This week, I have been working on weeding all of the terribly overgrown flower beds around the yard. Now that the perennials are big, it’s fairly easy to tell what’s a weed and what’s a perennial. And what’s a wiener dog.

He’s such a good helper. Sometimes there’s a root or a weed that’s being particularly difficult to pull out, and he moseys on over and tugs on it with all eleven of his pounds. He’ll work on it and work on it- digging, pulling, chewing- until it finally gives in. Thanks, little buddy!

Remember when these giant ferns were just tiny baby fiddle-heads? The daffodils are done for the season and are making way for the peonies, which look about ready to bloom any day now…

Needless to say, with all this beauty around me, it was a little difficult to stay focused on weeding. I kept stopping to examine and photograph and sniff and touch all the pretty plants.

Can you blame me?

Also this week: The temps reached magic number 70. Way to go Wisconsin! We’re really happy about this. The first swim of the summer in Lake Superior took place after a long day of sweatyhot work in the garden (we got our starts in the ground). And we had a wonderful time jamming, laughing, and sipping beer late into the night around a fire with some new friends. The stars were out, the owls were hooting…it was pretty perfect.