Another Repair! Wooden Steps!

I was stepping down the steps (I only have 2) on my back porch when part of the wood gave way! Of course I attribute this to all the rain that we have been getting in the Philadelphia area - in fact we have gotten quite a bit of rain in the last few months!

I would guess that the back porch is at least 10 years old and the whole back porch is made of wood and I'm really thinking how grateful I am that it was just the steps and not another part of the porch that gave way! (I just thought about this as I was typing this blog post!)

So now I have another repair that has to be done! I wonder how much it is going to cost me? No matter though because it is a repair that has to be done!

Mentally I'm going to have to remind myself to step carefully when I use those steps!

Outback - Well sort of

Here you have a view of what I see when I look outside my backyard.

It's not huge but after seeing pictures of other people's views I got kind of jealous of everyone else's pictures! Also it was suggested that adding pictures would help enhance my blog. This picture was taken with my cameraphone and I hope to take more and add them here.

Since I don't live in the city its not as congested where I live which is just outside of the city. It's kind of the same view that I have when I'm looking outside my kitchen window. Every now and then I will see the neighbor's cat sneaking around. During the spring and summer I will see the birds digging for worms. The squirrels run back and forth and I will occassionly see either a neighbor or one of the yard workers working in the yard. Maybe it's just me but the scenery always seems to be a little bit more brighter during the weekends - especially on Sundays!

On Sunday's I'll open the curtains and have my coffee or tea or hot chocolate and just look at the view. Those times when I'm depressed I'll also look at the view even during stormy or dark weather. It just something about seeing the trees sway back and forth that somehow comforts me when I'm feeling down.

Everyone should have a view!

Taking Out The Trash!

I'm always in this mini dilemma about when to take out the trash. If I put it out the night before then I'll put it in one of the recycling buckets so the cats can't get at it (we have a LOT of cats in my area) and then I won't have to worry about getting up earlier in the morning to put it out.



On the other hand there are those times when I just don't want to be bothered with it and I vow that I will get up earlier the next morning so that I can put it out - which sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. There have been a few times when I have awoken to the sounds of the trash truck going down the street and in that instance I remember that I didn't put out the trash and then I sign and vow to have it out the next week. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Weeds, weeds and more weeds!

Yes that's right I have been weeding away at the weeds! I never knew weeds could grow so strong! They managed to grow along the stone of the garage! It kind of looked live a vine and I may be wrong but I think the roots were trying to tell me to leave them alone - they were so thick! I was also breaking branches (still have some to go) that were from the tree and they fell during some of the storms.

One thing this has taught me is patience! The more that I struggle and huff and puff the more I seemed to be getting nowhere. But when I take my time it seems that more is done so I'm practicing patience as I clear away the weeds. But I have come to find out that this is part of the process because I'm learning a lot about maintainence outside the house. For instance today I did some more planting and I also did some weeding and it all goes together. You can't have a garden without doing some weeding. Plus its just good to be outside. I have my trusty chair and my trusty trash can and I just sit there and get it done. I do need a new rake though because I have worn the old one out. I cleaned out the birdbath. Since it sits under our tree which is a 100 year old maple it gets a lot of debri in it.

I don't remember if I mentioned it here on my blog but I was feeling kind of jealous of my neighbors who were out in their yards cleaning and such but now I am one of them too. Plus the township where I live kind of frowns upon unkept property - so at least they will see that some work has been done.

This is one of the reasons why a lot of people that like apartments don't want to have a home because they say that they don't like the maintenance part of it. I'm just the opposite. I have never lived in an apartment and I don't think that I would like it anyway. I'm a house kind of person. (-:

The Resuming of the Outside Work Has Begun!

Well I am quite proud of having started where I left off last fall! I am working my way around the house because truthfully speaking that is the best way to do this. It's a slow way but the best way. As I work myself around the house I can see what has to be done. For instance there are a number of smaller trees but with very thick trunks that I just can not cut down my self. It's better to know all of the ones that have to be cut down as opposed to just getting them cut down one tree at a time.

