Optimism

Progress is still painfully slow but, after years of planning and false starts, I almost have something that could be considered a garden.  It really shouldn't surprise me that it's taking so long.  The lower yard at my parents' old house, which is about the size of my yard and started in a similar condition, took a decade to turn from a weedy lot to a play-structure, patio, and garden.  And I feel like I have less ambition, experience, and resources to sink into the project.
In December my brothers helped me wall up the raised bed I sank the posts for last summer, though I neglected to take a picture of it at that stage.  And, emboldened by a sizable tax return, I filled the bed with "compost" last weekend.  With luck I should have some plants in the ground by the end of spring!  I am most looking forward to planting some small fruit trees in the bed, including a special apple tree for my daughter which should ripen around her birthday each year.
I've been warned not to plant in pure compost but I used the compost available from the city recycling center which is definitely not pure compost.  It does look like pretty good soil, though, compared to what sand in my yard.  It also cost a fifth of what the area's most reputable dealer wanted for top soil mix.

The biggest problem we encountered filling the beds was the wind.  It had been relatively calm and nice all week but on the day I had set aside for yardwork we for 60 mile per hour winds and almost no visibility due to all the dust in the air.  It felt really good to get out and do some manual labor, to fight with nature because I wanted something a certain way, to get covered in grit.

We also have a few things in pots on the front porch but I'll save those for another post.