Garden Fever

Here in north Texas we're in that time of year when you think, "if it was always like this, everyone would live here." It is just gorgeous outside...and so the silent but intense lawn battles have begun. Normally, no one can be seen in our neighborhood during the day. Today, there were four of us working in our yards! Most of my neighbors participate in this little green carpet competition. Our usual place in the standings is at the top - top of the "horrible" lawns category. One of my neighbor's has a putting green out front, another three are not far behind.

It is also the time of year when I begin my landscaping project for the year (I try to do one project a year - two years ago I planted 14 poplar saplings along our back fence, last year I re-landscaped the front planting beds.) This year I have decided to go easy and just try to revive the grass. And, so the last few days I have been weeding, raking, sowing seed, and watering - at least in the small patch in the front yard. So, my goal for the year is to move from the "wish-they-would-move" lawn category to the "doesn't-hurt-my-property-value" lawn category.

Speaking of goals, the sketch above is the second one drawn in the moleskine I received for Christmas this year. My goal was to fill the sketchbook (a way of measuring that I got at least some drawing done each day). The "Clutter" image posted yesterday was drawn on the halfway point. So, the art goals are progressing (there were more and they are also at a satisfactory point for the close of the first quarter.)