Wild Roses

A better-feeling day today.  Phew.  Still a little tired, but at least the headache was gone.  Of course that meant, feel better=do more :).  I didn't intend to have another active day, but it fell into place that way.  My brother stopped by to help tame these monsters.

No, not these monsters :).  These monsters are angels :)

I mean these monsters

Yes, this is three rose bushes, gone feral after three summers of neglect.  I'm the rose queen in this house, and first I was pregnant with Ian born in August, then he was a baby putting every tiny rock and bug in his mouth, and last summer toddling after me and grabbing for the pruning shears.  I think he's finally old enough to let me tame the roses again.

But this is a small section.  We have about ten more rose bushes.  Not quite as insane as this monster, but still massive.  And for some reason the prior owners of this house spread a bunch of rye grass through the lawn.  My sister-in-law thinks for the quick, lush green of rye in the summer.  But it's turned into a pasture in winter, all dead-brown.  We joked about bringing in a cow to eat all of the hay in our yard.  The roses once had plastic weed barrier and white gravel beds.  But this grass, if I can call it grass, because it's more like green tentacles that snake and choke and smother anything alive, has overrun everything.  We had to rake and yank even to see the rose-stalks beneath the weeds.

My brother is my hero.  Saving the day by taming these crazy beasts.  "You're right," he said, "This is a lot of work."

I'd told him about my disaster-day clearing the path for the kids to bike.  I paced myself today.  Which means I didn't get to help very much.

But so satisfying to see them tidy again.  I'll post an after photo.  Tomorrow.  When he comes back for round 2 while I'm off at work.

Meanwhile, proof that my neice is an angel :).