More yard work

I didn't quite feel up to going out to Bobbie's to get another holly to plant today, so no planting. I started my work in the yard today by installing the 3 pavers in a path from the water spigot. They worked out really well, except I think one might be a little thinner than the others, but I think they look good. After that I watered the shrubs as we are not expecting rain until Thursday. It was nice to be able to walk on the pavers instead of in a mud hole to get to the spigot, as the hose connection leaks pretty badly. I think this summer I may invest in a new hose. I have no idea how much water my shrubs need. I was thinking that the small pieris might not be looking quite as good as it could, don't know. Also, something has eaten a tiny bit at my tea olive. I really don't know how much water any of the shrubs need. The ones without leaves right now are the worst as I REALLY have no idea how they are doing or if they are even still alive.

On at least 1/2 of the plants you can still see the root ball area that was in the container. This is a tad concerning. I am most worried about the small beautyberry, as it has been in the ground for almost 2 months now and its top from the container is still VERY noticeable. The large beautyberry is doing much better in that respect, but it will still be months before I know if that plant is even alive.

I spent some more time in the yard trying to clean up some of the sticks, small branches and dead vines in the woodland garden. In the process, I found a number of additional bricks. I filled 2 large trash bags mainly with sticks and dead vines, as well as a little trash I found. Just as I was finishing up, I found even more bricks along the yard side of the shack. I was wondering if I know have enough bricks from what I dug up today to edge around the one tree in the front yard. Not sure what I want to do there... I will definately go back and get the bricks from the side of the shack. I noticed that my neighbor behind me also had a number of old bricks behind the falling down shack on the back of HIS property.

I am suspecting that some of the vines in the back might be honeysuckle, as there are some that are curled around the fence just like the honeysuckle is curled on field fencing. Terri had said some of the other vines were clemetis, but I haven't seen any of them bloom.

Today was nice and warm, almost 70, so we haven't turned the heat on at all today. Ususally I like the cold weather, but with having to keep my house so cold due to the gas prices, I am enjoying our still warm weather. I wish I was able to insulate the house right now, but unfortunately, I lack the budget for that right now. Currently my hope is that I will be able to insulate the attic before NEXT winter. I also would love to have the shack in the back torn down, but that too costs more money than I have right now, so I will just have to deal with it.

My major issue right now is to figure out some way to get the trash people to haul away all that plastic sheeting that I dragged up there last week and they left. We need to call the trash folks tomorrow and see if they will pick it up if we tell them about it.

I also have found some more scrap metal around the shack, but without a gate into my yard it is hard for anyone to get back there to pick stuff up. I have been collecting what I've found and when I get some more I'll call the scrap guys and see if they can come haul it away.

I have decided that it is a REALLY good thing I have my backyard all fenced in as my neighbor kids were telling me how they used to play in the "blue house" (the shack in the back) and how they were fixing it up. I can see how it would seem like the ideal place to play to little kids (and would probably have wanted to play in it myself as a child) but as an adult homeowner, it worries me as the shack is NOT SAFE! I did tell them the shack wasn't safe and they said that their dad had said the same thing. Again, glad there is now a fence between them and the shack. I would hate for anyone to get hurt on my property.

This coming week I work all week, then I'm out of town on the weekend, so I doubt much will get done around the house. We did go to our storage space today and bring a few things back with us. We really need to finish up the painting, move the paint out of the kitchen and get a wooden cabinet to use as a pantry. Then maybe we can put everything away and start really going through and getting rid of things.