Dodged A Bullet - metaphorically speaking

I got a call from our tax preparer this morning with the news that our taxes are done. AND we won't have to pay late-filing penalty because we don't qualify for any of the programs for which June 1 was the application deadline. Whoop dee do! AND since I turned 65 last year I now qualify for some benefits so will be getting a refund and Skip will have to pay. So we're going to take another drive up to Port Perry (where we get our taxes done) to sign the documents (observing all social distancing protocols) and pay for her services. On the way home we will stop in and visit the donkeys again. We will be taking our newly sharpened hedge clippers (our knife sharperner worked great) and snip them off some nice hay from across the road from them.

The garden is coming along nicely. Our one dark red peony is in bloom. It's a small plant and only has 4 blooms and is always the first one.

Also making an appearance are some bearded irises

and Siberian irises.

This little patch of violas thrives on neglect.  I got it at a local bacon and eggery after Mother's Day 2019. It was in a little 3" pot. Skip just stuck it in the ground and it seems to be doing well. I really like the little sunny centres.

The white and pale pink peonies are getting ready to bust out. AND I have several healthy milkweed plants that are all ready for the female monarchs. Monarchs were spotted last week along the north shore of Lake Erie so should be here soon. I plan to do a big effort this year and surpass my count from 2018 of 74 (or so) as we will probably be staying home and not travelling anywhere. Later on in the summer I'll order tags for the supergeneration that ecloses in mid-August and beyone. It would be so cool if one of them gets recovered next spring in Mexico.

I have been stitching a lot on the sampler for Teresa Kogut. I have about 1/2 of it done. I did a lot this week on two video chats, filling in spots where I didn't really have to count. However, the border is tricky and I'm going to really have to pay attention when I start it. I got another skein of one of the colours I knew I was going to run out of. The other colour that I need more of is a DMC colour which I probably have in my stash or can get commercially. I wish I could show the project to you but alas, I cannot. I hope to have it done by the end of June so I can get it sent off to Teresa for finishing and she can get it ready for release in the fall.