Brandon Moeller

Wildflowers and blisters

Woe is me. I hurt myself Sunday trying to plant three really cheap six packs of annuals in the front yard, underneath the monster tree I severely cut back. I now have a great big stupid blister on the palm of my right hand. I should have dumped a bag or two of compost there first and planted in that, the ground was too much clay and roots.

See more photos in the Gardening 2012 album.

New petunia, impatiens and salvia make up the flowerbed of pain.

Backyard phlox that perennialized from last year. I learned how to save its seed. Maybe no more four o'clocks next year, and more phlox.

115_1907-800 — The geranium on the porch bloomed for the first time this season this week.

115_1828-800 — Some cosmos. At least two varieties pictured.

115_1969-800 — By request, here's a shot of one of the wildflowers that have bloomed underneath Kim's roses. Not sure what this is, but we got the wildflower seed from Kim's parents - and still have a lot left over.

Visitor update

Some doves have been eyeing the backyard, probably for a nest. We've had to shoo them away from the porch ceiling fan a few times already.

The toad was in my shoe on Sunday when I was about to mow the lawn. He didn't like being disturbed.

Here he is, one of the baby mockingbirds was on the pot - containing the small zinnia that just won't grow - next to the shed on Sunday morning.

I snuck around and shot this from the other angle.

Another mockingbird baby was hiding in the tree. Though once I started to mow on Sunday, they all started to fly away. A little encouragement goes a long way.

Meet the baby (birds)

115_1848-800 — I think this is the mother bird

115_1840-800 — Another shot of the mother bird

115_1845-800 — She did not like me taking the baby birds' photos.

115_1851-800 — Here's the other baby I found in Kim's knockout rose bush.

115_1860-800 — This is the father bird, I think.

115_1858-800 — The dad is, uh, pretty ugly.

115_1869-800 — This is the bird family's biggest fan.

Send potential clients a listing presentation video e-mail

Today, I wrote and published an article titled “Send potential clients a listing presentation video e-mail” on the RE/MAX of Texas News Online website that instructs RE/MAX agents how to use the powerful LeadStreet platform to send a video listing presentation to prospective clients.

I created the e-mail message in the LeadStreet system (RelianceNetworks). When the prospective client receives the message, it links to a page that I developed that includes art designed by Brian Miller and that contains an embedded video produced by Mike Sumerlin.

I’m proud of this story because it communicates the value to its audience of the content we create for RE/MAX Realtors in Texas to use to increase their business.

The story was one of the most popular ones I wrote and posted on the RE/MAX of Texas News Online website.