Yard Work
Posted 08-24-2012 at 08:26 AM by LookinForMayberry
When we bought this house over thirteen years ago the front and back yards were dried out, weed-laden lawns on hardpan with virtually no topsoil. It's nearly a quarter-acre, and as I wandered about looking at it it just seemed to challenge me to do something with it. I went to my desk, facing out into the back yard, and drew out a plan.
Now, we have no grass. We created berms to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials in various locations around the yards separated by sand-filled walkways. (I regret the sand, and wish we'd used crushed rock, but the sand was the least cost and my DH is frugal to the point of miserly.)
The last three years, the foliage has started looking sad, and I realized it has been years since I replenished the soils, so two days ago we went and bought a truck bed full of mulches and top soil (to move some plants that were ill placed). Yesterday, DH brought in a laborer to help me dig holes, and I worked to dig up my plants, and replant them -- ALL morning.
Oh my aching back, legs, arms, hips -- there doesn't seem to be anything that doesn't hurt and there are still so many things to move.
Gardening at 56 is not the same as gardening in my 40s! Grandma was right "Old AGE is pigeon sh*t!"
I am scaling back my plans. Today, I am sewing. Saturday, I am sewing. Sunday, I will return to the yard. I think a plan of two off, one on is more conducive to less whining and fewer pain relievers.
Now, we have no grass. We created berms to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials in various locations around the yards separated by sand-filled walkways. (I regret the sand, and wish we'd used crushed rock, but the sand was the least cost and my DH is frugal to the point of miserly.)
The last three years, the foliage has started looking sad, and I realized it has been years since I replenished the soils, so two days ago we went and bought a truck bed full of mulches and top soil (to move some plants that were ill placed). Yesterday, DH brought in a laborer to help me dig holes, and I worked to dig up my plants, and replant them -- ALL morning.
Oh my aching back, legs, arms, hips -- there doesn't seem to be anything that doesn't hurt and there are still so many things to move.
Gardening at 56 is not the same as gardening in my 40s! Grandma was right "Old AGE is pigeon sh*t!"
I am scaling back my plans. Today, I am sewing. Saturday, I am sewing. Sunday, I will return to the yard. I think a plan of two off, one on is more conducive to less whining and fewer pain relievers.
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