Springtime.

Lately, we spend a fair amount of our non-working, non-Olive, non-sleeping time doing yard work.

We have two live oaks (and many others on the block) which are dropping leaves and pollen right and left.  They are beautiful, and they're green most of the year.  But oh the leaves!

We have been clearing neglected flower beds and planting new things.  (In the process, both Kyle and I contracted 'contact dermititis.'  I'm still on the hunt for the guilty plant.  I've got my eye on one, but I can't seem to find a matching mugshot!)

I won't post photos of the empty beds (or the baby veg).  But, the transformation from brambled wreck to clean dark soil paid off in sweat and satisfaction.
There are freshly planted gerbera daisies and cute yellow flowers (whose name escapes me) and knock-out roses.  We have geraniums, hydrangea, begonias and bougainvillea in pots around the exterior of house.

We were thrilled to see our azaleas bloom after I hacked them last fall.  And we've been surprised by some bulbs that popped open last week.  Are they lilies? Not sure, but that orange is lovely!

We dedicated one bed to vegetables.  We planted tomato, jalapeno and poblano.  There are also a few pumpkin plants that sprouted from our defunct jack-o-lantern. (Pumpkins must be hearty.  They've returned after two frosts and a 'nuclear option' bed clearing!)  We hope to add some zucchini, green beans and some herbs.  We'll see!