yard work with willing hands

The parental unit came and fetched the 4 grandkids yesterday about mid-day on Monday. They spent the long weekend with us, coming out Friday evening. They lazed around on Saturday while I worked at the antique store

and caught lightning bugs and put them in a jar Saturday night, later releasing them.

Sunday, though, was a very busy day plus about two hours or so on Monday morning.

The grandboy had to work off a previous loan to buy a new board for his skateboard and one of the twins also wanted to make some money so we spent the day outside doing yard chores. I had quite a few things that needed to be done. Such as...

pulling the wild grape vine out of the little oak and the raintree next to the Wild Space

hacking and pushing the Wild Space back from where it was encroaching on the tamer parts of the yard and was poised to swallow the shed

dig up the grass between the two small garden squares

pull out the goldenrod and grass in the front flower bed

spread mulch in two flower beds

get rid of a small pile of chunks of concrete that had been grown over

clean up, straighten, sweep, and get rid of a rat's nest in the garage

sweep out all the leaves that had accumulated in the shop over the winter

The boy also cut the grass in the Little Back Yard, edged all the flower beds and around all the trees with the weed eater, edged the concrete aprons in front and in back of the shop, pruned the water sprouts off the crepe myrtles, hauled innumerable loads of stuff in the wheelbarrow back to the burn pile,

and helped his grandfather cut down and cut up a huge branch off the pecan that had fallen Friday night.

We disturbed a lot of bugs like this beetle

and these walking sticks.

Mikey and Autumn worked really hard and the yard looks great. I don't know how the kids fared, but I am covered in chigger bites.

After they left yesterday, I had to get the full size drawings done for the shower and toilet enclosures for the ranch house as we are heading into the city today to try and finish up this commission. Fortunately, it was a simple design.

Once we do that we'll be on our summer break with the week long individual visits from the g'kids lining up, working in any jobs that may come in during that time.

And me, at the end of the day on Sunday?

oof. tired.