My yarden

[sissy]

I got this done since 2004 and think It is just getting to the point i may be happy

 

[sissy]

I started here with my yarden just a gravel driveway and house in 2003

 

[Tmann]

Sissy looks really good. In the first pic it looks like there is a bird house on some sort of wood pole with slits in it, what are the slits for?

 

[sissy]

thats not for birds it is a butterfly house .They like slits and rough interiors to go .in ,I looked and there are at least seven in there ,I found the idea online .I get a lot of monarch butterflies .I never knew until I read about them online and if you go out there early in the morning ,first light ,you can see them and not scare them .A flashlight will scare them ,I tried to get pics but was just to narrow to get anything

 

[DrCase]

Your yard looks real nice up their sissy
You have done a lot of work

 

[sissy]

thank you ,my back has paid the price and funny thing is i never keep a house more than 10 years .I have totally remodeled 4 houses and this one was a house i had built and wonder what the year 2014 will bring .I did get the certificate of occupancy until almost November of 2003 and did not move to VA until October 2003 .This states building department is slow .I started the yard before I even moved in .It is 3 acres but a little less than half an acre is woods and that is behind the house

 

[Tmann]

Sissy how big are those slits and do they go all the way through?

 

[DrCase]

I realy like the dog in the snow !
Great pic

 

[sissy]

they have to be between 6 and 8 inches long and can be as small as 5 inches .They are 2 fence boards and they are the front and back and the sides are 1 by 4 's and the fence boards have to have slits on the front and the back so they can fit there wings in folded and can hang on the rough boards with there feet ,The 1 by 4 's have grooves going side ways so they can sit there and rest .At night they need protection from the bats who find them a tasty treat .I used a router to make the slits and the grooves for there feet .They like some room so there is only a top and bottom and the bottom is just boards screwed together to fit in the opening and be screwed tight and then that part goes in the ground

 

[sissy]

Thats king arthur my 110 lb pit bull .He is all muscle at least thats what i tell him lol and the pee wee and the king in pee wees bed ,not a good fit but he got most of the body in it

 

[sissy]

Thank you the king is my protector and loyal to the bone ,he is a rescue dog ,I'm not sure how old he is .But I love them both

 

[Jennywren]

Your garden looks really nice. The autumn colours are stunning.

 

[Sunshine]

You did a fantastic job. Lots of work, but a great pay off.

 

[sissy]

I wonder about that pay of with the way the economy is going .I paid 89 thousand for land ,house ,septic and well and basement .I think I spent almost 50 thousand so far on all this work .I have not added the mulch that i just got onto that cost .The decks and porches and carport and guest house were not include in the cost of the house to build and neither was the flooring in the house .I had a friend come in a do a rough estimate of value last year when I got new homeowners insurance .I just about would break even .Sad your home used to be a great investment .

 

[Sunshine]

I know what you mean, but I'm hopeful the economy will pick back up.