We have lots of DIYing happening around here and, come 9pm (the usual time I blog), I am so popped I fall into bed. This means I have a lot to share! And need another few hours in the day. And a massage.
I’ll begin with the most recent project: my garden plot. Or, rather, MY GARDEN PLOT!!!


I woke Mother’s Day to my favorite muffins on my favorite plate with my favorite people. And then Andy surprised me by leaving and returning with a sod cutter.

We spent the entire day heaving this giant behemoth around our future garden,

heaving chunks of soil and sod around our yard, finding creative places to stash it (so much of it!). Building a berm, grading a slope, burying the chicken run wire.

berm in our front yard, to be covered with weed mat and soil and planted with low-water grasses and perennials / our new fence in the background

chicken wire, buried with several layers of heavy sod chunks
While our monkeys climbed, dug, ran and tended chicks.


the AMAZING cedar rain wall Andy built on the east side of my garden
Our day ended with sunshiney, tired muscle beers and ditching dinner plans for pizza delivery.
Now, to plan and plant my 25×36′ square of earth. Ooh, the potential! The thrill! Gotta go.
Up soon, from the homestead: hand-stacked stone steps, the most beautiful fence you’ve ever seen and a pretty rockin’ hen house.
:: :: ::
In this week’s mama digs, I wrote about what the recent TIME mag cover and corresponding conversation made me think about. Like, what if we thoughtfully collected information, we formed our opinions about what works best for ourselves and our families, without inappropriately investing in the choices of others? Click to read be curious.
25 Comments
I have to send a link to Richard. He will swoon over this garden plot. He has been plotting, too. Beautiful fence Andy built. Damn! (Why’s it called a rain fence?)
Isn’t summer heaven?
That is WONDERFUL! I spent Mother’s Day starting a 4 x 4 ft. raised bed at my girlfriend’s house. We will have two going in and starts for this year. Next year it will be back to seed starting!
Wow. That all looks amazing. And freeing.
Your garden plot is making me swoon! Mine is only about 10 x 5, and it’s not ready yet… yep, I really have some work to do!
awesome, just totally awesome! get to it girl… and more please 🙂
Oh, what a wonderful surprise! Your garden will already be up and running by the time you guys move in to “the big house”!!! Exciting times!
mama digs link fixed! thanks for letting me know. 🙂
The cedar rain wall is beyond gorgeous. Love this homestead you guys are creating.
wow – that’s gorgeous from east to west and looking south! What in earth is a rain wall? do tell how that works. I’m thrilled for more pics of the native plant berm, garden, hen house… keep it coming, DTC!
I am swooning over your plot..it looks so fresh and ready for some serious digging!!
Me and the girls were in the UK country side last week, my in-laws have 4 rescue chickens, grow their food and have 3 big compost piles. Only 2 hours from London but as green and hilly as you can find it..I thought I died and went to heaven! okey..the 35hour trip from Sydney with a just turned two year old and a 6 month old on my own wasnt the most enjoyable but soooo worth it when we chased sheep in the rain and collected the daily eggs..
P.S i just read your food post from before..what great advise in the comment forms from all the mama´s. loved it!!
Oh, wow. We are TOTALLY in the same place, except we’re moving slower, what with a 5 month old and all. Fence will hopefully go up before next month–but due to our short season I have at least started planting. (We are building raised beds with the salvaged lumber from our collapsed animal shelter. It’s a little warped, but works.) Can’t wait to see more!!!
Oh, the wild, delicious potential!
I am laughing OUT LOUD with thrill & excitement for this new space!!!!…I so KNOW how much this means to you, and I know it will be beautiful and grow BEAUTY…..I love you Burb!
ps…you have married an incredible man, I love him tons………………
Yeah for Andy, yeah for sod cutters, yeah for Spring sunshine and yeah for new garden plots that hold so much promise.
I can feel your excitement. What a perfect present. The fence is out of this world. Pardon my ignorance, I love your cedar rain wall, but is there a purpose for it? Or is it purely for it’s beauty?
I can’t wait to watch your garden grow through spring and summer, it will fire us up to garden in our spring!
love your life there! beautiful!!! i can’t wait to see it in full action!
xoxoxo
happy mamas day. a day or two late;)
Major plot envy!!! Can’t wait to see it evolve under your care. Loved your mama digs this week… I wrote a bit about the same thing on my blog…. your take on it rocks.
xo
Kate
Um… when can I come visit? Seriously, I could just eat up your surroundings! And that rain wall is stunning. Enjoy. And Happy (belated) Mother’s Day to you! I so enjoy your blog.
XO,
BRH
Having a man who puts time and effort into your dreams and interests is awesome.
I love your garden. I have to ask about your fence around it. Does it keep deer out? We have our garden plot going but have to fence it as we have deer in our yard often. My husband is concerned with how high they can jump. Do you have that problem at all? We are planting ours Memorial Day weekend. So excited and have been very inspired by your garden posts in the past. Thanks!
Awesome garden and AWESOME mama digs post!
Oh my….I don’t know where to start…so much goodness in this post 🙂
1. LOVE that you were gardening bare foot & in a skirt!
2. That fence that Andy built…OMG…awesome. {and I can see Margot thinks too}
3. The view from photo 1 & 2….your place seriously ROCKS! So beautiful.
I can not wait to see more of your garden plot come together.
Happy week Nici.
x
http://blog.scissorspaperrockdesigns.com.au/
GORGE!
I bet you have been just ITCHING to get into that soil. What an amazing gardening space you’ll have and with a ridiculously beautiful fence and rain wall (what is? I am intrigued.).
I’m so deep down excited for you. What a fabulous Mother’s Day. 🙂
What is a rain wall? And will your hubby come and build one for me?
Answers to your questions coming in a post this week! I’ll talk about fence specifics including height etc and what the hell a rain wall is.
Nici