Landscaping is slowly coming around...

Landscaping is a slow process.  One cannot construct a tree in a day or two, nor have lush and inviting flowerbeds thriving in a week.  Of course, you could transplant those things in a day; but being growing and vibrant?  That takes time.  Today's pictures are a snapshot in time, if you will.  They are about the landscaping effort taking shape: some by our hand, and some by nature.  Just a heads-up: I have not yet seen the first of the wildflowers, but it is very early in the season for them.

Here are pictures and their stories:

We have created a problem for some of the birds.  We noticed this bluebird
after we heard a loud THUNK on the window.  He was laying on his side
for several minutes, then righted himself, eventually flying away.  It has been
years since I have seen a real bluebird, and it is nice to know they are a part
of our property and now our lives.

We love rocking chairs.  We have wanted rocking chairs for the front porch
since it was first conceived.  What we could not do was decide which ones
to get.  Our first thought was that we should get rockers from Cracker Barrel;
who has not enjoyed those rockers?  Yet, look at the wear and tear on the
rocker elements due to the concrete  They would not last very long.  We looked
at various plastics, including POLYWOOD, which is quite pricey.  We settled on
the Riata III collection found at H.E.B grocery stores: cast-aluminum and powder-
coated paint.  These are not only comfortable, but should last a very long time.

In the ongoing combat against mud and soft soils, we added this flagstone
path to the rear of the house.  It was the first one that i have ever done, and
required about 2500 pounds of stone (~1100 kg).  I got help at the end
(shown above) from my daughter and son-in-law as I was pretty tired by then.

The flagstone path connects the lanai and the back porch which is off the
utility room, and enables access to plants and sprinkler heads along the way.

Soon our new dogwood trees will be in bloom!  This is a good sign of health,
as all three of them are making their way toward blossoming.

The loropetalum is flowering nicely in the front beds.

Some of the grass seed has taken, and it looks like we might have a lawn after
all.  The grass which is seen here is the rye grass, an annual grass which will
give way to the Bermuda grass as the temperatures rise.  None of the Bermuda
grass has appeared, nor the fescue we sowed in the back.

The perspective shot showing grass along the drive, the side of the house, and grass in front of the two-car garage (far
left center of the photo).  I am ready for the oaks to begin leafing...