Been Working

Had neglected my sister's back yard. A crew is coming to repair her roof and build a porch.  I had to hurry up and catch up.  Before...yes, this is the same area.

After...we are ready for the repair and the build.

Another neglected spot...remember, I've been trying to paint the house. We made these steps on a slope between our yards so we would be less likely to slide down. I haven't had time to weed them this year with the wonderful rain and then the blessed heat.  Before....

during and almost after.

We don't have cattle, horses, goats nor chickens now but we still have work.  Keeping the jungles tamed that are our yards keeps me busy.  My weed eater and push mower are broken so all the work that can't be done with a riding mower or tractor is done with hand clippers and pruners. Hubby runs the equipment so I have help.

I have the asparagus bed cleaned and mulched.  Sorted and cleaned the garden shed to put more garden items in storage.  Cleared the weeds from the blackberries.  Have piles of mulch, piles to burn and blisters! When I've nothing else to do I dead head flowers, work in the garden and just do general yard work.  The house is suffering with no deep cleaning but will wait for those triple digit days when I can't force myself outside.  No, the painting is not finished, just on hold, but I'm down to the trim.

A job well done is its own reward.  I do sleep well at night.  Hope your summer has been productive, too. 

Enter Their Realm

and you pay an admission price

Where there are ants

there are ant eaters

many ant eaters

Hellbenders and Waterdogs

When I finished clearing what I thought needed clearing I built a sanctuary in the same area with all their occupation requirements. Bon appetit, my precious bug eaters.

No More Lollygagging

Though the weather doesn't suit me I have to work.  That's a self-appointed half to not a required have to. It was only 94F when I came in.  I am ashamed.

I have bored you with all my tree clipping, snake finding, brush pile building for weeks.  I know you are tired of it but so am I.  The last few feet remain in my yard and then on to Marcy's outbuildings, flowerbeds, fence clearing, and on and on.

Before

during as Lil keeps her snake eyes on

and after.

Another six feet on the side that faces the road and I will be through!  Back where I began.  As badly as we need rain I am glad I was able to complete all this making it easier to mow closely with less trimming.  Peeking around the corner it doesn't look too bad.  Will knock that out in no time but there are two stumps on this side that are barring all attempts at elimination.

Afterword:  Finished, done, complete, wrapped up in this yard...On to the next.

Here It Was and Here It Is

Was

Is

 Was

was

Finally cleared!

A few trees went missing 

A farm always has a post pile.

No more fence. No more briers. 

There was stock wire, chicken wire and barbed wire.  The posts have been removed to use again. The wire had been sorted for reuse and I am declaring this short ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET of back-breaking, hand-ripping, stinging ant, horrible heat index work done. Hopefully now most of it can be mowed.  

The Rose of Sharon can see the sun.  Equally happy are the wild strawberries, Dad's Currant bushes, Day lilies. Mom's Irises and Granny's Lilac and the Bridal's Wreath.  I only disturbed two irises and they were transplanted.  We can see someone driving in!

Happy plants.  Happy me.

Remodeling

For years the other side of the yard

was hand made recycling bins...one for glass sorted by color, one for cans.

Mom and Dad would wait til they had a truck load and recycle them.

We took a while to get all those things recycled but we did and now we can repair what is left. The back side of this fence has been neglected.  Last week I decided a change was over due.

I began by removing the wire (saving it to use elsewhere)

and clearing overgrowth.

Timber!

Could not save this post, rotted at the ground.

Had to set a "new" one.

The corner where the snake was found is stacked and thinned.

All clear except for burning the brush.

Now we can simply mow with no more trimming nor wondering what stump we might hit thanks to the saw.  In the spring tulips, lilies will bloom with a Crepe Myrtle blooming later.  I'm declaring one more back breaking spot done with material on hand

Morning's Too Early For Roosters To Crow

For some dratted reason, I can't sleep.  I have tossed and turned and tumbled and finally gave up and got out of bed.

Could be I have so many projects going, I can't shut my mind down enough to sleep. Could be the light from the waning moon, so I've shut the curtains.

Could be

we're working this pair overtime

and still can't catch up!

Of course I shed this pair as soon as possible.  The ground, believe or not, is beginning to dry and that makes it difficult to weed.  The heat and humidity has been extrememly oppressive but we keep on puttering.

New spark plugs and wires in our Gator, the push mower is working, a new trolling motor plug is ready to be installed in the boat.  Some tree trimming and regular cleaning has been done.  You can barely see where we've been but we have two large lawns, ours and Marcy's we keep mowed. Hubby is catching up on some brush hogging and life is going on as usual...EXCEPT tonight I can't sleep.

I have a couple out of the box projects I'm working on and trying to do my six month major cleaning at night.   Three rooms down and six to go!  Did I mention I detest house keeping?  About twice a year I wash the walls and oil the wood, while turning the place upside down, belated spring cleaning. Washing awful windows and cleaning cabinets.  And I'm thinking who told me I have to do this?

Tomorrow, no, today is another day.