History of our Yard


				History of Our Yard *1998*



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After a winter of El Niño rains, my backyard blossomed in the spring of 1998 with California poppies...and weeds. Lots and lots of weeds!

Annual Weed Invasion 1998 - Photo 1

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The California poppies are very lovely wildflowers that reappear every year, along with a variety of weeds. Before we planted grass, it was a constant struggle to catch up every spring and then stay ahead of the weeds all summer long. The more rain, followed by sunshine, the happier and healthier the weeds were!

Patio Area 1998 - Photo 2

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The area outside the bedroom window in photo 2 was what I considered a patio area. There had been an old metal clothes hanger for drying laundry in the middle, but I had it removed early on. In 2002, this became our current patio. The large window on the wall on the right in the photo has since been transformed into a sliding patio door, as can be seen in the photos for 2003.

Grandson and Carrotwood Tree - Photo 3

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That summer my wonderful grandson, Jeremy, came for a visit. Not one to pass up the opportunity to utilize a young man's strength, I asked for his help in moving the mound of rocks in the front yard and planting a carrotwood tree. He did more than help...he did it all while I stood and watched! Most of the rocks then became the border around the tree to help hold in water when it needed a deep soaking.

I chose a carrotwood tree because, while it does drop leaves a little throughout the year, it is not a deciduous tree. I wanted to avoid the extra work of disposing of autumn leaves, especially from gravel, and this seemed like an ideal way. It's not a very fast-growing tree, but later photos will show how much it has grown in six years.

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