As another year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on all of the changes in the gardens and in our lives.
We finished the back side of our privacy fence as well as most of the east side. It's amazing what a difference it makes not just in privacy level, but also in the visual interest that it adds. The birds enjoy perching and pooping on it too.
We added a bench to the bird garden area. In the mornings we like to sit there and enjoy the shade from the aspen tree.
We also expanded the landscaping bed in front of our house so that it extends to the outer edge of the fence. Now we just need to add some plantings between the viburnum shrub and the white pine.
There is still a lot of work to be done in this front bed, but now all of the shaping and edging is complete.
Then there was the creation of a new planting bed on the west edge of our property. I wanted to define the property line and also add some interest to this area. We planted three "Little Henry" sweetspire shrubs near the existing black chokeberry. They provide a real riot of fall color and won't outgrow the space.
I planted some daffodil bulbs in the edge of this new bed up near the fence. I plan to add some perennials next year. I hope they will help to keep some of the weeds at bay and add a pop of color during the summer months.
Digging the trench and laying those edge pavers was a lot of strenuous work, but I love the end result.
In October, we went to visit my sister and her family in Illinois. They treated us to a delicious dinner and cocktails to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary.
I also spent time playing in the Fall leaves with my awesome nephew, Simon. It's so much fun watching him explore and experience the world around him. My sister and brother-in-law are doing a fantastic job raising him to be a sweet, intelligent, and entertaining little boy.
This November, we adopted a new little kitty that we named Sgt. Pepper. He was a semi-feral kitten, one of three that we'd been looking after in our backyard. We successfully trapped all of the kittens and got them into foster homes. Our seven year old cat, Digit, has really taken to the little guy, and they can often by found napping together or chasing each other through the house.
Overall, it's been a year of positive change for us. We look to 2012 with great optimism and wish all of our friends and family a very Happy New Year!
