State of the Yard

So a few weeks have passed in warm-weathered bliss. The sun has been shining, the garden has been planted, and the grass has been growing! I confess that my trust in the grass seed was minimal at best so I didn't take before and after pictures, thinking they'd be more like before-and-still-before pictures. But seeing the yard now...I wish I'd done it.

I did take a few pictures from mostly the same angles as in the A-door-able post---wherein some of the patchy, sad grass can be seen---in an attempt to show off our re-energized lawn. Let us bask.

Before...

After!

The lattice is preventing Magnus from jumping over the gate. I don't know why he only jumps out there, but we've found if that's blocked off he doesn't try to escape. So we'll probably make a half moon shape with some new slats to add height, just to the gate, and hopefully that will take care of the jail-breaking.
We also started to paint the fence and are loving the white picket look :) Now to get on painting the rest of it...

The grass, though! (happy sighs)

Here's our plum tree corner. Joe was a man-beast and cut all the super thick ivy out of the tree so while it looks sparser now, the tree is much happier now that it's able to breathe. And it will be easier to collect the plums.

Before...

After!

And the grass! (homeowner swoons)

We planted a garden as well. I don't know what my problem is, but I was similarly cynical about this growing as I was about the grass. I guess years of killing every house plant I've ever had has done its work on my plant-related optimism.

Here's a before....

And after. It grew despite all my doubts. 

The big leafy ones in the middle-leftish are my lovely broccoli and brussels sprouts. There are also tomatoes along the far left edge, and onions and potatoes on the far right. The ones in the middle-right that look like weeds are Joe's peppers. He loves him some peppers.

We also have a little strawberry patch and a couple blueberry bushes that aren't in the pictures. They are doing super well and are so adorable to me.

And that's all the before/after fun I've got. But just in case you've got a real "thing" for grass, I included other pictures of our improving yard. It's not perfect yet, but oh, it's so beautiful compared to a few months ago :)

Hammock Corner :

Arbor...still waiting for that to grow in. I think it took some damage from dog chewing last year. Hopefully it soldiers through!

This part of the yard was one of the worst. The area on the right of the picture is next to our patio and it was almost entirely dirt. And there's a ring around that tree-bush that is nothing but newly grown grass. The change is so crazy.

And one for the road. :)