Just in case you're wondering what it is I have to do on the outside of the house let me tell you. This should kind of be a lesson to those that don't know but when you let the outside go without maintaining it what you will get is a lot of overgrowth and a lot of weeds - and I mean a LOT of weeds! If you let those weeds continue to grow then they start to turn into trees and then you have a bigger problem - which is what I'm learning. So around the house I go digging up and clearing away the weeds. There is a rosebush that is at least 20 years old on one side of the house and if that isn't properly pruned then the branches grow out and then the heavy weight of them bends the branches while they continue to grow and before you know it the branches start working their way next door! So at the side of the house I'm digging up and clearing the overgrowth. I'm thinking of putting some mulch or some brick walk plates to stop the growth. Once I work my way around the sides that brings me to the back of the house where I have my garden and the hedges. I haven't had a garden for 2 years so you can imagine that there is a lot of overgrowth, debri and weeds to be cleared up! But as I work my way slowly around I managed to clear enough ground to start planting - yipeeee! Now I can think about that as I'm clearing away the rest of the ground!

Since we're not at the end of our frost free date I started planting some cold weather vegetables.

So now I'm onto the other side of the house where there is more clearing to do. Once I finish that side then there's the driveway/garage area that has a lot of tree branches from previous storms that have to be broken up. Whew! Sounds like a lot doesn't it? I'm still not finished though because next will be the front of the house! That involves cutting the grass (after I clear the branches away) and cutting the hedges!

I know it sounds like a lot but hey I have a house! I should be very grateful for that because not everyone can say that. Plus I know from neighbors about the terrible experience of losing their home - something that I vow not to go through.

But back to more pleasant talk..............It is a lot of work but I do want to do it. It also gives me the pleasure of deciding what kind of "do-dads" I want to add like windchimes and a birdhouse and what kind of flowers I want to plant.

So I have a lot of work to do and I plan on having a lot of fun while I do it (-:

Cleaning The Birdbath!

Today I took a little time and cleaned the birdbath outside. This was bugging me because I take time to feed the birds and squirrels and the bird bath hasn't been cleaned since last fall (if then).

I do have other outside work to do but I'm doing that in a certain way and working my way around the house. There are the hedges (both front and back) to be cut. I also have some trashbags full of debri like branches that aren't picked up with the regular trash and they require a (fee-based)special trash pickup where I have to call the township and schedule a trash pickup. Since the weather has gotten warmer the grass has been growing and needs to be cut. There are some weeds that have to be cut down (and the longer I leave the weeds, the bigger they grow). I also want to start my garden in the backyard so the ground has to be cleared.

Actually it sounds like a lot but as long as I'm in the right mood for it it will be okay. And there is something to be said for working outside in nice weather.

But its the birdbath that was bothering me. Mind you I know its not just the birds that use the birdbath. I have seen squirrels and the neighborhood cats use it too.

So along with the inside work that has to be done there is the outside work that has to be done too. I'll have to hire someone to cut down some of the more thicker weeds that have grown so tall but other than that the rest I can do myself.

Outside Things To Do

Want a little insight to some of the work that a homeowner does outside their house? Of course it depends on the type of house that you have, how much land you have and so on but in my specific case here is a list of the things that I have to do.

• The first place that I have to start with is where I left off last fall when I was clearing away some of the overgrowth and weeds. I found out that the trash bags full of garden debri and branches and stuff won't be taken by the regular trash pickup. I have to call and get a special pickup (and of course there is a fee for that). I got about half-way done last year and now I have to work on the other half - clearing it away and then I get to start all over again.
  

• There is the cutting of the hedges that I should do at least once every three weeks
  

• I also have enough room for a garden in the back - got to get a new hoe because I used the last one to death!
  

• Would you believe that I still have leaves to rake!
  

• There are also branches that have to be broken and trashed - this is the result of storms and high winds
  

• I'm on the hunt for some good porch furniture! (Of course getting rid of the old furniture will be a problem but I'm hoping that I can just get some new cushions and not have to chuck the frames). I also have to take into consideration getting something that doesn't look good enough to steal. And I'm also having a hard time finding just the right kind of porch furniture. I want something that will be big and sturdy and not those "lite" looking porch chairs and benches that I see advertised.

Sounds like a lot of fun doesn't it? But I won't mind as long as I do it a little bit at a time. I see people enjoying the fact that they are taking care of their homes and shopping for things like plants and flowers can be fun. Besides, between work I can always sit on the porch and rest - That reminds me - I want a rocking chair for my porch!