Taming the Jungle

Our yard looked a bit like an empty city lot when we moved in. Strewn bottles, vine wrapped trees, trash, weeds. We are bound and determined to tame it:). Tree pruning. Vine killing. Fence covering (total score off Craigslist!!!) A nice perennial bed out front (once the home to weeds and lovely lava rock) and a pea gravel patio surrounded by container gardening and a permaculture urban farm in the back. Tall order, but a girl (and guy, and kid!) can dream :)

We all hauled ass allll day today. I worked the front bed with Zia on my back (gawd bless her for getting chill with the back carry!) while the boys spent time on the patio. Which is Quite the project:)

Pics below:
A couple shots of our crazy jungle (the "before" pics for you, Daddy!).
P, watching the pea gravel be delivered (to the street, since we lack a driveway:).
The boys working.
E, digging out an ENORMOUS amount of dirt and tamping the area all down (while P plays with gravel in some wine barrels a guy was selling on the corner).
P and Sophie (new neighbor:) playing on Dirt Mountain. (I'm sure her mother thanks us when she next does laundry).

We went until almost dark but didn't quite get it all done. If Superman can move his muscles tomorrow ;), we might have dinner on a Finished Patio!