Let the planting begin...

 Started the day with a ride... we haven't done that in a while.  It was a good riding temperature,  we were out almost as soon as it was light enough.  

Next on the agenda was getting some outside work done.  I have been intending to put chicken wire over my raised beds for a while and finally got that task done this morning.  Chicken wire is to keep the kitties from using the beds for the kitty box... at least that is the hoped for result.  I got all 4 beds done, and was ready to call it a day... had to take a bit of a break.

After lunch I went to Walmart to see if they had any herb plants.  I found a variety of parsley plants to choose from, they had a couple thyme and some bigger basil plants, and that was all I found that I wanted to consider.  It was too hot to put them out when I got home, but did get them in the ground after supper... even got them watered.

I'm hoping I will have better luck with my raised beds this year. It is actually pretty late to get busy prepping these beds, but it has been crazy the last 2 or 3 weeks.  Between rain and getting sick it just didn't get done.

My pomegranate tree is loaded with blossoms right now, there are even signs of fruit starting.  I have no idea what I have to do to make the right changes so the fruit actually develops into an edible size.  I had two fruit total off the tree last year and they never got big enough to pick.  

I also have a volunteer Moonflower.  It came up in between the patio blocks last summer and has returned this spring.  The plant already has spikes ready to start producing blooms. 

Plan is to go to Fanicks on Friday.  Will be looking for a couple native trees.  I don't seem to have good luck with my fruit trees.  I also needs to some hanging plants for my porches.

Our backyard has taken on such a new look, or maybe it's a persona.  It looks so different than it did not so very long ago.  With the new look, it has taken on a new personality.  Before I began my patio project back at the beginning of May... the backyard had nothing that would make you want to sit out there... at least I didn't think so... but it has been there all along... I was just looking at it with a different attitude.  Now every time I go out there, I see something else I want to do to make it even more appealing.

It's not uncommon to see cardinals at my bird feeder, and there are several hummingbirds that have become regular visitors.  It is quite a peaceful little space that I have discovered. 

My attempts at gardening here in Texas have not always been very productive.  I have had a few tomatoes and peppers that I planted in the flower bed in front of the deck, but I want to have a real garden one of these days... and I'm hoping to do that real soon, behind the house where there is lots of room.  We have been working at creating a raised bed for my first fall garden, which will also be my first raised bed garden.  Hopefully I will get it filled with soil this week.  The area where we live is considered the sand hills... so all the soil to go in the raised beds will have to be brought in.