Happy Easter/Benevolent-Zombie-Jesus Day!

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Originally uploaded by topochicovase

Nothing says "Easter" more than a half-shaved, googley-eyed monster in your garden.

Easter was good. No two ways about it. At my 645 wake-up call, the pouring weather and thunderclaps felt a bit grim, but all was wonderful and springy by noon and I could wear a turquoise eyelet shift Richard bought for me last summer and feel warm. We picked up Grandma and visited Grandad's crypt and then had a family meal at my Aunt and Uncle's. I got to meet my second-third-fourth-something-twice removed-dunno little cousin Luke for the first time; he's almost three and precious. Apparently he loves horses and has been riding before so I'm hoping he'll come out and ride Bandit some weekend.

Besides that, napped, played with the dogs, ate my weight in chocolate eggs and bunny M&Ms and Dove chocolate rabbits, and finished up the first planting in the backyard. Hopalong helped with the digging. Obviously there's a long way to go, as evidenced from the pictures, but it's a good start. Even though I've spent so much time working around gardeners and naturalists and biologists and those kinds, this is my first self-attempt at a big planting and it's a bit exciting. I wish I could be home more for the next month to see how things pan out.

It came to my attention today that there's about six or seven weeks until I need to have All The Wedding Crap In Line. Because camp starts, and then we transcend to another planet devoid of constant internet access, spare minutes to spend tasting cake, and most of the natural freedoms folks in first-world nations enjoy. This has only brought upon a mild panic, but.. hmm. Might ought to get on that?

Father Son retreat weekends start this Friday, and I'm quite excited to see Kate this weekend and Kile, Tobbe, Brett, Drew, and others in the following weekends. This week is going to be full of hauling horses in from winter pasture and throwing a saddle on them all before kids ride on Saturday, which means afternoons at the barn, which I'm pretty content about. Busy, yes, but in the stables is a-ok by me. Bandit may be a bit neglected, but that's certainly the nice thing about having a horse in his mid-teens.. The rollercoaster of behavior between being worked and off days is much milder. I know I can hop on him in a month and he's going to be pretty steady.

6.5 weeks until Richard comes to the U.S.!

Currently making me laugh: British comedian Charlie Broker discussing the variety show that is Fox News.

Easter Saturday supper

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Originally uploaded by topochicovase

This is my first Easter home since high school. So I'm kind of giddy. I don't really like going all out for holidays --or, that isn't our style-- but I love the little celebrations. Nice meal, wine, and some flowers on the table. It's the simple things, no?

Spent Thursday night, most of Friday, and probably this upcoming evening planting my parents' backyard. Three young dogs and a lack of somebody young to do any gardening has reduced what was once planted, grassy, and full of rosemary bushes and mint to dirt, weeds, and one voracious red-tip photinia and a Spanish oak we planted from an acorn. And my mom's bougainvilleas. I went out late on Thursday and broke ground the prepared half the yard for planting --not a particularly easy job, but did a good job replacing the workouts I've been skipping for a week. Brought back memories from my trail-building days with TPWD-- and designed a rough plan with plants and guides and my folks sprang for a bunch of plants on Friday morning. It's looking good (small, but good! we've got several months before it's going to look fuller) and all very water-savvy; lots of Mexican sages, blackfood daisies, lantanas, etc. I may take pictures tomorrow, or I may not.. it simply does not look impressive, and my parents would kill me if they knew I was posting pictures of the tragedy that was our backyard.

Also convinced my parents to switch to premium, non-HEB-aisle dog food. That took some selling. Rembrandt and Pedro have skin issues and I'm thinking their nasty Beneful is to blame.

Feeling pretty excited about the thought of a revitalized rail system in the U.S. Also fairly annoyed about the Somali pirates. We're spending X amount of dollars on ridiculous amounts of defense, yet a lifeboat without fuel is beyond our capabilities? Hmm.

Also, this marks the first Easter I think I've been home since High School! And so I'm feeling quite inclined to eat Cadbury eggs and decorate the table with fresh lavender asters. :)