Daddy Brought His Work Home

This past week we have been getting ready for a get together at our place for the fourth of July. We like to do these types of things that are waaaay out of our comfort zone every now and then, it  pushs us to do a few extra chores around the yard. A few years back we had a wedding in our backyard . . . yikes!(It was a blast but I doubt we will do that again. . . but I always say that). 

This last week my Beloved brought a box tractor up to the house to smooth out a driveway on the east side of our house where he parks his truck. We are hoping to do a combination of rock and grass that will look really sharp when we are finished. For now it is just dirt, but at least it is smooth dirt.

As soon as he pulled up with the tractor Thumbelina wanted to ride with him. So up onto Daddy's lap she went and she loved every minute of it.

Here she has her mouth wide open in great excitement.

You may be wondering what makes this a box tractor, I believe it is the deal on the back that looks like a box. Apparently it is also called a float tractor.

"I'll just play with this while Daddy's not looking."

Then Belloise came out and wanted to ride.

She liked it . . .

For a minute

Here the screaming begins. . .

Then she saw me and I am sure the whole neighborhood heard, over the sound of the tractor,  "Maaaamaaaa."

Thumbelina thought for sure that she would be allowed to drive this by herself once Daddy was done.

She was not.

World War III followed.

The Allied Forces of Daddy and Mommy won.

The girls have been playing in the yard a lot lately to take advantage of the decent weather we are finally having.

Getting some quality swing time in with my girls.

We have been working a little here and there on the playhouse.

 There is still so much to do, but slowly we are getting there. A few weeks back my Beloved planted some grass and put in a rock pathway, and I planted some pansies in the flower pots.

Today I planted some mint moss in the path and we moved our columnar apple tree back here to get more direct sunlight. So excited we are actaully getting apples on it this year. This is the second year we have had it and last year we got nothing.

As you can see, the pansies didn't last long. Thumbelina yanked them out shortly after they were planted, telling me that, they died. They were nice while they lasted.

As I said we have been busy with yard work here and there.

Filling pots to place around the yard.

The pond flower bed is looking good. The clematis is extraordinary this year! And my hydrangrea is indeed comingback after being nearly completely dug up last winter by the dogs. You can't see it here because the blue bell flowers on the left surround it. Next year we will have to remedy that, they are too pretty to touch this year.

As a side note if anyone knows what type of flowers these are please let me know I just call them blue bells. Of course I call every orange lily a tiger lilly and my Beloved is starting to catch on that I have no idea what they are really called.

And finally making the porch look cozy and inviting. . . hmm needs pillows, I'll have to get on that.

By the by check out that trunk my Beloved found on the side of the road. He came home with His pick-up bed mounded high with bark dust and this trunk perched very picturesquely (made-up word) on top. I began to wonder if he knocked off some pirates somewhere along the way.

Hope you all have a happy and safe fourth of July.

~And So That's What She Did.