It’s been a tough, long process but our wonderful neighbor Nick Page came over to help us out. He’s a mason and works with stone and bricks for a living and has his own company – Nicks Bricks Masonry Inc. He also showed Dick how to lay the stone and it’s just looking beautiful! In return Dick will be building his website for him. Talk about a great barter system!
Back patio - in process
Back patio - before...
My project is also slowly evolving in the front yard…..
Our Master Naturalist course took us to McKinney Falls State Park near Austin. Its a beautiful place with waterfalls and open fields. Found this lichen on a dead tree trunk. It’s funny that even when something is dead it can still be beautiful.
We found the season’s first Bluebonnets in an open field. I know that in about 2 weeks, this field will be covered in blue! I will have to make a return trip to check it out. The winter rains have been generous and I believe it will yield an abundant wildflower season.
The Texas Mountain Laurel was making a wonderful display:
Woohooo!- spring is here – at least according to the Texas Redbuds!! It’s been such a warm winter so far that they are ready to go! The bees are very happy about this too. Tomorrow it gets cooler and we may have a frost. I had one Redbud tree die from the drought – only 3 left, so I bought me another little one. Hopefully he’ll grow fast.
Spent the day today fertilizing and trimming back my front yard garden. Only got halfway done.
On the south side of the house, which means sun loving shrubs and perennials will be planted here. This is rocky soil and I will need to add at least 3 inches of top soil.
This is a Anemone Berlandieri – a relatively common Texas wildflower. I have the entire back section next to my house covered in these. They open up first thing in the morning and then close in the early afternoon. It’s been so warm for the last 2 days (over 80 degrees) and everything is budding.