New bed on the south side of the house:

I’ve been busy working on the outside of my house. Transforming my flower beds from drab brown overgrown with weeds to lush colors and green petals is one of my favorite things to do. This year has been even more rewarding since I did no gardening in the aftermath of last winter’s depression. By the time I was getting back to myself we were deep in the throes of drought and all I was able to plant were two of my containers.

This year I decided to make a bed along the south side of the house. Previously it was a cacophony of irises and weeds with no border and no design. Some of the irises had been planted by the previous owners and some were randomly planted by my father when we first moved here.

Before:

After weeding:

Pictures of the edged and planted bed to follow tomorrow.

Outside art involves large 50 lb bags of various bird seed, a myriad of square, greasy things called “suet”, containters to hold the lot, and a bird bath that grows as much slime as it waters birds. It requires constant requires constant attendance and a vigilant eye ~ forget to fill them in the winter and your collection will fly away to better pastures. The result, though, is worth it!

This is where I start:

Some of last year’s visitors:

Yes, the pictures are fuzzy. Photography isn’t my passion. It’s something I do as a means to an end. I want picture of my visitors, so I point and shoot. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t work. My 13yo daughter has a passion for photography and a new camera, so I’m hoping she’ll take the pictures. Those above were taken during last year’s Great Backyard Bird Count. Although the GBBC is loads of fun, I enjoy bringing birds into my yard year-round.

Sometimes, making our surroundings more pleasant, more “home”, doesn’t take any kind of special skill at all. Just some seed and containers.