Our first problem was the realization that there is no grass in the backyard. We have dirt, rocks, and weeds, but that's about it! So since the yard can't be used for its normal purpose (say, as a play area for children), we've decided to try out some other uses for it. Along one fence, next to the patio, is our garden. We spent about a week digging it out, and we're in the process of turning the resulting hole into an organic garden. So that you can get a mental image, here's the garden in a picture taken today:
And one of Braeden getting ready to water said garden:
the budding horticulturist
As you can see, we're a little low on dirt. We figure we'll need about 8 more bags of organic soil to get the right depth (it's Miracle Gro organic soil, though... does that confuse anyone else?). So far we have lavender and rosemary plants that we've been watering in their pots from the store, and we're working on blueberries and raspberries in cedar planters. In the garden itself, we're planning to stick with herbs and vegetables. Hopefully. So far Braeden has dumped out garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano seedlings, and he yanked the beginnings of a grapevine out of another planter. We're expecting to harvest maybe one green bean, when all is said and done.
Our other backyard project has been to hang a clothesline. Seems like a simple task, right? Screw big hooks into posts on opposite ends of the yard, attach pulleys onto the hooks, and string a clothesline between them. But we just cannot do it correctly! No matter how tight we pull the clothesline, it sags as soon as clothes are hung. Here's our first, rather pathetic attempt:
Notice the Army pants at the end, actually touching the dirt on the ground! Luckily, the colors are pretty similar. So when Joe came home yesterday, we tightened the clothesline twice. This next picture was taken today:
Though our yard might not be aesthetically pleasing, so to speak, at least it produces crisp and delicious-smelling bed linens!
The clothes are drying --and they smell heavenly!-- but I just don't think the line is supposed to sag the way it does.
We're supposed to have sod put in in a month or so. Now we just have to find a way to get rid of the metal fence and the plastic yard toys and we'll be making some real progress!
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