Yard Work! Nearly ready for the long weekend.

Here is my happy little church-house with a trimmed and mowed yard. That's my new driveway, put in last fall. I love it! I am planning to paint the front doors a dark forest green to match the green glass in the house exterior. It would be a lot warmer than those black doors! And, I will be putting wildflowers around the base of that tree. In time, I'll have an arch with roses and little fence around the little remains of the lawn. Plus some pretty climbing flowers on the iron ornaments against the wall. It's just been too busy this spring to keep up with yard work!

In the backyard, I have tried to put pea gravel to look like a Japanese dry river, with waves, but, the dogs made quick work of spreading the gravel! It keeps things clean though, but I need more as you can see...they are doing a number on the very sparse grass. You can see the nice chain link fencing I've got for their run area, and there is a great walk-out door from the basement under the deck. I love their run area! It looks dark because the back yard is very shady in the evenings.

The long narrow run that has the green shadecloth belonged to a Bloodhound named Nero who was a police and SAR dog in Ontario. I was friends with his owner - handler. When Nero died, he decided he would not have another one, and I got the run. It is very special. It is the Border Collie run. The square run in back that you can barely make out is Caden's big run. I prefer square for a GSD, rather than long and narrow, because of turning and their deep chests and stomachs, and bloat issues.

As you can see - I am covering all of the bases, with a St. Francis of Assissi statue, and a little Buddha statue (obscured by Ted).

And here is the nicely mowed and weed whacked backyard! I feel so accomplished! Now I need to get some flowers for my deck and I am set for the long weekend! And a friend's visit!!

When I stand in my backyard at night and look up, I face the Big Dipper. It feels so funny because back in Thunder Bay, when I stood in my field at night after haying or working the sheep, I looked up at the same stars. But I am so far from my home now! Same stars, though. Sometimes I close my eyes and I feel like I could be in my field (except - there are really no mosquitoes - only what Albertans call "mosquitoes" LOL).