Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The digging continues

We had a crazy weekend working out at the green gym (the back yard makeover continues*)... too bad there was less green and more dirt-work then we would've liked. DH shoveled out FIVE TONS of dirt just to get the area level. That's five extra-full truckloads of dirt that not only were not only shoveled out of our yard and UP into the truck, but then we helped people shovel them out of the truck and to various garden beds, tarps and laws, etc. Poor hubby moved ten tons of dirt manually. He had spaghetti arms on Monday, lol.

I helped but mostly someone had to watch our kiddlet. For a while were were able to put her on the WRARP (Worm Rescue And Relocation Project). Still there's only so much interest that a 3yo can give worms... she did like the screaming part though. (She was moving the worms from the dirt into the cooler parts of the compost pile). We also found some sort of milky white 1/8" bug eggs in the soil that she had fun popping with her fingers. Okay, EW. Why would she scream at worms but feel perfectly comfortable squishing bug eggs with her bare hands?

This is where we started (adding this photo in again for the new kids)
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This is where we finished up last night - look I even found my banana plant (see potted bit in the front) which I thought had been completely choked out by the weeds or killed by the hard winter, but no - it lives! Sweet! I've got to find a place for it in the new garden bed. *Squee*! Also there are some of the plants from the abandoned blocks area in the raised bed to the left - one of the ferns couldn't handle the transplant on top of the crazy head winds we had with that thunder storm the other day and all its fronds fell over. It'll live though, it's sending up new fronds. Once the new ones come up I'll cut back the old half broken ones.
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Does anyone know what the flowers are? I knicked them from the front of one of the houses and don't know what they are... sure are pretty though.
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This is where we were two weeks ago
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Dirt all gone! Mud puddles abound! Kiddlet had a great time playing in the mud. It was the least I could do for her since she had to put up with a mostly boring day of watching us dig.
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Less exciting for most I do have a compost fan here who wanted to see my pile... Here ya go!
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Much more lovely to look at, my first nasturtium about to bloom
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*Have I mentioned how much I love my husband's family? Besides the fact they're really nice and fun their impending presence always kicks him in the @ss to work on house projects! l love it! His Mom will be here in a few weeks to go through Grandpa's house but she will be staying with us. We started this make over last year when she was here and it would be really nice to have it finished before she comes back. That and we want to have a little party. I just want to have a place to sit and really enjoy all the work we've done.

12 comments:

Annie*s Granny said...

Jenn, that's becoming a really lovely spot! It's exciting to watch the transformation, isn't it?

I have some gorgeous nasturtium blossoms....too bad I can't see them for all the leaves! Oh, I do see one or two blooms from my window, and the colors are fabulous.

Jeff Vandiver said...

That was alot of hard work leveling that area - then installing the garden bed. I bet hubs is sore!

Just Jenn said...

Grann I loe watcing te transomation! BTW m ki spille coee on m compute tis moning an now none o te kes wok! O no!

Annie*s Granny said...

OH NOZ!!! Jenn had a keyboard mishap. I usually get cookie crumbs under my keys and lose a letter or two. Someday I'll kill the laptop when I'm bouncing it on its side, trying to loosen the crumbs.

Ribbit said...

WOW! You guys are really working your tails off! It looks great.

Shawn Ann said...

Wow what a transformation! It is lovely!

Stefaneener said...

That is a LOT of work.

I remember the days of trying to work with little kids around. . . not that we don't have at least one little now, but there are biggers to help, at least. Enjoy your new space.

Joanne said...

Lookin' good!
Its a bit hard to tell from the photo and I'm no flower expert but could it be a columbine? It is pretty.
Do you eat your nastursiums? I've started one in the vegie patch.

Chloe m said...

You have worked hard, and it looks great! I love the term Green Gym. My kids are the same about the worms, they occupy themselves for quite a while finding new homes for them when we dig.

Just Jenn said...

Well DH hacked together a computer for me while we soak the laptop keyboard - what a mess!

EG, DH did all the digging but I put together the raised bed pretty much by myself though it was a bit ago I was sore too. ;^)

Ribbit and Shawn Anne, thanks! I'll be really happy to have it all done but I don't mind the work too much either. I've learned to love the process as much as the outcome.

Joanne, Yeah, sorry it's a crummy photo it's definitely not Columbine. I need to take a better picture and post it to one of those forums where the "plant people" hang out who love to look at and figure out what's what. ;^)

Randy Emmitt said...

Jenn,

Sure was a lot of work, but look it is awesome now! You made it a great space! We have been enjoying nasturtium blooms for just a few days here.

Sinfonian said...

Beautiful work! I can see the effort you put into it. Well done. You always do great work. Come on up to Seattle whenever you want to design something, hehe.

And I too am a compost fan. Nice looking diversity in your bin!