Lala Land Journal

Yesterday I bought 4 Arizona Cypress trees (1 gallon) and a 20 gallon yaupon bush that he had discounted to 80 bucks from 165 since it had a little freeze damage. i was worried about planting something that big but discovered a berm near the barn that was apparently a burn pile at some point. There are lots of tree roots in there, but the soil is rich and not rocky. I planted all of these new plants in that area and easily dug the hole for the large yaupon bush. Such a relief. I suppose in about 10 years I will have the privacy I desire from my shitty neighbors. 

It makes for a good wind break and food source for the birds. I have 10 yaupon bushes planted along that fence line but they are slow growers so no privacy yet. 

I also watered all the new plants I established last week and last fall. I generally water them once every 5 days, and use a 5 gallon bucket (with a small hole drilled into the bottom) so the roots get saturated. 

Spring is always a few weeks behind the city, here. We are just cooler so I suppose that's the reason it seems so much later than folks in Austin? I'm not a patient person. 

I'm leaving town until Wednesday so I think all are well cared for until I get back. 

 Archie turns 2

I doubt I have ever laid eyes on any child as happy as Archie. He think his grandparents (all of them) are his personal play things. I am happy to oblige.I actually look forward to my facetime calls with him but recently his mother wants him to not fuss at her if she moves the camera away from his eyes, or takes the phone for a moment. I mean...how rude. I am not in the business of making him behave so isn't this just a very unrealistic expectation? Yes, I think so. 

We went to a park where there was a working miniature train for all party goers to attend. It was a cool and breezy morning so most of us were bundled up, but none as much as my beautiful Jack, who is the most charming and inquisitive boy I've ever known. He hates the cold almost as much as me, but he is so proud of that missing tooth.

Per usual, Finn wore nearly nothing, and even lost his hat while on the train. We hiked the railway to where it blew off. Finn wants nothing more than big adventures so this hike was perfect. His free spirit inspires me. He not only enjoyed this train themed excuse for a party, he was 100% in character, blowing his train whistle (Chooo-chooo) on cue after I sang, "chugga chugga". He fell on some gravel just before our hike and popped up like a rocket. He never wants to admit he's injured, so when I wrapped his handkerchief around his hand, he was very happy to just move on to our hike, to where we reflected on how the landscape really resembled Lala Land. Oh how happy it makes me that they know Lala Land so well. 

Archie was actually pretty sick for his party, but that didn't stop him from leading his grandfathers to the park, throwing sticks with his Dada, and gobbling up the healthy lunch that Syd always prepares for her children. She's the best mama. The very best. I didn't get much time with the little booger at the party, but I did manage to strip him out of his dirty clothes at the end, and let him honk the horn in my new truck. He loves Lala's truck, and I love him. 

Happy birthday my beautiful boy. Lala loves you the most, my little star sweeper. Papa claim second.

Lala Land journal Feb 19

 I went to Texas Natural Gardener nursery with Sydney and Archie yesterday. Archie started running fever while we were there so the next few days should be interesting. It was all worth it because he found a garden statue of a woman with long flowing hair and said, "Dis Lala" and then went and put his hand on a bald buddha statue and said, "Dis Papa". We both felt so honored. lol He is the cutest little booger and I love every minute I get to spend with him...sick or not. 

 I spent over 200 bucks and managed to plant everything on this glorious fake spring day in February. It's so hard to resist planting this early, but I will cover them if it freezes. I bought and planted: El toro (Muhlenbergia emersleyi) clumping grass, 2 -twisted agave, 4 Gray-woolly twintip (Stemodia Lanata/ground cover), spineless Prickly Pear, and 2 Fall Aster. Felt so good to get some plants in the ground, though I still haven't focused on the back yard despite installing the crushed granite and stone walkway around it. Just feels overwhelming - especially because the cost of plants is astronomical. 

So I continue to focus on my front yard and filled the bird feeders and cleaned the bird bath. I put my merlin ID app on the sound identification and it identified: Savannah sparrow, Carolina Chickadee, Lesser Goldfinch, Bewick's Wren, American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Mourning Dove, American Crow, House Sparrow, House Finch, Northern Cardinal and (for the first time) a Pyrrhuloxia (close relative to the Cardinal). 

Now, I'm gonna load up the dogs and see if I can sink 6 t posts along the roads, where we will mount our road signs the boys will love. True Love lane, Finn's Freeway, Jack's Jungle, Papa's Parkway, and Rocky Road. A full day of Lala Land love. 

The Birds are Back - a Lala Land journal

David is sick this weekend so we couldn't babysit the grand boys as we intended. I'm amazed at how much my heart aches to be around them, however, I am enjoying the stillness this space has provided. I practiced the Ukulele and am learning Let it Be, by the Beatles.

