I decorate with garden gnomes

Laura likes to make herself useful in the weeds at the edge of the garden. Try not to notice her hair. Her outfit. Her general disheveled state. It's the country; no one will notice. Right?

Sarah decides to help her out with the task. I am thinking of adding to Mr. Suite's never-ending list of projects to ask for a wooden sandbox with fitted lid for inside of the garden gates. This is my imagined solution to managing 2-year-old Laura in the garden. Any advice?

Farmgirl alert! Sarah's actually very good with the hoe. She has an attention to detail that should make the mere dandelion sprout cringe. I'm pretty sure I saw the crabgrass quaking in anticipation of its demise.

I had both of the big girls at work on weeds in the existing garden beds. Then when the soil was weed-free we spread big flakes of straw as mulch. I am determined to beat any possible drought this year. Also to not have to weed as much.

Meanwhile Madeleine's determination to learn how to not only drive the lawn tractor but to back it up puts my pride in my own back-up victories to shame. I think there's a lesson here. I think it's something about "at least she uses her powers for good and not evil." Because put to other purposes, that girl's focus is scary intense.

Gracie, for her part, spread the weed-blocking newspaper over the bare ground inside the new raised beds. She did get distracted by reading the ads several times. "A swimming pool! Just $299!"

"Barbies are on sale at Toys R Us! ... HEY. They put the 'R' backwards. You should call them."

Scary intense focus? Not so much. Attention to detail? Depends on the detail.

Here she is, the original sassafrass girl, taking a break from her reading break.

We're grateful for all the help we can get.

The decorative aspect of my garden gnomes is just a bonus.