Wednesday 29 May 2013

Overnight

When I came home Monday night, the blossoms were all still curled up but when I went outside Tuesday morning, they had all leaped into bloom.

The apple* tree in the back yard.

 (I took this picutre today so there was more contrast.)


 The mystery tree in the front yard (I didn't want to put my shoes on again this morning to get a better contrast shot.)


My 'birthday' tulips in the front boulevard.


 However, the apple* tree beside the house has decided to sit this year out. I guess it is exhausted from the bumper crop it produced last year -the first apples in years.


 *I use the term apple loosely because these are extremely small, sour specimens. We've had people make jelly from them, but I'm not sure how that turned out. Maybe these are just ornamental apple trees that litter a lot. The back yard smells like a brewery in the fall from all the fruit fermenting on the ground.

Sunday 26 May 2013

We're Camping Again

The kitchen sink is gone and while we still have running water in the bathroom, I have really become used to a kitchen sink.
What happened? Here are some of the possibilities tho' the imaginative among you can surely think of better ones.
-it broke.
-it was stolen by aliens.
-it's gone on vacation.
Any other guesses?

Tuesday 21 May 2013

The Moat

 Sunday evening we left a message at Bin There Dump That and on Monday Ginette, one of the owners, picked up the full bin and then brought it back empty. Because it was pure concrete (ie no garbage), and therefore considered 'clean fill' we did not have to pay the considerable tipping fee at the dump. (BTW we cannot say enough good things about Pam and Ginette at Bin There Done That. If you need a bin, rent from them.)
 We had it set down next to the back gate this time. We weren't getting any extra points for distance walked.
 It was a shame to break up this part of the sidewalk. It was very good concrete with lots of aggegate (is that red rock ochre? Neither the Geek nor I have ever seen ochre.)

As in, break jackhammer bits kind of good concrete.


And tons of 're-bar' re-enforcement.


As in, concrete spaghetti monster type of re-enforcement!


 Thankfully, the sidewalk did not have as many layers at this point.



We ran out of room in the bin at the same time the Geek ran out of patience with hammering* so there is one piece of the old sidewalk remaining, but it isn't in the way of future projects.


 The full bin was removed this evening and


all that is left is the re-bar,


and for the Geek to clean up her black boots (and we need to vacuum the house from all the tracked in mud). Yesterday, she asked me where I had put them because even she did not recognize them in their current state.


She even put up some caution tape at the back door. We have both 'forgotten' there  is a big step down right now. It was probably quite comical to see, but hopefully this will serve as a reminder before we do ourselves an injury.


* I am an inch too short to use the jackhammer for any length of time. Even the Geek says she would shorten the punch if she were to use it on a regular basis. I guess the people who build these things thinks every one who uses them should be over 5'8".

Monday 20 May 2013

We'll Need Stairs!


 The west side of the house is finished save for sifting out the large stuff that might choke the auger.
Sieving out the 'large' stuff.
 We have a rather deep trench at the moment. This doesn't bode well for moving around the back to the door. We'll need to build stairs!

A big step up.
 Four yards of concrete ready to be picked up and hauled away. That is going to be one heavy load.
One bin full.

Saturday 18 May 2013

Digging for 1929*

We're trying to dig out the concrete from beside the house so rain and melt-water can get down to the base of the foundation.
In 2006 we removed the first layer of sidewalk. Today, the next four+ layers will come out.

We dug out some sidewalk from behind the house in 2008 (I can't believe I didn't take pictures of all the layers. There were at least four) and found the brick-layer to be the very bottom. We have hit brick in this trench, so hopefully that is the last layer.

We've hit brick!
 We started digging at the fence and are working toward the back yard. The jackhammer is standing where the brick was found.
The jackhammer is standing in the brick-layer
 This is what the it would look like if you were the brick looking up.

View from the bottom of the hole.

*1929 is when the house was built.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

If You Can't Stand the Heat...

tulips
 ...you either burst into bloom,
Scilla siberica (squills)
 wilt,
Crocus
or refuse to bloom at all.

Thursday 9 May 2013

Go Green!

Tulips, chives and rhubarb







 We had a warm weekend, but the past few days have been cool. Everything is still doing its best to get growing.
Hints o' red







And if we get one more warm day, we should have tulips.

Wednesday 1 May 2013

April Showers, Eh?

I didn't find it funny last night.
  And I am less than amused this morning.
But I guess this is sooo much better than the foot of snow received in areas of in the Interlake and around Riding Mountain.

Please let it be spring soon!