New Look

When I bought this house in 1993, there was an older screen door on the front. It was low enough for my dog to look outside and the previous owner (of the house) had placed strips of wood across the screen part to prevent the screen from ripping out. The last few years the screen had begun to separate from the frame of the door. I'd gotten so used to the funky thing, I never really 'saw' it.

Then my neighbor got a new storm door on her house a few weeks ago. I loved the look. And I finally SAW how trashed my old screen door really was. So, yesterday I had a new storm door installed. I LOVE it. I really makes the house look classy. Who would have ever thought just one little change would make such a big difference.

And, yes, Freckles can see outside.

A Rainy Day

It hasn't rained in weeks and weeks. It's been HOT. We've had occasional clouds, but no rain. I woke this morning before 6:00 to the sound of hard rain hitting the roof. Music to my ears. Music I'm sure I'll be sick of hearing come March or April, but for now it is sweet music. I'm tired of dragging hoses and spray nozzles all over my yard. So, for today, I get a break.

Of course, this is also the day my handyman carpenter was to repair the attic fan, which can be accessed only from the roof. Not today, after all. But perhaps he'll get the new storm door on the front and the new doorbell installed so I won't have to depend on Freckles to let me know I have a visitor.

For today, I'll not have any reason to leave the house and can indulge in reading, cooking, crafting or whatever with no sense of urgency to get outside and take care of the garden. I love a rainy day in August.

Back Yard Garden Redo

I began a back yard garden space redo in June. The spot had originally been a lawn, but had become a weed patch over time.

This photo taken from the NW corner of the spot shows how it looked before I did anything to it.

And this is how it looked a month later in July. The grass has been hand dug and I now have a bare palette.

This is how it looks today. You can see the stepping stone path that leads through it and several of the plantings that have been made.

This shot is from the SW corner in June when I began the project. Notice the orange day lillies between the two arborvite. They will be dug and moved in the next couple months.

Next, the clean palette in July.

And how it looks today. There are 3 different colors of day lillies, a crocosmia, russian sage, purple lupine, mondo grass, nepeta (Walker's Low), oriental lilies, a orange/yellow yarrow, and a form of iris that I can't name, and several kinds of ground covers and sedums. The upended pots mark places for a couple more large plants that will be moved when the weather cools more.

And two more shots from the NE corner showing the pathway, which has now been set and will have creeping thyme and other ground covers between the stones.

In this one you can see my little 4 X 4 raised vege garden and two of the three compost bins.

So that's the full tour. There is lots more to be planted this fall - hope to get some spring bulbs in this fall and then lots of annuals to fill in next year.