More Outdoorsy Updates

Really, April and May posts should just be "here are lots of green things" because we end up spending so much time out making our yard pretty (or our attempt at pretty) that that's the extent of our home improvements for spring. It's even hard to find a common theme beyond that. And while we have other ongoing projects, they're on the back burner for the few months we can actually get outdoors in moderate weather and relatively bug free (though I did get my first bug bites this week, so I think the season is coming to an end).

One of the main things that we (ok, really just D) has done, was finish dismantling the brick oven in the back corner of the house, to make way for a potential shed. Then it was time to dispose of the junk, especially after our pest control company mentioned that the brick pile was a breeding ground for ticks. D experimented by putting a few of the smaller pieces out for trash pick up. No dice. Not that I blame our public works people - even these small pieces are heavy. Our town wouldn't even take them away with a "bulk pick-up" request. Construction material evidently wasn't acceptable.

 So how to get rid of this giant pile?

Fortunately, we found a local company that would come haul it all away. They didn't even charge much extra to take it directly from the back yard (we would have saved something like $40 if we brought it to the driveway, but our backs were very much in favor of paying the money and saving us from aches and pains). And so this:

 turned into this:

D specifically wanted to keep those extra wood rails and individual bricks. In one afternoon, he used the extra bricks to make this border and weed and mulch it. Isn't it pretty? He's hoping it will help prevent some soil erosion we've been experiencing in that area.

He's been using a lot of the soil we had delivered in April to fill in low spots in our yard and plant with grass seed, something the kids have enjoyed helping with.

A few unrelated observations and questions (unrelated except for the fact that they are yard-focused).

First, our Japanese Snowbell bloomed! We planted it in fall 2017 and don't recall that it flowered last summer (probably was acclimating and sending out roots). It's beautiful and fragrant and we're thrilled we haven't killed it (yet). This picture is a week past the peak but still shows the blossoms, I hope.

Second, our hammock is dingy, which we know is what we deserve for leaving it outside spring through fall. Anyone have an idea of how to clean it (the wood boards at both ends are permanently knotted in)? Maybe I have to try to give it a swirl in the bathtub?

And finally, our new maple tree in the backyard (also planted in fall 2017) has spots on the leaves. That can't be good. A quick google suggests this is "tar spot" and a type of fungus and that we have to wait until fall to treat (by raking away the infected leaves). But if you have any other suggestions or diagnoses, please share.