The past few days in DC have been the kind of beautiful that makes you think you've hit the climatic jackpot by living here. DC was settled on a swamp? You couldn't make someone believe that right now (except for the mosquitos which never stop swarming). Blue skies, cool nights, seemingly no humidity, sunshine; hell, the city even smells good. After the intense heat of July and then the 100+ sauna that was everyday I was in Louisiana, this has been an incredible respite. I've been a neglectful gardener this summer: I gave into the white fly attack in my greens bed and finally just ripped them out and tossed them into the compost; my tomatoes look unbelievably scraggly though that's really more a function of approaching the end of their season; the grass is threadbare as if it's an old duvet on its very last leg; the flowers have given up; the hostas and astilbe called it quits weeks ago.

But today, the rejuvenating cool lingering into the afternoon, I decided to get back out there. After yoga (such a flipping godsend), I stopped by the nursery for some herb replacements and a trunk-full of pretty annuals from the sale table: the yard deserved some bling. We all headed outside for a team effort at cleaning and tending, and I got the superb idea to remove all the plants AND bulbs from my largest bed, till/fertilize/condition the soil and then replant everything in a prettier fashion. The bed encircles our enormous Sugar Maple and so needs extra love because the Maple is a selfish, ravenous beast.

This was a really BIG job but I had a definite deadline: we are hosting a playdate for some new PK students tomorrow and so I felt pressure to finish. Oh.my.lord. I completed the job but it took hours and afterwards I had Oliver apply menthol rub to my tired back. A great sense of accomplishment shines through the fatigue though, and I look forward to enjoying a large glass of cold white wine tonight.

The boys and I took a break midway through for cones of the s'mores ice cream I finished up this morning. It is sublime.