I was hoping to have some sewing to show you today, but as I mentioned earlier this week, this weekend was too nice to stay indoors. It was not too hot, not to cold… the just-right kind of weather that will be long gone soon enough, as a blazing, humid summer takes over.

There were lots of little things for me to do around the yard, but first, I have to sing the praises of my amazing husband

For the last couple of weeks, he’s been busy working around the garden shed. He cut down all the branches of an overgrown mulberry tree that was taking over; he finished cleaning out the garbage pile/30 years of debris behind the shed that I’d started on earlier this year; replaced the plexi-glass windows; and then he scrubbed, cleaned, primed and repainted the shed.

The first picture is how the shed looked when we moved in. The second picture was from when he built a new wall and doors for it, and the last is how it looks now. I still can’t get over the transformation. It’s still a beat up old shed, but it’s just so much more presentable now. I am so thrilled.

At the side of the shed, you can just see the three pussy willows I planted last fall. Eventually they will get big and tall, and I’ve got the idea of creating a little “garden room” there. I’m calling it Willow Grove. It’s going to take several years to get it to where it is in my head, but it’s where I’ll have my birdbath, a few feeders, and maybe a small bench tucked in a corner to sit and watch the birds. And of course, some other plantings to compliment it all.

To get things going there, I needed to move the bulb box. It was only a temporary garden anyway, so I dug up all the bulbs and put them in paper bags. They will get replanted this fall throughout all the gardens (along with many other bulbs, I hope). I moved the box to the middle of the yard, because I still had need of it.

There wasn’t time to put in any big veg beds this year, but I still like to grow tomatoes for fun (I don’t actually eat them – I usually give away whatever Dave doesn’t eat). I also had my strawberries, which I’d already put in the section that used to hold the crocuses.

It was only supposed to be two tomato plants, but one of the pots I bought actually had two separate plants in it, so now I have three. With any luck, I’ll be giving away scads of tomatoes this summer. And my strawberries are just loving the raised bed.

There are dozens of berries coming, more than I’ve ever seen on the plants. I may have to put up some netting so I can get them before the birds do.

Hopefully next year, I’ll be able to build some proper beds, as I’d love to grow some more vegetables now that we have the room.

But back over in Willow Grove, I got my lilacs planted (I thought they’d compliment the willows nicely, plus there’s room for them to grow there.)

Where the bulb box was, I had some nice level ground for my beautiful new-to-me birdbath. I filled all the little planting holes with a rainbow of Calibrochoa. Then I brought over my antique bird cage and hung it near.

And there I had to stop, because the rains moved in. But that’s okay. As I said, this area is going to come together slowly – I’ll work on it as time, weather, and funds allow. But for now, it functions well enough for the birds to stop by for a little refreshment.