Landscaping and landscapes

It's been windy and chilly, but sunny for the past few days. I've been riding Beau in preparation for our first Quarter Horse show this weekend. Today we worked on slowing down the canter. Beau is also learning to neck rein, as we have to show in a shank bit--horses over the age of 5 can't be in a snaffle, regardless of their time under saddle.

After my rides yesterday and today, I went out onto the property and dug up some young Ponderosa pines and some aspen trees. As you may know, my house is for sale. A good friend commented that my property is pretty barren. He's right--and it's hard to get anything to grow in sand. I'd love to have grass, but I'm not home enough to water it, and I don't want to spend the time mowing. I also had a comment from a potential buyer that there aren't many trees on my property...well, now there are an additional 30-40 young trees, from 12" to 48" tall! Here are a couple of photos; this is one of the taller trees, already windblown:

These are young aspen trees, about 24-30" tall. My neighbor Diane swears that piling rocks over their roots will help them grow, so rocks it is!

This is the front of my property. I planted about 10 trees, varying from 12" to 48" here, and across the driveway in the following photo:


I also updated the urn on my porch, borrowing a design from the NW Flower and Garden Show. I paired a spiky burgandy flax with asparagus fern, blue lobelia and vinca vine, which should cascade down the side of the pot. Finally, I added a pair of dwarf Austrian pines to the flower bed in front of the house. Their new growth is chartreuse, a striking effect against the reddish brown of the landscaping bark and the gray stone of the front wall.


Speaking of landscaping and landscapes, this is Monument Valley last week at about 7a, from 39,000'. Amazing, isn't it? I do have the best view from my office window...

I hope you enjoy whatever views today may bring!