Day to Relax

Dundracon was great fun, and very tiring. I played in games both Friday night and Sunday morning - and enjoyed some board/card games in between. My friends tried their darnedest to coax me into a Sunday evening game...but I felt done. I can only handle one uber-late night in a weekend (and even that's a stretch!). The weatherman said that today is the last day of nice weather for a little while, so I wanted to be fresh and enjoy a day in the yard.



I finished moving the edging to create a new border bed at the back of our yard. It's not perfect (gasp) but I've decided to let that go. I based the measurements off the fence, which you'll see in the pictures, is decrepit and probably not entirely straight in places. However it's good enough and a damned sight better then the way it was before. We plan on putting hardy, drought tolerant perennials in this bed, and I think a potting table will sneak in there as well.

I pulled the oddly placed granny brick from the middle of the yard and reused it. This ran smack in the middle of where there was a step up in the retaining wall to the back of the yard. Not a very sensible place for a border. Either side of the odd border is also a slightly different level. Our plan is to level the ground to the right of the line and install two north/south angled raised beds for vegetables. Eventually I think we'll put another bed to the left and there will be a nice gravel walkway surrounding and in between all the beds. Aside from the patio, this is the part of the yard that gets the most sun.


As you might notice, what this yard needs most is a new fence. But we aren't quite ready for that yet. Plus the aged fence has a strange mossy patina to it, which I find visually pleasing somehow.
Half the yard will still be taken up by grass for the time being. It's good for dogs and kids to play on and it's fairly shaded by the lemon, persimmon, apple and lilac trees. The notable exception being an area against the house where another raised bed will go for more edibles.

I need to get these beds installed fairly soon! I started some seeds inside - some herbs, tomatoes and peppers. I need to start some lettuce too, but I'm thinking maybe I'll seed that directly outside. It should probably go in soon, but I don't have anywhere to put it yet where it won't get trampled! I have carrots, eggplant, beans and squash that all say on the packet to seed directly in to the soil as well, but when it's slightly warmer. So I've been researching bed design and so far I like this article by Sunset. I'm pretty sure I can build them all by myself, if DH will help me use the saw.

Speaking of which, he just got home so we're gonna eat some din din! Until later. Happy dead president's day.