We have started to landscape the front of the house. We are planting Texas Native or drought resistant plants so that they will not need as much water after they are established. We have just started and have more the do. I will post more pictures as I get more planted and the mulch down. I am doing a little at a time when I have spare time and energy.
The boys and I decided to build a retaining wall while Jim was in CA for work. We used only things we had already around the garage. We were able to use almost all of our half bricks and brick corners. I found 5 bags of partly used concrete and grout in the garage so we dumped those behind the bricks and watered. It has rained about 4 inches since we built the wall and it held up nicely. Time will tell if it holds up, if not, we were bored and it is doing its purpose for now.
I have done it again! While clearing out an area for the apple trees I managed to catch poison ivy. Truely I was careful. Someone was burning up the street and I got it on my face, lips, arms, legs, belly, and back. I was wearing clothes for crying out loud. A trip to the doctor and almost two weeks later; I still itch. This is going to be my life every year, what a drag. Those apple trees better produce some fruit.
We have decided that we could stand dirt no longer and planned out our backyard and ordered the dirt and sod and added a water line. We also dug out and added a line to the septic and one for electric out the East side of the fence for a future plans of a guest/ storage unit.
We hired someone to level out the backyard so that we can get hydro-seeding done. It rained cats and dogs the next day before it snowed. It is now a great place to mud wrestle. The seeds should like it, it being nice and moist.
We also had the bobcat driver pull off the road base next to the garage to have a 25 by 25 slab poured there for the kids to play on. It should be a great area to shoot hoops, play four square, roller blade or to practice skate board tricks, to name a few activities that our sons enjoy. That will be started tomorrow. 3/22
As I mentioned it decided to snow in Mid March here in Texas, so we are praying that our new sod makes it. What a nerve racking mess!
If all goes as planned the grass should be green and the house will have less dirt brought in on shoes. It should be green and pretty in about 2 weeks.
We do have greater plans for the backyard besides grass and will get to them later. Right now we are just trying to get positive drainage and no more wash off of our dirt. By the way...Dirt is NOT cheap!
