For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

Back side of deck

These words belong not to me but to Ralph Waldo Emerson. I use them because I think of them when I walk out my patio door on to my bright, cheery, deck. 


As you can tell, our lot is small. We own what is referred to as a zero lot line home. We have maybe 20 feet between our home and our neighbors. Our front and back lawn are cared for by our neighborhood association, but the small, long and narrow area between our home and our neighbor is cared for by us. Not only is it long and narrow, it is dipped to help drain rain waters.


Now, do you see what Ralph and I are getting to in the above quote? In order to get the bedrooms we needed, we had to give up the whole yard idea! Well, after we sulked for 30 seconds we started making plans for a huge deck with herb and flower gardens and a play area for the dog! My what big eyes you have Grandma!

The Herb Garden

Needless to say, our plans were somewhat interrupted when my parents became ill. We had little time for gardening and less for deck building so what you see is pretty much where we are now. This photo was taken last spring so the herbs have multiplied and there are a few fun changes to the deck. I'll grab some new photos in the next several days and show you all what a hot Dallas summer does to plants!