WWI re-enactment

Digging drainage trenches isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds.

Diggin' in the dirt.

Jon and Caitlin got busy digging around the back yard this past week. A lot of the work they did this involved moving dirt around and grading the yard. They also laid the ground work for paths and plantings to come. This type of work isn't as showy as installing a deck or building a shed, but it's important nonetheless and, once again, the Sloops did a fantastic job. If I haven't given a link to these folks home page yet, here it is: www.greenlightcustomhomes.com. Caitlin and Jon are a joy to work with and do a fantastic job on projects large or small, indoors or out. Can't recommend them enough.

 Lots going on here - Coming in from the right a retaining wall that levels off the yard so that part of the grass will be relatively flat. There is more drainage behind the retaining wall. In front of the railroad beams, will be a mulch path with blue stone stepping pavers. We'll have gravel in front of the deck steps, which will lead into a path through the planting beds shown in the left of this photo against the fence.

 A better view of the retaining wall and leveled yard with two steps leading up to the shed. On the next visit, Jon will install a tin roof on the pergola which should make for a nice covered area to hang out in the back yard.

 The gravel here is a base layer for a blue stone path that will lead to the shed.

 Slightly wider shot.

From the patio. The triangle area is another planting bed as the east side of the yard gets the most sun.

Next up will be more paths. In the mean time Nellie and I have a lot of trenches to dig for drainage on the east of the house before the paths can come around to the front.

Patio and Pergola

Two weeks ago the patio and pergola portions of the yard were completed. Through rain and heat Jon and crew managed to knock this part out very quickly as always.

 The big picture.

The patio is a poured concrete square patchwork. Between the concrete blocks we will likely grow something like creeping thyme.

Men at work.



Gravel was put down to keep the slabs from shifting over time and a form was used for pouring the concrete.



Eventually we will likely have some sort of fire pit on the patio on the portion that is not under the pergola.



The pergola was built at the same time and will provide a nice covered sitting area in the back yard once the roof is put on.



We debated doing some sort of vine growth in the pergola but have decided to go with a metal roof that will likely match what we have on the shed already.



Here's the finished product for now with the dirt filled back in around the slabs. Next steps will be planting beds to the right of the patio / along the fence and a retaining wall/path that will run parallel to the house and raise the level of the lawn up to be a flatter surface.