While the yard was all dirt, Dad and Jan planted this baby tree, an incense cedar.

Dad likes the saying: Old men plant trees and young men sit under them.

Some final pictures of the deck project.

The steps and more gradual slope on the west side.

The hyrdoseeded grass is sprouting.

Starting to turn green.

Green grass with a robin redbreast.

The deck at about three-quarters of the way done; the workman's bench is against the wall of the house:Out by the firepit, white flagstone has been laid (click on the picture to make it larger, then use your browser's "back" button to return to this page), for a nice picnic area, and the back yard is hydroseeded:

The east side yard, hydroseeded:

The front yard, hydroseeded:

Hydroseed is a mixture of seed, mulch, and water sprayed over a prepared area. It sticks to the dirt and keeps it from washing away or blowing away while the seed germinates, the mulch decays, and then the grass grows.

This is how far the project is as of now.

The deck at a little less than half-way paved:

The dog seems to approve.

The retaining wall in progress on the west side:

Improving the path that comes down the west side of the house:

On the east side of the house, the tracks of the machinery and more dirt.

When it rains, the dirt becomes muddy, but it doesn't slow progress.

The whitish cement is the bottom step of the steps going down to the deck on the east side of the house. Level with the bottom step, the pavers start to go in.

This is the lattice pattern in which the pavers are laid.

Big piles of dirt arrive to be spread on the yard and even it out. Even the front yard is getting some:

Machinery to move the dirt, also to bring down pavers and flagstones on palettes:

Spreading the dirt:

Even in all the uproar, birds, squirrels, and even ducks still frequent our feeders:

The barrels are moved completely off the deck, out an edge of the yard. It's spring, this honeysuckle is leafing out:

A couple of the older barrels had rotten boards that broke in the move:

Gravel and sand are brought into the deck:

Whoa. Half the deck is torn out:

Here's a pile of lumber that used to be the deck:

These larger barrels are shoved over to the far side of the deck. Behind, you can see what the path looks like next to the west wall.

We are having a new deck put in, a new patio out in the yard, and re-seeding the yard. Here's how it begins. . .

This is my deck last summer:

This is the west side of the house before work began:

First, some potted plants are moved here:

Some flower pots and other items are piled here:

And the chairs are stacked on the other side of the yard, down by the creek:

Opening birthday presents.

There are always lots of helpers for opening presents.



She chose this Nutcracker for her mom all on her own. She holds it out of reach of the little hands.

Birthday Party



Family pictures





Notice how oldest sister doesn't smile until younger sister is upset. Then that strikes her funny.

Birthday cake . . .

Exciting time for little girls . . .

This little girl is so excited that, when we are done singing "Happy Birthday," she leans forward and . . .

. . . takes a little bite.

She was quite embarrassed by the uproar that resulted and hid her little face on the table until we changed our tone and told her everything was okay and this would be her piece.

Birthday Party!