LOOKIT!!!!!

Lookit!  My basil seeds are sprouting!!

Squee!  I'm not a seed starting failure after all!  I had every intention of coming home this afternoon and messaging a landscaper to come start getting my garden spot ready, but I didn't.  So I'm still a landscaper messaging failure.  

My problem is that I never know what to say to them.  I know I don't have good people skills, and I've run off other contractors, plumbers, etc. by saying the wrong thing, but I don't know what it is that I'm saying that offends them so.  For example, I never thought saying, "I can't have my phone at work, so leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can" was so off-putting, but apparently that one plumber thought it was, because he never came back.   Anyway, I guess I'm going to have to just take the plunge and hope for the best. 

My new raised beds are supposed to arrive tomorrow, so I need to get started on getting all of this set up. I mean, the whole reason I had the fence guy to enclose that spot is to put a veg patch and herb garden there.  

On a similar note, I got Marty Mac out and trimmed all the dead traps off of him.  

He's looking really good now, and I think I'm going to need to repot him next winter when he goes back into dormancy.  

Alas, it doesn't look like my orange mint is going to come back, though. 

Neither is my lemon verbena, lemon thyme, or sweet mint.  I'll just have to find something else to put into those spots.  

In other news, since we're not expecting any more severe weather for a while, I went ahead and put the fire pit and chairs back outside.  

I think I finally found a good spot for them, at least for now.  It's level, shady for most of the day, and nothing important is growing right there.  Plus, my shed gives me a little more privacy until I can get the rest of the fence installed -- which will require calling the surveyor to come mark the property lines.  

Ugh...

Speaking of weather, they've been slowly releasing the tornado tracks from the most recent outbreak, and this one hit mighty close to home. 

To put it into perspective, the blue dot is me. 

I'm pretty sure that was the one in this photo, taken by one of the local sheriff's deputies just up the road from my house. 

And finally, just so this post isn't a total waste of your time, here is hat progress.  

 I'm just starting the crown decreases, so it'll be finished soon.  

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go start psyching myself up to message the landscaper tomorrow.  Yes, it'll take all night and most of the day...but if you'll all cheer me on, maybe I can get it done.