Ranier Cherry Tree, and front yard Revisions

The hubby (he's a total sweetheard) got me a surprise the other day, and it was a Ranier Cherry tree... to replace the one that was killed by the neighbor's RoundUp. Long Story short, the neighbor used roundUp on alot of his lawn close to us, then we had a big rainstorm, and we're downhill... so it ended up killing 3 of the trees I ordered from a mail order catalog. When I tried to replace the Ranier cherry tree, they told me they no longer sold that type of cherry.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

So this was a nice surprise, but with a heavy heart, I'm looking around my backyard and I don't think I have any room for it... or the chestnut trees that I acquired from a farmer in Michigan.

So many wants... so little room.

Regarding the front lawn: Saw this post from Shawna Coronado's blog, and it may be a good answer to the patch of grass in the frontyard. Especially because I did want a sitting area. http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com/2010/05/creative-solution-for-tree-root.html My neighbor's maple tree is going to be difficult to deal with, so I already know the triangles of my plan will have to be raised beds. The floating patio is excellent so I wont have to disturb her tree more than necessary.

In other news, The weather is finally warming up to the point where I can start digging soon, and not feel like I am compacting the earth below my feet. Tonight when I get home from work, I will be working on the side garden. We bought some Garden soil, and Organic Humus/Manure so that will all be tilled in, and we will put our Sugar Snap Peas in :) !!! FINALLY!

Philanthropy

In my own mind, the definition is when the haves of surplus share with the have nots. I've been trying to teach my kids about donating time and talents. Lately we have been picking up apples for the nearby food pantries. They have a field day running through the orchard getting a few apples while mommy and daddy does most of the work. Tonight I'll be dropping the apples off w/the kids at the Fremont Assesor's office.

Along those lines, I have been looking forever to get 4 small piggy banks... one for spend/save/invest/charity. When I grew up, the piggy bank had one in and one out. All of it was spent. My parents going through some serious financial storms, and me realizing they live way beyond their means was a wake up call to myself. Why wasn't I ever taught there was more to life than "make and spend"? I was excited to find this on the internet yesterday. http://www.msgen.com/assembled/money_savvy_pig.html

YAHOO! a four compartment pig!

To my kids, I have always called the needy "sad kids" so they could relate, but a hilarious story reminds me that I should just call it "The needy". When the girls outgrow their clothes, I've been putting them into bags and donating it to goodwill. Their toys, also. When the girls ask where it's going, I said "the sad kids".
"Why are they sad, Mommy?"
"Because they are cold, and some do not have homes or mommies and daddies".
"Oh. "

One day I received some hand-me-downs from a cousin. Their kid is exactly 1 year older than Kelly. I pulled a dress out of the bag, and was folding it when Kelly skipped into the room. She looked at the dress, and -elated- she quickly changed into it and started twirling aorund. She noticed a small hole and said "Mommy this dress has a hole in it!"
"Just a small one, Kel. Mommy can sew that and it'll be good as new".
"This isn't new?!"
"No, it was your cousin Katie's"
"........" With big eyes, and a sudden look of realization she says slowly to me:
"Mommy... are we sad kids?"

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL awww it was hilarious. And cute. I will probably tell that story till I'm on my deathbead.

All in all, the apple roundup yesterday was a success! Thanks to those who came out for the cause. :)