Some organizing and some bread-baking with  a freebie "points card" bread machine, whose maiden voyage was today. I do feel like I'm cheating, not making bread by hand. My mother always said kneading bread was a good way to work out her frustrations.





I'm linking my garden greens with "Green Day" at Raindrops and Daisies. You may enjoy taking a look there.

I went outside to tackle a purple sandcherry root. The shrub had been cut down to ground level, courtesy of my brother. Brothers are handy; everyone should have a couple floating around.


Long story short, the root remains, may it rot in peace, and a lilac is planted in its stead. Said lilac has been lingering in a pot since I won it in a draw. Awhile ago. June. I know...


You remember, the one that distracted me from tasks more labour intensive than pointing a camera in the general direction of orange wings.

 


Clearly, I was meant to take photos this morning, not pick up a shovel followed by an axe to wield at uncooperative roots. Mustn't frighten the neighbours, after all.




Instead, I followed the butterfly, who clearly has as much appreciation for coneflowers as I do.

It was a sun-shiny day and time to start "keeping up with the Joneses". The occasional neighbourhood lawn mower had roared into action lately and I thought I had better dust off my beast and mow the dandelions (and some grass) for the first time this season.



With an electric mower one gets to dance over, under, and around the incredibly long extension cord. I hope the neighbours enjoyed this display of my middle-aged dexterity. There's nothing that adds a little thrill to mowing like the threat of a power surge through your body if you run over the cord.





I did indulge in a little interlude of browsing between tackling the front yard and the back. It makes me very happy to see that the peonies are coming along. I particularly like this one; it stands upright without a ring or cage of any kind, even when the richly coloured, heavy blossoms cover it. Come back in June and you can see them. 








It felt great to get some fresh air today,  weed the flower beds out front and mull over the easiest way to get rid of a multiplying multitude of dandelions in the lawn. Still working on that last one, so if you have any environmentally friendly tips, please let me know.