pancakes, pagodas and paintings

Justin and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary on Saturday, and it was one for the books. It started Saturday morning with the best pancakes in the universe at The Original Pancake House. And then it was off to the Japanese Gardens at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, where we proceeded to gaze longingly at every type of Japanese maple possible. There were also koi fish galore, which is always fun. And there was a wedding taking place in a very nice pagoda structure. It looked very stylish, and we commented on the fact that those two buggers would have the same anniversary as we do. Darn it.

When it started to get too hot. we ventured over to the Kimball Museum for more culture. I loooove this museum. It's rather small, so you feel like you can see the entire thing without getting museum-weary (which does happen folks, let me tell you). Back at home, we got dressed for an early dinner at Stephen Pyles. I'm drooling just thinking about our meal. It really is the best restaurant in Dallas, except for perhaps York Street. Our appetizer was a sea bass ceviche, which was quite possibly one of the most amazing things I've ever tasted. And dessert was (my favorite) the "coffee and doughnuts," two homemade doughnuts and two doughnut holes with goats milk caramel dipping sauce and coffee-flavored creme brulee. Life was good.

It was the perfect day. And I can't believe it's been five years since our stellar wedding day. I'm so incredibly lucky to be married to someone I love so dearly.

Japanese Gardens:

Koi:





Kimball:

daylilies

My daylilies are now in full bloom! I've never had a show like this before. They must like the cooler weather we've been having this spring.

planter project

The Husband and I finally came up with a solution to fill the gaping hole next to our front porch steps, a precarious drop that my Dad affectionately calls "The Death Trap." It was an awkward space that we filled in partly with expanded shale. My wonderfully talented hubby then built a cedar box planter, which we coated with natural cedar weatherproof stain. We then planted some horsetail reed inside and used a gray river rock as groundcover. We are so very proud of the result. And I'm truly in love with the horsetail. It really is the perfect plant -- spikey, bright green, and tall. I kept seeing it at the White Rock Home Tour and just had to get my hands on some.

Before:

The wonderfully talented husband at work:

Tah-dah:

A closer look at the horsetail:

spring planting

A few days ago we planted several items in the back flower beds and in pots along the patio, including some ferns, scotch moss, Hen & Chicks, and Mexican feather grass, among other things. It was a beautiful day out in the yard. The weather was perfect, and if it wasn't for my itchy eyes and nose, it would have been a perfect spring day. The top image was taken pre-planting. The second image is of the Mexican feather grass, which I've been obsessed with lately. I so wish we could plant more ornamental grasses, but it seems they prefer sunny spots, and our property is mostly shaded. For more images of our spring garden, visit my Flickr site.

spring has arrived

Our yard has burst into bloom the last couple of weeks. Bulbs...

Eastern red bud tree...

Sedum...

It's almost time to start spring planting. Actually, it is time. But we've been so busy doing other things that I've almost let the beginnings of spring pass me by. I am by no means a green thumb, but I enjoy learning. I watched my mom divide some clumps of society garlic today. It looked to me like she was hacking the thing apart, but she assured me that perennials are hardy and actually enjoy being divided every few years. You just plant the divided sections in a new place, and they take root again. I guess you could call that frugal gardening...

buds and then fruit

I noticed some tiny buds on our fruiting pear tree and ventured outside as the sun was setting to take this photograph. I love the branches of this tree; they curve in all directions and have a lot of character. Each spring, they burst into bloom, and by summer, we have tiny pears growing. But in the four years we've lived in our mid-century rancher, we haven't tasted a single pear. You see, the squirrels tend to get there first. The grab every last pear they can reach, take a single bite, and drop them to the ground. Too tarty perhaps? I get a giggle every summer at all the unripe pears on our patio with tiny squirrel nibbles taken out of them.

And it begins.

daffodils!

Our daffodils are beginning to poke through. I always look forward to the arrival of spring this way. And I know more blooms are just around the corner! Since it's almost time for spring planting, I've decided to try something new this year -- ornamental grasses. I just love their spikey texture, and I've been getting more into the minimal look lately. Once we get some new plantings started, I'll be sure to share them here.