Who We Are

Monday, October 17, 2011

Tapped Out Monday

Ha roo, pups and cool cats!  It's me - Zim!  Oh, Dave and I aren't tapped out!  In fact, it got chilly last night -- into the 40s (8-ish C) -- and us boys are ready to GO!!!  Mom and Dad are a bit tuckered out, though.  Despite us helping a LOT, they're zapped from working on a big landscape project.

It started before our driveway was ripped out.  There is a garden bed that runs the length of the drive - it was filled with a Mugho or Mugo Pine gone wild, and three Crimson Pigmy Barberry Bushes.  Dad dug up the pine before the driveway was taken out - click here to see where it used to be (check the first picture  in that post).  It was overgrown and the roots were doing bad things and ... let's just say the Mugo had to go-go!

 In better days, the bed in question looked like this:

IMG_1571 The driveway bed - before

Ahh! Those were the days! But so anyway... Dad dug up the Mugo and then two of the Barberries, and he and Mom removed the egg rock/river rock that served as the base of the bed. They smoothed it all out with shovels and rakes and stuff - it was a MESS out there! Oddly, Dave and I had to snoopervise from inside the house. It was exhausting work for us, as you can imagine!

When I went rock shopping with Mom the other day, we were actually on a scouting mission for rocks for that bed! Yesterday morning, Mom smoothed some more, then started laying fabric over the bed!

IMG_4547 Driveway bed

Mom seems to have a "thing" for fabric, doesn't she? Ha roo roo roo! This was landscape fabric, though; it's used as a weed barrier.  Oh, and Mom said if you want to meet everyone in your neighborhood, go outside wearing a dirty, raggedy sweatshirt, shorts, Crocs kneepads, garden gloves, legs and feet all muddy, and 15 mph winds with 30 mph gusts to style your hair -- apparently you are guaranteed to see everyone who lives in a 5 mile radius.

Anyway, over lunch, I heard Dad say that they were going to head back to the rock place to go get rocks!!! REALLY?!?!? Oh, I wanted to go soooooo badly! Mom said "bipeds only" this trip and reminded me of this sign at the rock place:

IMG_4551 back at the rock place!

Very funny, Mom! My new girlfriend had the day off anyway, so I didn't miss much.

Mom and Dad were really excited when they got home and spent lots more time out there with shovels and rakes and Dad's muscles - it's a good thing Dave and I were able to help by watching them out the front windows! Before we knew it, Mom said, "C'mon, boys! I have something to show you!"

We headed out there and wowzers! It was all so different! Here's Dave down at the bottom where the Mugo-a-go-go was:

IMG_4568 Dave

Mom and Dad (mostly Dad) had moved that egg rock/river rock onto a tarp, cleaned it off, then put it back in the "new" bed.

Further up toward the house, they put in more of the cool boulders they bought:

IMG_4557 Dave
"I really like the depth of color in these ones!"

That kind of blue/green stuff on the lawn is grass patch stuff where the Mugo killed the grass.  We're just at the very season-end of where you can seed your lawn - we're hoping it will take!

Here's an over-all shot:

IMG_4569 Driveway bed - after!

Come Spring, Mom said she's going to nestle pots of plants in there with the rock chunks.

They bought one more rock - a chunk of limestone. It's up on the porch; can you see it? Let's take a closer look!

IMG_4564 Zim

Now that's what I'M talking about!!! That's worth posing with!

I let Mom and Dad sleep in until 0530 this morning, since they've been working so hard.  Yeah, that is sleeping in for me.  Hey - they're the ones who named me after a Drill Sergeant!  Ha roo roo roo!

I hope you enjoyed seeing Mom and Dad's latest project!

Play bows,
Zim

12 comments:

  1. Wow - that looks lovely but like a LOT of work. They are lucky you boys were able to snoopervise so well. And love the new stone by the door!

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  2. That's considerate to let everyone sleep in until 5.30 after all that work. Bet it was appreciated .

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  3. Great project! We love rocks too. But we don't have any really cool big ones in our yard like those! None with flags on em either - that is way cool! Furry thoughtful of woo to let them sleep in, Sgt,. Zim!

    jack & moo

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  4. Mom usually has all the neighbors out when she steps out in her pajamas. Any other time nobody is around. The new "rock" garden looks great!

    Sam

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  5. We love the look of those rocks. 5:30? We have mom up at 4:50 BOL
    Benny & Lily

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  6. 5.30am? Zimmie, you are getting lazy in your old age. Did you at least wake your mum up at 2.00am to go out?

    Huffs

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  7. what a big project but it looks great

    Stop on by for a visit!
    Kari
    dogisgodinreverse.com

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  8. MOL at horsing around! Zim, we'd never believe that of you and Dave...much... ;-/ Say, you two did work hard snoopervising your folks' work - they did a great job and the new planter, rocks and all, looks nice :) Glad you all got to sleep in... a bit...

    Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, Hollie

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  9. We're glad you let them sleep in to 0530 Zim! You are so thoughtful! We bet all the neighbors really came around to get a glimpse of you and Dave and just happened to see your mom at her loveliest! Ha roo roo!

    Woos,
    Sadie

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  10. Those new rocks sure are pretty. Do people charge a lot for rocks? I guess I never knew you could shop for them before. We have 3 big boulders in our yard but they were unearthed when they broke ground in our housing development.

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  11. Congratulations all of you on a job well done. Zim you really befit the patriotic rock,ten-shun!Dave you must have been exhausted job well done by you too!Mom&Dad--------- snore..quietly of course.

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  12. 5:30? He really must have been tired. Gosh, don't let PeeWee see those rocks, he will be right over to add them to the collection he has in his belly.

    But it sure looks super duper great! Your estate is beautiful.

    Slobbers,
    Mango

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