Landscaping and Photographing

Spring has finally sprung and I can't say enough about how it's brought me back to life. Working at LGA has been an incredible challenge for me and taking on that challenge as a working mom and playing catch up on so many projects that I can finally afford has left me spent. It's all been worth it and although I'm working through the summer I'm looking forward to (hopefully) working at a slower pace. Since the sun has come out we've continued to work with my step mother on our landscaping and just moving my body again and sticking my fingers in the dirt has made me so happy. The payoff has been great, too, as things start to bloom and look beautiful. On Sunday (mother's day) we finished planting the front third of our yard. We had done the edging next to the house last summer and it's quickly filled in and up. I was inspired to pull out my camera and take some photos of what we've been up to. It felt really good to use my trusty old camera rather than a phone to photograph. I don't think I've really used it since I was pregnant and I hope that this energy and inspiration will stick around awhile so that I can photograph more and show you updated of all we've planted as it grows.

Last summer we started our strawberries but the dumb rabbits and squirrels ate them all. This year I'm putting up a strong fight. Here's the strawberry fortress.

Sayer gave us some raspberries. I'm not too hopeful about these little guys but come hell or high water we'll have raspberries.

Our blueberries didn't fare well from last summer so we refortified and Sarah brought us some bigger bushes to start anew. Are you sensing an Ashley vs. yard wildlife theme?

These tulips look fake.

The purple onion giganticus are just getting started. The bulbs just keep on bulbing.

We planted a boatload a bulbs last fall. These giant tulips have been a showstopper. The groundcover is spreading nicely, too.

My mom and stepdad funded this redbud tree as a birthday gift. I have high hopes for her.

The redbud in the front. We still have to mulch. Grow feather grass, grow!

Hazelnut and dogwoods. Are they so small and cute. Watch out they're going to get huge.

A view of our 3 plum trees and the newly decorated front of our lawn.

Tall grasses and the start of some ground cover. We have high hopes and dreams.

The plum tree is blooming!

Those damn red limbs on the dogwood are so pretty.

Here we are apres hard work. Bowie didn't help much. Josh used a selfie stick to take this photo.

The best photo we were able to get of Bowie and I on Mother's Day.

Chez Witt-Bachman. We still want to power wash, replace the light and build a new railing but with all that's growing we're well on our way. Hello curb appeal.

Witt-Bachman Family Denver Adventure Time.

Denver was awesome. Who knew it is such a hip city? I didn't and I was pleasantly surprised with this entire trip. First off we traveled with our friends Mark and Alyssa and their son River and stayed in a great airbnb. Bowie was a champ both ways on the airplane and especially enjoyed sleeping in a queen bed. He and River played so well together. Bowie called him "baby" and seemed to relish being the big kid for once:

 

Besides napping and watching way too much Cars and Thomas the Train at the airbnb we managed to get out. First we went to Colorado Springs and Garden of the Gods, which was spectacular.

Babies in backpacks rule. Yup here the boys are high fiving:

And the dads look mighty pleased with themselves. Hiking with kids on your back is no small feat.

Josh and Mark had a date night. Here's all the evidence that exists. I think there was a pedicab involved and who knows what other sordid details?

We went to Boulder and drove up to the mountains on the most glorious day ever.

Here we are at the Denver Zoo where we were SUPPOSED to feed giraffes. I was told the giraffe feedings were "suspended" and demanded to feed something with my hands. Here we are enjoying the lorakeets, although not nearly as much as we would have enjoyed giraffes.

 

Some other highlights of the trip for me were eating Biker Jim's Gourmet Hotdogs. We got wild boar, elk and reindeer dogs and they were magical.

 

I also had an epic date night/birthday night out with old man Josh Bachman. We had the very best food ever at Linger, which is an old mortuary turned food truck inspired restaurant with ghosts everywhere (or so I was told). We went to Forest Room 5 after which is a bar themed like a forest with fire pits, a stream, dead animals, teepees, a bear pit room and so much more. We had too much fun to take pictures although I met an extremely famous actor there and sorely regret not getting a snap with him...