Nettles

Nettles have very long strong roots and underground runners.
Spent hours digging, tugging and man-handling these terrors in an effort to get a little piece  of land cleared for the Echinacea  plant-lets. 

From this to this in a mere 6 hours!

then a cup of this seemed a fitting end to a wearing day.

Take that you pesky stinging nettles! 

Sadly 'rejuvenation' was beyond a hope by that time.

Sunshine and catkins

The sun was shining and the catkins are out. 
The catkin is the male part of the plant, if you look carefully at the top you can just make out the tiny red flower that is the female and if pollinated by the pollen blown from the male will create a hazelnut later in the year.