at mom's, in her garden

This weekend marks a pretty special time for Tony and me.  NO - not because it is Valentine's day or anything even remotely romantic.  This weekend we are doing some major refreshing in my mother's yard and gardens.  Ten years ago, Tony and I house-sat for my mother who had asked Tony to put a small raised bed in the middle of her lawn where there was a perpetual dead spot.  One week later, she returned home to find that only about 1/3 of her grass remained and the rest was some amazing rock-lined, raised beds and and shale walkways that Tony designed and I helped implement.  It was the first garden creation that I ever did with Tony.  I will never forget slogging around in the thick, black clay-mud that exists here in Cedar Park or scavenging cactus, rocks and wood from the local woods that are now acres and acres of neighborhoods (only 10 years later).  BUT!...we didn't stop with the backyard.  We tore out sections of her front lawn as well that had never even contemplated growing anything well and put a stone border around her native trees.  I learned an insane amount that week amidst the rain and mud.  Most importantly, I learned that Tony is one of the most patient, knowledgeable and hardworking people that I know and that I had an insane amount to learn about gardening and not getting frustrated.  So, here we are a decade and 2 kids later.  Tony is still kind, patient and hardworking and I roll with the punches much more easily (up to a point) and have learned a lot about growing things.  I'm a lot more used to mud and don't even try to clean up my stained fingernails anymore.  I do still have a lot of frustrations when it comes to the garden but it isn't because of my ignorance or inability, it is mostly because of gophers, cutworms, drought and the like.  I'm so glad I'm still doing this and that Tony is still my man.  As I dig up 10 year old plants, I find that I am still learning too - Thank God!