Anniversary-lanscaping-chickens etc.........

Seems that it has already been a month since our last posting.  Hard to believe that so much has changed and I haven't put any new pictures online.  Mandy and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary in March and it has always been hard for me to decide what to get her given that within a span of about 3 months there is Christmas, birthday and then anniversary.  Jewelry is always good but I wanted to do something better this year.  We have an area next to the playgym that was going to be made into a patio by the previous owner.  Mandy has been talking about turning it into a container garden since we moved here.  I built her 4 raised containers then with the help of my friend Tim filled them with dirt and poured gravel in between the containers.  Funny how easy it is to underestimate how much dirt and gravel you might need for a project becuase I ended up needing 2 cubic yards of gravel and dirt each.  The remaining portion on the left that looks unfinished is going to be a concrete patio hopefully in a few weeks where we plan on placing a potting shed.

The new container garden for vegetables and strawberries.



We have been having some beatiful weather the last few weeks especially over this past weekend.  He are also currently in the process of finally getting the old rocks and debris cleared away so that the landscaping is finished.  The boys have been enjoying watching James (the landscape excavator) work with the bobcat and and bulldozers etc.  James even let Jake sit in his lap and help drive the machinery.





Jake helping with the excavation

 

 

Below are two pictures that Mandy took from the deck while jake and I were planting the new fruit trees.  Hopefully in a few years we will have Apples, Pears, Cherries and Peaches.



 The Weather has been amazing the last few days with beautiful sun and 70 degree weather.  The Tulips are blooming and Mandy took some nice pictures of Jake, Sam and Allie next to the flower bed.

 Lastly my friend Tim has always wanted to raise chickens but does not have the space.  Mandy has also talked about it as well so on Saturday Tim and I took the boys out and come home with a chicken coop and eight 2-month old hens.  So far they have been a hit with the kids (wait until they have to clean the coop) and we should have plenty of eggs by the first week in September.