Mud be GONE!

We have been talking about converting part of our yard into a rock/gravel area for a while now. We finally did it today. Under the gray skies of Livingston we laid black landscape paper, creating our template for our new pathway / extended patio, lined it with river rocks and went to STS Gravel twice, bringing home 4.5 yards of washed stone.

The workhorse - Joellyn was here by 8:00 am with her mud boots, wheel barrow, rakes and energy. We got it done!

The layout of the black landscape paper . . . The dogs totally freaked out and wondering why we were covering up their nicely dug holes.

Brutus really liked the black paper idea. Just like kids, they thought it was the coolest place in the yard to play tag and race around.


Joellyn smoothing out the second load of rock with her rake. Gaucho clearly upset... that was his spot that we just covered up.

Our new rock yard! The picnic table now has a nice little home.

The dogs helping us hold down the paper.... Still freaking out a bit.

Why, why are you doing this? You know I will just dig it all up don't you?


Ah, the vision is realized!


Still a nice yard area to play and poop in, but 1/2 the water usage and more importantly -
1/2 the MUD!

Our very nice neighbors gave us 2 huge boxes full of day lilies from their garden. I sprinkled them throughout the fence beds. The ones in the picture above sit between two of the four burning bushes that Peter bought me for my birthday.