Raised Garden Bed Project: The First Layer of Timbers is Done!

We spent a couple hours working outside yesterday and...  we're another step closer!  The first layer of timbers is assembled for the raised garden bed!!

It has been some time since we last worked on it and it's rained, so our nice level surface wasn't nearly as level and quite a bit splattered so we needed to rake and tamp a little more.  Somehow, I managed to do something to my neck while raking.  =(  Also, the bugs are biting me like crazy, but not Scott.  Guess I need to make up some anti-bug bite juice for the next time we go out to work.

Anyway, once we got our ground level again Scott got to work on laying the timbers and staking them in while I went and assembled a few more (just like last time...).  We finally got the entire first level row assembled!

1. Full Sun End, 2. Partial Sun Middle, 3. Mostly Shade End

Remember that lantana plant that Scott accidentally weed whacked?  It's coming back.  Resilient little guy.

As usual, we came in slightly the worse for the wear, but feeling accomplished.  Next step in the process: assembling the second (and last) row of timbers (drilling the hinges onto them and then staking to the first level) and laying the landscaping fabric (to prevent the grass and weeds from growing through the dirt).

Starting to Build the Garden Bed Frame

Two garden updates in one week!  Yay!  We were actually able to start assembling the bed.  It's actually a fairly simple process, it's just going to take a little bit of time.

First off, we staked a line with string so that we assembled it straight.

The keystone getting staked in!

A quick check of the level shows that we did a good job getting the ground even the day before.  Unfortunately, the drill battery died, so we only got this far before we had to take a break.

By the time the drill was charged and we put together a few timbers and joints, we were only able to get a little bit assembled before Scott had to get ready for work.

I decided to stay out and keep working on putting together the timbers and joints for a little while.  Step one: take a joint and put it onto a timber, ensuring that it is on all the way and square.

Step two: drill out the hole.

Step three: drill in screw.

Step four: repeat on both ends and both sides.  Admire your work.

I got into a groove and was actually having a lot of fun with it.  I got a lot accomplished.

We decided to use composite timbers for this project for a couple reasons.  We considered wood, but neither one of us wanted termites to eat it away.  I also didn't want to use pressure treated wood (which they would avoid) because it would leach arsenic (among other things) into the soil and thus into the herbs, vegetables, and plants.  That would be unacceptable.  I hate the idea of putting plastic into a landfill but, in theory, this should last a long, long time.  In addition, we helped avoid putting plastic in a landfill using this: it's made from recycled plastic.  There are many more boxes where these came from!

More Prep on the Raised Garden Bed

We made some more progress prepping the land for the raised garden bed!  We spent three hours outside working on it (and mowing the lawn) and came in a bit weary, but the foundational work is done.

Last week, Scott finished getting rid of all of those crazy roots while I finished a bit more raking up of weeds and grass.  Basically, this step was all about building up the ground and leveling it.  We had a big pile of dirt from a ditch that Scott had been working on a while ago that we used to build up the area where the garden bed will go.

I got busy raking out the soil from the piles that Scott was distributing.  While we were working, I was thrilled to find this lantana plant growing wild in our grass.  I wanted to dig it out and plant it with my (store bought) lantana, but didn't get to it before it was weed whacked.  Scott meant well: he left behind a weed thinking it was the one I wanted.  Oops.  Oh, well.  Maybe it will grow back...  Anyway, the one I have blossoms a very pale yellow and turns pink.  This one was orange and pink.  I really love how they change colors!

After all of the dirt was distributed, we went back and wet the ground.  Our soil is really, really sandy.  We tried to use the tamper without it wet and it just went up in a cloud of dust and scattered everywhere.

I took on the task of tamping while Scott went off and mowed the lawn.  I tried to let the tool do the work for me, but it's still damn heavy!

By the time we were done, the pile of dirt was gone.

And, hopefully, we now have level ground to start assembling the bed.

So excited!

Wordless Wednesday: ummm... Hi, Jack

It Begins: The Raised Garden Bed Project

I'm excited to share with you that we started prep work on our various yard projects yesterday!  It doesn't actually look like much yet, but it's a pretty huge start for us.  Work on the raised bed (herb, veggie, flower, etc.) garden is underway!

