I’ve learned that there is only so much planning and coordinating you can do before you finally jump in and get started on a project. My backyard is almost finished, and I’ve decided to just go in and get it done. Today, I purchased:

1. $200 for outdoor lighting fixtures
2. $70 for outdoor shutters, paint
3. $350 for trees
4. $15 for soil
5. $10 in hardware and pipes

With all of this sitting in only remaining bare corner of my backyard, I was both intimidated and excited. I was like a little kid on a huge playground. Where would I start? How long could I play over here before I run over and start something else? I picked up my shovel and started digging holes.

I can’t describe how difficult it was to dig such big holes in dense, hard soil. After an hour and a half on one hole, I figured it’d be easier to soak the soil with the hose to make the job easier. The shovel did go down with less effort, but the soil attached itself to the shovel blade like dry concrete. Every thirty seconds, I’d have to drag the shovel over a cement block over and over to peel off the soil. Within a minute, my sharp shovel would again become as blunt and heavy as a sledge hammer, unable to break the soil. By sunset, I had three large holes.

Candyce came over tonight and we had a good time. This semester has been busy for her, so we haven’t had much time to spend together. The gaps between our visits get wider and wider, and it becomes awkward when we do see each other. But tonight we had dinner and relaxed at my house. She was too consumed in her design problems with her homework to admire my holes in the backyard, but I know she’ll appreciate it eventually.

So far, here’s my list of projects completed this fall in my backyard:

1. Brick patio and walkway. Beautiful!
2. Put arbor over the gate, trained up the flower vines
3. Toted away one ton of dirt with several full trash barrels
4. Installed new wrought iron light fixture
5. Scraped off old lawn, fertilized, added new lawn
6. Repaired the sprinkler system

Still left to go in the backyard:

1. Install curb
2. Plant three Oleanders trees
3. Order boulders, scrapple (small granite rocks the size of; your fist and as big as a loaf of bread)
4. Kill weeds, spray weed preventer, lay down landscaping fabric, then cover with granite gravel.
5. Plant two more Oleander trees, Trailing Lantana, and Ocotillo plant
6. Replace clay bricks in the walkway with concrete paver bricks to match the patio
7. Repair the rest of the sprinkler system

Getting my landscaping done is a deep thrill. I love it!