Grilling, fires and yardwork

This summer we had a few outdoor projects that we were determined to get done.

Project 1: Koby rototilled a small area for my tomato plant experiment. This was no small feat. Our yard consists of rocks, more rocks, boulders, rocks and a wee bit of dirt that somehow supports a billion weeds. I wish I took a picture of the thousands of rocks we got out of the little area for my tomato plants. We gave up after rototilling the same spot 4 times so we put in a bunch of fertilizer and called it good. Btw, the experiment was to plant 10 tomato plants 3 feet from each other in square (we squeezed in an extra plant). We put in a drip system and put the black plastic over the ground. No tomato cages. We let our tomatoes grow like big bushes and they covered the black plastic. It seemed pretty successful despite and very cold and late spring. I think I will do it again next year.

Anyhow, the rototilling was a huge project for Koby.

Project 2: This was not a project on the list but was a last minute project Koby suddenly decided to do.

He tore down our small deck in the back. I had mixed feelings because it seems like all we do is tear down and cut down at this house. I finally said "do what you want" and he did. He hated the deck and I admit, it was fairly useless. Now we have an open area and better access to our yard. We would like to cement a big area around to the side of the house but at least we had concrete under the porch.

End project. We need to re-stain the back steps now.

Project 3:

Our swing got a giant rip in the bottom fabric and no one could sit on it any longer. Koby took the wood that he got off the deck he tore down and cut and bolted it to the swing frame. Genius! It is actually a lot more comfortable than it was before.

Fire: Koby was working on another project (can't remember what) but I came outside to find him welding in the garage on top of his tool chest. I noticed smoke and pretty soon flames. I pointed it out to him (he didn't' even notice but probably would have soon enough) and the flames were getting high and starting to go up the wall of the garage! Luckily, he had a fire extinguisher nearby... that didn't' work. But he found another fire extinguisher. Whew!

We only lost a plastic container, a grease cleaner can (yikes!) a few other things and a solar radio.

Project 3: I was bound and determined to get in control of my front flower beds. I had neglected them for a few years and the grass completely took over. I didn't know how to take back control so we tore out the bed and started from scratch. We tore tore out 5 or so rose bushes last year and I was really sad to do so (but who plants roses around an apple tree?!!) so I made Koby keep a few. This year I finally consented to letting him tear out the rest.

Before picture in the spring

After

I didn't' get a before picture of this bed.

I also put in paver stone by the front stairs. It was a half done job because I just wanted to get rid of weeding areas. I didn't care about getting in the sand and leveling the area. I'm lazy like that. But the area is so much better anyway because I don't have to weed! I also put in a sitting bench. I didn't get any pictures but you can kind of see the area in the following pictures.


For Koby's birthday (and as an excuse) we FINALLY purchased a grill. With Koby, if you are going to do something, you do it right. I wanted a grill, even a cheap one, but he didn't' want to spend the money for something that wouldn't cook well. And he figured if we were going to buy, we might as well buy one that will hopefully last us forever. So he got what he wanted, a Weber grill. I justified it as an emergency alternate cooking source. :) Happy Birthday Koby!

After all, it was his big 30!The grill in the background was one I borrowed from my brother. If we ever wanted to grill at home, I had to ask my brother to cart his small one over. So glad to have our own.

We got it in August but we put it to good use for the little bit of summer we had left. We cooked steak, hamburgers, chicken, fish, peppers and mushrooms, grilled pineapple, potato fries, meatballs, and even a casserole. :)

The kids liked cooking smores on it the most.

We also had a successful year of gardening. My strawberry plants produced amazingly and we had red ripe strawberries until just last week!! End of October! I couldn't believe it. We still have a ton of strawberries but they froze a few nights ago as well as my tomatoes so... there goes the garden.
My watermelons didn't grow and my cherries had worms despite spraying. The fall garden isn't producing much (probably because I neglected to water it) but I got a ton of Kale all summer long, a ton of carrots, lettuce and spinach, a few blackberries, a bowl of peaches and a bushel of HUGE apples. It was an "on" year for my one apple tree but it didn't produce many apples but the ones it did were huge! I heard that many of the apples around here froze so I'm guessing that is what happened with my apples. I can't wait until next year when my peach trees are more mature!

Next year projects:
Grassing the side front area where we pulled out plants
Tackling the side flower beds
More garden boxes?

Year 2030: Landscaping the back yard. :)