Caged the garden, for the Mother
Kat's garden box had to be relocated due to the new pool project. It's now at the back of the house, still close, but not visible from inside. I cut up, and reassembled the deer fencing as well. That involved a lot of tiny welds. After planting new plants, she spent most of Mother's day pulling weeds, and filling bags of sticks and twigs.
All our sago palms have made a nice recovery from the winter freeze. Each spring we take a survey of what has survived drought, heat, deer and the occasional winter freeze. We double down on the surviving variety. Weekends in spring include at least one trip to a local gardening center, digging of holes, hauling of dirt. Landscaping back in Santa Cruz was much easier. The holes were easier to dig and the mild climate was friendly to so many bright and wonderful flowering plants.
I feel like we are over the hump with our central Texas landscaping project for 2018.
Each morning I go survey what the deer have ripped out of the ground and replant. Our yard is like a giant buffet. They stroll along nibbling and tasting. The new plantings are easily plucked from the Earth before they have their roots established. Morning routine often involves replanting and moving a few rocks for protection against future pluckings.
I've made a lot of progress on creating a network of paths.
I have a few clearings along the paths where I like to hide surprises. A really good trail or path has to lead to something of interest.
Kat enjoyed the solitude of gardening most of Mother's Day, I eventually tempted her inside with the sour beer she had recently purchased at Jester King. Definitely sour, fermented with lemon and lime zest.
Beer is a cooperative model. It doesn't complain when I want to take its picture, I can adjust the lighting level and angles. It never once says "are we almost done?" or issue a series of exasperated sighs.
But the clock is still ticking. Eventually the head dissipates. The beer stirs desire for consumption, and I too cooperate and yield. It was a good beer portrait session.
Then! Kat was ready to claim her free Mother's Day chicken wings.
The wings were good!