Nice Weekend

It's been a nice weekend.

I got a shift change (from 11a-11p to 6p-6a) on Sunday night, so I was able to spend about fifteen hours at home. This was spent first sleeping for ten hours, then hanging out with the inlaws and BBQ-ing for Memorial Day. It was nice to see them before they had to leave to head home. Even better was the lawnmower they dropped off so we could finally start mowing the lawn.

Spending time with the family. Well, the adults anyways, the kids can eat in silence and isolation - this is the way of the holiday feast.

Stacey had been wandering about earlier when she smelled something sweet. Thinking she had found some wild jasmine or something, she followed the scent to it's scource: juniper trees. Apparently juniper trees in the area are in blossom. I had no idea they blossomed, but it made sense since I know they produce juniper berries. Stacey brought some home and pit them in a vase.

The white-petaled flowers are the juniper blossoms (that smell awesome).

After eating, we were hanging out in the back yard when we noticed RJ had disappeared. Stacey found him, but not before that jackass had eaten the last steak that was on the counter. I totally had plans for it tonight. I swear, as soon as the fence is built (hopefully next week), his ass is going be spending a loooooooot of time outside.

We had an old tire in the backyard that came with the house. I wasn't looking forward to dealing with it, but with her dad's help Stacey re-purposed it into a tire swing. Of course it was an instant hit.

Tire swing!!

We also found what is apparently a wild rose. It is the first rose to bloom, seeing as the other roses (on the arbor) have buds, but no flowers yet.

The only rose so far.

And while I was walking around the back yard, I walked over to check out the apple tree. Being impatient, I was really hoping to see something that looked like and apple, since last time I looked (a few days ago), the tree was on the backside of the blooming phase. What I found actually surprised me - a whole mess of marble-sized, green, baby apples in their beginning. It'll still be a while before we have apples, but at least they're progressing in a more visual manner now.

Turning into apples.

Our flower planters are looking nice as well, blooming with all manner of flowers. I guess that purple-orange-black, tiger-striped flower I put in the last post is an iris. We have more of those, but in other colors, though mostly white.

White Iris's, and whatever else is growing in the planter.

Stacey got a start on the garden this afternoon, planting out starter vegetables. once those are planted, it'll be time to start planting the seeds we have. It'll be interesting to see how much we'll get from the garden, though I have a feeling it'll be a lot.

The beginnings of this year's garden.

On the way to Kayenta for work, I got called to start early. So now I will most likely be off two hours early, which works for me as I have an appointment in Blanding tomorrow morning, then I'm repositioning to Gallup. I'll be there for a while, then to Chinle for a few days, then to California on my days off for a wedding and to see some friends.

Gratuitous "Monument Valley scene location from Forrest Gump" shot.