Backyard Beat

Remember way back in March, when T and Uncle B and Grandpa J built the deck floor, and all we had was our lovely "concrete," rocks with a little dirt in between? You think I'm joking, but seriously, when we put the front yard in last fall, the first guy we hired to trench the sprinklers quit, and the second guy broke a trencher machine before it all got done.

Now we have dirt! I know this isn't the most exciting news for most people, but in our neighborhood, dirt is good, as opposed to what you have before your yard goes in. For us, dirt means progress. K's new favorite thing is eating on the deck, and since the railing isn't in yet, and considering her track record....we keep the deck door dead bolted. Notice the pretty furniture and umbrella, that was my Mother's Day present this year (thanks guys!).

The gorgeous gravel-filled hole is for our fire pit, as is the rock pile...pretty...someday... soon. It looks gray in the pic, but really the stone is different shades of brown. We are so excited that our trees are in and things are really starting to take shape.

Pretty dirt! Now if it would just stop raining so the sprinklers could get done...and the deck rail, and the stairs...and the path, and the fire pit...and the flower beds, and the curbing...and the rock around the deck pillars...and....you get the picture. Aren't projects fun!

This is the remains of our robin's nest. See the paper shred in between the lights? The kids loved watching the mom and dad fly back and forth with worms. T "loved" the bird poop dripped down the stucco. About a week ago, I walked through the kitchen and noticed a little gray bird on the deck. The two baby robins came out of the nest and spent about three days in the backyard before they disappeared.

More pics to come...eventually, we'll get grass! Who knew sod could be so exciting?!