The Yardman Cometh

This AM I sat looking out the window and thought that it looked too cold, damp, and windy to go outside.  But then I thought that I'd better suck it up and go do something.  After all, winter is nearly upon us and if I don't get the yard ready for it, we're likely to be overwhelmed when things start growing.

So I bundled up and went outside.  It quickly became obvious that I was overbundled.  My tasks were strenuous and the temperature in the mid-50's.  It's important for me to realize that here in the Pacific Northwest, an overcast day does not mean one must stay inside.  The weather stayed mild.  I just came back in the house after about 4 hours of heavy work.

At this point, the north and east sides of the property are just about under control. The south side probably needs about two more hours.  The west side is fine for this year. It is good that I'm nearly done with it.  I now have a "weed stack" that's taller than I am and probably 6' wide and twice that in length.  Next year I will be able to compost my mowings from the meadow area, but this year there are too many weed seeds.  Even next year I'll probably only use that compost in certain parts of the property.

My strategy is that if I can get the heavy brush cleared and the grasses thatched, I will be able to maintain things using my electric lawn mower. Of course I'd like to follow in the footsteps of John Wayland and build some kind of electrically powered riding lawnmower, but that will have to wait for fatter times. My electric lawn mower is heavy, but it's also pretty quiet and it's really easy to start!

The garden area still needs several days of work.  We still hope that Angel's farmer friend will help us with that once she has her garlic crop in.  She has already given us some good garden tips.  

So far the compost bins aren't producing anything but gnats.  I think we need more wet, green-type stuff.  We've got too much straw in the mix.  From what I've read, that's the opposite of most compost situations.  Angel suggested some anti-raccoon measures.  The bins have nice lids.  We've added bungee cords and so far the compost bins have remained unmolested.

The last few days have been overcast with brief periods of sun.  The nights have been rainy, cold, and windy.  The wood stove keeps the house comfortable and the slightest amount of sunshine warms the main living areas.  The passive solar design features really work!

So far the local climate suits us perfectly.  It feels so nice to be near the water. When I go downtown and smell the salt air it immediately lifts my mood.  The local views of mountains, seashore, and water are no less stunning today than they were when we first found this place years ago.