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Two a Day: reclaiming the brick

My two a day was cut short this week, or rather, it was redistributed. I worked in the back yard for four hours on Thursday instead of the customary two, I wanted it to look nice for company. Naturally, after such a herculean effort (it actually did kick my butt) I took Friday off. Here is how the week went:

Monday:
Whoah it was hard to scrape together motivation to work on Monday! I just wanted to sink into the couch and indulge in my recent, not-so-secret shame, True Blood. Instead, I dangled it as a carrot in front of myself. No soapy, Southern-fried vampire show until you do your yard work!

Once I convinced myself to head out, I weeded the newest batch of silverleaf nightshade and prepped three formerly grassy areas for the inevitable gravel. I also relocated two potted plants to the back yard under the tree, the full sun of my south facing side yard was starting to take a toll on them. And then, of course, I watched my stories.

Tuesday:
A day of grass removal and this time from between bricks, egad. If you look at the before picture below you will almost, but not quite see the trunk of a nice plant that I killed when we first moved in and which has sat beneath that window silently murmuring, 'j'accuse' every time I walked past it lo these five years. Hyperbole aside, I took it out as part of the day's removal and am stoked.

grass brick before

grass brick after

Wednesday:
It was all about the grass again. The grass had started in one little spot on the ground and spread throughout the dirt area then crept slowly over the brick area, insinuating its little runners between the tightly packed brickwork and hiding a variety of weeds, bugs and dog poop. That was my Wednesday yard work; weeds, bugs, and poop.

grassy hammock on wednesday before

grassy hammock on wednesday after

grassy hammock on thursday

Thursday:
Per my husband's special request, I spent Thursday trying to make the yard as presentable as possible, you know, in its current state. That really just involved sweeping the pine needles and grass up but so much of the grass had to be pulled from between the brick that it was no small task, it took four hours. Since I worked for four hours instead of two I was wiped by the end of it and ready for my well-earned Friday off!

brick by the neighbor's garage before

brick by the neighbor's garage after

brick by our garage before

brick by our garage after

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Comment by slamwagon on July 17, 2009 at 9:53am: Lookin' good!

Comment by Edith Grove on July 17, 2009 at 10:26am: That's an amazing amount of detail work! Good job. Getting grass up is a real challenge. I have a pile of pulled up grass from my backyard that is nearly as tall as I am.

Comment by Spring Griffin on July 17, 2009 at 10:39am: Thank you! I'm anticipating having to go round two with the grass in the near future.

Comment by Lee on July 17, 2009 at 11:33am: that work takes your yard from an awkward uncomfortable place, to someplace I'd be content to sit in the evening and have a beer or dinner..
Looks incredible....

Comment by Edith Grove on July 17, 2009 at 2:18pm: Pretty soon you're going to have to host a garden party.

Comment by hettie on July 17, 2009 at 2:31pm: I hadn't realized there was brick in some of the before pics. it looks great! it's always satisfying to see such immediate evidence of one's hard work.

Comment by Anna Murphy on July 17, 2009 at 2:54pm: You have amazing talent. When do we get to come over for the Yard-warming party. I make a really good sangria.

Comment by NMBeek on July 17, 2009 at 3:08pm: Terrific job, Spring! Wow! What an improvement. That wonderful Bermuda grass goes everywhere one doesn't want it to be. :-)

Comment by Carol on July 17, 2009 at 3:11pm: Wow! What a difference! Nice job.

Comment by Spring Griffin on July 17, 2009 at 3:54pm: Thank you for the encouragement everyone! The yard has a ways to go before I'm not embarrassed for people to see it (I say ignoring the fact that I've posted pictures of the terrible befores for weeks) but maybe I can let that go for a party! And the Bermuda grass is so terrible that I call it Devil grass. In my head. While I'm weeding it.

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