Here's my private piece of paradise . . . our mostly completed back yard. The plants, trees and grass are very happy, and so are we. I want to have a hidden garden in the area by the wheel barrel, but still have some work to finish that off.
We also need to build two patio covers over the living room and bedroom doors and need to finish some paths along both side yards. We have definitely made a lot progress though.
Do you remember this photo of our front yard taken in 2008?
Look at it now! The plants have really filled in, haven't they?
Our front and back yards both look beautiful now. Hard work does pay off! 
I've also been having a little fun with fabric postcards. A photo of hand-painted fabric was combined with other high contrast photos and printed on fabric. The purplish photos are the skylights in the convention center where the PIQF quilt show is held. They have been manipulated a bit and printed on fabric. Has anyone else ever looked up at these?
Those bags are filled with a 20 feet of bamboo roots. I think we got most of it, but we'll find out for sure in the next couple of months. The canes have been cut, stacked and taped into bundles for the trash men to haul away. Bamboo is so tough it breaks the chipper, so we can't recycle any part of it as green waste. Good riddance!
Unfortunately, I broke all three needles at one time, so I guess I need to buy some more. I find stabbing this poor quilt with sharp needles quite relaxing. I think it's really good therapy and everyone should run right out and buy all the necessary supplies! Could you pick up some needles for me while you're at it?
Progress? Slow but sure. At this point, all the work we've been doing isn't real impressive, but it is necessary. Since the last landscaping post, we've added irrigation, bender board, gutters and stucco patch. The whole surface needs a coat of stucco, and then paint. Once the garage wall is painted, the plants can go in and then decomposed granite paths. So close, but yet so far!
Here's what the back yard looks like. Our own personal dump! We've already had a huge load of concrete hauled away and a load of green waste removed. I guess we should have waited a while; I didn't realize Mike would get so carried away with the chain saw. I'm sure the remaining plants are convinced that they are next and are doing their best to look beautiful so they will be spared!
Mike is building a new fence and gate. When will it end?? I'm hoping most of it will be done by Christmas. I'm pretty tired of all the mud being tracked into the house. Well, the new paint job probably won't be finished, we may just have to slap a quick coat to cover all the ugliness of the missing trim. 
I've managed to bond with a needle felting tool I recently purchased. This little pen can be adjusted to hold three, two or one needle. The instructions were pretty sparse, mostly keep the needles straight and don't stab your fingers. Warning: the needles are sharp! Don't ask.
