I worked in the garden. It's a miracle.

July 3
Today Frank and I did an amazing amount of yard work.
Frank often works in the vegetable garden but I am not usually found working outside.
Today I decided that I would get serious and work on the front flower garden.

The most exciting addition to our yard is our cute little peach tree!
I'm so excited to have a peach tree because I love peaches SO MUCH.
We won't get any fruit for 3 years but I will be anxiously waiting and watching and talking nicely to that tree.

Its so little!

I have a whole plan for my front garden area but I've been slow at implementing it.
Mostly because I hate working in the garden.

I bought the bushes for under the window
and then I also bought some annuals to add some flowers and color to the area.
I weeded and weeded and weeded.
We put mulch down so until the new weeds emerge, it's looks awesome.
The trick will be to pull the weeds as they come up.
Yep, that's the trick.

It just looks like a lot of green in these pictures but I promise there is some color here...

I planted some purple petunias 

(they look droopy here but it was right after planting and they perked up)

Daisies! I love daisies and I'm excited to have them year after year.

Marigolds are going in tomorrow.

I was just too dang hot to keep going.

These pink cuties are called Cranberry Lace

I also planted some ground cover to help with weed suppression.  I bought them without doing any research though and upon further inspection it appears I may have planted an aggressive plant that I will regret later. Hmmm.

Frank worked like a dog in the backyard.
He planted the peach tree.
He put down mulch and tilled the entire planting area by the back fence (preparing it for raspberry bushes! Yay!)

Carter, learning how to use the tiller

plus he mulched and tilled the strawberry patch.  We are planting new plants there that will give us bigger berries for a longer period.

The most important fact to note is that it was 97 degrees outside today.  Oh man, it was hot.
But we just took short breaks when needed ( in the shade) and got back to work as soon as possible.
I was pretty impressed with myself.

Sadly I only got one of my two flower beds done so I have more work tomorrow...

July 4
Update: I got up bright and early before it became as hot as the sun outside (Arizonans can just keep their opinion to themselves here) and planted my marigolds and also some ground cover under the big cherry tree.  I didn't buy enough of the ground cover so I will have to get more tomorrow, dangit.

The north garden spot after planting marigolds.  I've already seen lots of bees and a few butterflies!!

My petunias look happier today

bad picture but if you squint you can see the new plants under the tree

I still have the second flower garden (south side) to do and just looking at it makes me depressed!  So much weeding to do and I really need to move some of the plants because that side is really shady once the tree leafs out and the plants aren't too happy.  And the whole area just looks bad!

This area is in the shade for the most part so, in theory, I could work on it all day if needed.  Of course it is still supposed to be 100 degrees in the shade so that sounds awful to me.

ugh!