Handy rails

We finally got around to installing hand rails on our stairs.  This is actually required for insurance purposes and it only took us over a year to get around to!  It is now much easier to go down the stairs in the middle of the night. 

Being spray painted.

Newly installed.

Rainy Day!

The rain barrel filled up in one day!!

Rain Barrel

Today Craig and his dad built a stand for our rain barrel.  Hopefully this year it rains as much as last year so it can get filled up!!!   

My sunflowers are doing quite well, 80% of them have sprouted so far: 

Front flower beds

I have just about finished cleaning up the front flower beds.  The rototiller wasn't able to clean up the plants right next to the side walk so I had to dig those up with the shovel.  Now I just need to go shopping to pick up flowers to plant there!  

Sidenote: This is my 100th post!

Greenhouse Day 4

It was really windy this day - so much so the camera even gets blown to a new angle at one point!  Interestingly the new angle can see more of the action.  

It is complete!  It even has a door now.  This afternoon I went inside and it definitely gets very warm in there!  Only job left is to fill the beds with dirt and decide what to plant in there.  We spent all this time planning the green house but didn't actually have any plans on what to put in it.  Suggestions are welcome.

Greenhouse Day 3

Today shelves were put into the green house, landscaping fabric was put on the floor, and it was wrapped in plastic.  Unfortunately the time-lapse camera ran out of batteries shortly before the plastic was put on so we missed the most exciting part >.<

Almost finished!

I think Craig looks very proud of his creation:

Greenhouse Day 2

The structure is finished!  Now it just needs some beds in there and the plastic siding.  Unfortunately I don't have a time-lapse of today's progress.

Greenhouse Day 1

Men at Work

Craig's dad is in town help Craig build a green house.  Yesterday they purchased all of the tools and materials and hopefully it will be done in a few days.  I have the time-lapse camera set up to capture all the action, so hopefully that turns out!

The design they are using:

Craig at work:

 Unfortunately there has been a casualty in the process.  My beautiful flowers that started sprouting yesterday were kicked down the stairs!!!  The only witness is Ducky and he isn't talking.  I probably shouldn't have left the boys unattended!

Update:  We have rescued the flowers from the incident!  I suspect they will be okay.

First sprouts!

The first of the flowers that I planted last weekend have started to poke out from the soil.  I think I now know why this variety is called "Cosmos early sensation".

The garden has been planted!

Craig has planted the garden!  As you can see there is a new barrel addition this year.  Craig felt that last year the zucchini were stealing sun from their neighbors and deserve their own space this year.

We also have the time lapse camera set up to record all the action!

We put a lock on it... but hopefully it doesn't go missing.

Rototiller

Here is Craig cleaning up the front flower beds... we got them all cleaned up but then it started to pour rain so I didn't get an after shot.  I haven't decided what sort of flowers I will plant yet.  I have lots of leftover seeds from the planters in the back so I might just use those.

Very productive day!

We have been having exceptionally nice weather the last week or so.  Today I decided to plant some flowers.  It might be a bit too early, but there are no signs of frost in the next while.  Although even if everything does die I can always plant again and not lose much!  

I put sunflowers along the side of the house.

These are Henri wilde sunflowers which are apparently a tall variety.

I also gave Ducky a bath... you can't really see but his boots are all clean now.

I planted some flowers on the deck as well.  

These are the planters Craig used when he had his garden on our apartment balcony.

(Lavatera silvercup, delphinium pacific giants, and cosmos early sensation)

I haven't tackled the front garden beds yet.  They are already full of random green plants that I do not like.  We bought a rototiller so perhaps tomorrow I will get around to that!