Veggie Sarcophagi
Rubble from around the pool and slabs from the old deck get a second life as gopher-proof vegetable planters–little sarcophagi–down where the old dog kennel used to be.
Category: Exterior
Matchy-Matchy and Some Tape and Some Labels
Matching lights outside the bedroom and kitchen, and taped and labeled switches in the studio.
Courtyard Landscaping, Before and After
The courtyard landscaping, six months on, before and after.
Stage One Landscaping Completed
Stage one of the landscaping is done, with new pavers, plants and irrigation.
Landscaping in Stages
Landscaping in stages: after firing one landscape architect, the house gardens finally get started.
A Bit More Outdoor Art
Steel cranes and rusty geese from an auction, and getting 9-foot cranes home in Barbie.
A Girl Needs a Shed
A girl needs a shed: planning a proper garden shed to replace the previous owners’ odd one.
The writing process (failure)
How I write these posts, and why I’m still over a year behind.
Upgraded Fence
A storm took out the rotting privacy fence by the studio, so it’s replaced with a better one.
Sculpture Highlights
Proper power at the main gate, and lights on the condor and Agatha at night.
Just add steel sculptures
Giant steel condor and eagle sculptures from an auction, and how we installed them.
Adding to the woodpile
Moving the cut-up limbs from the tree line down to the woodpile with Bambi and Dumpy.
“New” Bathtub
Hauling one last rusty old bathtub up from the south pasture to the north garden.
The Deal with the Devil: Addendum
Before, during and after photos of the dirt and the pit.
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: Part 3
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: grading, drainage rock and soil between the new wall and the pool.
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: Part 2
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: pouring the concrete.
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: Part 1
The Lesser Wall of Purgatory: quotes were too high, so we built the small wall by the pool ourselves, starting with the forms.
Blooms of Purgatory
Some somewhat-recent flowers from around the ranch.
Rain Machines
Smart irrigation controllers synced to our weather station.
Agatha
Please welcome Agatha, a giant 12-foot steel stegosaurus and the newest of our sculptures.
Downward Facing Birds
Birds, a feral cat and a bit of Frank the Skunk at the water bowl outside the kitchen.
At the Birdbath
Trail cam video from the birdbath, and our list of 58 bird species seen at the ranch.
Gutter Addendum
One more gutter on the south side of the great room keeps the rain off the windows.
Exterior Tidying
Our painter tackles the rot, stucco and siding the previous owners painted over, and repaints the house exterior.
Another Tale of Fencing
Getting the house yard fences repaired, sealed and painted bright white again.
Many Leaks
Leaky pool solar valves and a leaking water main valve behind the garage, dug out with Bambi.
Nesting Birds
All but two of our new nest boxes were used this spring, by bluebirds, wrens and a titmouse.
April 2019 Aerial Photos
Aerial photos of Purgatory from April 2019.
Winter Tree Work
California Tree Solutions takes on our trees, including pollarding the mulberries.
And On the 15th Day, There Were Gutters
After 50-odd years without them, the house finally has gutters, made on site by Commercial Gutter.
Yet More New Fencing
Replacing the white wooden fence along the main gate and road with simple wire fencing.
The North Garden Now-ish
The North Garden a year later, with a new bench and our still-unnamed dinosaur.