Raised Gardens

 I decided this year not to deal with gardening in the ground but instead in pots and planters. It will cut way down on the weeding and be easier on my back, plus the added benefit of having everything nearer the house for watering and harvesting veggies. 

I had already bought 7 round pots like I have in front of the house for behind the garage and then I got a 2 for 1 deal on a couple smaller ones I decided to put by the back door with cherry tomato plants. I also bought some metal planters that I had to screw together and then fill with soil, mostly for flowers.

I first bought 2 in peacock blue which turned out to be a sort of blue-green color, 4' long x 2' wide by 1' tall. I put these behind the house next to our patio. They have mostly flowers but a pepper or 2 and herbs, rosemary, curly leaf parsley and Greek oregano. My basil I grew from seed isn't doing very well so I planted more seed directly, we'll see if it grows. (The basil and oregano plants I bought form Home Depot died in their store containers within a couple days of purchase.)

8' Planter for Front Yard

Backyard Planters

Front yard Early in Summer

I've Been Negligent in Posting!

 I wasn't even planning on making a post today, but I came back looking for information from last summer, and couldn't find it, ah, well. But since I'm here, a few highlights. I'll even throw in a few pics.

• We finally got someone to come turn on our HVAC unit! It's not been officially commissioned, but it's running and keeping our home at a nice even 73 degrees. At some point the guy is supposed to return and install something between it and the water heater. No clue if and when that will happen. But at least it's progress! Hal installed a check valve between it and the pressure tank and that is working well, too.
• I went on a cruise to Alaska in August, the inside passage with Hal's sister, youngest brother and his family. It was great, good weather, got to see Glacier Bay, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Took a couple of excursions, mushing on wheeled carts with sled dogs and a train ride up into the mountains. Whale watching, too, though we didn't see much other than a few tails.
• Hal and I got a lot of trim work done on the interior of the house. We still have more to go but the dining room and guest bedroom have all the baseboard. The guest room and our bedroom even have the closet jambs and trim finished. No doors yet, but it is more progress.
• I'm still playing guitar and am finding it easier to play my acoustic, finally, the strings are a lot thicker and stiffer than my electrics, so it took some getting used to.
• Yesterday we started setting up the TV/Music room properly by moving the wall units and speakers from the living room. Hal set up a sound bar he got from his sister in the living room. It will suffice until I buy better speakers for it.

  

  TV Room with Shelf Units

  
  

  

  New Pantry Door and Trim

  
  

  

  Me at Glacier Bay, Alaska

  
  

  

  Living Room without the Shelf Units

  
  

  

  Hallway with Finished Trim

  
  

  

  Foyer with Finished Trim

  
  

Happy Birthday, Kaylee!

 Kaylee turned 6 years old today. She got some beef brisket and french fries when we got back from the Mountain with John tonight. Ziggy got some, too.

Expanding the Fence

 When we're not working on the interior of the house (one pantry door is almost complete) we have been working on the fencing around the house. The last few days, when it hasn't been too hot, we've been installing new T-posts to enlarge the yard for the dogs. 

Yesterday we were able to connect the new fence to an older section behind the house as well as remove the fence on the north side (side yard) that the dogs never really spend any time in. 

 northwest corner

The new part extends in front of the house and much further to the north (essentially surrounding the septic drain field) and will give Kaylee and her pals plenty of running room. Ziggy doesn't do a lot of running anymore but he's holding his own. Note, it has corner bracing this time at each corner which should help with stability.

Hal also built an 8-foot gate on the north side for mowing access. He will soon be building a 3-foot gate on the garage side for people access.

looking toward n/w corner

Fancy Birthday Cake!

 Had a friend trying to start her own baking business bake me a cake for my birthday. I told her I liked purple flowers, guitars and labrador retrievers. Asked for strawberry filling. I think this was wonderful and tasted great, too.