Upsides and Downsides

I noticed from all the rain we've gotten the last couple weeks, our trees have really grown quite a bit.  When we planted our cottonwoods about 15 months ago (+/-) they were just 3/4 inch whips; just little leaves growing off a stick, with no 'branches', and in the ground were only about 5 feet tall.  Plant them with expert help (Mom and Dad!!) and give them lots of water, and some of them have passed up our neighbor's pine trees.  (Our neighbor planted his pine trees about 3 years ago, and they were the 42" box size, or maybe bigger, when they went in the ground.  They looked huge at the time!!)  They look gorgeous, and make the perfect 'rustle' noise when the breeze blows.  I'm not sure of their height, but for comparison, the rail fence is 4 feet at the top rail.....

Contrast that with our 'front yard'......I have neglected it for many reasons.  For one thing, no one drives past it, aside from the garbage man.  Also, I can't see my front yard from any of my main windows.  So, I never see it until I am pulling up to the house, or leaving.  What I do see all day, is gorgeous green trees and grass, and it's easy to forget that there's a forest of brown ugly dirt and tumble weeds on the other side.  I began this morning my battle with these tumbleweeds, and made quite a bit of progress before I nearly passed out.  It was pleasantly cool this morning, but one can only take so much.  :)  Unfortunately, as huge as the pile of uprooted weeds is, there is at least 4 times that, still rooted in the ground.  :(  I'll keep at it, though, I need to reclaim what once 

was my front yard.  And maybe someday someone will buy the property next to us and clear it; that will really cut down on the weeds that spread to our yard.  

Just thought I'd rub it in to anyone who doesn't have homegrown steaks whenever they want; check out the size of that sirloin on the left!!  Yummmmmm....

And, finally, the mystery of the week.....There is a nest of some sort that has begun to form on our front door.  I know that wasps make nests like this out of mud, but the ones I have seen are much much larger.  I have drenched this mud clot with bug spray, and plan to arm myself with another can of it before I knock it to the ground.  Any guesses as to what is inside??