I saw my first worm...

Another great day in dirt land. I learned that the pernicious 'crabgrass' is bermuda grass; and there's a lot of it still to pull. However the two rose bushes are g-o-n-e thanks to my hefty hubby and I dug out most of the false garlic. I harvested one of the large amaranth bushes and the hubbs dug that out too. My guy. : )

Inventory: one small amaranth, trimmed; two small mint, trimmed as well; and all edged in bermuda grass.

Wishful thinking...

This is my neighbor to the north...and the community orchard beyond.

Dare I dream? ; )

90 minutes later...

...progress.

The wood step down into Rabbit Patch is now uncovered so I can see where it is. The two rosebushes have been pruned back with more to go. They were planted on either side of the step down that's only about 18" wide. I'm going to try to dig them out at some point. Roses are not my thing.

One amaranth and the morning glory vine are history. I dug out an old wood pallet and a dozen bricks. No telling what they were buried for. And the hole absent its dirt is now more level. And I whacked my mint plant into shape and took the trimmings home to my buns. "Gee, what is this, mom?"

I also discovered two bent wire tomato stakes.

It had rained the night before and when the sun started peaking through it was humid. I don't get along well with humid, so it was time to stop. I'd sweated for 90 minutes and felt wonderful. Slinging that shovel like a pro. : )

It's about 1/3 cleared at this point. You can't see the crabgrass field at the entrance but its' there waiting for me and then the whole thing has to be layered with manure and compost and turned under. I think every time I go toward this thing I'll be scared sh*tless again. But at this point I know I'll go back regardless.

Beginning...

I showed up at 8am on Sunday, 10/7, to take the tour and decide just how much more I could fit into my life. Janet W. is the "Phaser" or Phase II Rep for our quadrant. There are 550 plots in this shindig. Amazing. I told her I was signing up and was scared sh*tless.

This is the view to the northwest of the 15 x 15 space "as is" on 10/13/07. The white chairs and the mailbox are in my neighbors' spaces. To the west is a 180* view of the Pacific Ocean and lots of treetops stretching toward the water. We're on a bluff about 2 miles inland. I'll take pics on a sunnier day.

So here's the inventory: two overgrown rosebushes, lots of crabgrass, a morning glory vine, some false garlic, two large amaranth, a 2 ft dia, 1 ft deep hole and one little mint plant over in the far corner; one 5 gal bucket, a buried wood pallet (!?), about a dozen buried bricks covered with a layer of rotting newspaper(!?), a mailbox that reads "heri Dawn," lots of earthy looking bugs, and more crabgrass.

I'm so excited!