Because I really liked my yard this year

Three years ago we redid our landscaping. With cute little plants and flowers. There was still so much space between them that I imagined all I would ever be doing was weeding. Jason Lowe (master landscaper) assured me they would grow and eventually fill in all of that extra space. Last year they were a little bit bigger. I was still skeptical. This summer they exploded into full, beautiful plants. They have exposed their true, glorious identity- and I am in love. I love the colors, the fragrances, the textures and even the sounds. Every morning, hundred of bees congregate on the purple clover. At least once a day, hummingbirds hover by the honeysuckle. The scented geraniums cause me to breathe deeply. Our patio has become our "extra family room" that eases so much of the congestion in the kitchen as we are outside every chance we get.

In an attempt at keeping things real I will say that rarely a day has gone by that I don't have dirt under my fingernails. Every time I am outside (even walking from the garage to the house) my eye is subconsciously scanning the ground for weeds, flowers in need of deadheading, and watering issues. And as vigilant as I think I am, I am amazed that there always seems to be some giant weed(s) mocking my naive belief that I "finally got them all." And all of those sweet little critters-the squirrels, the hummingbirds, the ducks in the creek, the vast varieties of birds (including owls) have recently (at least in my mind) been joined by fat, ugly, beady- eyed rats. It's almost enough to make me want to start over. Come back little owls. Come on over neighborhood kitties. Come join us for a snack in my beautiful yard.