Last Rhodie Standing - June 15, 2012

Today we removed the last of the big overgrown rhododendrons in our yard.  This one was in the front yard, the one remaining after we had several others removed.  We had hoped that we might be able to cut it way back and have it sprout, but it was not to be.  It's one of the type that will not regrow from a cut branch.  So David got out our trusty little electric chain saw and cut it down.  We are now totally open to the street, but it seems o.k.  We will eventually plant some tall shrubs out there to fill in the space.

Here's the view from the front walk by the house. The rhododendron was on the far side of the dry stream, about in line with the small hazelnut tree along the fence.

This is the view from the driveway.

The weeding in the front yard is almost finished, just in time for our bark mulch to arrive next week.

Back Deck - June 5, 2012

We've been working to make the back deck a little more private and inviting.  To that end, we've added a row of potted plants behind the table and chairs to make it seem more cozy.

Most of the plants are shrubs, which will eventually go in the ground, probably in the front yard.  For now, they make a nice screen.

The second thing we've done is to add a lattice screen outside the sliding door off the dining room.  It blocks the view of nearby rooftops and looks a lot nicer from the dining room.

The vegetable garden is starting to take off, finally, after some nice warm weather and then a bit of rain.

We've had some snap peas, and the lettuce and spinach are ready to pick. 
We ate our first two strawberries today!