With the weather turning cooler in Texas it is actually quite pleasant to spend time outside. I do not mean to sound boastful, but I have done a lot of work on our yard since we bought the place. It was over grown with trash trees, brush, poison ivy/oak banana trees and bamboo. I had to cut down twenty or thirty trees, I forget exactly how many. Digging up the bananatrees proved to be a challenge. Spiders like to live in them and I got a bite on my leg. I was afraid it was a brown recluse but it healed up ok. Hurricane Ike took down most of our fence which was in pretty bad shape before the hurricane so it was kind of a good thing. At least we got reimbursed for half the cost of replacing it. I finally finished up the front facing fence. It only took two years! I have been documenting the gates I built for the front sides of the fence. I finally finished putting all the boards on and I have to say they turned out pretty well. I learned some things I would do differently but overall I am very happy with the final result. As I was working in the yard Saturday I was struck with how attractive it is. It is like our own little park. five years of working at it a little at a time has paid off. There is no pool, as Robin continually reminds me. There is an outhouse though. I am thinking of planting more fruit trees, possibly orange and grapefruit. It would be the perfect location for a casita (small guest type house) and a shop. I guess a person can dream.
From the back looking toward the house
With the gates blocking the view from the street I burned a pile of sticks and wood I had collected. I thought this would make a great spot for a fire pit. This part of the yard was completely overgrown with brush and weeds about 4 ft high and a bunch of trees when we moved in.
This is taken from the deck looking back.
This is the North side of the house. When those two gates are both open it is wide enough to pull a mobile home through.
This door was added by the previous owner so their son could come and go from his bedroom. There was a fence around the concrete pad. That room houses the quilting studio and Robin wanted the fence gone to allow in more light. I think it looks good. There used to be a huge photinia bush in front of that window next to the door. That window is in the shower. Who would design/build a house like that?
