Best wakeup call ever! My husband woke me to show me the fat raccoon eating our figs, and in the time he was away from the window, a bobcat appeared! It jumped on the fence but got stymied by the apple trees and left.

Then when I looked at my photos later, we realized there were TWO bobcats!!! 🦝🙀

My goatsbeard is getting so big! 😍 The bees are all about it 🐝

A second goatsbeard I planted in an inadvisable spot* has resurrected itself and will need to be moved… this fall, maybe?

*I would like A Word with Past Tracy over her “it’s fine just shove it in the ground” approach 😒

First bobcat sighting in my wildlife garden!!! 😃🐆🏡 We watched it sit in the backyard for five minutes, then it meandered into the front yard and tried pouncing on something in the bushes. Funnily enough I drew a bobcat today for work 😄

I was thinking about doing some planting, but with drought in the forecast I guess I should hold off another year… native plants need watering their first three years. Just a bummer when it’s such a a long wait for the next chance (some native flowers seem to only be available in spring).

Probably I should trim these lower branches for access since even I have to duck under them, but they make such a lovely arch in the spring! Just saw a hummingbird in there too 🌸

We think the coyotes might be denning in our back 40 again! Heard some cute yipping yesterday 😄

Also been hearing a varied thrush a lot – one of my few confident birdsong IDs – and finally saw it wreaking havoc in the wood chips 😂

Two of these bumbles on my tall Oregon grape this afternoon! Does it seem early for bees? 🤔 Glad to have this winter flowerer for them ❤️🐝 (I’m guessing black tail bumblebee?)

Watched this bud jump from the fence onto our fig tree, pluck a fig with its mouth, and scamper down the fence to gorge 😄 It didn’t look ripe to me but squirrel friend enjoyed it. Nearly ripe figs keep disappearing overnight – we’ve been wondering who’s eating them all! 😂

I’m digging this purple and green mix in the garden 💜💚

We’ve gotten used to hearing the nearby coyote den howling every time a siren goes past, but finally saw one of the coyotes in the backyard today! It hung out for a couple minutes scratching itself then wandered off. Guess our restoration efforts have worked!

My camas is blooming! Thanks November Tracy 💪 I’m hoping it naturalizes and spreads.

I’ve been remiss in pruning my Japanese maple so I watched a bunch of YouTube videos to remind myself and spent an hour just clearing dead wood. Probably another couple hours of cleanup at this pace. Then I can brave shaping cuts 😳🍁

We are getting lots of snow days this year! Tonight’s winter storm advisory predicts we’ll get 2-8” in the next day?! 🌨️

Early season snow!

Finally planted my bulbs today! I went light this year: three packs of camas, three huge allium bulbs, and ten yellow mini tulips 🌷 Between digging and raking the front yard, I’m going to be sore tomorrow! 😂

Backyard finally installed! Should have just done this ten years ago instead of all my failed DIY attempts 🤷‍♀️ (except we didn’t have the cash then). Now I have a bunch of pruning and tidying up to do so the deck and front yard also look decent 😂

My backyard is finally getting installed! Started on the design with Yardzen last October, signed the landscaper quote in February… Today they demo’d our garden beds and spread the dirt around the yard.

Rhodie is finally starting to bloom! Love watching the bees go to town.

Front yard looking lush! May is probably its best time of year. My purple contorted filbert is getting decent sized and looks pretty in person, arching towards the sunnier part of the yard, but is hard to photograph!

Ugh, these Finola tulips are too pretty 😍🌷

My camas is blooming! 💜 Feels a little early but I think this is common camas versus great camas I’ve had in the past.🌱

Lol, the $50 bulb bed 😂 Didn’t have the spoons to prep any soil last fall so I shoved everything I’d ambitiously ordered in one garden bed 🌷🌷🌷

Beautiful fall color at Kubota Garden today! I’ve read some about the family’s history since I went last and learned that Kubota’s designs are behind the PNW garden style of incorporating stone into the landscape!

Hired a landscape company to deal with my blackberry jungle and now it’s like scorched earth back there 😂 Lost a few things I wanted to keep but so it goes. What am I gonna do with all that space to make sure the blackberries don’t come back immediately 😳🌱 (before and after)

Sea holly is looking its best right now! Bees and other bugs are loving it too. 🌱 🐝

Neighbor described my yard as a jungle, he’s not wrong… 😂

Maybe this will be the year we finally hire someone to install a path 🤷‍♀️ Right now the strawberries have filled it in.

Stopped at an honor system roadside stand and got a tomato plant on my way home from my walk! 🍅 Didn’t figure I’d be planting starts this year because I don’t feel comfortable in a packed nursery, so I’m stoked. Never tried this kind before: tiger blush. Looks pretty!

Tulip becoming 📷 🌷

Native Pacific Northwest plants 💚🌱

I accidentally disturbed a hummingbird on the currant! Lots of big bumblebees out today too.

Ribes sanguineum (currant), Oemlaria cerasiformis (plum), Oxalis oregonum (sorrel).

Sword fern submerged in sorrel and strawberry 🌱

Sword fern submerged by sorrel and strawberry 🌱

Caught the evening light after work 🙌 Thanks Daylight Saving Time! Can we keep you? 🤞 C’mon Congress, help us out! 📷

All the red flowering currant we planted in the Back 40 are starting to bloom! Our neighborhood hummingbird will be happy! Spotted him perched in the yard a few days ago 🌱

Forced myself to go outside and throw some seeds in the garden. Got some pretty pink lettuces it would be a shame not to grow. Pink carrots and Chiogga beets too. Can’t be fussed to do it well this year, just happy to do it at all. 🌱

Hellebore in the rain 📷 🌱

Euphorbia is the best plant. I love it all year. 📷

Planted onion starts from a friend and strawberry plugs. Only found spots for 11 of the 25 strawberries, will need to take another crack tomorrow! 🌱

A sunny day in Seattle! 🌱

Crocuses! 💛 I love seeing all my bulbs come up as winter fades 🌱

Decided to walk around the block for the first time in weeks. Immediately started hailing, so I took some hellebore pics and came inside instead 🤷‍♀️ 📷 🌱