September 13

Excuse us for taking some time away in September and October in order to attend to the needs of our elderly mothers. Progress on our house projects will not halt, but will slow to a pace that does not require frequent updates. Today's post may be the last for a little while. Sit back, relax, or go off and do your own thing!

Yesterday was kind of a hard day because we (actually, Bruce) cut down the ailing dogwood tree that has been a sentinel at our front walkway since before the house was ours. It was diagnosed with a dogwood disease that has "anthrax" somewhere in it, so it was only a matter of time. Rather than pull it out, we are trying the route of leaving several feet of the trunk in place and incorporate it into some type of yard art. The final look has yet to be conceived, but we are learning patience in this home restoration business.
We will miss our dogwood. It served the neighborhood birds in all seasons.

Here is the new look by the walkway entrance. We moved some rocks and then put in the plants that have been waiting since June. Some time soon the tops of the trunk will be refined.

I also finished creating the garden bed next to the driveway. Several of our dwarf cherry trees are not doing well. It may be a case of over-watering. We will fill in between the trees with several peony plants in the spring.

The bird feeder is now relocated in one of the japanese maples at the south end of the deck. The chickadees are visiting it, so we hope others will come too.

Thursday, August 20

A lovely star jasmine is waiting to be planted. It will go in a spot where it can climb AND spread its sweet scent.

With stronger netting, our defense against deer is holding.

Zucchini is doing well.

Wanting to save water we have let the yard on the west and north
go brown.

We have de-thatched the yard on the east and will re-seed with a drought resistant mix.

August 12

We apologize to our restless readers! (you know who you are)
We have had family visiting from the midwest, and we took time before they came to prepare. So, while work has never stopped, our photographs and postings have fallen by the wayside. Thank you, readers, for helping us get back on track!

While our sons and friends were with us, we had a little "rock placing party". They laughed at first, but in the end, put their backs and creative energies into it and things are looking quite fine.

Also, we took a trip to the Oregon coast, and while there, collected some driftwood. Those have found places around the beds.

Our issues with the deer continue. We don't think of it as a war, but rather an effort to co-exist. But conflicts have arisen. Our goal is to put in plants they don't find interesting, and protect the ones they do.

An internet search told us that stringing fish line can be a deterrent in some cases. At the appropriate heights, they get confused because they can't see it but it is an obstacle. It has to be close enough to the house or other structures to discourage simply jumping over it. We tried it, but some mornings  we could see from prints and munched plants that it was not totally effective. One day I looked out to see a doe inside the garden. I walked out to the deck and watched as she deftly ducked between the lines and hopped on out. We have put another row of fish line in the middle and are waiting...

We have one more new garden bed. Alongside the straight walkway, its ambling line is meant to create a contrast. We hope the Lilies of the Valley will fill it in.

According to our plan, we still have one more garden bed to create near our driveway. Once the autumn rains begin (notice the optimistic tone that this will, indeed, occur), we will plant about a dozen more trees out at the periphery of our "yard". For now, they are behind protective netting. We have a few more rocks that we haven't placed, as well.

While shopping at Costco, we happened upon some solar powered lights that we are trying out. The largest light the ends of the entrance walkway. Others proved too small to actually light a path and are placed around for general atmosphere.

And finally, a shot of recent visitor (or perhaps a fellow resident!)

Irrigation

As we have created new garden beds, we've been confronted with the challenge of finding the most efficient, most convenient, and most plant-friendly system for keeping it all irrigated. We did have systems in place when we lived here before, but only some of it is functional. All of it is in need of repair and upgrading. We are learning that some watering zones have pop-up and sprinklers paired together in ways that don't work anymore. We are trying to modify what is there to suit our current needs, knowing we need to totally upgrade the whole picture. Aiyahh! Time to call in an expert!

Here's one example of a modification we've made: changing a single sprinkler head to also have a faucet that we can attach a hose to. This one has been a bugger because it kept springing a leak. We'll bury the line once we know it's good.

July 17

Our "mound" continues to develop. Today we took moss from another part of the yard and placed it on the mound area. The moss is pretty cool to work with. Just takes a gentle touch to pull it up in sheets. We gave it a good watering today. Tomorrow we'll try an idea we got online to fertilize it with buttermilk. (!)

The really wonderful aspect of creating our yard space is that it is so dynamic.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Rock on!  We had a ton of rainbow boulders delivered along with some other special rocks.

The rock delivery guy kindly moved the 315 pound
bird bath rock to the ground where we could roll it into place.

We wanted to create a mound with plants and moss.  The base was 6 wheelbarrows full of yard matter from our burn pile. Then, three basalt stones and clay soil came next.

We then covered the mound with gardening soil and put in new plants. Tomorrow we'll plant some moss and cover it all with compost.  

Thursday, July 8

Our Wednesday project was to establish a raised bed garden on the western slope.
This will be a pilot plot to see what can grow with 6-7 hours of sunlight a day. 

First we put down a metal mesh to keep out moles.

Then cardboard to cover and kill anything growing underneath. The cardboard will become compost over time.

then flexible piping and gardening soil,

then anti-deer netting and lettuce, kale, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes!

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Deer barricades

Deer resistant doesn't mean deer proof.

The deer have begun munching on our new plants.

So we have put metal fence around the small trees and are working on putting anti-deer netting over other plants.
In the meantime we are erecting barriers to discourage the deer.

Monday,July 6, 2015

Today was window blinds day.  2 guys, 1 hour and all three bedrooms
and the master bathroom had blinds installed in them.

Master bedroom blinds

that can go down or go up.  It will be the first time we will be
able to sleep in the dark since we got back.  

Semi-transparent master bathroom blinds for privacy and yet still be able to see the trees if desired.

and a shade on the north guest bedroom door.  Looks like it will do a good job darkening the room at night.
All the blinds have clever child safety cords.

Thursday June 25 afternoon posting

This will give you a better picture of progress.

Potting soil topped with compost.

Near the front entrance.

Wendy hopes these ornamental strawberries will eventually cover the stump

Near the driveway

Waiting to be planted in the ground.

Trees and shrubs also waiting to be planted.

Thursday, June 25

Finally we say good-bye to the portable toilet!

After removing a rhodie and moving a fern, the first area planted and completed.

Plants in place awaiting soil and compost. 85 holes dug, 55 plantings   completed.

Repair of two sprinkler heads was needed.

Thanks to our security expert friend, Jon, who reconnected our security system.
Wires in the attic had to be moved to a new location and new holes drilled.
 It was hot in the attic.

Birds awaiting beautification of the area and more water.

Ginko tree in new pot on the deck.

Fern moved next to the driveway and shrubs and plants added below this fir.

A beautiful variegated Japanese maple that can be viewed from three sets of windows in the house.