Things are still slowly progressing in my backyard. I got more paper bags down. Getting them down is the easy part. Keeping them in place through windy days is quite another. I had a bit of a pattern set up to help me keep all the corners down, but my containers are too large and the bags are too narrow, so I'm not having a whole lot of fun with this part of the project.
One other thing that is seriously slowing my progress is that it is definitely difficult to get concrete blocks! Home Depot is the only place I can get them without buying in bulk. Why am I not buying in bulk? A few reasons, actually. First off, I just don't have the cash available to purchase over 100 blocks at almost $4 a piece. Next is getting them to my house. I can't possibly get them all into my car. Delivery would add yet another $50-$75 to my total. So I have to forgo the larger landscaping companies and get them from Home Depot, as they're the only place in my vicinity that carries them (Rona doesn't carry them in this province), and even having said that, there are only select HDs that actually stock them. The one up the street from me doesn't. So for the ones I've used up until now I've had to drive over to the one in Bowmanville and bring them home 5 blocks at a time. Why five? Well, that's what fits in my trunk, and I'm not sure I want to put more than 250 lbs of stuff in my trunk at any one time anyway.
So that worked for a while, then those were bought up, and after two unsuccessful trips I decided to ask someone when they were getting more. The guy told me they actually had some, but that they were not unloaded yet and would be placed on the floor shortly. Two weeks later they still weren't there. After my fourth unsuccessful visit I figured it was time to start looking elsewhere. So I guess off to Whitby I go.
So here are some random pictures of the 'construction corner'. As you can see, everything is growing nicely. The blocks are very uneven, but I'll worry bout that when I put the second layer on next year. They'll sink a little during the spring thaw and I'm hoping to use mortar to level out the border.
One other thing I've been noticing is how bloody uneven my entire yard is. I knew it was, but it's crazy ridiculous just how lumpy it is. See how the blocks are totally uneven at the back, and if you look at the carpet o' bags, you can see how lumpy it is. This whole project is a good thing in more ways than one. Once I get the border down and then cover the bags with straw, it'll help to level it out a little while it decomposes over the winter months. Next season when I start adding the raised beds and the soil, it will go even further to evening everything out.
And as a parting shot I leave you with my potatoes, just because they're growing like crazy and they make me happy.
There's lots more to come. These pictures were all taken on July 13th, and since it's the first of August today you know I have more to show!