How does my garden grow?

Well, my 14' wall turned into a 17' wall. :) And it still doesn't seem like there is as much planting space as I had envisioned.



The grill is nicely tucked in the corner now. and some stones at the base of the hand me down fire-pit make it look a bit built in.



The Japanese lilac tree our Bible study go graciously gave us money to buy when my dad passed away, has finally been planted. I still have some sod to bust up around the bushes I added for privacy and edging stones to buy and dig in around the back of the new bed.



I love that I found a tree with 4 trunks to it. I think he would have liked it.



This new rose bush will be very pretty this summer.



I added a little dry creek bed along where the gutters have been overflowing.  Just before David fixed them and they no longer overflow. Ha! It will stay anyway since I think it's pretty cute. :) I'm looking forward to those hollyhocks (to the right of the stones)  blooming this year.



I love how great the flowers look back here even just a year after transplanting.



The delphinium are a new favorite.



I especially love the view when I turn the corner now.



There is still a lot to do like painting the chairs around the table, adding a 9'x9' patio under the table, painting the backside of the house this year, putting a vegetable garden back in (just below the playset) and a few more plants to buy to fill in by the air conditioner and hydrangea to buy for the whole front side of the house. This morning a raked half of the front yard and added grass seed. Busy, busy, busy.

Thank you Mom...

...for the Mother's day gift that allowed me to buy exactly what I needed to make a 14' retaining wall. In just one day I'm half done and should have it finished tomorrow. I'm looking forward to no one having to mow this steep hill anymore and to being able to add flowers and a hedge to block the lovely view of our neighbors garbage cans.



But most importantly, thank you for teaching me that we can do hard things.



It took me 36 trips from the garage to the back door, carrying heavy blocks (obviously). But that doesn't count loading and unloading them at Home Depot and keeping the heavy cart from getting away from me on the slope to my truck.



I think I'll sleep well tonight. Or not be able to get out of bed in the morning. Probably both. ;)

God's handiwork

After getting poured on at soccer tonight, this was our reward. 

We could see both ends of it from the fields at the airport we play at. It's a beautiful wide open space. We were right in the middle of two storms for a while. You could see the one that had just left and the second one that was headed straight for us and did end our practice 15 minutes early. Getting to see this double rainbow made all the shivering, drenched girls a little happier. I was glad to see it was still there when I got home to my camera. Right over our neighbors house, it's even her birthday today.  

Thank you God for this beautiful end to our hectic day.