By Joan Whetzel
My daughter and I have spent a lot of time cleaning up the
front and back yards, clearing the deck, and getting rid of the barn/tool shed
behind the garage. All our hard work is paying off. The neighbors have noticed
how nice the front of the house looks and the HOA has quit complaining.
The biggest payoff has been in the back yard. Where the barn
once stood, we planted a few squares of sod, which is spreading out nicely –
thanks to our spring monsoons. We even got to mow and weed-whack that back
portion of the lawn. We’re keeping the back flowerbed weeded and the 2 crepe
myrtle trees that we severely trimmed in February have come back with a vengeance.
They have a full crop of leaves and buds that promise a colorful summer. My son
came yesterday and dismantled the barn floor with a coping saw. The remnants
are out at the curb waiting for the garbage men to haul it off.
I think our favorite spot has been the table and chairs out
on the deck. We have eaten dinner out there whenever the weather – and the
mosquitos – permit. I’ve even gone out and had a few sunrise breakfasts. I have
found I even look forward to doing yardwork now because I get to see the fruits
of our efforts.
We’re not complete finished yet. There is still the side of
the yard between the garage and the side fence. It’s a small area that gets
practically no sun. There’s a stump from the tree we finally killed off (before
it tore down the garage), Otherwise, nothing grows there but the weeds and the
mud when it rains, which is all the time lately. We keep the weeds pulled and
added a little more dirt to raise the ground level. We have begun a rock garden
by putting down plastic sheets and topping it with rocks. It’ partially done. I
seriously underestimated the amount of rocks it was going to take. So over the
next several paychecks our little rock garden will be completed. I’m looking forward
to having a small area that we won’t have to work on.
