Monday, July 19, 2010

Sustaining Life

On a rare sunny weekend (not this past one, of course), Hunny and I decided to do some more work in our backyard. And I decided to help! We're a funny couple. We'd both love lots of yard (10-15 acres makes out hearts beat excitedly) yet we both hate yardwork! (he'd love to never have to mow grass and I'd love to have flowers and a garden that grows itself) So needless to say, our yard leaves a bit less to be desired.

Hunny worked on finishing the deck (a long drawn-out project that began last summer) while I started to clean up. Our lawn mower is in the process of being fixed, so the yard will need to be neat for the unruly grass to be cut. My goal was to clean up the space under the tree, behind the playfort. An area left untouched and littered with junk. Mostly garden ties, pieces of discarded lumber, an upturned plastic table and garbage. I moved everything out and was so pleased with myself, but found a new project.

A mysterious tree.

We have this maple that started growing a few years ago that has totally shot up in just two years. (it's actually kind of in the wrong place now. Oops. Didn't think too far ahead, I guess. But we didn't plant it, a squirrel did.) I've noticed a small tree starting to sprout just at it's base recently that has us confused. I don't know what type of tree it is; there doesn't appear to be any that look like it around our house. Another thing about it is that it is also planted in the wrong place. (another squirrel surprise) It wasn't going to grow where it was, so I thought that I'd better move it.



That turned out to be a bigger job than anticipated. I found out that I'm not very strong (*smile*) but I worked hard and got another hole dug in the back corner of our yard. (Hunny did warn me not to dig too deep or in the far corner as that's where our lovely Possom lay. {{shudder}} duly noted.) Then I had to get the tree dug up. And that's where I needed help.

Seriously, all I did was just ask for an opinion on how to go about digging up a tree, I didn't intend to have Hunny do it all for me. The fact that it benefitted me when he took over was just a bonus!



So he dug it up and then moved it and then helped me dig another hole! I placed some old discarded bricks (from a dismantled project a few years back) into a protective square, making mowing easier, with some help from Abi.



Now the area looks much better, and it's safer, and I feel good about that. I just hope this tree takes to it's new home. It didn't transplant the easiest, and it's iffy on it's survival, but it's better than leaving it where it was. I'm a "tree hugger" I guess because the idea of killing trees makes me so sad. Not only do they provide shade and homes for animals, but they help us breathe. I don't understand people who cut them down without replacing them with newer younger ones. So sad. So I'm trying to do my part. And I tell myself that even if it doesn't survive, it wouldn't have survived very long in it's place under the tree fort. I was trying to give it a better home. (like how I justified myself there?)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

a lot of catching up to do

School ended for the Olders (*sniff*sniff*) and my awesomest sister graduated from BCIT, we went camping, celebrated three birthdays, had BBQs and surprise visits with friends, had playdates with classmates, had sleepovers, and went to beach and got sunburned...and we're only three weeks into summer break! We've had some hot days and some cool ones, some loud ones and some quiet ones, some days full of grumpiness and a lot of late nights. But it's been good. Well, except from the grumpiness, that is.

I have a lot of catching up to do, but you know what? I'm not going to stress about it. I don't feel badly for not being on her often at all! The stories will come eventually! So sit tight and keep checking back. Or not. Whatever. Enjoy your summer! *smile*
Powered by Blogger.

Followers