I Guess Maybe It'll Never Be Done!

I've been waiting all summer to write about our BIG project this season....the addition of a true backyard. I keep thinking that we'll get it d-o-n-e and I'll then post some of the pictures I've been taking all summer long.

Well it's just occurred to me that it might never be finished completely, as we keep coming up with additions to the original project. It just keeps on going! This week we've decided to add a tree, so Dusty's been working on that. We've bought a Box Elder, a member of the maple family. We wanted something fast growing and shade giving. The yard is on the west side of the house and our kitchen and bedroom windows face that direction. We really wanted a tree that would ultimately offer some shade in the late afternoon and early evening, and hopefully this will do the trick. The tree we bought is about 12 feet tall and should provide some shade in the next few years.

It struck me funny, how backwards we do things! First, we laid 1000 square feet of new sod and now Dusty's out there cutting up the sod to plant the tree! Not knowing if we'd be able to afford a tree in the beginning, we finished the rest of the yard before we got to this point. Oh well.....I just hate having to undo something we just did!! No harm is done, as the sod Dusty's removed in the back will be moved to the front yard to fill holes that have developed over the years.

We are just THRILLED with the outcome of our project!! We love having the extra living space, as our house is so very small! We now can entertain, which was something we've never really been able to do in this house. Being able to have a BBQ with family and friends is so much fun! The addition of a campfire pit is wonderful, and while we've only been able to go camping once this summer, we've been able to thoroughly enjoy many campfires. The warmth of the fire, the benefit of the fire as a mosquito repellant and the yumminess of smores.....all enjoyed before heading into the house for a shower (to de-stink ourselves of the smell of wood smoke) and crawling into our own comfy beds. This is definitely the best of both worlds!! The campfire without the rustic-ness of camping!

One of the most fun things we've done in our new yard, is "camping out" to take in the Perseid Meteor Shower. Laying on an air mattress in the yard, with a unobstructed view of the nighttime sky, we felt like we were in heaven!! We watched and watched the sky, viewing many "shooting stars" before all three of us fell asleep. Waking up a few hours later, we were able to go into the house and complete our night's sleep! How perfect is that!!!?!!!! AWESOME!!!!

So, here are some of the pictures I've taken throughout our summer of working on the backyard. Many hours of hard work went into it, but we are so pleased with it all!!

It all started in April, as we dealt with the huge mess that our backyard had become. Tree branches and limbs (left over from when our neighbors to the west FINALLY cut down a row of sickly Elms that ran along the dividing line between our property and theirs....that's a 10 year story in and of itself!) and weeds had taken over the space that should have been a usable yard!


The first project was to burn everything in the yard. The fire burned all day to "clear the land". Once that was done, and we could actually see and get to the ground, Dusty tilled the whole area!

Once the tilling was done, Dusty and James levelled the dirt. James did so much all this summer to make this happen. Both he and Dad worked so hard and became a great team. I did help too, when I wasn't behind the camera!


Then the sod arrived.....


....and we got to work, letting James put down the first roll of sod!


With a lot of work from my hubby and son it slowly became a lawn!




Once the sod was down, we started working on the trim around the lawn....we chose cherry stained timbers for the trim.


And James rarely misses an opportunity to be silly in front of the camera!! There's always time to be silly....yes, we ARE almost 10 years old!! :)


Trim down, we started on the gravel! We had 12 tons of gravel delivered and started shoveling! Dusty created a gravel path from the house to the campfire area, as well as a border along the whole length of the back of the house. It looks so nice!
Here comes the gravel!!


This is what 12 tons of gravel looks like....


The gravel pathways are getting done!




Our first campfire......ahhhhhh!!!



Our new tree right after we brought it home this weekend! I put James next to it, so it's height would be easier seen!


It still isn't in the ground, as Dusty's decided to enclose it in a raised "planter box", so that we'll be able to plant flowers around it each summer! But it's getting there and should be planted in it's new home tomorrow! It's been a journey and we are so glad to have the bulk of the work behind us. Now we can start to really enjoy the fruit of our labor!!!