What's going on around here?

I've been really stressed-out lately. (Was trying to think of a more creative way to put that, but no luck.)

For too many months I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off (again, not creative) and it's finally gotten to me.

Could it be that I'm finally letting it get to me because actually the madness will end quite soon? (Similar to the way I sometimes lose my patience with the children a few hours before dh returns from a trip?)

Whatever it is, I'm attempting to let go of the "small stuff" (not sure though just exactly how to determine what is small and what isn't), relax, and let the other people in the house do things they are perfectly capable of doing (without chasing them around making sure they are doing them!)

I'm also trying to take time out each day to do something creative... scrapbooking, gardening (not really the right season for knitting). And practicing saying "No, I think I'll let you take care of that." Kindly.

It did occur to me (and I've said this to a few people in the last 24 hours) that May is usually like this. Trouble is, this year my "May" started in December, I think!

This weekend older dd and ds are involved in a local homeschool coop drama production. It was quiet around here yesterday (I needed that!) and today should be similar... since they are gone, stuck in a dark theatre all day, poor things. I'm looking forward to tonight's performance.

I think when life just becomes an ever-yawning to-do list and when managing schedules & planning events (mainly others'!) becomes the single reason for my existence, that I'm not so happy.

There's more (how come I don't have any time for friends? [sometimes that question becomes how come I don't have any friends, period] how come I don't have a life, just a to-do list? even if I could have a life would anyone let me? what am I going to do when I grow up? will I ever grow up?) but I won't go into that now.

And finally, we aren't even GOING to go to the whole topic of PARENTING TEENAGERS. Another very long blog post.

Instead, I am going to share some photos taken yesterday along with informative commentary. :-)

Right now my flower gardening is in three different main areas with a few other small things going on... a woodland/shade raised bed (in front of the house and right up against the woods), a sunny perennial border (along the driveway), and a new raised bed up against the west-facing foundation of the house. (Here's a look at what's in the front of that bed... rose campion, lamb's ear, creeping sedum, ferns, coreopsis, joe-pye weed [a short variety], hellebore, lavender, and a few other things...)




A new purple flower (in front of the coreopsis) whose name I don't know!



Interesting combination of lamb's ear, fern, and hellebore. This new bed is very, very wet. I'm not sure if it's due to mistakes we made setting it up or if the dirt we bought is just too heavy. At any rate I've learned that I can't put anything in here that can't handle a lot of moisture! Time will tell if the new bushes I added this spring will survive.

There are also other small areas containing azaleas, hosta, etc. and places where I put impatiens every year. Over behind the shed, I've put in some blackberry & blueberry bushes and am trying to encourage some myrtle to cover an empty bank. And finally, I am working on the area down at the end of the driveway (entrance to our property).

In the sunny border, butterfly weed mixed with yarrow... it will be blooming soon!

An out-of-focus red creeping verbena.

Hoo boy, what is this called? Escaping me... something-wort.

In the shade garden...

(left) Beautiful purple irises backed by lily-of-the-valley, hellebore, ostrich fern, pieris. (right) Japanese painted fern, brunnera. I love the contrast of these two! The brunnera is seeding itself a bit throughout which makes me happy!

Love, love these huge columbine flowers!

Here come some more irises!

I took a few more shots but I think that's enough for today. Thanks for looking and if I don't get back here... enjoy your weekend!