Turned the corner
Finally I was rested, the weather was perfect and I didn't have to go to work.
I did a bunch of outdoor work. My main achievement was completing the northwest corner ground leveling.
Since last year I had the entire west side ground level lowered and had managed to carve out next to the North window well closest to the front of the house. However there was still the corner which was at the higher level.
After the recent rains the ground was soft, so it was relatively easy to carve out the area. There were a few stones and bricks but I was able to dislodge those without too much effort. The biggest trouble was finding a place to put the dirt. I just grew the mound at the northwest property corner. It is getting to the point where I have to run my wheel barrow on the adjacent lot, but that is okay now that I own it!
I can now wheel my compost and recycling bins toward the back of the house!
Also went around digging up weeds which I know will cause problems later and raked up a good ball of plants to go into the compost bin.
In both operations I discovered some large stones which will be great in the rock garden.
Next step: carve a triangle toward the post from where I will extend my gate fence. Also I can start pulling down the ground level in Marvin's Garden.
At some point I will have finish Marvin's Garden so I can put in the dry well and connect it to the downspout and disconnect the old (badly done) dry well). The gate and the drywell re-connection are linked in that the old dry well connection runs parallel to the gate. I *think* I can set up the gate without needing to disconnect the old dry well connection, but worry about whether the old dry well connection removal will destabilize the gate posts. My preference is to move toward setting up the gate and finishing Marvin's Garden and do the new dry well first, pull the old dry well connection and then put up the gate.
It is the right thing to do, but will take longer without much to show for it except a greater mound of dirt!
As we get more dry days like this...on days that I am off...I will also need to:
* paint the fascia in the back.
* paint the rest of the pickets.
* install the rest of the pickets.
* install the gutter at the back.
* weed the back.
* set up the area for the new rain barrel.
* buy components for the downspout and rain barrel.
* prepare the downspout area.
* install the downspout and rain barrel.
* fix fence caps for fence.
* cut pickets for height.
* touch-up paint for pickets.
* paint fence posts for center area.
* install fence posts.
* paint fence caps for center area.
* saw fence posts.
* add caps.
* finish pickets and metal for garbage area.
* add gate and posts
* bring ground level down for garbage container area.
* construct visual barrier using remaining stones to block view of garbage containers.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: path, tetherball court.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: path, planting area.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: rose and rock garden.
* complete path way in front, along side Marvin's Garden, onto garbage area and to car and rose and rock garden.
* dig out south side.
* complete south side drainage.
* re-do dry well and lawn.
* complete path around deck and around south side.
* finish trim.
* prepare foundation for shed.
* erect shed.
* complete non-gate parts of back fence.
* add motorized remote-control gates.
* fruit trees in back with food garden base.
I did a bunch of outdoor work. My main achievement was completing the northwest corner ground leveling.
Since last year I had the entire west side ground level lowered and had managed to carve out next to the North window well closest to the front of the house. However there was still the corner which was at the higher level.
After the recent rains the ground was soft, so it was relatively easy to carve out the area. There were a few stones and bricks but I was able to dislodge those without too much effort. The biggest trouble was finding a place to put the dirt. I just grew the mound at the northwest property corner. It is getting to the point where I have to run my wheel barrow on the adjacent lot, but that is okay now that I own it!
I can now wheel my compost and recycling bins toward the back of the house!
Also went around digging up weeds which I know will cause problems later and raked up a good ball of plants to go into the compost bin.
In both operations I discovered some large stones which will be great in the rock garden.
Next step: carve a triangle toward the post from where I will extend my gate fence. Also I can start pulling down the ground level in Marvin's Garden.
At some point I will have finish Marvin's Garden so I can put in the dry well and connect it to the downspout and disconnect the old (badly done) dry well). The gate and the drywell re-connection are linked in that the old dry well connection runs parallel to the gate. I *think* I can set up the gate without needing to disconnect the old dry well connection, but worry about whether the old dry well connection removal will destabilize the gate posts. My preference is to move toward setting up the gate and finishing Marvin's Garden and do the new dry well first, pull the old dry well connection and then put up the gate.
It is the right thing to do, but will take longer without much to show for it except a greater mound of dirt!
As we get more dry days like this...on days that I am off...I will also need to:
* paint the fascia in the back.
* paint the rest of the pickets.
* install the rest of the pickets.
* install the gutter at the back.
* weed the back.
* set up the area for the new rain barrel.
* buy components for the downspout and rain barrel.
* prepare the downspout area.
* install the downspout and rain barrel.
* fix fence caps for fence.
* cut pickets for height.
* touch-up paint for pickets.
* paint fence posts for center area.
* install fence posts.
* paint fence caps for center area.
* saw fence posts.
* add caps.
* finish pickets and metal for garbage area.
* add gate and posts
* bring ground level down for garbage container area.
* construct visual barrier using remaining stones to block view of garbage containers.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: path, tetherball court.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: path, planting area.
* bring ground level down for next segment.
* develop next segment: rose and rock garden.
* complete path way in front, along side Marvin's Garden, onto garbage area and to car and rose and rock garden.
* dig out south side.
* complete south side drainage.
* re-do dry well and lawn.
* complete path around deck and around south side.
* finish trim.
* prepare foundation for shed.
* erect shed.
* complete non-gate parts of back fence.
* add motorized remote-control gates.
* fruit trees in back with food garden base.