Recent Posts Tagged With 'landscaping'

• Edible landscaping

  Posted on Wednesday July 15th, 2009 at 09:51 in landscaping, yard, garden, self sufficiency, healthy eating, fruit trees

  We have spent some amount of time fixing up the yard.  I think the worst of it was removing all the asphalt around the back of the house.  What a terrible way to make a patio. As a part of our long term goals for the house, landscaping is somewhere...

• Planning for this year's projects

  Posted on Sunday February 17th, 2008 at 14:38 in landscaping, yard, storage, sheds

  I am looking at the up coming summer with my home improvement plans. According to my New Year's resolutions (if such things can be believed) it is going to be an active building year outside. First up is the Storage Shed. I am looking up shed plans...

• The one dollar rose bushes

  Posted on Sunday September 23rd, 2007 at 09:52 in landscaping, yard, gardening, rose bushes

  I was looking for something to put in front of the deck railing to spruce things up a little bit.  One day, a few weeks ago while on my lunch break, I bought two yellow rose bushes at the Home Depot for $1.00 each.  They were really in rough shape...

• Note to The Lawn:

  Posted on Tuesday September 11th, 2007 at 13:19 in landscaping, yard, lawn, lawn mower

  It is September.  For the love of Pete, please stop growing.  In past years, by the middle of August or so, you had taken on a slightly brownish tinge and no longer required weekly attention.  Not this year. You just continue to grow and grow....

• The deck is done!

  Posted on Saturday August 18th, 2007 at 15:16 in landscaping, building, yard, code, structure, deck, exterior, building code, building permit

  The deck is done and ready for the final inspection by the town building department. When that has been passed I receive the CO (certificate of occupancy). This has been a fun project and I learned quite a few things. First, dealing with the town...

• Japanese Beetle Control

  Posted on Friday August 10th, 2007 at 06:13 in landscaping, yard, garden, pest control, lawn, insects, grapes, peach tree

  We seem to have a growing Japanese Beetle problem. I did not spot too many of them last year, but this year they are happily feasting on my grape vines, the peach tree, and other things I have planted. Japanese beetles are an invasive species that...

• Update on Deck Construction

  Posted on Tuesday August 7th, 2007 at 07:17 in landscaping, yard, deck, exterior

  Jay has been pestering politely inquiring about the progress on the deck. Even I thought it would be done by now, but it is coming along. I flashed around the house and I have most of the deck lumber screwed on. This weekend I ran out of time due...

• Framing the Deck, Part II

  Posted on Sunday July 29th, 2007 at 12:11 in landscaping, building, yard, structure, deck, exterior, building code

  Once the stringer attachment to the house structure is made, the rest of the deck can be framed out. I used pressure treated 2 x 10 for the stringers and for the support joist. This is a little bit of overkill, the longest length is 13 feet 4 inche...

• Framing the Deck, Part I

  Posted on Saturday July 28th, 2007 at 14:29 in landscaping, building, yard, deck, exterior

  The day that everyone has been waiting for has arrived. Yesterday afternoon, I began frame the deck. Since this is a relatively small deck, it will not be too complicated. After applying for a building permit, pouring the footings, attaching the st...

• Extending the Garden Fence

  Posted on Saturday July 21st, 2007 at 19:04 in landscaping, yard, garden, healthy eating, vegetable garden

  I kind of like the idea of growing some of our own vegetables during the summer. Nothing like a fresh tomato from the garden to go on top of the hamburger hot off the grill. Beans, cucumbers, squash, green peppers, strawberries, carrots and potatoe...

• Time to pour concrete!

  Posted on Tuesday July 10th, 2007 at 14:36 in landscaping, concrete, yard, deck, exterior, building code, french drain

  The town building inspector came by yesterday (Monday) afternoon and approved the footing forms! Now I have to get those holes filled with concrete before it rains again… This is a picture of the rebar that will go in the sonotube footing. Add...

• Lawn care, with Extreme Prejudice

  Posted on Sunday July 8th, 2007 at 11:36 in landscaping, yard, garden, lawn, local towns, polititcs

  Under the bizarre but sadly true category, I found this news story on the BBC website this morning: A 70-year-old US woman has been left bruised and bloody after an unexpected clash with police who came to arrest her because her lawn was dry and brow...

• Waiting for the inspector

  Posted on Sunday July 8th, 2007 at 10:10 in landscaping, building, deck, exterior

  Here are my deck footings, waiting for the town building inspector to grace our presents and give the official okay to pour concrete.   Todd was right, having a cover handy likely did save the day, as it poured rain Wednesday night. I sat and...

• Deck Footings

  Posted on Monday July 2nd, 2007 at 19:35 in landscaping, concrete, yard, structure, deck, exterior, sono tubes

  I was able to reserve a post hole digger from the local Taylor Rental over the 4th of July.  It looks like at least part of my day will be spent digging the footings for the deck.  As I stated before, I will be using 8 inch sono-tube forms, to a de...

• And… We’re back.

  Posted on Wednesday June 27th, 2007 at 14:43 in landscaping, deck, exterior, building permit

  Returning from a little vacation/road trip around the middle Atlantic states over the last week.  I thought it wise not to advertise our departure, especially with the nice picture of the new solar panels leaning up against the house. We drove down...