I've been scapbooking - is that a good enough excuse for why I haven't been posting?

So my husband went to Alaska.  It was paid for by someone other than us so he was able to go.  These four gentlemen went to the Situk river to fish for Steelhead trout and it looks like their timing was just about perfect.  

Although the 9 days they were gone were very very hectic for me and not to mention that MAY is the busiest time of year and I put your scrapbook at the top of my list - so gentlemen, I'm taking donations - I made you a very cool scrapbook - and I want to do something relaxing.  Cold hard cash is accepted.

So I used the Moab album for inspiration and customized it to these guys with their names and the date of their catch - thankfully each photo had the correct date in the metadata.  I also made all of my own templates for these pages and used clipping masks to get everything just right.

Album outside Back Cover

Album outside Front Cover

Although I must say that the flowers they sent to all of us wives back at home was a sweet sentiment and I LOVE tulips so this went a long way with making my week better.

Planting the garden

Today I spent quite a while in the garden planting. I planted Optimum Corn, space miser zucchini, lemon cucumbers, romaine lettuce, summertime lettuce, and crook neck squash. I transplanted the celery into the south square foot garden and put the shade cloth over it. It's really in need of the shade right now while its getting established. I also spent some time texting back and forth with my sister who is gardening in a row garden for the first time. She needed to know how far apart to plant onions. Where to plant things - I always plant my tallest items on the east since my rows run north and south. I'm just glad she is willing to ask questions - it makes for a better crop and then she won't have to waste as much time with trial and error, cause I know I did. What are your gardening questions?

Vole Damage and power raking

The voles damaged so much of our yard that it required a good professional power raking.  

My husband volunteered the kids  to rake it up afterward.  I raked the upper tier with my daughter and my husband and son raked the rest.

It's made a huge difference in the lawn.  It's like the grass woke up.