In one of my recent Wordless Wednesday posts, I featured a picture of the hibiscus bush that we had in the yard.  The hibiscus wasn't doing too terribly well where it was planted because of the neighbor's massive tree: it was in the shade (they usually love full sun down here) and the tree's root system seems to be taking over.  Knowing that made me feel a little better about the fact that we had to remove it since it's in one corner of the yard where the raised garden bed will be.  My first order of business was working on chopping it down; Scott had to help me get the roots out of the ground (it was in deep and seemed to be fighting for it's life).  Can I just tell you how it broke my heart to get rid of it?  This is ultimately what it boiled down to:

Scott had the not so fun task of working on the massive root system that was taking over that corner of the yard.  The roots there run deep and actually intersect a few times.

This is the corner where the hibiscus bush was before removal.  The garden bed will extend from this corner across the entire length of the back fence line and also come out a feet few along the side fence lines.

Since this corner is so shady, this is where the mint garden will go.  I already have peppermint, lemon balm, bee balm, and catnip which are all members of the mint family so that's a good start.  I hope to add chocolate mint and spearmint, among others.

While Scott was working on the roots, I started raking to pull out grass and weeds as well as to start leveling the soil along the fence line.  We need to get a tamper to really level things out, but this at least gives us somewhere to start.

Here is the teeny, tiny little container herb garden that I have now.

It includes: rosemary, mint, lemon balm, bee balm, basil, parsley, celery, lemongrass, scallions, and lavender.  The lemongrass and my aloe will go on the opposite end of the yard from the shady mints since it gets SOOO much sunlight down there.  I started a pineapple plant, too, so if that continues to do well it will go in the sun.  Aside from that, everything else is up in the air.

I know I want to get a beautyberry bush (I love the name, it reminds me of a 3 Day training walk when I first spotted one, and apparently you can make wine from the berries!) as well as grow calendula and chamomile.  I had a yarrow plant a while ago, but the poor thing died in the winter so I'd love to grow another one.  I heard that to grow garlic, all you have to do is plant a few cloves of it in the ground: a flower will blossom and eventually, you'll have a bulb of garlic.  (psst: Just found this great post about growing garlic.)  That's really just a few ideas, but there are so many herbs and veggies that I would love to grow!

Coming up next (hopefully next week) in the project will be getting the tamper & finishing to level the soil, finishing up with those huge roots, and assembling the raised bed.  What are you working on in the yard/garden?  Please share!

My Disappearing Act

Wow, it has been way too long since I posted here and I have a lot to catch you up on!  To give you an idea of the last few months... Life was insane last year as I trained & fundraised for the 3 Day and then it took some time to get life back to normal afterward (after all of that, you kind of go into withdrawal for a little while!).  In December and January, not only was there the usual holiday craziness going on but I was also working a part time job on top of my hellish full time job (the tree was up with a topper & only one ornament).  Finally mid-January, I quit my full time job and, yes, it was a long time coming (it felt very surreal at first!).  Since then, I've continued to work my part time job as a framer at a popular craft store & I've also started working as a stagehand (which is new to me because I've always been management).  

I've been enjoying getting back to myself (it's amazing what a bad job can do to you) but also somewhat disconcerting.  I've never not had a full time job or a career that I've immersed myself into, so it has been an adjustment.  I must admit that I don't know what's next for me, but I took a big step just getting out and I'm sure I'll figure things out.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying working as a framer because I get to work with customers designing their custom order & I actually get to be crafty at work when I build the frames & assemble the orders.  Working as a stagehand has been great because it's allowing me to stay involved in theatre which is what I've done for more than a decade.  I really hate being stuck at a desk and this is far from it: I'm on my feet, working hands on building shows.  The first show I worked as a stagehand I was props but every show since then I've been an electrician.  I must admit: I'm really enjoying it.  =)

I've been spending a lot of time just getting things done around the house and also reorganizing & purging my workroom.  It's not exactly what I want it to be (that would cost more money than I can spare right now; lol)  but it's getting to a point where it's much easier to work in (and that IS the point afterall, isn't it?).   Along the same lines, I also have a little shop update...  I have some new maille that needs to be listed and new packaging!  I've also been taking steps to make the shop an armoury AND apothecary.  I must admit, my biggest stumbling block to making that happen is working on graphics, blog redesign, labels, etc.  Once I get that figured out, you can look forward to seeing soaps, salves, bulk herbs, teas, incense, and more!

