This Is Us

Yesterday we were doing yard work.  I was in the front garden by the pond pulling weeds and found a snake. I really enjoy having snakes in our yard.  In 2020 when we were putting in the pond and redoing the front garden, we found  This Snake .  There are a lot of benefits to having a snake(s) in your yard/garden. They eat snails and slugs and Japanese beetles, which can be harmful to your crops and flowers. They eat small rodents which can infest and wreak havoc in your home and gardens. They play a crucial role in keeping the prey populations down. Because they help keep the rodent population down, they help prevent the spread of Lyme disease. I get so happy and excited when I find another snake in our yard.  We try our best to protect them from Rooben and Tigger.

  I am so happy it's spring.  I love all the beautiful flowers and colors.  It's wonderful.  So here are a few spring flowers for you to enjoy.

  One of the presents that Nick and the kids got me for my birthday was a new rain chain. The old  Rain Chain  lasted a couple years before rusting and falling apart. I really liked this one… I like unique items… but my new one is my favorite. Hopefully this one last just as long… if not longer! 🥰 I love bees 🐝 

It's starting to get warmer!  I am so excited for the warm weather.  It was so nice today that we spent some time out in our front yard! For Mother's Day last year, I got  This Patio Set .  I wanted one so we could sit in the front yard and have some shade. It was so nice to be able to sit in the front yard and watch my kids play.

  We have had tulips growing in our front yard since we moved to this house in 2011 (they didn’t bloom until spring 2012). There were only red and yellow. We’ve added a lot more, although some only bloomed once, which is weird. Did you know: There are over 150 species with over 3,000 different varieties. The flower buds are almost perfectly symmetrical. Most of them only have one flower, but there are a few varieties with 2-4 flowers. They only bloom for 3-7 days in the springs. They are part of the Lilly family. They come in almost every color. They are native to Central Asia. They became popular after reaching The Netherlands. It’s the symbol for The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. They used to be the most expensive flower. In the 1600’s in the Netherlands they cost 10 times the average salary, which made them more expensive than some houses. From 1634-1637, when it was most expensive, this time was known as “Tulip Mania”. Their petals are edible and can be used in place of onion...

  Today when I went out front I found we had some cute visitors. Two cute ducks, a male and female! They hung out for awhile and even napped for a long time in and around our pond.  I’m not sure where they were living, but it was so fun to have them visit with us!

Did you know that having a pond in your yard is actually beneficial? We added a pond to our front yard landscape and absolutely love it. We are definitely considering making it bigger. Here are some benefits of having a pond. It replaces grass, therefore doesn’t need to be mowed or fertilized. The sludge that is in the filter of your pump and on the bottom is actually a good fertilizer for your yard.  They act like a carbon sink. They catch the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it for the plants. This helps reduce your houses carbon foot print. They are ecological hotspots for diversity. They have been shown to attract dragonflies, which are a beneficial insect. It provides a water source for birds and other animals.

  Most of the time our pond does well. It occasionally gets moss in the summer and freezes in the winter. To help with it not freeze on very cold nights/days Nick found a heater. We only use it when it’s really cold. Well, we didn’t realize how cold it was going to be Sunday night, and it some what froze. I poured some hot water in the waterfall part, to break up some of the ice. It helped. It did make some pretty ice sculptures though! We really enjoy having a pond!