backyard remodel

I mentioned several posts back that our deck was worn out completely!

Yes- it was all worn out & rotted.

 It's a total bummer and an expensive fix.

We called our dear neighbor who is a contractor & he gave us a bid to build a 2 new sets of stairs & pour a patio. We didn't want to rebuild because our family is getting much larger & the deck could hardly hold us now!

As Brett was tearing away the rotten deck, he started to see just what was underneath- HUGE ROOTS. HUGE MASSIVE roots - it looked like Jumanji! was growing under the deck.He couldn't even budge these left over studs because roots are growing all around them, anchoring them down.

A hard reality came to us when we realized that the tree- it had to go. 

11 years ago when we bought this house we had some landscapers come out & they recommended we dig out 3 half dead trees out of the front yard (we did that) and... they recommended that we did out this one too. It was over grown then & ruining the rest of the yard, plus grown on top of the house etc. 

But.. I love this tree. 

So we kept it.

Until today- When it finally had to go.

 

View from the upstairs, back bedroom.

Just like that- 3 hours later

it's gone.

Dang 

To be completely honest it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

I can see now that the new patio & stairs will be beautiful. We will have a much bigger & better space in the back yard. We are planning some new digs for our birdie friends too. 

I can't bear to think of a winter without our downy woodpecker & his wife.... 

or the pretty little gold finches. We absolutely love our chickadees too.

-Sigh-

Well- now that the painful part is over-

let's hope the building starts soon!?

bird watching on a Saturday morning

Yesterday morning Brett talked me into driving over to to the Farmington Bay wetlands. I didn't want to go because it was cold & snowy & I didn't think the birds would be visible.

BOy golly was I wrong!

I was so glad we went!

It miraculously stopped snowing most of the time we were there & we saw so many beautiful birds. Have I ever mentioned here what huge bird lovers we are in this house? We have many feeders in the back yard. Brett comes from a long line of bird lovers. His parents & grandparents were all bird watchers too.

Way off in the distance- hello? my iphone camera just doesn't do justice- did I mention I didn't think we would see anything? I'm so ridiculous...

anyhow- those four posts in the distance are Great Blue Heron nests. With Great Blue Herons in them! They were so beautiful & so awesome to see sitting in their nests.



We really went to see the bald eagles.
I counted 27 in one group - we got in the car to drive over & get a closer look.

Meadow Larks on the way-- hard to see them-- but they sound so pretty.

We are on the very East side of the Great Salt Lake.

It's pretty here- can you believe this former SEattle- ite is saying that?

I never thought this place would look pretty to me.

There they are- majestic.

Eagles in the wild- in their element. It was stunning.

This golden eagle wasn't afraid of people, not one bit.

Amazing- I'm so glad Brett talked me into going.

On the way out I was taking a photo of this guy & missed him flying right over our car.

wow

day after

The fact is

I am much more comfortable at home doing laundry with two dogs crowding me than going to company dinner parties. Even though.... these two dogs drive me crazy- crazy! they smell- bad- a lot & fight like cats & dogs in cartoons. One big ball of fighting dust.

Last night's dinner party was delightful- a couple of firsts made it better than expected. 1. no banquet room 2. no standing up & introducing myself or having to say something interesting about my spouse... 3. no power point presentation (zzzzz) 4. no coming up in front of everyone 5. no games 6. no upper management person asking me if other person in the office reminds me of Toby from "The Office"- what do you say to that? Oh ya- and I didn't have a hole in my skirt on the way out the door... feeewww.

So it was fun-

We went to the Melting Pot & sat with three other couples & dipped loads of food in yummy sauces & it took over 2 hours. We didn't talk about work, which would've been fine with me, but instead had great conversation & I showed pictures of Charlie & ya- that was fun.

It's really cold here - below freezing for a couple of days with no relief in sight- it's snowing & beautiful. The gold finches have found our new sock feeders. Cute little snow capped chickadees & junkos narrowly escaped three big black crows that came into the yard. Maybe you didn't know I love my backyard birds- love em'!

We are getting out the Christmas decorations & making cupcakes...

and it's nice.