Gratuitous Prettiness

It's spring. The flowers are blooming. It's colorful. I took these pictures on Saturday while we were all taking refuge from our Open House at my parents'. George and Ira love the Honeysuckle. George and Ira are the hummingbirds that have claimed my parents space; they hum because they don't know the words. One of them scared the heck out of me (I think it was George) the other day while I was sitting on the deck...they sound like mutant bees, and I was sitting with my back to the Honeysuckle.
Joseph and I planted a couple more perennial geraniums for my mom for Mother's Day a couple of weeks ago. Incidentally, I got bitten by some nasty little ants who decided to climb up my leg and chew on it on their way up. Unpleasant. Joseph enjoyed throwing rocks (nearly missing my mom's face) and digging in the dirt, though.
Their peonies are blooming too. They're so pretty, but I couldn't get a good picture of them. I like the way they smell, too. Actually, one of my favorite thing about peonies is that they won't open unless these little ants eat the waxy coating off of their blooms. Symbiosis. I'm a nerd, I know. Admit it, it's one of the things you love about me. :)

I tend not to have much of a green thumb. I like houseplants, and have a fondness for some of them that I've had for quite a while. I don't mind getting or being dirty, but I'm not real crazy about bugs (unless they're just eating waxy stuff off of pretty peonies). I understand their purpose in our ecosystem, I just don't want to touch them. I also understand the importance of gardening with children. So, someday (hopefully soon) when we've got our own yard, I look forward to growing stuff of my own.