Before: The Back Yard

Every winter I let the back yard go.

Go and do and be whatever it is it will.

I don't go back there in the winter. I don't often look out the windows that face the back yard in the winter. With blinds and curtains shut against the cold I have no interest in seeing the back yard.

It is getting about the time of year where I'm thinking about getting out there. I'm thinking about spring and a garden.

With the hot weather and Santa Anas we are having dh *made* me go out and have breakfast with him in the sun. Breakfast that he made, served and cleaned up after. Thanks Jeff!

Unfortunately, that forced me to look at the back yard and I cringed!

Thank goodness I'm Flying again and as a Fly Baby I'm not letting myself get overwhelmed by the prospect of getting it cleared up again. Baby steps and it will be visitor ready in no time.

These pictures are of the yard as a before. But the reality is that they are after a couple of hours of recycling clean up and old desk destruction to use as fire wood. Plus some sweeping up of the leaves that the Santa Anas spread all over the place.

From 2009 January

The chair in the foreground is a favorite of dh and mine and we've decided it is time to find a home for it indoors. So a refurbishing and cushion project are in the near future.

From 2009 January

The lawn still didn't get mowed but there is always time for that. The Jacuzzi that continues to have a short in it has long bugged me. Alas, it is important to dh and he's not ready to give up on it yet. It has been about 5 years since it has worked for more than 2 days in a row. :sigh: I have hope that my Flying will continue to inspire dh and that this eyesore will become useful once again.

From 2009 January

The remains of the desk and wine rack that will be used for fire wood. Beyond the grill is a picnic table that I "let" dh put his stuff on last summer until he could figure out what to do with it. :) As of today I have permission to donate those items. Yippee! I love putting that table in the grass and using it for tie dye or painting with any drips ending up in the lawn and not on concrete or carpet.

And a current view of the garden

Wet spots from rain water that had collected in buckets that weren't left turned over. The composting is going well. After doing all the research on the best way to compost I went with the only way I would compost. Collect organic matter: egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, apple cores, grapefruit peels finely chopped and carrot peels with occasional others. Every few day they are thrown in a hole/trench and covered with dirt. When that trench is full then a new trench/hole is dug. At this point all organic matter assists my non amended garden. This next growing season will tell if this was a good idea or not.

Before planting each year we prop up the fence. The last owners planted too close to the property line. The current owners live on the other side of the country and refuse to do even the most basic up keep on the property. You know, like the renters have to make sure the plastic on the roof is in place prior to rain so the roof doesn't leak. I sure hope they are getting a great deal on the place. Because I'm happy with them as neighbors. For that matter I'm happy with most of our neighbors and wouldn't want to change a thing. Granted I'm sure they will all benefit from my return to Flying and taking better care of the front and back yard and that will then spill over into care of the alley greenery.