Backyard Fun

I am so happy with our back yard these days. We've gotten such good rain this spring, and our yard is so green and pretty! It makes me smile to go out there.

We're attempting a square foot garden again. Last year was not very successful, I think because we put it in too late. This year, we got it together nice and early, and so far it seems to be going well.

A square foot garden is so different from a normal "row" garden. You have to think about it differently. For example, the second picture shows two empty spots. That is where a crop (cilantro) has already finished, and I have taken it out and put in a summer crop (green beans, and some more cilantro). You treat each square as its own plot, and theoretically, you can have an ever-changing garden. However, I think that once the summer heat fully hits us, I won't be able to grow anything else from seed. Only what is already established at that point will have a chance for survival. Hopefully that will be the beans, squash, tomatoes, and cantaloupe!

As I was taking these pictures, I heard a sweet, "Cheeeeeese!" coming from being me. I turn around to find my James-man, Climber Boy.

Isn't he handsome? This spring he has shown that he's finally big enough to be left alone a little. He's not constantly eating leaves or finding dirt piles. Well, he still finds dirt. He's a boy. But he's happy to roam around and explore.

And Caleb is forever imagining. Whether it's tiny cups full of dirt--ahem, I mean birthday cake--or blocks building a science lab (his new interest), he spends much of his time talking quietly to himself, playing the part of the chef or the mad scientist, respectively.

My little plum tree has finally come into his own this year. I count ten plums about the size of grapes. I just hope a worm doesn't find them before they grow and ripen! The petunias surrounding the tree are in two separate pots, left over from a wedding. I don't normally keep flowering plants, because they seem like a lot of trouble, and then they die. But, free is free, and these petunias have been the best I've ever had! Perhaps because I've actually taken care of them. Hm.... I love the splash of purple in my yard!

And roses. I love roses! I don't know why, particularly, but I do know that I have horrible luck with them. I have killed seven rose bushes since we've moved here, I'm pretty sure. So, I made a vow to never buy another rose. Too much wasted money. Then, I happened upon some clippings of a nice big rose bush out at Hope Landing (where James receives therapy), so I brought them home and stuck them in some water. They stayed there for a long summer, at least, and then I potted them. They were in pots for another long while, and finally, for Mother's Day, Jon planted them all for me! I love it!

(This is actually one I bought that has survived.)

The red ones are the ones I rooted.

 At the same wedding as the petunias, there were great big flower arrangements using curly willow. The willow was already starting to root only a few days after the wedding! Feeling quite confident from my success with the roses, I stuck these in water, too. They put out roots very well, and Jon planted these for me for Mother's Day as well. They should grow the size of a crepe myrtle. NOT the crepe myrtle that is looking miniscule behind the newly planted trees. That little guy moved from Fort Worth with us, and I think he spent too much time in a pot. He will probably never grow, despite the fact that he's at least 5 years old, probably older. But I still love him.

So, here's the view from the far end of the yard. My tree, my purple flowers, my boys, my garden. My home. I love it.

Some silly pictures of the boys.

To top off all that Jon did for me for Mother's Day, he also put these lovely stepping stones from the gate to our patio, and from the patio to our storage building. He did such a good job, and it really helps our yard feel more finished.

My boys, enjoying the back porch.