It seems like there should be a song entitled The Birds are Back because the excitement we feel when Spring is approaching is palatable. The Titmouse is a species we are targeting and it appears to be thriving here at Lala Land. We haven't spotted a Bluebird yet, but we are on the look out. 

I set up a triangle of bird feeders (about 20 yards between each), with a bird bath in the center. I put a rock in the middle of the bath so the birds can perch and drink more easily. The starlings and a cardinal just jumped right in and rinsed the cedar pollen off their wings. 

One feeder has a camera in it (feathersnap), and though we really enjoy the pictures, there is just something about the impermanence of birds at a feeder that is so much more intriguing. 

The only time of year you can trim oak trees is after a solid cold snap, so I was just able to go prune our live oak tree in the front pasture. It looks like a tree now, rather than a bush. I'm very happy with the result and was careful not to disturb a blue bird nest I discovered in the higher branches. Joe (corgi) loves it when we go work around the property.

I also started trimming back some of the native grasses I planted in my front yard, since they have already gone to seed. I don't mow anywhere I don't have to - allowing nature to set it's own course here at this bird sanctuary. The quail especially seem to appreciate the undisturbed grassland. 

Tomorrow, I plan to install our road signs my daughter Aubrey made, so our guests and grandsons can map their adventures and discoveries. 

Lastly, I hired someone to come spend two days here, with his chainsaw. Rather than bulldozing juniper trees (less than 10 feet tall), and thereby disturbing the grassland and topsoil, we just cut them off at the ground. We will go back and shred the trees and use that mulch for pathways and to keep the grass down around trees we have planted. 

Spring is always a busy time but we reap the rewards for the rest of the year as we watch the birds migrate in and out. 

Love.

I'm not thinking about love because valentines is approaching, although I did get a valentine in the mail from my friend who makes me one every year.  They're always quite beautiful, and I rather love the sentiment since she makes them herself. 

I am thinking about love because I bathed the dogs today and it is back breaking work. Laska is awful. She moans like a tortured pig the entire time and won't stand still for a brushing. I have dog hair in my mouth and my eyes feel like there is sand in them. There probably is.  

But then, there is Joe. He is like a extra long squirrel sausage. He loves being brushed, bathed, and pampered in any way that involves touching. He even enjoys a blow drying. He listens when I tell him what to do. He is short, so it's still back breaking work. 

They're different. 

You'd think I love Joe more, but I don't. I love them both so much my heart aches. I can't imagine my life without this pair of dogs. Laska was supposed to be my service dog, but she is the most disobedient dog I have ever owned. Lord knows how much money I spent on her training, but she's even an awful car passenger. Service dogs are much use if they can't ride in the car. She tries to attack passing cars and literally NEVER sleeps or stops whining. She is a more attentive passenger than most drivers I have seen. It's exhausting having her along. 

I love her majesty. She is playful and gentle with my grandsons. She plays soccer with my oldest grandson and fetch with the middle. She gets along with every dog she has ever met and rarely wanders far from the house. She is a loyal companion. Despite being able to notice these attributes, I am generally hollering at her and trying to get her to obey. 

Joe never leaves my side. He wants nothing more than to please me. 

They are polar opposites so I love them differently. That doesn't make me a bad pet owner because I don't enjoy them in the same ways. 

It's pretty much the same with my kids.  

Snow Day 2025

Our country is in crisis and I just want my grandchildren to know I did everything I could to deliver them a country to be proud of.

But I can't write about that. They will judge me by my actions. 

Today was a snow day. Will is in Finland on a business trip (flights were all canceled), so Syd was home alone with three wild and crazy boys. Let me just tell you - she is the best mother I have ever seen. I am not biased. I have known thousands of parents, intimately. She is the very best. Will is the perfect complement to her. Truly, perfect.

The best part of the day was when Syd facetimed me to show me the boys playing in the snow. Watching videos of them sliding down the neighbor's driveway made the noise of the country disappear. Neighbors caring for them made me feel so sure they will always be ok.

Then Jack grabbed the phone and showed me the snow and was genuinely interested in seeing the snow here. We had a beautiful conversation and shared our joy for the beauty of nature. Jack gets nature more than most children. He loves all the creatures. He was full of joy and wanted to share it. It was everything. 

Finn seemed to have the best day ever - sliding around like a crazy man. The only thing that would have made it better was sharing it with his Da da. The first thing he told his mother this morning when he ran in to tell her it had snowed, was that he wished his Dada was home so he could see it. That little boy is so special. His emotional intelligence and ability to empathize is greater than some adults I know. 

Archie was so tickled sliding down the driveway on a plastic storage box lid that he could barely contain himself. Then, he spent the rest of the day sliding around on his stomach licking his mittens saying, "yummy". That baby just figured his mother had spread a snow cone across the planet for his own pleasure. She was so tired she didn't think to stop him. Now that's love.  

My heart is fortified tonight. Onward through the fog.