Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Memorial Weekend Work


These were the symbols of our weekend. Blessed with good weather and help from Mike's family, we began the "demolition" phase of outdoor improvement. I've shared some of the before and after of the inside of our house, and the previous owners were no better at caring for the outside. I won't even begin to list all the overgrown and neglected corners of our yard (front and back). We've just started in one little spot (sort of) and I'm trying to tackle things in small bits in my mind so that I don't get too overwhelmed or depressed about it.

This was my project: tearing out a 20 x 12 ft. patch of ivy from the back corner that has crept through the fence from our neighbor. I was about halfway done in this picture and the whole thing took me ALL afternoon.


Meanwhile, Mike and his dad busted up and cleaned out an old shed foundation in the same area.



Don't focus on all the grub around it, but just on that nicely cleaned up area. (Read as "mud hole just as soon as it rains.")


A little dilemma came into play though as we talked about filling in the small pit made by the removal of the foundation. We hated to buy topsoil to fill it in when there was this huge, terrible garden in the front that we want to tear out anyway. Wouldn't it make MORE sense to use that dirt in the back and buy dirt for the front after we tear out the ugly, overgrown yew bushes? Yes..... Great! then, we're also going to tear out the front bushes today!

We looked a little naked after, but OH so much better. Then yesterday, Mike worked his bum off while I took the kids to my folks. He disassembled that front garden, filled in the back pit and built me some new gardens along the front of the house.


THAT dirt is some I am actually excited to buy.

6 comments:

Dana said...

You've been busy!! What are you going to do in the newly cleaned area?

Nicola said...

oh wow, honestly, what you think looks grubby looks like lovely nature to me! seriously! we are working to clear piles of stuff, rather than weeds, because the previous owners thought "prison yard concrete" was a good look for our yard. so now having removed much of it, we have piles of concrete waiting for new projects. (we are too cheap and eco-friendly to pay to dispose of concrete!)
and as for the order projects seem to go....i surely understand that. i am so impatient when i realize project B (the one i want to start with) cannot happen until project A is complete. happy gardening!

Nicola said...

oh my goodness! i just clicked through to the before and after of your kitchen! fabulous! (and we have the exact same stove as you. free to us, love it miles above our old one, but wish finn didn't love the knobs quite so much!) ditto my mike on safety detailing. i bet you are appreciating it all now, aren't ya? :)

Anna said...

Oh, I've done ivy pulling before. Ugh. And that looks like dry dirt, too. How exhausting! But...it's lookin' really good!!

And yes...projects in small manageable chunks. Too overwhelming, otherwise!

Love,
Anna-- A slow renovator of an 80's house.

kyndale @ earthycrunchy said...

Nicola told me about your blog! Oh, my gosh, what do people think when they put in ivy? Maybe they like rats and mice? It's so hard to get rid of!

Leciawp said...

happy gardening Elissa - you're ambitious!!