This is why I hate to weed.

Because sometimes, creepy, slithery things are hiding under the weed you are reaching your hand in to pull.
This guy didn't jump out at me or strike (thank goodness) but he started to slither under a new weed.
I of course freaked out a bit and ran, but I resisted the urge to tell Erik to kill it.  I calmed down a bit, got my Momma courage up and gathered the kids to show them the snake.  They both thought it was pretty cool.  Walker asked if we would kill it and I told him, "No, because garter snakes are very useful to our gardens and ecosystem." I did not tell him that they are slithery sneaky creatures that I hate!  
'Nuff said!

Needless to say, I am avoiding that part of my work today.  I am focusing instead on planting all of the beautiful peonies and iris that Erik's client, "Aunt Pearl" offered us.  We went to her house last night and boy oh boy do I wish I would have had my camera on  me.  She has beautiful gardens.  Her iris bed at the entrance is AMAZING.  All of these beautiful, tall irises.  The colors she chose are so beautiful - from burgandy to deep purple to yellow - just breathtaking.  And she has little vinettes all over her gardens - an old table with some chairs here, beautiful pineapple urns hidden in spots all over the gardens.  I loved it!  She must have a thing for pineapples, like me.  (I am fond of pineapples because my Grammie was fond of them - she had a gold pineapple pendant that she wore from when she went to Hawaii and she had a crystal pineapple on her table.  She told me that pineapples were a symbol of welcome).

I still remember the day I spotted a beautiful crystal pineapple light fixture at all places, Lowes.  I saw it when we were very early in our relationship and lived in the old townhouse - I loved that crystal pineapple and told Erik I wanted to put one like that in the entry hall of my house some day.  I didn't buy it then b/c I didn't have storage for it.  Then it got clearanced, discontinued and I've never seen another like it.  It has been my mission to find one at every tag sale, estate sale, auction, junk yard, online auction or craigslist!  It is elusive - as if I had imagined that one I saw.   If I ever find one, I'm buying it, no matter the price (well, you all know me - within reason).  There are very few decisions I regret and this is one of them.  

So, maybe I'll find out where Aunt Pearl finds all of her pineapples and go buy me some pineapple urns for my gardens!  Well, not that I have many gardens - I only have the one area landscaped, but someday I'll have more.  

I'm determined I will.

It's on my bucket list.