Who Is Cowtown Pattie?

My photo
I was Lillie Langtry in another life, and might have a crush on Calamity Jane.

Friday, June 25, 2004

Le Jardin de Pattie et Kman



Pattie's garden"


This is a fairly new little garden that Kman started a few months ago. Can you spy Arnold? The wrought iron cross was a mother's day present from my daughter, Lara (although, Kman swears people will think it is some kind of pet cemetery, or where we buried Great Aunt Elvira). Towards the back, you can catch a glimpse of the lime green frog planter that Kman painted with huge eyes. Even since this photo was taken, Kman has added a new Japanese maple tree ( very small). Plants are our weakness, for sure. To the far right of the photo is a plant (whose name suddenly escapes me) which is a very deep, iridescent purple. I love this little jewel.



Tony of the Lilies


St. Anthony, really. Kman put him in our "Tropical Garden" ( lilies, elephant ears, caladiums, palm tree, red banana tree, and callas) and we call him Tony of the Lilies. All through the yard, we have put little statues, bird feeder and bath, mirrors, chimes, birdhouses, steer skull, and other Texas-related stuff. Not too much, but enough to make it interesting. We have the "Texas Garden", the "Tropical Garden", "Rain Forest" and "Vegetable Garden" (with herbs, tomatoes, and bell peppers).

The backyard is my favorite room of the house. We are out on the patio more than we are in the den during good weather ( and some not so good). I love to sit out on the patio in the early morning in my garage sale-find rocking chair, drink coffee and watch our resident squirrel try to cheat the birds out of the best sunflower seeds. He loves to torment the dogs, and they circle the bottom of the Chinese Tallow tree, yittering. The sun is rising and reflects off my new mirrored hanging lightcatcher; the light breaks into rainbow colors and dances around the yard. Reminds me of Pollyanna (remember when she hung the crystal chandelier teardrops in the window of the hypochondriac and crotchety old neighbor?).

Sometimes it is easy to fall into a trap of thinking your life would be better only if... Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful sanctuary to sit a spell in and brush some of those shadows away, at least temporarily. If there is any fly in this ointment, it is the ever-present, dive-bombing, unmerciful mosquito. He, nor any of his extended family were invited, they just seem to think they have squatter's rights in my yard. This winter, maybe Kman will build me some Martin birdhouses. Only, where to put them?



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