Blubarb and More Yardwork - Updated! Now with more Mulch

A blog that I follow regularly, A Home Grown Journal, recently had a recipe for a Rhubarb Crisp that was just the thing I was looking for. I happened to succumb to an impulse purchase of blueberries the other day, so I used half rhubarb from the plant that grows outside my back door, and half blueberries. Thus Blubarb. My rhubarb wasn't the screaming red that I've seen in the store, but the Crisp tastes really good. I brought it to a party tonight, and brought one piece home to eat. I might make another, as there's plenty of rhubarb yet.

Here's the finished product. I might fool around a bit with the topping. I like more topping, but there's already a stick of butter in there as it is, so maybe I could tweak something. It was yummy. Thanks, Mama Pea!

This is certainly the Spring of yardwork around here. Here's today's project. I'm certain it's because it has been a wet and cool spring, and the weather's been conducive to working outside without wilting (that's without ME wilting, not the plants). It's a good thing, too, because my yard looked bad, and I like how it's shaping up.

Here's the before. See all the plants along the sidewalk? They're some kind of violet, and have been slowly taking over this bed. So much so that when I went to dig them out, I found their roots had permeated the cedar edging there, so I had to remove a stretch of it and replace it. I thought all of the nice Penstemmon had died in the dry winter, but found a few hangers on that I moved around so they were distributed nicely. I also divided one of the ornamental grasses, which you can't see in the picture, as well as trimmed the larger ornamental grass that is quite happy where it is.

I then scraped most of the pea gravel out, and replaced it with mulch. Let me just say this so the world knows: I hate pea gravel. Weed city. I did dump and spread it on the alley side of the garden alongside my house, and am sure it's packed with weed seeds. But I had the bright idea to cover it with black plastic for a few weeks so it kills the weeds. Hopefully that will work.

And here's where I stopped today. I need to buy a couple more plants for this area, and just a wee bit more edging, then mulch some more. Mulch, mulch, mulch. I still have quite a bit to go, and it looks like I've got enough to do all the areas that need it. It's funny, the "after" picture doesn't look all that different, but in person, it's a big improvement! It's raining (again!) and hopefully will clear so I can finish this tomorrow.

Update - 5-29-11
OK, here it is. I forgot to buy another roll of edging, so there's a 2' gap down at the other end, but this job is pretty much donesville. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I know there will be stray weeds, but now I can keep on top of it a lot easier. I know, there's one stray violet at the edge of the sidewalk. I thought the better of pulling it, as doing that pulled up the edging in other places. I'm going to spray this one.

Now I need to paint the porch, paint the fence a nice bright white, and I think I'm done for a while. It's supposed to finally start getting warmer, and I'm already happy I got this done before that happens.

I shake my head when I think about how this got to look so ratty. I think it's related to the idea that, according to The Plan, I wasn't supposed to still be in this house this long. I was supposed to be married to some great guy and we'd be well into our new life together by now (six years from when my x and I split). I know that great guy thing is going to happen one of these days, but now at least my house doesn't look like I'm waiting anymore, and I like that.