Back Yard, Under Construction

I know this post is not plant related really, but it's a bit of an introduction of how my backyard became what it is now.

My honey decided that he wanted to build a deck in our back yard. Mostly and honestly, because it looked like shit.

My car is parked right next to the backyard under the carport, and it gets SO dusty from all the dirt these dogs pick up when they run around, or when the wind blows etc. He was fed up with it. Well, 'we' were fed up. Plus, when the boys would come inside from attending the pups, they would bring in all that dirt, or mud if it was raining.

We're supposed to be having a graduation party for my son who is done with HS soon, and this is NO place to have guests...

My hun used to build decks along side his friend a few years ago at some company he was working for. So he knows the way to get it done. At least a basic one.

You can clearly see all the dirt. We had laid some of those red bricks down in that whole section a few years ago, right where you step out. We ended up moving them next to the garage to protect the new siding from getting muddy when it would rain. Hun hired some guys to come out and remodel the garage because the roof was a goner already. The garage was asbestos so we got rid of that. He basically flipped it. Everything brand new.

This house behind our house is a rental. There's all kind of ppl moving in all the time. So frustrating. Right now it's some low class ghetto ppl that man, I just wanna smack that old bat, the owner on the head to think before she rents!! 

Some days I go to my backyard and smell all that skunk piss pot they smoke. It's so disgusting. Getting high for free. We're homeowners. Recently paid off our mortgage (15yrs sooner YaY!) ...and we really don't know if we will ever decide to move ← That being the reason all my trees are in pots, because I AM taking them with me if we ever go... duh.

Anyway so, at that time, the renters they had, they had 2 little girls. About 5 and 6yrs old maybe. 

Oh man were they nosy, and SO ANNOYING! SO nosy!! IDK what the mom was doing inside that she was not watching her children!

My dog at that time had just had puppies. They saw them through the cracks of the wooden fence. They managed to get the attention of all my dogs to the back fence. They made a hole big enough to pull my puppies through under to their side. They'd run in their home and tell their mother they 'found' some puppies or that 'these puppies keep coming to our side'. I felt so bad having the bigger sister come around 4, to 5 times that day to bring me my pups back. ... and me saying oh I'm so sorry! Until I stood out there and saw what was going on. First, I put left over boards under the fence then some bricks in front so wouldn't be able to 'get out'. That should have done the trick. I even thought it was the bigger dogs that were moving the bricks out of the way.

As I stood there I realized it was the little girls that were pushing the blocks out of the way, WITH the boards I had placed under the fence!!!!! I used all kinds of things to try and get these little girls to stop.  I was so annoyed! I even put up the cardboard boxes from the furniture I bought to cover the gaps between the fence. My hun would call me on his way to work to tell me the little girls were already standing by the gate like flies trying to find a hole to peek through. 

We didn't have money at that time or time to put actual wood to cover the gaps. I even moved the dog houses towards the back fence to hold the wood and blocks in place. My back yard looked like complete blah with everything I tried to do to stop them from grabbing my puppies. As many times as they pulled my puppies through, they managed to dig a hole and get out a few weeks later. ... and that's why we didn't have dogs anymore. 

Anyway, they're gone now, yay!!! and I couldn't be happier. idk what worse those that... or this we have now ugh!! Hun and I have even spoke about buying that property, knocking that house down and making ourselves a bigger back yard. These properties are very pricey now tho so who knows. That old bat is going to want a fortune.

Here's a few shots from the progress... of the deck, then I'll add a few of what I was talking about in this whole cardboard, doghouses dilemma.

My son helped his dad a bit with holding up the boards. My son HATES working with his dad because he says he complains too much lol!!!

Just need to put in the top boards and it's good. It's very sturdy. Hun did a GREAT job.

Just in time for the Graduation Party! It feels amazing. Like a brand new house. Funny how one little thing can change the ambiance of a place so much.

 

 

Those card boards are held up by staples LoL! Yes, Staples. Until the little girls managed to push a stick through the gaps to try to move the cardboard out the way. Little buttheads!! Man and I thought boys were bad. These little girls said, move on over because we're coming through!

This was the day my hun finally had time to cut and put up the boards to cover the actual gaps.

Would you believe we used to have a BIG pool in the back yard? We did. Took up the whole thing. We took it down on the 3rd year. Too much maintenance. My little one and myself loved the pool, but it had got to go. That's why we had no grass. It was just trying to grow back.

 

Welcome Post

 

WELCOME GUYS!!

So, I did finally get to it and started the blog to my plants. I really enjoy watching each one of them grow and I am happy to share it with you.

A little about me...

I am a 38 year old mom to two boys.  One is 18 and the other is 13... with birthday's right around the corner.
I have been a SAHM for 18 years. The hubs has always preferred for me to stay home to take care of our kids, the house, and the errands. He spoils me like crazy, and thankfully there hasn't really been a motive to get my butt to work.  

I have always been into plants. Mostly roses. Ever since we got this house 15 years ago, I have always had a few plants here and there. Most of them outdoor.
I bought one that got stolen from my porch, weird I know. It was one of those spider plants, the mother in law tongue. It was SO pretty! Some that mom gave me from her own garden. Some that just didn't like me, so they died. That or maybe they just didn't like too much sun or too much shade now that I think of it... & some that love me so much that they're still here with me. Wow. I know.

The first roses we bought for the house are the oldest plants I have. That day, the hub and I each picked one. Mine were red, his are melon colored. Unfortunately mine died last year that's why I said 'were'. I think the ants ate them...  and his are still here, blooming so big and so beautiful. I was able to save his from finishing dying.

I had tried growing a few avocados throughout the years, but never really knew too much about them so they would dry up on me in the winter. The one I have and you will see a lot about it, was a gift from my brother. That boy had an obsession with growing avocadoes.

Of course, I was younger then so I didn't really know much about growing fruit trees. There are so many reasons why I didn't make a big deal with growing plants. Ugly back yard, thieves if I left them in the front yard, dogs that would get into everything... etc.

Yeah, it's definitely different now. The internet really helps with searching ANYTHING you need to know about whatever plant and how to take care of it. I have slowly built my way with more and more plants, just by searching and reading about them.
Last year, honey built a back yard deck. Then we stayed with no dogs, so I was able to have stuff without getting it chewed up. Yes, the doggy we had were really naughty.
Growing plants and buying new ones is fun, but now it's even MORE fun for me to document about them and share their growth. I hope I can make this blog a little fun, or interesting. If you think it's boring, sorry I tried.

Ohh one more thing... I also crochet so I jump between admiring my plants, to crocheting dollies. If you would like to see more on that, I do have an Instagram account for that. Feel free to go peep at it! Search up - BellyCrochetDolls

Blog created June 19, 2019 but changing the date to 2000 so it can be the first one. I added a few photos but used their original date taken so it bumped this post to the middle someplace...