Yard Boys Behaving

I've dragged my feet on firing the lawn company simply because of the trouble of finding someone else. I failed to catch the man who does the house next door, and he doesn't have a name on his truck. I looked in the Yellow Pages, but that was too scary just to call someone at random, so I just let time go by. Wednesday, my brother was in town for a funeral and stopped by with his sister-in-law who lives in Montgomery. I happened to mention my problem - she's the realtor who sold me this house - and she said she would give me her guy's name who was good and reasonable and would do other jobs that you asked him to. She emailed me his name and number yesterday, but before I could call him, I saw the big white trailer parked out front. They also do the house on the other side - that's where I found out about them.

I decided to give them one more chance and get proof. I took pictures of the lawn furniture and where I had put barriers around the trees and was all prepared. I stood at the kitchen window and watched them unload their equipment and put gas in the trimmer (I guess - I don't know what he was doing). Then I walked from window to window as they mowed and trimmed, and surprisingly, they seemed to take great care and do a good job on the front and side. I got distracted while they were out back, but when I checked after they left, I couldn't believe it. Table was moved back with all the chairs underneath. No bushes or little trees were touched. All the surfaces were blown clean. Good grief. Do they like me now? What's going on? Maybe they read this blog!
So until next time anyway, I'm not making a change. Again, I like the owner of the company who used to do the work, but now he just sends the guys and doesn't seem to be supervising. We will just see! Sorry to all of you who wanted firings and/or spankings. That may come next time.
The clematis is just full of blooms. This is the biggest one. I need to get a bigger trellis for it; it's already trying to wind its way around the plant next to it.

This is a well traveled iris, one of many I dug up from the Charles Street house in Thomaston and moved first to Meridian, then to Greensboro (where it never bloomed). Then I took it to Columbus where it did bloom and multiply. I was afraid it didn't like Montgomery since it didn't bloom last year, but I guess it does after all. I wish I had had the time and energy to carry more plants from state to state and some that I did failed to make it in one place or another.
I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow for cake tasting and caterer talking to. I'm already tired thinking about it. Emily and Ryan will be here tonight, so I'd better get my errands over with this morning so I can work my 4 hours this afternoon.