My Elysium

Along the big stuff vein, the maple leaves are falling.

Now that the rains have started it sure didn’t take long for the forest to wake up.  These Shaggy Mane mushrooms popped up in the lawn pretty much overnight, and they are HUGE!

Edible apparently by I’m not that bold when it comes to mushrooms.  Too many imposters.  Seems lots of things like to grow big here.  We certainly had the biggest jalapeños we ever grew.

The leaves are starting to turn, the crab tree has dropped half of its leaves.  Autumn is definitely here.  The rains have begun a hesitant start, with a few wet days, but we still have many sunny mid-teen days in a row.

We decided to pull up most of the garden today.  Nothing makes me think of October (and Hallowe’en) more than the smell of tomato plants as I pull the plants up.  Funny how smell and memory are linked.  Carrots and beets still in the ground, and a few herbs above.

I cut the grass this week too, a rare event around here.  I think I have cut it twice since May.  Now that we have had some rain I am amazed at how fast the lawn is greening up.  Even the lower edges that were totally browned off and “dead” are showing a positive return to life.

Later this week I am going to plant some more micro clover.  The first batch I planted were a disappointment with nothing growing.  There are some curious looking new things popping up downhill from where I planted them…did the seeds wash down?  I won’t know until they grow a little more.  Could be they are just weeds.

I also managed to zap the back of my hand with stinging nettle today, right though my gloves.  Grr.

I am back at the deck house again, this time to enclose the water filters.  For some reason the plumber decided to install the new filters and UV light outside.  Now, we do have nice winters here but it does still freeze.  Too bad they decided to do that.  Today’s task is to enclose the filters and insulate the space so they can heat it and keep things from freezing up this winter.

Not a big job but took a little longer than planned because the portable table saw chose today to burn out.  Nothing like listening to the windings in the motor crackle as the smoke comes out…

As with the deck, I tried to blend into the existing structure.  The bottom part of the wall is 4×4 cedar cribbing and holds the existing water pump.  I used 1×4 cedar and cut rabbets to make my own shiplap style boards.  Finished boards are the same width as the cribbing and will age to the same grey, eventually making the door almost disappear. Well that’s the theory anyway.

It’s been a busy week and a half. Rebuilt a section of rotten deck. These are always a bit art and a bit craft. You have to find some way to tie into the remaining deck, which usually should have been torn down too. Inevitably though the homeowner can’t afford to, or doesn’t want to, or it’s lipstick for a sale and you have to work with what you are left with. You also have to find some way to make sure the new part is not glaringly better than the old part, or it highlights all sorts of sins.

This deck was originally built with a lot or randomness. Joist spans from 46″ to 30″. Decking nailed to 2×4’s on the flat side. Scary really.

Completed Repair

I’m back to the same place this week to tear out the bathroom, including the subfloor. Not looking forward to this one, have to watch out for rats, cuz there is lots of evidence they are around. Started with the demolition today. That included, unfortunately, the demolition of my tire. Must have run over something from the old deck

Finally finished the guest cottage…

..sort of 😉

Kind of a mixed day here on Frog Rock.  A nice lazy morning having coffee on the deck looking at a great forest view. There is still a little smoke hazy in the sky from the fires in the interior and it makes for some amazing light, orange on the green forest.

Finally started to place the left over patio blocks in the afternoon.  I have 10 blocks, just enough for a two block wide small patio off the deck on the street side.  The area is bare sandy dirt, and is under the overhang so nothing seems to want to grow there. This is where I hope to eventually move the recycling and will help reduce the amount of dirt the dog tracks in.  I will have to build a short wall to hide the cans, plan to use the same colour siding as the house has to help make it blend in.

I didn’t quite finish.  Sean showed up to return the trailer which naturally turned into a small yak session.  Need to get him back over here to do a little welding on the camper, the bumper and the tongue jack need some attention. It is not as hot as is was but it is crazy humid.I had to call it a day after placing only 8 blocks.  Thats the nice part of retirement, there is always tomorrow!

Played a little Civ tonight, first time since February.  It didn’t hold my attention tho’, may have finally run its course and as the song says Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.  The guitars are whispering my name.

We spend another day planting today and are finally close to getting all the plants we bought this spring in the ground. Another few ferns and a huckleberry and we will be done.  We are trying to find a balance between the natural forest and the urban yard.  Up by the house it is more urban traditional, hydrangeas and rhododendrons. 

Farther out we want to add some new plants but avoid looking too manicured. So, a couple of maples, some hostas that will get to 6 feet wide, and ostrich ferns.  They are large enough to be seen but positioned somewhat randomly.

We are also trying an experiment. We are using an decomposing, ancient cedar stump as a bed for a red huckleberry.  This is a natural location for huckleberries, they often root in old stumps in nature. 

Enough for today, time to kick back with a coffee on the deck!