Ring Around the Tree...

I've been doing a little landscape updating. I am not by any sense of the imagination all that clever or landscap-y (Yes, that's technical lingo) or even a Do-It-Yourselfer. I am more often than not a Hire-Someone-Else to do it kind of girl. But this year, I have some people in my life that are all big on the Do-It-Yourself kind of projects and unfortunately (or not) they have been motivating me to work on mine.

This was the original landscaping around the tree that is in our front yard. I don't have a better picture because I had already started the new ring-around-the-tree and well, your just lucky that there is a before picture at all...



Ethan and I are in the process of moving the old stones to the area in front of the house... I have a few pictures of me doing that, but some of them aren't fit for anyone's eyes...



This is more rock moving. I know, way cool, and obviously Ethan is tons of help.



Here we are pulling up the old plastic ring that was supposed to hold our rocks in place...



Because this was a serious landscaping overhaul... ahem, and I needed two days to finish it... hence the change of clothes.



On day Two I had some extra help from our neighbor Kyle...



But of course, I had to do all the heavy lifting...



and mulching...



But, look at the end result... I think it looks tons better. And in the process I had to buy a mason chisel and learn how to split bricks. Of course the first one was really crooked, but I bought another one and will be re-doing that job soon. And don't you say anything about it not being level... I'm NOT redoing it. Ever.



Thank you to all of you that helped in the building of our Ring-Around-The-Tree... Curtis for taking me to Lowe's on Mother's Day (because I wanted to do that instead of lunch out) and for unloading the two loads of stuff that I bought at Lowe's... Ethan for the rock moving help, I couldn't have moved all those rocks without you... Jacob for your superior camera operator skills. I will even forgive you taking pictures of my backside while I was bent over, I'm just gonna say you didn't know any better and be grateful we have a delete button... Kyle, for playing with the boys and leaving me to work in peace... and last but not least, Doc, for the brick splitting instructions. We wouldn't have to split a new brick if we had done exactly what you said the first time. Lesson learned.