Greetings! Welcome to #WeekendCoffeeShare, thank you for meeting me on this Saturday. If it’s early and not too hot outside, I would ask if we could work and talk, primarily I would be the one working. You can help if you want but I wouldn’t force that on you.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you I finally constructed the first of two cinder block garden bed last night just as the moon rose in the sky. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I transported these blocks home on Wednesday’s afternoon but discovered the ground was uneven. It’s strange that my front garden is sloped from north to south but the back garden is sloped from east to west.
I spent Thursday evening leveling out the ground, removing just about a ton of the heavy clay soil, all the while making some interesting discoveries. First of all, the soil in this part of the garden is absolutely horrible and I’m not complaining about the clay. Not only was some of the soil had small chunks of rocks and concrete in them, the top inch soil was dead because of the amount of weed killer mom has used over the year.
It’s been her solution for any out-of-place plant for years – weed killers. I’ve told her repeatedly to stop spraying weed killers. It’s the reason my Golden Jubilee Tomato plant has been stunted until the recent weeks. She sprayed weed killer on a breezy day and it got on the plant.
I have already tossed 2 large bags of soil into the garbage, who knows how many more I must toss. It’s also the reason I must put cardboard on the bottom.
Secondly, about an inch down, I hit a plastic elbow. Who in the world would lay sprinkler pipes this shallow? It made me glad I didn’t use a gas-powered tiller as I would no doubt sever the pipe.
Though the bed looks finished, it’s not. Do you see that bulge in the middle (4th block from the right)? I might had taken a little too much on the left side and will have to level it out on the right side.
If you ask me to grade myself on this raised bed, I would probably give myself a B- (around a 78) or a C+ (around 75). It’s not my best work but it will have to work under the circumstance. I know the ground will settle after a couple of snow storms.
This project has been very energy-draining, particularly because I’m doing it solo. My aunt and uncle next door is re-doing their back garden as well, lifting the 1000+ red bricks mom and I laid a decade ago. Mom isn’t helping and I don’t want her to, she will just make me do it her way or no way at all.
I have a vision, damn it, and I’m sticking to it.
I will be posting my progress as the project goes along.
In other news, it was National Waffle Day at work this week and I got this awesome treat on Thursday. I also went and got myself an Apple Crisp Oatmilk Iced Shaken Espresso from Starbucks that day as a reward for putting up with mom as she drove us to work. She likes to complain about everybody and everything. I was just glad she was complaining about me that morning. Still, I needed the coffee since I didn’t sleep well the night before.
It’s hard to believe Fall flavors are once again back at Starbucks. I feel like it’s earlier than last year. Anyway, I remember loving this last year because it tasted like Apple Cinnamon oatmeal. One sip and it brought back so many memories.
#weekendcoffeeshare is hosted by Natalie of Natalie the Explorer. I appreciate you stopping by. Until next we chat. 🙂
This is Another Story 
A+ from me to you for this amazing brick work in your garden. It must’ve squeezed out the energy from you but the fruit of your efforts will be sweetly rewarding. I’m sure.
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Thank you. My clothes are certainly showing me how much energy I put into this project – they are all loose. 😀
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The waffle looks yummy
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It was very yummy. 🙂
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🥰🥰🥰
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Yinglan, I think you’re going to have a beautiful garden! The waffle looks like it was delicious. Have a good weekend!
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I really hope so. My primary goal is to grow more with less grass and less weeds.
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Whoa! You’ve been hard at work. Glad you treated yourself yourself to Starbucks. 😊
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I’m looking forward to seeing the transformation myself. 🙂
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A+ from me also, just the fact your getting on and doing your thing!
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Thank you. 🙂 It means a lot.
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Building beds to grow in is always A+ in my book 🙂 I know all the work that goes in to revitalizing a dead space and hope all your work turns around with gorgeous abundance! Have a great week ahead!
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Thank you for your A+. 😀 After finishing constructing and filling the bed last night, I felt a sense of satisfaction that I have gave the land life again.
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Your space is coming along! That waffle looks amazing.
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It sure is coming along. I will post an update in a few days.
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Fun stuff YingLan, well, at least as long as your mom stays elsewhere. This is your home and you should both have and pursue those visions of things that would increase your own joy and comfort. I’m not much of a Starbucks customer anymore. Way too much sugar in many of their drinks and I’m only tolerate coffee if I craft it myself. If out with family or friends who want to go there, I know a few things that I can enjoy and how to get them with less or no sugar. But that fall flavors have arrived, no surprise here. They are one of the best marketers in America and have a huge fan base that they understand well. They have great service and deliver a warm and friendly experience with each purchase so while I’m not a fan, I applaud them.
I’m almost caught up from last weekend, so I’m off to finish that so I can get ready for this weekend’s coffee share.
Blessings.
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Hi Gary, I learned I can reduce the amount of sugar in my drinks by ordering from the app but I agree, there’s too much sugar in those drink. I must admit though, US Starbucks is much better than UK Starbucks. I had several drinks at Starbucks when I went to UK and they were so bitter. In my opinion, I’d rather have my drinks be sweet than bitter.
Though I still like the instant coffee and milk combination I make at home, it gets boring at times and getting a drink once a week isn’t bad.
Oh yes, definitely, the project is fun as long as mom stays away. Last night, she came out to “inspect” my work and started talking down to me like I don’t have a clue what I was doing. I hate it when people do it. The sales rep at my work does that sometimes and it annoys me very much but it’s extra annoying when mom does it.
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You can’t rehabilitate the clay soil with compost? My front yard has clay soil but over the years I’ve been composting, tossing organic scraps around the yard. We do place weedkiller but of course, there are still some weeds.
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There’s too much soil and without sprinklers, I would have to water all that area by hand. I tried that last year and it took me almost an hour each night to water the lawn and still, the grass died.
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