While it’s a bit frustrating to have no time for fabric art or fiddle tunes, I am happy at least to be making improvements to my yard….so when it’s hot this summer and I’m inside under the AC sewing or playing my fiddle, I can look out to a lovely yard with fewer weeds.
My mom came over yesterday to help me with a bunch of yard chores; here she is putting together 2 new raised bed frames for my expanded vegetable garden:
Then we dug up this old concrete footing that I’d forgotten about; it must be as old as the house, and the wall it once supported is long gone. The footing interferes with water flow/drainage and of course makes it impossible to plant anything in that area:
This is what we dug up; I’ll throw a few pieces in my trash can ever week till it’s gone. And, yes, all that green stuff is weeds.
Before my mom came, this is what I managed to do on my own, shoveling some of the 3 tons of Salt River rock I ordered into the swale I built to divert water away from my house; and, BTW, that AC unit you see? I want to tear that out and put in a window. It’s ugly, and useless.
By the time my mom left, the pile of rock was almost gone, and the swale complete.
Here are my new 2 raised beds! Time to fill ’em up with soil, plant some seeds and get the shade cloth up and soaker hoses installed: then I’ll have fresh veggies this summer. Lots. There are 2 more raised beds in the back you can’t see in this photo. Yum.
Looks great! It must have been a real bear getting that footing out. What will you be planting in the beds? Do you want a couple of heirloom tomato seedlings? They are only about 3 inches tall.
The ground was so soft a week ago I was able to easily pry up chunks of the footing, which is concrete and adobe brick; I think with age and all the moisture it was easily cracking into chunks. So, yes, it was difficult, but not that bad. As for the beds, well, I’m planning on tomatoes, cukes, eggplant, french beans, lima beans and just a few zukes. And herbs. What kind of heirlooms do you have? I’d be interested in a couple to try out. Let me know…..
hey clare!
looks like you’re making some nice progress on your yard–fun project. kiwi is salivating at the pictures of the grass/weeds. actually she’s just chewing a rawhide.
hope you’re well
Yeah, progress is slow but sure. Tomorrow I’m buying plants at the Botanic Gardens annual spring plant sale. I just focus on taking one step at a time.
I’ll send you a copy of the photo I posted of Kiwi and Maya from our dog park reunion….let’s get together with the dogs soon!