6.26 -- To love or to hate the yard?

When we started looking for a house last summer, one of my top wants was a large yard. In retrospect, I probably should have thought about what a pain in the ass it was going to be to mow a fifth of an acre of grass every weekend. However, I really enjoy having the space for Lucas to play; trees, plants and flowers to grow; and hopefully we will actually get the garden in next year. During this break from school, I need to devise a plan to get rid of some of the lawn for some other features that don't require the mowing. I also need to do something about my patio...it needs some love and care. However, the yard has come a long way since we moved in. I am excited to see flowers blooming, the first raspberries are ripe and ready to be picked and the plums are already growing on the trees. Life is pretty good on this gorgeous Saturday...although I am about to go and spend a ridiculous amount of time mowing and weeding the yard. Maybe someday it will feel like a labor of love as opposed to just feeling like labor!