Weekend Randoms Plus A Soundtrack

1.  Clearly it is ant season once again.  My blog stats are much higher than usual, but it’s because people are searching for “ants”, “pictures of ants”, etc.  You write one stupid post about ants in the kitchen and you’ll never live it down. 

Know what’s worse?  The ants are back in my kitchen.  But not from hydrangea clippings.  Now they seem to be near Cecilia’s food bowl area.  Hmmm, I eat at the table and Cecilia hovers.  Cecilia eats at the bowl and the ants hover.  Someone cue the music, I’m feeling very “Circle of Life” right now.

2. It’s completely official.  I am middle aged.  Last week I wrote about Clorox Bleach Spray.  Today I’ll be blogging about the yardwork I did.  I think when your blog posts revolve more around cleaning activities than they revolve around your social life it’s a sure sign you’ve crossed over.  Next stop, AARP.

3.  Yardwork.  I’ve never liked it.  As a kid I quickly learned to start the laundry and keep Mom and Dad supplied with Pepsi as they did yard work.  It was a win win win – laundry got done, I got to stay in air conditioning and Mom and Dad praised me for being so considerate to bring them cold drinks.  It wasn’t until years later that I learned I wasn’t being quite as sly as I thought I was.  My parents were simply being kind and not forcing me to do something I hated.  KK on the other hand loved being outside.  I attempted to mow the lawn once in my life (imagine lots of tears and trauma over shifting gears on the riding tractor) while KK mowed the lawn regularly.  With a push mower.  On a steep hill (different house).  God bless ya, KK.

It’s no surprise to anyone in my family that I live in the city.  With no lawn. 

What IS a surprise is that even a city house requires some outdoor maintenence.  Especially if you have an end unit with lots of sidewalk.

I gather my arsenal

Pictured:  My side door.  Gloves so I don’t have to touch nasty stuff.  A bucket filled with potting soil, trowel and hose (none of which was actually used).  Snow shovel to pick up the nasty stuff.  Broom to sweep nasty stuff.  Because Baltimorons like to use that broom all four seasons.

I just know that my mom is looking at this picture and thinking how much prettier the door would be with a few pots of flowers. 

You can’t really see the gutter at the bottom of that picture, but I can assure you that I filled a large trashbag with debris from said gutter. 

Have you ever heard consultant-types talking about “low hanging fruit”?  Meaning a fairly simple task with large impact?  In the home-maintenance field, low hanging fruit might be putting a wreath on the door, or adding a pot of flowers.  Sweeping the gutter is pretty high-hanging fruit.  It’s not particularly difficult, but no one notices it until there’s a problem.  I guess it’s kind of akin to backing up your computer.

Oh!  Notice the stain in front of the steps?  I think someone sat there, had a snack, and spilled their Gatorade (the stain is a pretty bright orange).  I’m thinking maybe a bucket of bleachy water might help??

Next I trimmed up the hydrangea. 

Hello friend!

Dosen’t she look ravishing?  And how about that freshly-swept sidewalk?

That orphan pansy was a gift from a neighbor.  It looks so cute I might just put a few more in there…

Then it was time for the showdown.

Once upon a time this was super cute...

As you are looking at this picture, you may want to whistle this tune.

Don’t mind the sagging telephone wire courtesy of the Snowpocalypse.  Verizon has been notified.  I’m hopeful this might get fixed by Fourth of July.   And as I look at that ugly cement wall it has become glaringly apparent that I need to find a piece of wrought iron, paint it a fun punchy color (maybe match the blue door?) and hang it as a focal point.   Where is Centsational Girl when I need her?

Back to gardening.  Obviously that pine tree is a wee bit past it’s prime.  Do you know how hard it is to uproot a small tree? With no leverage?  In retrospect I should have just dumped the entire planter. 

Retrospect and a five spot will get me a foo foo coffee from the Starbucks.

Let’s just say that by the time I finished trimming dead thyme, cutting back mint and digging out that tree, all thoughts of potting soil, pansies and happy planting fantasies were out the window.  I was DONE.

But I do have a nice clean canvas waiting for an artist.

Here I am, baby

Mama?  Wanna come up for a visit?  Please?