Now that winter is over, it's time to start thinking about the huge swath of dirt which surrounds the place. I have discovered that raking compacted dirt is not fun, but I am sure I will have no regrets once we get the grass seed going.


Flower bed



Lower level flower bed



Flower beds as seen from the driveway



Husband and elder son making a trellis for the climbing rose



Ran out of lattice for the top, so it's not quite done yet. We're going to enclose the bottom of the porch in the same lattice work.



Younger son helped plant this Forsythia



...and also this dwarf Burning Bush



Prostrate Veronica, which will hopefully shore up the slope when it fills in.



Various colored cone flowers are planted here



Pot of chives. We live in deer country, so I was told to plant smelly things they don't like.



Pansies and Sweet Alyssum



Turned part of the basement into a teen hangout. I think this winter we'll add a foosball table too. (The kids are just loving the fact that they finally have a space for having friends over.)



Finally unpacked some breakables, but when we get the kittens this summer I will have to turn around and repack them. LOL



This is Charlotte. I think she is a flour sack doll, and could be fairly old.



You can see part of the pattern on her back. Whoever made her cut on the "sew" lines and sewed on some of the "cut" lines. I wonder if maybe she was a child's project?



In addition to the sweet little calico dress, she is wearing what I think is a muslin petticoat and a flannel one. Under those are bloomers, which you can see tucked away in the center of the pic. (She has no feet or hands.)