When we last left off with our backyard…..I think that was back in September….we had just completed the new deck.(By “we”, I mean to say our contractors, Mike/Kenny)

Here’s the what we were left with….

Pretty impressive….Right?

We couldn’t be happier with it.

What we weren’t happy with was the right-side-drop-off we were left with. Well, mostly that remainder of old air conditioner pad peeking out. (See it up there to the right? In the shadow?)

What to do?????….What to do?????

I know, planter boxes.

But not just any ol’ planter boxes. Horse Troughs.

How very TEXAS of us.

So we headed to the closest Feed Store, Boyce feed Store in Waxahachie, Texas to be exact……

Have y’all ever seen a more idyllic feed store? Just look at that place….

In case y’all are wondering, ALL 6 foot galvanized troughs are not the same size all around.

Since these are made in India, and shipped to the US, to save space three 6 foot troughs are stacked inside each other.

Hence, there are 3 different widths.

Not for this obsessive compulsive man.

If we were getting 2 troughs……….we were getting 2 troughs the same size.

(Too bad we could only get one trough in the car at a time that way)

Jamie drilled plenty of drainage holes in the bottoms of both troughs……

….and lined them along the side of the deck on top of concrete blocks and black weed blocker.

A thick layer of pea gravel covers all the ugly…….by “ugly”, I mean, concrete blocks and black weed blocker.

Then 8 fat desert sages inside.

These plants grow like weeds in Texas.

And when they’re happy, they’re covered in pale purple flowers.

Jamie added a few more boulders along the bottom….

…and BOOM, we’re in love.

No more odd drop off on the side of the deck.

I think they’re the perfect nod to Jamie’s love of showing horses…..

And to my….

ummmm, well,

My love of all things galvanized.