The Stone Family

The stone owl family had a request this spring. In return for guarding the entrance to the kitchen courtyard all year, they asked that I help them out with some signage.

They got tired of telling guests who arrived at the gate that they were at the right address. Contractors and workmen especially kept asking: is this the right place? So the stone family asked me to put up a sign. 

I did.

I got a tile house number plaque that matches the new house paint color. I'm pretty pleased with it and the owls are too.

Now arrivals at the gate don't need to ask if they have the right address. The stone family just needs to give them the covid rules, ask if they need anything, and open the gate. It makes their lives that much easier.

And they finally like the plants that surround them. They lived in my experimental plant patch for a couple years -- I kept changing things, trying out what would grow in a hot dry strip bounded by ugly metal edging.

The patch has finally been upgraded with yarrow and sedum and an agastache and yellow flowered Mexican hats. Those all come out in summer and make the stone family's location bright and cheerful. They like that.

For now, in spring, the blue flowered veronicas drape over the metal edging and that's working out well. 

The family likes having some soft groundcover to lie down on at night. 

Oh, and there's irrigation in that strip now too. A line runs through and keeps things moist and that's good, even for dry loving things like yarrow and sedum, which still want water at times. 

I think the stone family feels pretty good now. They have a nice location to live in, good surroundings, a helpful sign and a place of importance.