Fenced In

The amazing Mr. Squatter (with materials from Amil and Vanessa; thanks again!) put up a fence and gate. We now have a private backyard! Here are some before pics, to give you an idea of what we're working with:

We were going to save this for Lamar and Levi, but it was rotten.

New Fence:

Yard Side

Driveway Side

It's amazing how a little thing like a designated place for garbage cans can improve a space. A new food cart is moving in, and we will make sure they don't leave their hose attached at all times. We'll actually be needing to share the spigot; we're planting! We're both crazy sore from digging up volunteer walnut (?) trees that are shooting out of a complex root system, as well as hacking down that holly on the right side of the first "after"
picture. We're going to plant some natives, low-maintenance shrubs and maybe creeping thyme or rosemary, as well as bulbs. We haven't felt like gardening in years!

We took our little kitchen stereo outside last night and had a barbeque. We were out there from the time Mr. Squatter got home until close to bedtime, over 5 hours, some of which the weather was on the drizzly side. Like true Portlanders, we waited it out. We love our little space, and once we get a fire pit we will have the living room the Squat lacks, it'll just be outside!