Halloween Trick and Treat

In preparation for our tree being planted this morning, I went outside to move some boards and the hammock stand.  Little did I know that this time I was the victim of our midnight marauder. I was mistaken earlier in the blog when I said Rick had stepped in doggie do-do.  It actually was cat crap. Today while I was working outside, I stepped in it and dragged it into the house.  %$#* ! Rick researched cat repellents online.  One person suggested land mines.  He said they would eliminate cats and fertilize the lawn at the same time.  I am tempted... We have to do something because the problem is even worse than last year.  A call to animal control may be in order. That was our trick for the day.

The post hold digger marks the spot where we
want the new tree to grow.

However, we also had a treat this morning. We finally have encountered a contractor who makes good on his word.  Eden Nursery called us yesterday and promised us we would have our tree planted today between 8:30 and 11:00 AM.

A two-man crew arrived on schedule and within 15 minutes they dug the hole, they planted the tree, they showed us how much to water it, and they were gone!

Meet our new bottle brush tree!

The tree is a bottle brush, so it should bloom with wonderful, fuzzy, bottle-brush shaped flowers.  We know from the almost dead one in our front yard that this tree also attracts parrots.  I hope that they eventually find this little one in our back yard.

I told Rick to stand next to the tree so we have
a height reference point.

The tree is placed in the center of the yard for two reasons: we can see it well from the dining and Florida room, and it has full room above to grow with no interference from either the live oak or the camphor trees that partially shade our back yard.

We have not even reached 10:00 AM, but already we have had both Halloween tricks and treats.