Yard Impressions

These EVIL things came off our walnut trees in the last storm. I couldn't believe it......

But since I had the camera out, I took some more picture of nicer things.


to be continued

Have I told you ....

that I am tired of this WINTER and the COLD weather.

Not only can't you ride in it without 10,000 layers on you, making you look like the Michelin Man....

BUT I MISS my garden walks....

So to give you (and myself) the pleasure and share some things of the past and hopefully of new things to sprout and bloom this spring and summer.

Here are some picture of my little paradise:)

Gardenwalk with Mr. Whiskers

more picture here: Gardenwalk

Memorial Day

Today, was a lazy day. Martin got up early and went to Swanson to work on the trail. After he got back he mowed the lawn and I went out side and checked my flowerbeds.
Everything looks OK. I put some "deer-off" on the plants, weeded, some and put some seeds in some pots. This year, I won't seed much. I am seeding some Lavender, white Echinacea, hardy Hibiscus and some sunflowers. If the hardy Hibiscus turns out, I will have something to share. They produce blooms as big as dinner plates!
But my new project is in the above picture, right behind Mr. Whiskers.
All those ground covers, up to the first fence post will be torn out
and replaced by my added on Hosta cllection:)
Martin was so sweet to shred and mow that part, so I only have to
to do the digging.
It will double that Hosta bed in size and I am excited about that.
I will also much it to see how that has an effect on the soil quality.

riding-racing-riding-racing-RIDING

Today, is the first day of the race weekend in Beatrice, NE and I am not there:(
I am a bit disappointed about it but I have my reason no to go. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do...
The advantage. I could go to a party last night and didn't have to feel bad about having that extra glass of wine and I could sleep in today.
So, I put that race behind be and though, I could use the time to ride at L&C but it had rained in the morning so the trails need a day to dry and I looked at my training log and I saw that I had an alternative work out scheduled in case I wouldn't race: a 30 min TT, race condition, all out and I can tell you: IT WAS PAINFUL. I haven't downloaded my heart rate monitor yet, but I think, I have gotten faster. Cool!

Today, I didn't do anything in the yard, but admire my labor from yesterday. I had planted bout 30 plants and moved some more. I took pictures, but they are still in the camera.
Yes, I am lazy today:)



















I created a new blog to keep track of my racing schedule and the results.
I called it:
One pedal stroke at a time

The days after...

Monday night, I went to ride the Chica ride but my legs were still pretty sore from Sunday, plus my neck and my right shoulder, that I had crashed on didn't let me enjoy the ride.
So I let all those female speed demons do their thing and just rode "my" bike for a while at my pace. I say "my" bike, because I was giving Martin's Intense another try and I have to admit, it is growing on me. It does climb better and reacts quicker than my beloved Blur.
Might have to race that one on Sunday...

Today, I had a long a waited appointment at a physical therapist for my neck. I have been having neck problems for a while now and my recently intensified training with up to 7 rides a week doesn't help it. So, I finally went. The guy was really nice and very pro-sport!
He gave me stretching and strengthening exercises for my neck and my shoulders and told me not to crash anymore...sure!
AND, I will have massage THREE times a week:) Hey, if that won't help then what.

Back home, I pulled out my Roadie (I named my road bike) to do some hill sprints and almost spilled right in our drive-way. There is a gap right in the middle of the drive -way going down towards the road and I decided to take exactly that line...deedeedee! That was the closest, I have gotten to crashing on my road bike, schoene scheisse!
My hill sprints, I did right at "my" hill. We live at the beginning of this long and very steep hill. It is always a show in the snow, because people get stuck with their cars all the time.
Anyway, this is from now on velocc's hill (of pain).
But to my surprise, those sprints weren't as painful as I had thought. My legs are getting stronger. Great feeling:)
After my sprints, I went for a "stroll" on the Keystone and got blasted by the wind. Don't you hate that, that you have to turn your IPod up, just to drown out the howling of the wind.
I rode for another hour and came back home, with this good feeling of having my workout done for the day.
I also took pictures of my plants, but I haven't uploaded them yet, so that might be tomorrow's post.
Well, now it is late and Mr. Whiskers tells me, he needs his beauty sleep, so I better wrap it up for tonight and write some more tomorrow.

The Easter Bunny moved in

We have a new tenant:

A Baby Bunny that lives in one of my flower beds. It is tiny and very cute:)









So, how do I explain it, not to eat my flowers?
What should I feed it?
How do I keep the Foussa away?

Omaha, Nebraksa

One of my troopers at home:)

Yes, I am back home in Omaha. I had a wonderful time in Germany, but for right now, I am just glad to be back. As you can see on the above posts, did I go on my daily garden walk to see what has "poked" its had out while I was gone.
The one flower, the snowdrop, needs some explaining. I know it from Germany and it normally grows in groups. I planted them last year, so hopefully, by next year, it will come back stronger and it bigger numbers. It is called Snowdrop or Galanthus, because it is usually the first flowers that shows itself after the winter, often still amongst the last bit of snow.
I love them, because they are the first sign if spring in Germany when everything else is still cold and grey. I have to dig out this other picture that I took in Germany if them last year...