Clean Slate

The dreaded "Before" shot. Let's see, what in this picture did we want to change? 

Oh, just everything. For starters that pool and juniper were not included in our dream backyard.

Some art by Jon. Awwww.

Even with this awesome addition, we still prepared to say goodbye to the pool.

Rawr!! says the Bobcat. All that cement was busted up and thrown in the hole! 

And then we got all fresh new dirt from someone nearby who was putting in a pool.

All gone! And with all those tall weeds there, you'd never known a pool was there. 

And also by the sight of the weeds, you can see that we didn't do anything for a loooong time.

So, Jon chain sawed down the juniper, took two truckloads to the dump, 

rented a stump grinder and busted those 5 bad boys outta there! 

While taking this picture the air smelled like I was at a Christmas tree farm.

And there is our beautiful clean slate. Ahhh. I can breathe now!
We will shortly be putting in some redwood trees along the fence
(read: privacy + shade) and in the back corner I am going to build
a large teepee where beans and Nasturtians can climb their way up.

You'd think with this idea I had a bun in the oven, but no.
I used to intern on an organic farm and give tours to children and part of that
included reading to them in the vine covered teepee.
I always vowed I would have the same little getaway in my yard one day.