in the garden, again

I meant to update yesterday but we were mysteriously without phone and internet for about 24 hours.  Things like that just keep life interesting :)

As further proof that I am feeling close to normal, we're back out in the courtyard, even doing a little work in the garden again.  If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times .... this little courtyard is such a tremendous blessing.  I'm not sure you can totally appreciate it unless you've also lived with many people in small quarters with no outside space, but lemme tell ya - I feel like this sweet little space quadruples the "live-ability" of our current apartment!!  

Today we were sitting outside for afternoon snack, and who should show up but the lawn care man.  He had a captivated audience of one :)

I 

who moved over to the fence line for a closer look!

I love the smell of fresh cut grass.  Isaac loves the noise and energy of a lawn mower.  We were a pretty content pair. 

When he finished his grass mowing we all moved over to do a little gardening.  One of our gourd-like plants had a crazy summer, adding inches and inches to its thousands of vines every single day all while I laid on the couch and barely squeezed through August as a wife and mom. 

By the time I got out there with the clippers last week the vine was clearly large and in charge of the garden.  So I started clipping and ripping and carting loads of green growth off to the trash can.

And it wasn't long before I uncovered our tomato stakes and plants and all sorts of weeds, some errant pieces of sidewalk chalk, plenty of earthworms and even a pool toy.

This afternoon I got out the garden hoe and broke up some more of the soil, which led to more earthworms :)  And inspired the kids to get their gardening-groove on and do a little work alongside mom. 

Julianna loves the clippers -

and the dirt inspires us all to get a little grimy. 

Here's the whole scene, looking in through our courtyard gate. 

Perfect fall days.  Perfect.