Fencing in the rain

Ok, I haven't posted much. Not because stuff hasn't been going on, but because it's been pretty small gains for a bit. Some planting, lots of weeding and "mowing" (actually-weedwhacking the grass), and some fencing attempts. But when Dad was here last he pointed out that I should really put in horizontals to reinforce the fence so the lattice wouldn't sag in anymore. Then he started the project, bought some of the stuff I'd need, and gave me instructions on how to finish (note - Dad, when estimating timeframes, at this point I think you should just multiply however long it took you by at least a factor of 3...). And a seriously large amount of plants arrived to go in the back.

So this weekend - despite the fact that it's been raining for what feels like months - I really really wanted to finish the fence. Max came to help on Sat, and my unpaid landscape designer started figuring out where the plants would go. We worked through the rain (ok, we did go inside once when it was really pouring), and got all the braces put in to the existing fence panels! Major lesson learned - besides the obvious of needing to build the panels properly to start with - include things like drillbits not being at all resistant to rust, remembering put down newspaper before you track mud through the whole house, and that the ability of my brother to make me laugh at the most frustrating things can turn an incredibly painful project into an amusing adventure.

On Sun the sun actually came out! So off we went to Lowe's for the rest of the supplies, and I got going on the panels that go on the concrete while Hobs (previously mentioned landscape designer ;) ) finished prepping the garden and started planting. It rained. Again. But we persevered. Baja came out to help with the fence, and after some severe frustrations, we got the three panels on the left up! Only the right side to go... And the garden is looking great! Lessons learned from Sun - actually, making both horizontals the same length and the same height down from each 4x4 does not in fact guarantee that said 4x4's will be level. My measurements will be off. Gaps will appear in random places. Severe use of sledgehammer may be required. My house seems to be held up by air, since the lag bolts didn't sink into anything. And - it looks a million times better than the fence that was there.

So - probably one more day of work and the fence will be totally complete! But now at least enough materials have been used that we can actually use the backyard for a bbq if it ever stops raining...

In case you've forgotten, we started here:

From Sun in backyard

Went to here:

From Fence day 2

And are currently here!:

From Fence Again

Also - I had no idea of the amount of work truly required to put in plants. Somehow I kind of thought one could just dig holes and stick the plants in. I should know better, but I guess I always missed the garden prep, just caught the planting - and Dad uses a tiller anyway... Amazing!

Slideshow of the work: