ArizonaButterfly

Since the weather has been so beautiful, I’ve been trying to get some yard work done before the 120F dry heat sets in. First of all let me tell you…120F is hot. All dry heat means is that it feels like an oven and not a rainforest. Hot is hot. Don’t get me wrong, I’d much rather have the dry heat than the humid heat, but when people act like 120F is no big deal because it’s a dry heat I want to ask them to come stay a week or two. I’ve seen it so hot that the neighbor’s plastic flipflops melted as she walked in them. Hot. But not today, and so I’m trying to take advantage of it because I know it’s just a matter of time before the temps stay above 100F every day.

Anyway, I’ve been working in the yard. Late yesterday afternoon I mowed. After navigating around the mini-grand-canyon created by the boys in the back yard, I decided that this morning I’d fill it in and then somehow deter them from re-digging it. Granted they haven’t dug in that section of the yard for months, but sure enough the minute I filled in the holes and turned around, there they were. So now the wheelbarrel is sitting over the main canyon, and pavers over the two main sides. I left the shovel and the rake close by for quick fixes. I started at 6 and so far, I’ve only had to refill one hole. Now I’m trying to decide if I should get some pieces of sod to finish the job, or just let time take care of that aspect of the project.

I dug out the planter on the back patio to get some of the dirt I used for filling it. Since the problem with the water heater, I’ve decided to fill that area with river rock and then use plants in containers instead of all that dirt next to the water heater. I don’t know if I’ll get the river rock today or not, but at least it’s ready to go when I do. I also raked up the pecans and china berries that managed to gather at one end of the yard where the water for the front yard irrigation flows through.

Next is the dog house. The problem I have right now is that the boys like to push it around the yard. I’m thinking about drilling some holes in the bottom and then using rebar to keep it in place. The first time they pushed it around it was funny. It stopped being funny several months ago. I want to put it in a shady place because they do like to nap in it. After I finish that, I need to work on the weeds sprouting up everywhere.