Busy Bees Make a Mess

I've moved from landscaping at the Queen Mother's (turning lawn into lilacs and roses) to my own nest. I'm bouncing from one project to another with enthusiasm.

• Two lavender bushes joined the other perennials by the mailbox, along with a hollyhock and a daisy mum. They should all love the sunny exposure there.
• I finished cutting the pussywillow branches into itty bitty pieces and loaded them into the garbage for pickup tomorrow.
• Then I disinfected my tools, since the willow has issues, and started pruning back the Japanese maple. Now the flower bed underneath it has some sun, finally. Wow! I've been itching to attack that maple for months; it likes its location way too much and just grew like a weed.
• Since I was in the vicinity, I began removing deadwood from the lilac trees.
• Now my front lawn is covered with tree branches and my garbage cans are full. Good thing they'll be empty tomorrow.
• I have three bags of books to take to the Paperback Exchange later today.
• As well as four boxes of goodies for the SPCA thrift store.
• The new motion detector light for the front porch is unwrapped, the instructions are committed to memory, and I'm ready to install it as soon as it cools down a little on the porch.
• Erkie Pie and I moved his hand-me-down patio table and chairs into our backyard.
• I watched the re-broadcast of Euro 2008: Netherlands 3-Italy 0. Ruud Van Nistelrooy is hot (and not just in scoring goals).
• I got up at 6:30 to hike with friends. Funny how quickly I tallied three thousand steps and have only added another thousand since.
• Kharma, the clicker and I are still working on backing up on command. She's getting the idea.

Time to scoot, empty my car of bags, select some new paperbacks and get started on the new light. I LOVE summer!!