Chablis stands guard.
View of the back yard my brother, Bauer, and sister-in-law, Tejas, have created, from inside the chicken coop. Bauer built this covered chicken haven and incorporated the living trees into the structure; they grow through the wire roof and provide shade. On the left is the greenhouse he built. Center is a view of the deck he built onto the original house. On the right, the gorgeous peaked two-car plus garage he designed and built, which also has a deck along this side.
Looking the other direction in the chicken haven. There’s a coop and storage on the left. And apparently competition is hot for roosting space on the four perches attached to the tree trunks!
The chickens make this sweet singing purring sound when Tejas comes in with the organic feed. This one is, perhaps, the Nicole Kidman of chickens.
Tejas pauses with the morning’s egg harvest. Soon to be breakfast on the deck!
I love this. It hangs on the wall behind the table where we had breakfast on the deck. These are old keys to Tejas’ former home in the hills of the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. She found them under the house and carried them with her. I may steal this idea in some way, shape or form.
Bauer watering the Pride of Barbosa and other plants. Feel the love.
On one of the greenhouse shelves. Fine examples of wabi-sabi all around this homestead. I became aware of this term while poring through the back copies of Mother Earth News I found in the guest room. Wikipedia describes it thus: Wabi-sabi represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.
Raised bed gardening supported by the many rain barrels around the property. Asparagus, Swiss chard, tomatoes, etc. Grape arbor in the background, which Hydra took lots of video of since we might use this idea on the back of our house. Beyond that, fruit trees.
Another view of the stunning garage, draped with rigging and Japanese glass buoys.
Maple tree incorporated into the decking between the house and garage. Live and let live!
Hydra on the front porch after breakfast.
The entry as seen from next to Hydra on the front porch. Great place to pass the time.
We stayed until around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when we took off for San Antonio to check into the hotel. Wonderfully refreshing break after the long two-day drive.
We’ll be back here for two days at the end of our week in downtown San Antonio. Already looking forward to it.
Any Given Sundry 
What a lovely, carefully tended homestead!
I took hundreds of shots. It was hard to pick! Luckily, we went back… 😀
Wonderful post, Sally! Your brother and sister-in-law are artistic and gifted like you — some families get all the luck! 🙂
I’m also stealing the key idea. . .
I found two spikes on the ground near Edwards AFB yesterday…the beginning of my own!
Yeah, my whole family is creative. I’m so proud of them, and lucky to have had their influence in my life.