Unsettled, Unhappy

In the 50s, today, a little warmer.  And the wind was not so strong.

Despite the sunny relative warmth today, I felt out of sorts all day.  So much to do, but nothing can be done in the earth yet, everything is still brown and matted.  April is here Friday, but it comes with snow.  That's not unusual, but it's the waiting, waiting, on-hold kind of feeling right now that has me so unsettled and unhappy while I wait for spring.

And then in the mail: the association denied our request to put in a shed.  They didn't like the color.  Didn't think a $2,800 garden shed was nice enough... a maintenance problem, not anything the occasional walker down at this end of the cul de sac should have to look at.   Chumps.  I live in a neighborhood of idiots.

This is the Shed Not To Be:

Which would have looked like this with landscaping:

Moving on.

I will enjoy the view from the bathroom, which the shed would have obstructed.  I do like Bob's little windmill out there and find myself checking it out the window a lot to see how the wind blows!

I'll still take out the knockout roses, which are going gangbusters, but I never liked the flower color.  I'll put in a smokebush Cotinus 'Grace' I think, and keep it vertical and flower-free with hard pruning each winter.  Or maybe put the new Tardiva hydrangeas there and the smokebush along the curve of the walk?  Hmmmm  Check out Nancy Ondra's 'Grace' smokebush with drumstick alliums, which I have in that spot already:

from her post 3/27 on cut-back shrubs, check out the very end

what it looked like after her pruning

Jim will help me stage the garage with shelving and better organization to get at the gardening tools. 

I've moved on.