Spring has sprung

SPRING IS HERE!!!!

After returning home from camping Friday night, I was up bright and early Saturday morning to participate in the Run Wild event hosted by MSU. I ran my second 5K (the first was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure last October) and beat my previous time by more than 2 minutes, coming in at 37:20. It may not be a great time, but I am proud of myself. I'm planning to run the Natchez Trace 5K later this month. I will actually train for that one, so maybe I will beat my time again. After the race I went shopping for supplies for my flower garden, ate lunch with Cyrena and Katrina, and then headed home to unload the camper and start on improving the yard.

With the arrival of spring it is time to get in the yard. I've always wanted to have a beautiful yard with tons of flowers. I'm a perennial type of gal though. I like to plant things with the idea that they will come back. Sometimes that doesn't happen, because I'm still a newbie with a brown thumb. Last year I did very little to my beds and I can tell this year. The weeds have taken over. Can you smother grass with mulch? I'm trying my best to do that, because I got tired of trying to get it all out of the beds.

This ivy may not seem like much, but it is the prized possession in my yard this year. I've never had luck with ivy, but this little guy is a survivor! I will have to be sure to tell Mamaw thanks for some hardy ivy.

My success with the ivy gave me the idea to try my had with azaleas again. I have never been able to keep them alive in my yard. Maybe this little guy and his friend will survive me.

When Nanny and I went to Oxford a week and a half ago there were so many houses that had beautiful phlox growing. I just had to have my own!!! I choose a purple hue to complement my irises.

These irises are in the bed I have next to the road. They are very hardy and multiply quickly. I also have them in other locations around my yard and have shared them with others. Be prepared to receive some of these in the future if you are a friend who shares a passion for flowers.

Okay, my irises do well, but these are just absolutely GORGEOUS. The blooms are so much larger than mine. It's a shock, but true...these beauties belong to Scott's grandma instead of me. They did not flower last year, but they are definitely going to show off this year. May have to steal some bulbs from these when they are ready to divide.