Improving the soil

We have been working on the yard lately. The soil here is clay, and though a lot of it has been improved, some of it hasn't and is almost as hard as rock. We borrowed a pick ax from a friend this weekend and Mike went to work breaking up the dirt (I tried, but the pick ax was too heavy for me). It was backbreaking work and the temperature was HOT this weekend. We then added some Bumpercrop to improve the soil, and tonight I finally planted the first few plants--a daphne, a columbine, and a golden barberry. It really doesn't look very impressive--and the prospect of working our way through the whole yard is daunting--but I feel a sense of satisfaction at at least accomplishing something visible.



While we were working ourselves to exhaustion, Koda enjoyed resting in the shade of the lovely dogwood trees that are blossoming in the front yard. He also took advantage of the opportunity to greet every dog and human and cat that dared to walk by. While at first we weren't so big on the idea of having a front yard enclosed by picket fence (Mike thought it was just a little too 1950s cliche), we are now appreciating how it allows Koda to hang out with us while we're working out front.