Alternate title: helicopter hell!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep hatred for helicopter maple trees. Knowing full well that I would go into deep depression if I lost the three XXL sized trees in my front and back yards, it is still really hard to accept the helicopters each May. It seems they run in cycles. The past two years have been oh so under control. This year? Pure insanity. Look at this mess!

Here's the helicopter story, straight from hell. Large bunches of helicopters (seeds) develop in the trees in April. 

Then? It rains and rains and rains. And rains. Torrential downpour. Over a two week period, the seeds fall to the ground strongly resembling helicopters aka twirly birds. Then it rains and rains and rains.  Wet monsoon. The helicopter seeds then magically sprout into cute little maple trees and I want to kill myself. Imagine thousands of tiny maple trees growing in every inch of your entire yard, in all the flower beds, between shrubs, everywhere. In the crease of the driveway pavement. I swear to you.

If you think I'm dramatic, you should hear my husband complain. Albeit whilst he cleans out the gutters, pulls weeds while on business calls, and scoops large shovels full of helicopters filling large bag after bag.

I just wanted to preface these graduation party day pics with the helicopter story so that you understand the intensity of having a graduation party on the patio during the month of May. 

And now, I'll cheer up... My baby graduated from high school!

My pots are planted!

The grass is mowed!

Love the begonias in the flower beds!

The cushions and pillows are out! 

It stopped raining!

I swear if I hadn't had a graduation party to prepare for, all the cushions and pillows would still be in the basement. No flowers would be planted, and the dead boxwoods would still be in the pots on the patio. Because it has rained. It definitely feels like it has rained every single day, nonstop, for the past 6 months. I will admit my imagination has been associated with exaggeration on occasion. The good news is rain = green. An exceptional and otherworldly kind of green. My very favorite part of spring and summer is green. 

You can see the baby maple trees growing on the edges of the begonia bed here...

It stopped raining for the graduation on Saturday and the graduation party on Sunday. I honestly don't care if it rains every single day for the rest of the summer. (That was a sarcastic joke, Mother Nature...)

Welcome to June.

Landscape Designer: Vickie Lea Designs