August Yard Report

We've really been enjoying having a larger yard.  Sure- there's a lot more work to be done out here, but we're taking it a little bit at a time.  We didn't want the whole summer to pass us by!

Here's what's been keeping us busy, with a little bit o' fun mixed in:

We've found several patches of blackberry and raspberry bushes. 
There were a good two weeks where we couldn't pick them fast enough & we made some great smoothies.  Next year I may even get ambitious & make preserves!

We didn't have the time to do a veggie garden this year, so that's on the agenda for next year.  Site survey is underway for where to put it. 

We HAVE selected a spot in the yard to have a "cutting garden" where we can grow flowers for use inside the house (I feel guilty taking them out of the flower beds that Mike works so hard on!)

Pears are ready to be picked. 
We collected 42 of them the other night!  They're quite small & not very pretty looking (they actually look better in this photo than in person!)  But they taste great!   

Perhaps another opportunity to do some canning... but the kids are downing them four at a time, so maybe not!

                                                       

 

Mike made an old-fashioned tire swing. 

Truth be told...

That tire was in the garage when we moved to the Maplewood house 9 years ago!  

Getting rid of old tires is apparently a lot easier said than done!  So, believe it or not, the tire moved with us. (We had just too much else to deal with at the time!) 

And it's a good thing- the boys love that swing just as much as the playset... which cost a heck of a lot more!

So, that covers the fun stuff... but oh, there's SO much more going on out here!

Mike's cleared tons of the brush along the back property line. 

Here's a sample of what he's been dealing with (not to mention the bees, sticker bushes, dead deer carcass, and the summer heat!  Not a pretty combination!)  This level of vegetation was pretty much from the back of the barns to the property line.

Note the big line of dead pine trees sticking into the air- we heard that some kind of bug got them all a few years back. 

Mike went out, got a chainsaw & will be getting to those shortly!

In the meantime, check out the progress so far: 

All those big brown spots on the ground had been covered with brush. 

Slow but steady progress!