Disaster Area

More Yardwork...

Today marks another chapter in yard progress. Several youth group/mission team members are coming round to spread 6 cubic yards of bark mulch. Here it is on my driveway:

While I've been waiting for that I thought I'd go and look for some more plants - just a couple, to feel like that's making progress, too. I was meandering through a local nursery and came upon some reasonably priced baby windmill palm trees, so there they are, flanking the driveway.

Ah, lovely...

Future Plans...

With the yard moving along nicely it's time to start thinking about plants and trees and such. The landscape architect does have all the plants picked out on the plans, but there's plenty of scope for changing things up. Feeling in a researchy mood today, I went to Molbaks, one of the big garden center/nurseries around here and took some photos of what's there. Here are some bits and pieces that caught my eye...

First, a lovely Capistrano rhododendron:

And then a few lovely Japanese Maples, like this:

And a maybe a Paperbark Maple...

Whatever I end up selecting, it's all sure to be a lot of fun watching it grow...

Yardwork

Not much time for blogging lately, but here's some progress on the yard.

And a bit less messy looking...

And finally, the framing for the path is in - probably pour concrete next week when the weather will (hopefully) be nicer.

   

More Progress

Front yard all ripped up, ready for sprinkler system installation... It's so nice to be rid of the nasty grass put down by the builders.

And then the patio and back yard:

Order Emerging from Chaos

Since Sue and I moved into this house in July 2006, the back yard has remained a blank canvas. A blank, muddy, weedy canvas. Last August we had a landscape architect draw us up plans for the entire yard, but focusing a great deal on the back yard. Due to the circumstances of the past six months it has taken a while to get going, but the contractors have been here for a week and today the first major element of the back yard is almost in. The patio, made of Abbotsford Classic pavers in Indian Summer (picked out with the help of a friend), looks like this:

The deck in the lower left corner will be extended to meet the patio, and the work in the upper right is the start of a retaining wall that will allow for a raised planting bed.

Here's the view across the yard to the duck pond:

And here's the view of the back yard two years ago:

Triumph!

Six weeks after moving in, we finally hit that major milestone - we cleared out enough space in the garage to get both cars in the garage overnight. We took a few odd bits of unwanted furniture to the thrift store today, moved stuff around and voila!

Proof positive:

Sure, it isn't over yet, and there are some less than pretty aspects to the arrangement, but we're there!

And yeah, those are his and hers Subarus. But mine goes faster...

We Get the Keys Today...

Yes, we  signed our lives away yesterday, paid all the money and today the house will be ours. Many pix will be taken of the finished (and unsullied by our belongings) article.

One Month Away

Sure, it lacks a driveway and a bunch of other (essential) stuff, but it won't be long now...

Kitchen Cabinets

are pretty darn cool...

Where's the Advil????

Well, that was supposed to be a long holiday weekend, but for Sue and I it ended up (and continues on) as four hard days of packing and moving. We finally got to sleep at the condo Monday night, and there's definitely light at the end of the packing tunnel, but OMG it's been hard work.

Well, internet access will be sporadic until we get hooked up at the condo - hopefully tomorrow. Once the movers come on Friday to take everything life should return to normal. Well, for six weeks until we move to the new house.

(Strikes McCauley Culkin "Home Alone" pose (hand to cheeks, mouth wide open) - aaaarrrgggghhhh!!!)