You are fortunate. In your climate you will be coming into garden season. It shouldn't be long before you start the peas.
I am a bit cooler than you are. I started 10 tomatoes for a fall crop. They are just starting to bloom but while it is this hot, they won't produce. They should be ready to take off when cooler weather gets here. In this zone, I grow spinach, chard, lettuces and some cooler weather herbs in winter. This year I am planning to try a few different ones also but need to get cracking and get some started.
Very cool to see a big cat! That is something rarely seen so I do hope you get a good photo of one someday. In the past 30 years we have been in east TX, I've seen only two. They are illusive.