Hello, Hello.

Hello, old & new friends. I was in the middle of Garden Week, and had planned on starting my first post on the flower garden, today.
I, however find it rude to keep going on with my story without acknowledging late guests, so I'm going to take a second to say hello.

Today I noticed that thousands of new people came to my blog. And through the countless comments I got regarding something called:
"Blogs of Note."
I had no idea what that was, but when I searched I realized that today, I ended up on this and this. I don't
know a thing about it, or who runs it, so I can't really say thank you.



So instead I will say hello.
I don't know a lot of you (thousands, seriously guys, that makes me want to go back and spell check everything I ever wrote in here) and
a lot of you don't know a thing about me. It would take forever because I tell long stories, so I will let you know what has been keeping
me busy these last few lazy weeks of Summer.



I spend about 2-3 hours a night outside. That includes 3 hours in 100 degree heat, humidity, mosquitoes the size of birds, junebugs, and stickiness.
It's worth it.
I work in the garden, landscape, sit on the patio and read, drink cold tea, throw the ball with Hunter, have a glass of wine with my husband, and make up new projects that I think need to be done.
All this translates to the fact that I love Summer with every little ounce of love in my body. I am alive, this time of year.

The picture above is our always-evolving patio that I am trying desperately to make feel like our sweet trips to Mexico. Last Summer I decided we
needed cobblestone, so we laid 150 sq. feet of it in the hot Summer sun. My poor husband.



So much so that I recently relieved him of mowing duties. He hates the heat and wants to live in the middle of the Rocky Mountains,
so he was a very happy man. We just trade off chores, so now my face doesn't have to be in the litter box scooping little tootsie rolls as much.
Fine by me.



This is exactly where I sit when I write in here. Isn't that creepy? It's like a two-way mirror.

Life isn't just gardening and blogging for me. I actually spend my time pretty evenly distributed between work, photographing everything under
the sun, (and the sun) family, friends, traveling, and lazy nights on the couch with Michael. I'm also kind of starting my own business. Again.
There's something about a 5 year itch in my career that makes me want to spread my wings and peace out.

Our 7 day hiking & camping trip is sneaking up very soon, and we've been preparing mentally and physically to sleep in the middle of nowhere,
not get eaten by bears, and remember that the world does not end when you skip a shower for a few days.



We are also the kind of people that never make our bed. I probably shouldn't say never. We make our bed when people come over and might see
our room. Otherwise, we never make our bed.

I guess that's me. If you'd like to tell me a little bit about you, I always love to hear it. In fact, a whole lot about you is my favorite.
I try to leave these pages open as much as possible for like-minded people to discuss whatever they want, and to find new friends
& support along the way. The comments are always wonderful to read over. I try to respond as much as I can, but life always comes first.



So it's very nice to meet you.


hello, hello.
Aura

PS.
Someone commented and said:

   did you just call us lovelies? ughhh

Well, I supposed I did. But if I could clarify further, I wasn't particularly talking to you. Only people with lovely attitudes.