We started off April with a bang, celebrating my 26th year. Kerry really made it a special celebration with a choose-your-own-adventure themed day. The adventure choices were: a day at the coast, a hike to Silver Creek Falls, a hike through the Forest, or a trip to Portland to check out OMSI. Each trip had food components. Because it was my birthday I got to mix and match the food and the trip.
I decided that, because the weather was phenomenal, that we would stop for lunch at McMenamin's, hike Silver Creek Falls, and then return home making a stop for pizza along the way. Lunch at McMenamin's was great, the hike was beautiful, the pizza excellent, and the company perfect!
My big present from Kerry was a brew kit from our local brew store. While it took me some time to actually get brewing (who knew that yeast had to sit so long), I am pleased to announce that my wheat ale has been sitting in the secondary fermenter for about a week now. Next step: bottling. I will be sure to send pictures of the process.
Here are some pictures from the hike:
We, Hiking.
From behind one of the falls.
Pretty.
Pretty too.Now what's this about a backyard? Not too long after we bought our house we consulted with Kerry's Uncle, Grant, about the backyard. As a pro landscaper we figured he was more than qualified to give us some guidance. Boy did he.
Up until just a few weeks ago we had just sort of been chipping away at the backyard: putting in new grass, fixing the drainage, planting things here and there; you know, the usual. Right before my birthday we decided that we would look into refinancing our house and as such we wanted to get our humble abode into the best shape possible.
Without a moment's hesitation we spent an entire week repainting all that hadn't been painted since we moved in--most of the house. Because we are intrepid folks, the next week we had patio and retaining wall blocks, 4 yards of bark, 3 yards of dirt, 2 yards of gravel, and what seemed like and endless mountain of sand delivered to our house--we were very hungry caterpillars indeed! The result? A beautifully landscaped yard that we are absolutely thrilled with!
Here are some before and after pictures:
Our Backyard as we got it. Notice the puddle and the drowning grass.
Our Backyard as we got it. Notice the puddle and the drowning grass.
Before: The muddy mud pit of doom.
Before: A lovely desert scape.
Before: More dead grass and a bush.
After: A lovely patio, designed by the lovely Kerry
Mid-course: A sump pump, catch basin, and some gravel.
After: No dead grass, desert scape, or bush.
After: A garden wall, healthy grass, no puddle, and good smelling plants.
Before: More dead grass and a bush.
After: A lovely patio, designed by the lovely Kerry
Mid-course: A sump pump, catch basin, and some gravel.
After: No dead grass, desert scape, or bush.
After: A garden wall, healthy grass, no puddle, and good smelling plants.