Random crap with Uno.

[Unorthodox]

Not a pleasant week in case you couldn’t tell. 

You know it’s bad when the person SUPPOSED to be the expert asks you to explain where to even look up the manual.  And that was for a job I’m not even supposed to be doing anymore.  I mean I was happy to leave because of this kind of buffoonery, but it follows me. 

My present job sucked too, as it is want to do at times, but generally less absolute brazen ineptitude and more just the general moronic actions I’ve decided are endemic to the general public. 

[Unorthodox]

Anywho. 

I need to post pics of my easement.  It was extremely difficult to get the plants there established but they are exploding this year.  They are the backup plan for ground cover in case the iceplant doesn't work.  But, I last watered them July 4.  In fact, too much water will kill them.  Which is becoming true of a lot of my plantings, and causing a problem with overspray from the neighbor.  I've got to build a living screen across the fence. 

[Buster's Uncle]

Wait - shadows for dimensionality.

?

[Unorthodox]

I gotta test some other themes.  Something feels off but it might be this theme. 

[Unorthodox]

maybe it's the too strobe-y in the pumpkin. 

[Unorthodox]

Definitely looks better in this theme.  But that strobe needs to slow. 

winter theme might look awful...

[Unorthodox]

Ok, it holds up shockingly well on the whiter background. 

[Unorthodox]

I really want to take that statue and give it a good little aging wash.  it's too clean. 

[Buster's Uncle]

?

[Unorthodox]

The boss has green lit my aging the statue.  I think I have the necessary stuff to make a go this weekend. 

[Unorthodox]

The neighbors must love you more than ever, I bet.

The across the street guys made some snide comments when I started.  People have been stopping and rolling down windows to tell me how much they like it, however.  The neighborhood in general has at least a dozen yards moving to the xeriscaping.  Mines one of a handful attempting an actual garden instead of rock, and of those...Not to be boastful, but mine is easily the most thought-out.  Not yet the most complete, but the difference between years of planning and either googling or trusting the nursery for what will do well is apparent in plant selection.  Then, accounting for sizes, and planning for negative space are not exactly things people keep top of mind, especially if you've never done it.   

So, I'm out, chopped down the wild things up near the house and am laying out the cardboard to sheet compost it all in prep for spring planting.  The wind kids up and sends some of the cardboard across the street and I have to wander over to pick it up.  They had previously done the xeriscaping of their easement in that they just put gravel down, but look what I spied: 



They not only planted the 4 oclocks, but buried the pots just like I did to help contain weeds in the last week or so. 



I'm curious if they remembered to cut the bottom off the containers, those don't look like the desert varieties I know, and the pots look awful small for long term success, but they clearly have liked at least my easement. 

[Geo]

That's not the public walkway I hope?

[Unorthodox]

That's not the public walkway I hope?

?  The easement? 

The sidewalk (public walk) in Utah is general back a little from the street.  You have a 3-4' section of utility easement between the curb/road and the sidewalk.  This space is responsibility of the homeowner to maintain, but technically city property they can come dig up if needed for utility work.  Traditionally it's a grass strip, but it's also extremely inefficient to water that strip, so a few years ago the city issued a program that they would pay you X per sq ft to change your grass to xeriscaped versions. 

There were hoops and it had to be actual greenery not just rock.  Mine at the time wasn't an approved design due to my sections of pavers I needed because people traipse across that thing all the time, and I needed to have paths.  It now would be approved, and is likely why they copied the concept, to get the $. 

[Geo]

Ah, I see.
Upon a closer look at the picture there's indeed a sidewalk behind what you call an easement.
But appearantly you're allowed to put a letterbox there?

[Unorthodox]

Ah, I see.
Upon a closer look at the picture there's indeed a sidewalk behind what you call an easement.
But appearantly you're allowed to put a letterbox there?

If by allowed you mean mandated to provide, yes. 

Tali and I finally finished up the path and 'circle' in the front yard last weekend.  It's been a roller coaster getting the plate compactor to finished setting the stones.  Took a lot more polymeric sand that I would have thought to fill the cracks as well. 

hEt counts 99 pumpkins having grown this year.