$3 Smile

Guess what I found today?  A new little birdie for my yard!  I know, it doesn't take much to get me excited.  Plus, he was only $3 bucks.  C'mon, we all need our vices.  Just think if I was into shoes or purses!

Here's my new little critter.

You can't tell me he isn't cute. 

And of course, since I was outside with the camera, I snapped a few shots of some new blooms.

There was a peony here when I bought the house that has never done much for me.  I've tried moving it to different places in the yard, but it hasn't seemed to help.  I LOVE them.  I need to just get myself a new one and see if it's me or the plant.

Here's the picky little thing.

There were also a few rose bushes here when I moved in.  I say I hate them because they're so temperamental and so much work with the black spot and rust and aphids, but I don't have the heart to rip them out.  This one is so sweet.  The flowers are tiny and when it's completely covered in blooms, it's so pretty.  It's loaded with buds, but they're just now starting to open.

I worked at a nursery for awhile and one day a tree rose followed me home.  It's called Knock Out and it's soooo pretty.  I had it in a pot for a couple years, but I did end up putting it in the ground.  It's been in the same spot for at least 6 years now.  You can see how we built around it when we put on the addition here.

It, too, is just starting to bloom, but when it gets going, it's pretty amazing.  And it smells deeeelicious!

If we'd ever get a consistent amount of sun, things in the garden would finally take off.  They're all just sitting in the dirt waiting.

These pots are finally starting to do something.

And on that note, guess it's about time for me to get out and fertilize.

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."-- Abraham Lincoln