We've also started tackling some house projects, too.  Among them, is dealing with our room that floods.  It hasn't been a problem since last summer, but we also haven't finished putting in a system to deal with it yet which means that all of the furniture & electronics are still in our living room (it hasn't been fun).  We have a plan in place and have taken baby steps already.  I can't wait to get going though for a few reasons.  First of all, I really can't wait to get things somewhat back to normal in the house.  Secondly, having this system in place will give both of us peace of mind.  And, last there a few yard projects that will go hand in hand with this.  One is replacing our fence; which desperately needs it.  The other, is a raised bed that Scott is going to build along the fence!  It's going to be filled with all kinds of beautiful, edible, & medicinal herbs!  There will probably be some shrubbery & flower plants in there, too, but I get a HUGE herb garden!  I haven't got a clue how to design one & I'm sure it's not going to happen overnight, but I'm really looking forward to this!!

So, it's been busy.  But I look forward to getting back into the groove of things.  I've missed it.  I hope things are going well for all of you and to hear from you!

Kitty Injustice

Allow me to introduce you to Black Kitty (so named by my neighbor). She has a heartbreaking story. Her family used to live a few houses down from us, but they got divorced, moved out, or otherwise relocated. So, what did they do with her? They threw her out on the street. The people in the next house over eventually took pity on her and brought her in. Until they got a dog. Black Kitty and Jake the Dog did not get along. So, what did they do? They threw Black Kitty on the street. The people in the next house, my neighbors, have not brought her inside, but they do at least feed her. I just don't understand this. Why do people do this? It would never have occurred to her second set of owners to throw the dog out into the street, so why is it okay to throw the poor little pussycat out there? It makes me so sad and so upset to know what she has been through. Do you think these people know that an average outside cat's life expectancy is only 2-3 years? Or perhaps these people don't care?

This hits particularly close to home because I believe my little (well, not so little: he's 13 lbs.) Jack has a very similar story. He had been fixed and declawed and then abandoned. Because someone took away his claws and then threw him outside, he had no way of defending himself and is now sick with FIV. FIV is AIDS in cats and is spread through a scratch or bite. Cats with FIV will lead a long (although, not as long if they were not sick) and healthy life as long as they remain healthy. Feline leukemia is actually closer to human AIDS. It breaks my heart to know that he's sick because of the stupidity and lack of compassion of his former humans. When my vet first told me that Jack has FIV and I started asking questions, she said that many other people would simple have had him put to sleep. I just don't understand that either. He's still the same sweet kitty that I fell in love with, I just have to take a little special care in the event he gets sick. His quality of life is just as good as a healthy cat. My vet said that he was very lucky to have found me. I feel like the lucky one.

If you feel as strongly as I do about this kitty injustice and want to display your feelings, check out julep115's Etsy Shop:

Earth Friendly Cat Pendant-Reversible Tag

In other news: "The Room" is coming along. The sealant is on the stucco and the corner where the birdcage attaches has been painted, so now our contractor can come back and put the lanai back together. Once he's done with that, we can finally have the final inspection done. We will still need to paint the remainder of the exterior walls, paint the trim work on the interior, and finish up some furniture to be done in there for the time being. There's still two more big things to do: we need to replace the laminate flooring in there (the water damage was so extensive that it's basically turned into speed bumps) and deal with the landscaping so that we can get the standing water away from the house. Damn, we're poor.

I Have a Good Excuse for Being MIA, I Swear

I kept a sort of photo diary as things were progressing at my flickr account.

Okay, I know I've been MIA for even longer than usual. Let me explain. Doing work on the house is a bitch. When we bought our house, we saw some cracks in the stucco on the wall where a wood extension was added on to our block house. Our inspector checked for moisture inside the room and said that the cracks were probably just due to the addition settling. Yeah, well, we went through a period of A LOT of rain recently and this particular room started to flood. Needless to say, we wound up having to deal with it sooner than we had planned.

We had to demolish two walls, replaced both of the weight bearing beams and the post on that side of the house, and rebuild EVERYTHING. The good news is that we got a bigger window and now know that it is built right and is structurally sound. The bad news is that we spent our vacation time home babysitting the work being done (we took turns being home, off and on for about a month) thus not really having any kind of relaxing vacation time and the cost (we are so very poor right now). Other bad news is that the lovely wood laminate flooring that was in that room now needs to be replaced due to the water damage of the room flooding a few times before we were able to get it fixed; and that we still have a standing water issue around that part of the house and unless we get that taken care of, all of this work will be for naught. But, BIGGER window! STRUCTURALLY SOUND!! Sigh. . .