Ta da!

Here is our new front yard, showing the paver walkway.



And the front rock retaining wall.


The pathway leading from front to side yard.


Side yard pathway and steps.


Back patio, including steps to sliding door.




And the back block retaining wall that we did ourselves.


We are quite pleased with the result!

Hired help, and a new yard

There has been a growing list of ambitious yard projects on my list of things to do the past few years. It finally took my cycling injuries to force the issue this year, realizing that I wasn't going to be tackling any this summer. So we took the difficult (for us) course of hiring contractors. We got bids from three and the project got underway in June.

Our back deck was the first to go. It was just too much trouble to maintain and was having some issues.



We took out the junipers and rock wall in the front, and removed the grass on the steepest portion.




We decided on pavers for a front walkway, side yard, and back patio.


Here's the new front wall under construction.




We also removed the landscape timbers in our back yard and built a block retaining wall ourselves. And we built a backyard shed.

Stay tuned for the finished product!

Christmas tree gone berserk

Soon after moving into our house 26 years ago our backyard neighbor planted a fir tree. He said the plan was to let it grow a couple of years, then cut it down to use for a Christmas tree. All right.

A few years later the tree remained and continued to grow. We built a back fence and the tree was right next to it. For the next several years we periodically asked the neighbors about removing the tree. Didn't happen. At some point the people moved, and we thought seriously about cutting down the tree ourselves before the new people moved in. Missed opportunity.

Over the years we dealt with the reduced sunlight in our back yard, fir tree needles and cones debris, fear of it blowing onto our house in a storm, depriving surrounding plants of water and nourishment, and provoking needed fence repair.

In May this year we finally convinced the neighbor to have it taken out, and we split the cost. What an exciting and successful project it was! And we got some decent firewood in the bargain. Our backyard has opened up nicely, and suddenly other plants are growing so well.

Here is the tree in its full grown majesty.



While we were at it, we took out some other trees that had just grown too large.


Just underway.


High up on the trunk.






Can you count the rings? Should be twenty something.


Continuing with the other trees.


And a video (sorry about the orientation).



We are so pleased with the result.

Imponderables

I think of myself as a very practical and down to earth guy. I mean, after all I am an engineer. And I have a firm faith in God, life after death, and our purpose on earth. So it strikes me a bit odd when I catch myself thinking in the abstract, or outright fantasy, from time to time.

For example, have you ever thought about the possibility that the whole world is fabricated and all revolves around you? Kind of like "The Truman Show"? Bizarre.

Or that the colors and shapes that you perceive are not like what others perceive? I mean, who is to say what you see as "red" is like what someone else sees as "red"? In fact, color blindness is sort of a flavor of this thought.

And here's an unsettling one--what is nothingness like, or what if we became extinct as a person or being? I can't fathom such a prospect, yet I suppose this is what many believe happens after this earth life.

In a related vein, I can't comprehend why anyone would take their own life. I love life, and, in spite of my belief in bright prospects in our life after death, cherish each day and wish for longevity. Is this mostly because I have had such a blessed life (which I have)?

I also have a hard time fathoming the immensity of the universe. Our solar system for starters, then our galaxy. And to think of innumerable galaxies, with sizes and distances beyond comprehension.

More Good Samaritan

This hasn't been a good 15 months measured by bicycle crashes, and I'm sorry to burden readers with yet another account. Dang, I still think I should be good for another 20 years.

I was on a solo ride on a beautiful warm September day when I lost control on a steep downhill curve, my back tire skidding out from under me, and me sliding to a stop on my side.

There I was, sitting on the side of a lonely country road, scraped up pretty good but otherwise unhurt. But my back tire blew out during the skid and was beyond repair. I was stranded five miles from the nearest town and 20-some miles from home. I had my cell phone but Suzanne was out of town.

I was just contemplating my options when a car came down the road. So I waved it down and asked the lady if I could get a ride into town. She said she couldn't but her husband was working from home and could help me. She called him, and waited the few minutes until he arrived. The man loaded up my bike and said he would drive me to my home.

I was flabbergasted he would go to so much trouble, and thanked him profusely. He didn't think it was any big deal, was glad to help. And said any of his neighbor farmers out that way would do the same. What a wonderful experience that was, and encouraging to know good Samaritans are out there when you find yourself in need.

By the way, I had a goal to ride 50 miles that day, so I fixed my tire, cleaned up my wounds, and went out for another 20 miles (with blood running down my leg). The worst of it was dealing with the sore scabs for the next couple of weeks.

Newspaper Route

When I was an early teen I got a job as a paperboy, delivering the afternoon edition of the Riverside Press. Each afternoon I would show up at a shack near my neighborhood where the newspaper stacks were delivered. I would take my stack, fold each paper into thirds, wrap a rubber band around it, and stuff it into the newspaper bags on my bike. I would then head out to my route on my bike, throwing the paper onto the porch of each subscriber.

We had to learn our routes and subscribers, or deal with the extra time and effort to study the list as we delivered. We would usually have a couple of extra papers in case of shortage due to miscount, or to deliver to non-subscribers in the hopes of enticing them to subscribe. If we missed a subscriber or some other mishap occurred, we would get a call to go back and deliver a paper. We had to make sure our paper throws avoided sprinklers or bushes or windows. We sometimes dealt with dogs that would come out after us on our bikes. Goatheads were a menace, causing frequent flat tires. We had to watch for cars backing out of driveways and not seeing us on our bikes.

Collecting subscriber fees was a real chore. My route was in a poorer section of town, so this could be problematic. We were billed for our newspapers, so if we didn't collect from someone it came entirely out of our projected profits. We could petition the newspaper to reimburse us for persistent non-payment cases. And what a thrill it was when someone would give a tip and compliment us for our service. Ultimately, I found it very satisfying to collect the money and reap my profits. Almost like being in business for myself.

The ultimate hardship for me was on Sunday morning, when the afternoon based Riverside Press joined with the morning Riverside Enterprise for a large morning edition to be delivered. It was up before dawn folding, carrying, and throwing the large edition. I never was a morning person.

I only had the job for a few months. And, because of my particular route, I think my profits were low and hardship high. Still, I think back on the experience and marvel about it. It was a great way to teach a boy hard work, responsibility, and business sense.

October to November

It seems like there is a definite line drawn between October and November when the season changes abruptly for good. October can be relied upon for pretty good weather and some summer-like days. But once November 1st comes around the Pacific Northwest winter grabs hold and won't be leaving for a few months. That means markedly cooler temperatures and damp, darker days. Fog is not uncommon. The change is accentuated by the loss of daylight savings time, so now it is dark when leaving work for home. I've put the winter tires on the car and tuned up the lights on my bicycle.

As I've noted before, I love the Fall colors outside my building at work. Here is a shot from October 25.



And the same view November 7.


On. Nov. 8 sunrise is 7:00AM and sunset 4:48PM (9 hours 48 minutes). We'll lose another hour of daylight on the way to our shortest day Dec. 21, with 8 h 41 m daylight (7:48AM/4:30PM).