Picture This

Since moving in I've been hard at work almost every day getting the yard to a condition where, when I look at it, I don't cringe. When I moved in there was almost no work done to any landscaping, no fence, no paths, infrequently mowed, and most things left to rot in the grass or decay in silence behind the shed. I've worked myself ragged trying to get things in order and although I am close, we are not there yet. I want certain areas to be a nice backdrop to the dogs since my plans for this place include it having several spaces where photos can be taken - like outdoor studios. One of the things that is in the forefront is the shed - the forefront because it's by the house and clearly visible to all and sundry. It had a lot of wood 'hidden' behind it, smothered in weeds and at least one snake living in the pile of offcuts and broken boards. It had to go and go it did. There was a partial fence that I couldn't decide what to do with and in the end I nailed it to the shed and painted it white. The Boy demonstrates its fine use as a backdrop. I hope to have a little bench there one day but that will have to wait until I decide what kind of bench (stone, wood, park ...)

And the lawn which, I may say, is a lot easier to mow on a ride-on mower which was generously donated by my parents and after mowing an acre twice this summer with a push mower, that ride-on is *amazing*. Cora likes the grass nicely mowed because it means she can run even faster and be even more annoying than usual. Don't let this calm, collected exterior fool you, that ear is flipped backward for a reason ... streamlining.

There are a few areas I can't get to yet to make into what I want simply because the grass is so overgrown that I will likely have to wait until spring to cut paths. It's just so over grown. Not that the dogs care, they just push their way through to get where they want to go and these days it's into the blackberry bushes ... at least a half acre of them. They stand patiently picking the blackberries off the branches and I wondered if they ate the un-ripened ones as well but no, they seem to have learned what color the ripe tasty blackberries are and choose those quite selectively. It means that when I'm picking blackberries for me I have to be quick to get to the full canes!