Monday but not as sore as I had been Sunday morning last week after working in the garden for hours the previous Saturday. So, my physical strength and flexibility is improving with the exercise provided by gardening! And it doesn't feel like the nasty Big E!

I took photos early last week of the progress made last weekend. I haven't yet taken photos of this past weekend's progress - but I will. I may also have some photos somewhere of our yards before any planting was done. The difference isn't as dramatic as on the landscaping shows on television (which I really like to watch!) but it's definitely an improvement! [Photos added at start of this entry - 4:20pm May 2, 2004.]

My next door neighbor said the ladies who live across the street asked her what's gotten into me...they've never seen me outside unless I was going to/from my car (we've lived here over 15 years!). I just laughed! No big explanations are needed - I've seen the light and have figured out what life balance is...