First Full Week and I'm Tired Already...

Tomorrow noon ends my first full week of teaching college classes. I'm already tired. My kitchen looks like disaster struck it and I don't have the energy today to clean it before I go online to teach tonight. While I know it's going to take a couple of weeks to get acclimated to my new schedule, I'm wondering if I bit off more than I could chew with teaching three summer courses and the garden.

No--wait! Not the garden! I didn't bite off more there...I LOVE my garden. It's my center--my being. All right--it's my obsession. There I said it. The Garden is MY OBSESSION! This morning, I couldn't wait to get out there and put in some more plants, to check for seed growth, and to water it. I was awake at 5:30 and out of bed, dressed and feeding cats before 6:00. Did you know it's still a bit dark outside at that time? The cats are loving this early-rising human because they get to eat earlier than usual. Ava loves this time of day because if she asks "IWantOutsideNowPlease" it will happen. At 7AM, I was loaded up with vegetable plants and tools (along with a bucket, sweater, hat, gloves, coffee cup, and a cat) and was out the door by 7:01:30. 

We have some growth. I'm praying that this...

isn't another Siberian Elm tree trying to take root in my garden.  I'm hoping that's our Genovese Basil finally sprouting. 

 I nearly whooped and hollered when I saw this...nearly. I remembered my neighbors were asleep as was my darling husband....they wouldn't have appreciated any loud celebrating that stated YES! THE WAX BEANS ARE FINALLY GROWING! That thing on the bottom looks suspiciously like a new binder weed. I shall banish it shortly if it is binder weed.   

 I planted sunflower seeds and hollyhock seeds by my fence line. One or the other or both are growing. I might even be able to transplant some of those to other areas. And yes--that's my barbecue skewer sticking up around it. It served as a marker so I know where to water and to keep D from mowing it down. 

But this gave me pause and made me stop and thank the forces that direct life on our planet. 

 It's our first peony flower that bloomed. Our neighbor, Mrs. C's mother planted this bush over 20 years ago when they lived in our house. We still get blooms every year.

In less than two hours, I get online and teach statistics to graduate students for two hours. It will be intense and fast because we have only two hours this week of class time. Tomorrow morning, I teach the three hour stats class in person. I'm so looking forward to Friday--when the most I'll have to do is grade papers. Friday morning, Ava and I will be out in the front yard so I can clear out the front flowerbed and plant strawberries and rosemary. I'm looking forward to my day off since I'm teaching Saturday morning. 


I'll get used to this schedule. I always do.