Yard intervention Day 5

It's been sunny alternating with heavy rain today, which is an odd thing for Portland. Usually we get grey skies (with rain or without) or sunny weather, but not the two in tandem and certainly not in a cycle as if someone stuck the CD player on repeat.  It was looking ominous, but I went for it.  Sure enough, it rained on me while I was weeding, but I persevered.  Then I went inside and put on dry clothing.  Go me!

 

 

Yard intervention Day 4

Didn't happen.  Because I was needed at fifth grade "graduation."  And then Friday Night Lights was calling to me.

Yard intervention day 3

Yesterday was too windy to attempt to put down newspaper and straw, but today was a good day.  I got the entire backyard covered in both straw and newspaper, though I ran out of newspaper before I ran out of yard.  I started saving newspaper in March, realizing that I could both reduce the amount of recycling we (I, in this case) produce and have a handy, ever replenishing source of ground cover.  The problem is that there is never enough. I had two months of newspaper to work with, which is a rather large stack of eight inches or so. But that wasn't enough for the entire back yard.  I ended up pulling some half disintegrated cardboard from the side yard.  It worked fine, but now what will I do about the side yard?
 

 

Yard Intervention Day 2

I completely forgot to take the pictures.  Drat.  But I did weed for 30 minutes straight and got everything off of the paths in the backyard.  The side yard is another matter.  Grass everywhere and grass is hard to pull up.

Yard Intervention, Day 1

I enjoy "first days" and this was no exception.  Bright and early I was out ready to put in my 30 minutes.  The pathways are hard earth so I used my favorite cobra headed tool to pull some of the more stubborn dandelions out. I also pulled all the cardboard scattered hither and yon about the area close to the patio and then spread newspaper three sections deep and overlapping.  Then I distributed the straw.  My last step was to water, because I've learned that dry straw on dry newspaper on a windy day will result in all the work blowing about the yard in a dispiriting fashion.  I'm giving my weed control a strong dose of water to ensure that does not happen.

 

 

 

Yard intervention needed!

Whilst planting today, putting seeds in the soil that were supposed to go in the ground in May and April, I decided to present myself a gardening challenge.  The yard is a partially contained mess.  Sure, I've planted things, but weeds are sprouting everywhere and I still haven't gotten all the straw spread in the pathways which was a project I began in MARCH.  I've been "trying"* to get in 15 minutes M-Saturday, and it hasn't been happening. So here's the plan: Beginning today, and extending through June 26, I will spend 30 minutes per day in the garden.  First priority:  weed paths, lay down cardboard/newspaper and straw.  Second priority: weed beds.  I will start with the part of the yard I can see when I sit at my desk to write and work out from there.  I will take a before/after picture and do a short write up after each session.  Knowing me and the prompt posting habits I have cultivated you will get to read about all this in August.

Wish me luck.


*Yes, Yoda, I know, "Do or do not, there is no try." I know what category I fall in.  It's the "do not."

Games in reverse order. I finally win one.

We're slowly playing all our board games in reverse order.  I keep losing.

Worst of all was losing to Matt at Trivial Pursuit, which is my game.
 

But I finally won!  Thank goodness for Tribond!