BJ and I have taken to sitting on our back deck after work to watch the various wildlife in the back yard. Now that I've spent MANY hours in the yard, it's starting to shape up and doesn't bug me as much as it did at first.

There was a LOT of work to do.... (excuse the crappy cell phone image)


But I've made some good progress.


I've been spending five or more hours on the weekend deadheading things that should have been dead-headed long ago, pruning and some weeding. I've started seedlings in my sun room and am hoping the seedling heat mats get them sprouting quickly, because I should have started those a few weeks ago. I ordered some of my favorite plants yesterday, and they should arrive in just over a week.

This is one of my favorites. It's called a corkscrew vine (sometimes snail vine). They smell SO beautiful and are fascinating to look at.


I'd be in heaven if I only had the gardens to look at, but I also have created an environment that attracts LOTS of varieties of birds:


We hear nothing but birds when we're in our yard. It's so peaceful and relaxing, especially after a hard day of work. I made this recording last night after I took pictures.

This one is my favorite bird:


And of course we have the squirrels:


A couple of nights ago, BJ and I were chuckling at the squirrels chasing each other up and down the tree. Suddenly it occurred to me that this is what I always thought of as an "old" person activity..... sit in the yard and watch the squirrels and birds.

I looked at him and asked, "Is this what it's going to be like when we're old and gray?". He answered, "Yes, I believe it is".

I grabbed his hand and looked at him straight in the eye and said, "That makes me really happy. I can't imagine anything I'd like better."

I mentioned in an email to Zube Girl this morning, that I felt that I was living my own little Disney movie. As dorky as it sounds, it's true. I even have Bambi to prove it.

Here are more photos of my yard. A work in progress, but pretty damned wonderful just as it is....