Tree spotting

I spotted it last fall, but it's back.  Adam doesn't see it.

Do you?

You see it now right? It's a cougar... aka mountain lion.

See what it mean? It's like the cloud game.... but with trees.  ☺

photo via Wikipedia

xoxo

Lissa

Yard work

It's been a very busy May so far. Work is nuts, which in theory is great. In reality it's just exhausting. June looks to be even busier, which means I should have a job for another year. ☺ 

I've been skipping the gym a lot. A LOT. Just when I make some great progress, my energy heads South and the fight is on. All I want to do is head home after work these days.

But on a very positive note, the Casa de Annie Spring spruce up is underway. A lot of new plants have made an appearance in the yard. I do still have some things that I'll want to add eventually, but I'm really liking the way things are looking. In July I will have been here 5 years, and in this time we've added plants and landscaping little by little. My biggest problem has been making decisions on what I want and where to put it. 

The hydrangea has a couple of friends now. It's going to looks so cool when they all fill the space. Ok, the soil isn't looking so good right now. I pulled all the mulch up to replace it and it was a muddy mess. It wasn't draining right which made for moldy mulch, mushrooms and it was just nasty. Adam got it taken care of so now it's time to get more mulch and pretty it back up. 

This little bistro set has been around since before I moved here and it needed a little makeover. Some black spray paint and it looks brand new!

The table hasn't been done yet. See the difference? 

Put a wire brush on the drill and this tedious task is done in no time. What is it?

Well, we've had one on the deck for a few years and I asked Adam to bring the second from one of his parents barns when he was there last week. They'll get filled with petunias. I LOVE petunias. They are so easy to take care of and last all summer long.  Right now there really isn't room for the pair of them but we're planning on "project expand the deck" this summer as it never got off the ground  last year. 

The herbs got planted too. 

And some hostas in front of a new rock wall. Why yes, that is a rope in the picture. The other end is way up in a tall, dead tree. I'm hoping I'm not going to be the one that pulls on the rope while Adam cuts it down. I mean someone has to stand by with video ready! 

This spot needs a little something.... it'll get there.

The fire pit is awesome! And there's a new short wall for the wood to hide behind. I love these little rock walls.

This spot used to be for tomatoes and peppers. But the deck will expand to take over this area so...

They've been moved to a new bed that was cut out of the hill side. 

And then we put some inexpensive stick lights down the stairs. It gets REALLY dark out there and trying to go up and down them is a bit dicey. Even this small amount of light helps a lot. 

A little disclaimer should go with this post. I really just do the fetch and carry for most of these projects. While the ideas are mostly brainstormed, the labor and hard work are all Adam. I can paint, sand and get things put back together. But if I had to dig holes or haul rock? I'd still be in the yard. 

xoxo

Lissa

Bully bird

So, if I hadn't seen some of this with my own eyes I would have never put some of it together...

I'm in the living room and Annie starts barking. I think that it's the dogs next door- when she's in the house she pretty tough and barks at them. Then I hear it. What I think is someone knocking on the glass door. I go back there, and there's nobody there. Again with the knock, and again, no one. It's strange, but I don't give it a whole lot more thought. I won't lie, I can get worked up about nothing pretty fast, so be proud of me. 

The next day when I get home it's obvious there has been a bird by the back door..... it actually looked like a FLOCK of birds had been there. Eeeww.  And the door itself is filthy.

 

Then we spot this guy. He was sitting on the railing of the deck and dive bombing the door.

After that it was pretty easy to put the pieces together. He sees himself in the door and then runs into it as he's showing off. And at the same time- the little girl whose crate is on the other side of that door is losing her mind. She seriously does not like that robin.