I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar! Maggie Shayne

It's going to be a happy type post today. Spring has sprung, and my new home (Serenity) and I are showering each other in surprises. Every day, more flowers blossom. I have tulips and daffodils and mini-hyacinth everywhere. And I didn't have to do any of the work! They came with the place! Like an unexpected bonus prize just for me.
So I'm giving some back to the place to thank it for the gorgeous spring surprises. I started by refreshing the shredded bark around all the flower beds with fresh, pretty, red tinted stuff. I've put twenty bags of it down so far "All By Myself" (that phrase is going to be a recurring theme for me, and for a lot of women on their own for the first time. It's empowering. Visualize me cheering with a fist in the air everytime I say it.) I'm going to need at least ten more bags. I spent a lot of time removing stray weeds and trimming back old growth from last year, too.

Then I graced the flower beds with some of my indoor-outdoor statues. They didn't all make the trip here with me, but most did. I have a pair of raptors--one's a hawk and the other a falcon, I believe--standing watch in one flower bed. A pair of Goddesses in another. I bought some gnomes and a friendly turtle for a third spot. The flowers seem to love and welcome every one of them.

There's a flagpole in the back yard, with tulips and hyacinth sprouting up around its base. It's ready and waiting for a flag to adorn it. I wanted to find just the right flag, maybe one with an environmental, love the earth image or a triple moon symbol or something like that. But I've searched all over online and have yet to find anything just right. If anyone knows where to buy cool flags like that, let me know, please. I'm sure some of the Pagan/Wicccan/new age shops have them, but all I can find are little prayer flags, and banners meant to hang vertically instead of horizontally. It can be two by three or three by five, I think. I'll keep looking. I NEED a flag for that pole.

There's a spot within the deck to plant stuff, but it was mostly weeds and rocks when I arrived here. The former owner, though, had a mulch pile cooking outside, hidden within a tarp. All winter I've been wondering why that tarp was there, and what was in it and why it was too heavy to move, but I never got around to unfolding it to look. Rich, black mulch, ready to use. Another surprise! So I hauled several wheelbarrows full of the stuff around to that bed in the deck and filled it, All By Myself. Then I planted tomatoes, strawberries, and herbs in the bed. That biggest plant on the right is Rosemary, my favorite herb. There was already mint growing there, so I left that. I love mint. I added my red mulch, and put a little fence around it to keep Sally (the great Dane) out. Usually, even the smallest obstacle is enough to disuade her from stepping over. But the very next morning, she was lying in there and pawing at my strawberries. That's why I had to add to the barrier by stringing some twine and yarn across the front of the patch. She hasn't bothered since, and I hope she learns not to get in there so I can take the twine down. It's not exactly pleasing to the eye.

I did some other things I'm pretty proud of. First, I had to mow the lawn. The riding lawn mower I bought (used) last fall had been put up in the shed all winter. I'd only used it twice. I got it out, filled it with gas, checked the oil. It was very low on oil. I had to make a few calls to find out what sort of oil it might take, and then I added that. I got it running. All By Myself. But then I began mowing, and found the tires like to spin and spin, especially on hills. I did a little investigating and learned this is a common trait among this particular Sears Craftsman mower. My son in law said he had to put chains on his. So off I trekked to the tractor supply store, where I purchased a set of chains for the mower. I had the clerk explain how they went on, and then I went home and proceeded to put them on the tractor, All By Myself. And then I mowed the entire lawn, which is HUGE. Also, All By Myself.

I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I've never been into gardening or flowers before, except for a few patches of herbs here and there. This year I'm going full throttle, and so far, it's looking good. Best of all, though, is that when I look at the beauty around me, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. I love this place, and I'm going to be as good to it as it has been and will continue to be, to me. I've ordered two gorgeous, solar powered fountains for the flower beds from Solutions. I hope they arrive soon!

I love doing things all by myself. It makes me feel invincible. (And I am! And so are you!) We are women, hear us roar!

Don't forget to post sources for flags in the comments section for me if you know of any. I also need to find a source for a pretty sign for the lawn where I can post my home's name, Serenity, with pride. So suggestions on that are welcome as well. And tell me about your own springtime adventures!

Maggie