Seed Catalogs, Take Me Away!

Every January, the seed catalogs start coming by the handful. Dreams of happy gardening ensue. It's been a few months, so I don't really remember the back-breaking work (it's all fun in the sun, isn't it?) and all I see is a lush garden outside my front door.

This year, I've ventured outside to take measurements and to start planning. Planning, not planting - it is still January! Here's what I have to show for myself:

The herb bed and the east gardening bed, just outside the master bedroom:

The large flower bed south of the herb bed:

The front four planting beds:

Sophia helped me out by tearing them out of my graph notebook and crumpling them. At least they weren't ripped to shreds! This last one isn't quite finished, but it's a start.

There are several plants that need transplanting, and a few that still need purchasing. There's also the tilling, weeding and mulching...but if I take it bed by bed, I should be able to accomplish this. In maybe a few years.

In other news, I'm finally finished with patching/sanding/priming the basement hallway!

It has taken a long time, due to many of the kids being sick...and let me tell you, I don't get a lot of sleep when they're sick. Didn't help that Doug started the year off with pneumonia, either. Last week it was so bad that Doug actually took off from work at lunch to give me a nap. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

So hopefully, you'll see pictures of painting happening downstairs this week (jump of joy!).