All the hard work is starting to pay off. The patio is a really nice place to relax and enjoy the view. We've already done a lot of grilling there on our Big Green Egg. Toward the back of the yard, the northern white cedar planted last fall isn't doing so well. I discovered too late that it's the favorite winter food for deer! The plan is to plant some deciduous shrubs like chokeberry back there to help fill in the gaps. The tall grass in the back is annual rye, planted as a nurse crop to help keep weeds out for prairie plants. So far it's a pretty popular home for many damselflies and offers good hunting for the bluebirds.