A good day in the yard

Okay, I was supposed to spend the weekend reading students' research paper drafts, but is it my fault that only a few of the little darlings have sent them? And rumor had it that this weekend would be filled with thunderstorms, but by late morning the sun was shining and the temperature was near 70. On such an April day, how could ANYONE stay inside?

Besides, there were things to do. The front yard is now more bird- and butterfly-friendly than it was, thanks to a "Muskogee" crape myrtle (not native, but I couldn't resist the idea of a 20-foot purple-flowered tree that deer won't eat) and an "Autumn Brilliance" serviceberry, the latter underplanted with perennial purple salvia and wondrous free gifts from the house's previous owner (or maybe from the universe itself). The corner of the yard near the music room is being taken over by the old-fashioned Oriental poppies, the orange-red ones visible from a block away, so those are getting thinned and placed wherever there's room and the color won't clash too much--orange goes with purple, right? And baby black-eyed Susans are coming up through the bermuda grass in what passes for our lawn (and which will eventually be killed when I've nothing else to do), so they will be keeping the salvia company when the poppies crisp up and disappear. Anyone who doesn't like strong color should avoid our block. (Photos to come.)