Overrun

I have some new lilies for my garden. My awesome mom bought them for me- an array of rebloomers, the shorter kind so I can use them as borders. The box came, and I managed to get hers into the ground in her yard. Not all of them looked that good, but I hope they do OK. My soil is better, so I have high hopes for mine.

Then I went out into the yard this morning. The planting turned quickly into an emergency garden rescue. Virginia creeper has completely overrun everything, with its choking broadleaf cover and strangling vine. And after almost two hours of tugging, pulling, pruning, and praying, I managed to at least see some of my plants. I know I have lost some.

I only managed this in one small corner of the garden, and not the one I wanted to put the lilies.

Too exhausted to continue, I returned to the house. The boys are still sleeping. Joey's new interventions caused a late bedtime, so even he was still asleep. I looked around. stuff piled everywhere. Boxes of me trying to get control of stuff stacked everywhere. Trash from Joey eating popsicles strewn over the floor. An attempt to organize a snack control center, half done. The couch torn apart because the cats hit it again, and I had to spray it down. Bags with random items needed from the store stacked on a chair- none of the projects having yet been attempted.

I poured myself some cold tea, sat down, and cried.

It is Fourth of July today. I have my awesome fruit salad to make, boys to take to Ferry Farm for another attempt at understanding colonial America this year, and a cookout to prep. Its just us and my mom, but I wanted the garden to be useable and the fireworks to be fun. And all I can see is mess. And folks, I ain't a neatnick by any stretch of the imagination.

I can hear the boys stirring. Time for a cold cloth on my eyes for a few minutes before they wander down the stairs. And I need a change of clothes if we are heading out to Ferry Farm today.