Susan and Toe

Last year was THE year for planting. Our yard was very much hard pack red clay soil, bind weed, kocia weed and grasshoppers.

Can you say Deliverance?

A neighbor had a tree taken out... she had mulch coming out her ears and had the tree guys dump a truck load of mulch in our driveway.

A friend sent me an e-mail about her perennial garden needing to be thinned. I brought home a zillion garbage bags full of dirt and plants. Literally a zillion. I counted. 1.... 2..... 3..... 4.....

I worked like a crazy person with buggy eyes, a slick sheen of sweat on my skin, ropey veins pulsing in time to every shovel full o' dirt I dug in order to get everything in the ground and mulch all around.

Now it looks pretty nice at our little place. Things other than weeds are growing and I don't have to worry so much about learning to play the banjo. Fine instrument that it is.

One area I planted Black Eyed Susans... the Susans did not appear this spring. I was disappointed but kept watch.

Lo and behold... ONE scraggly, very sick looking Black Eyed Susan emerged. It developed a bud and was trying it's hardest to blossom.

I pointed it out to Furry Husband. Just then Toe, our dog, came into the picture. He promptly squatted over the single, struggling Susan and pooped squarely on top of it.

Furry Husband burst into gales of laughter.

I dug up the poor, valiant, albiet stinky, Susan and moved it to another spot.

Let's hope Toe isn't drawn to it's new home to lay waste.... fingers crossed my little forlorn looking Black Eyed Susan is much happier in her new home.