The swingset deck...

Several weeks ago I showed you a photo of Chip, sitting on a pile of wood in front of our shed. I mentioned that the wood was for a backyard project. But what I didn't tell you was that Chip was the foreman for that particular project...

(click any photos to enlarge)

Yes indeed. With Chip's input and hubby's expertise, we now have a fantastic new sitting area/deck under the girls' old swingset.

This is the sorry scene right before work commenced.

I am very (overly) attached to the girls' old swingset, so even though they are now 21 and 24, the old wood swingset has never left the yard. Too many good memories!


Anyhow, under Chip's supervision, Hubby built the frame for the deck... (Chip was instrumental in determining the height... Not so high that he couldn't jump up there, but high enough that he could hide underneath if the neighborhood cats were stalking him.)

Oh, boy - the start of a deck!!!

Then it was time to lay down the landscape plastic to prevent weeds from growing up through the boards.

Time to attach the deck boards to the frame... Woo hoo! It's really starting to take shape! (Chip made himself scarce when power tools were in use)...

Okay, the deck itself is now officially done...

Time to put a couple of chairs up there and give it a test drive!

Ahhhhhh.... perfect!!

Chip said break time was over and it was time to get back to work... That little guy is one tough task-master!!!

And now it was time to get creative...

... and map out a nice defined area for the bark mulch. After Chip okayed the bark mulch perimeter, he double-checked all his specs...

The perfect height for jumping from mulch to deck...

...and the perfect height for jumping from deck to swingset bar. Chip said it passed inspection and we were done!!!

He did such a good job overseeing this project that we paid him right away.

Thank goodness he works for peanuts...

Literally!

My next post will be the big reveal of the entire project with before & after photos...

Backyard bunny likes it so much he even hopped over from the patio to live in the swingset garden.

... and I can't say I blame him! It's where I'm spending all my time these days, too!

Till next post, wishing you warm sunshine and colorful gardens....

Click HERE to see before & after photos of the completed project!!

Donna

Discussing garden plans...

...over coffee and nuts. I had a friend over this morning to help me decide what to do with my garden (weeds)-in-the-making...


He scrambled up beside me to give me his input...


While he nibbled peanuts and I sipped coffee...


We looked out over the garden and talked about all the possibilities... More flowers? If so, what kind? What colors? How about some vegetables? And maybe some herbs?

After much discussion and throwing ideas back and forth, he looked up at me with his big brown eyes and told me...

...that as long as I make sure he has a never-ending supply of peanuts, he doesn't care what I plant in the garden!

Today was magical... Our first Chip joined me on the patio this morning. Unlike other years, where Chips have been abundant, I'm sad to report this year is quite different. We've had a few new neighbors move in, and they are LOVELY and so are their KITTIES. I just wish their kitties lived indoors like ours. After being cooped up all winter I love spending time in our little yard, and one of the things I enjoy most are the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks that visit our feeders and birdbaths. Sadly, I've seen several Chips being stalked and/or carried off by well fed housecats in the past month, so I'm afraid we won't have as many wildlife visitors as we have in past years. I gave Chip a serious talking to this morning and told him to be extra careful while scurrying around for food in the yard...

Hoping you are all enjoying beautiful spring weather like we are in New England!!

COMMENT UPDATE: Thanks to all of you who have offered suggestions. I actually did have a nice chat with one of the neighbors (the one with 3 cats who love to hang out in my yard) and she told me to feel free to squirt them with the hose. We just turned on the water outside this past week, so I've not been able to do any squirting thus far, and to be honest, when the cats see me they usually take off running since whenever I spot them in the yard I clap my hands and "shooo shoooo" them. Of course the same cat(s) are right back an hour later, laying in wait next to the Chip holes, so I'm afraid it's a losing battle. And no, Claudia, I haven't been able to get any cats to drop a Chip once they've caught one. Obviously if I'm in the house and happen to see it through the window there's nothing I can do but rap on the window, which does no good. When I've been out in the yard, the clapping and shooing just causes them to run off with the poor Chip rather than drop them. You would think our fenced-in yard would be a deterrent for cats, but they they easily jump the fence or come in through the holes at ground level, not to mention that our backyard gate pickets are spaced quite far apart. So my Chips and Sammies are just going to have to be very careful this summer, and for those who aren't, my heart is going to break a bit every time I see one of them being carried off, I'm afraid.

Donna

"All my Chips" - a backyard soap opera

We had an impromptu video session this morning... Excuse the peanut shells everywhere (a feeding frenzy had been taking place); excuse the messy table (it hadn't been wiped down yet); and please excuse the cushion stain (drink spill - not animal related, thank goodness!)...

A few Chip facts:

1) all of our Chip(s) are friendly;

2) most of our Chip(s) eat out of your hand;

3) and then there are the precious few of our Chip(s) who even seem to enjoy being petted, like Amanda's little friend in this video. I was sooooooooo glad her camera was down on the patio so I was able to shoot this!

Watch as he stores the first peanut in his left cheek, the second in his right cheek, and then grabs a third for good measure before heading back home (where he deposits them into his peanut bank and is back within minutes to get three more)... This went on for quite a while before I finally had to cut him off (the peanut budget is only so big!)...

Answer to question: Yes, that is my voice on the video :) The Chip(s) are waiting for you, Joanne!

Donna