Big Dirt

When you build raised garden beds, you have to fill them with something. Dirt, actually. And while we have plenty of dirt, digging it up from other spots in the yard to fill the beds would create some serious valleys. We decided a full truckload would be plenty to fill up those beds...and it probably is, but boy is it a lot of dirt. I arrived home after running an errand on Saturday morning just having missed the dirt truck. The kids and Honey were still in the living room staring at the humongous pile on our driveway. When I walked in, Pumpkin said "Big Dirt! Truck! Outside!" and was super enthusiastic about the whole thing. Honey said the kids were enraptured by the dump truck - it had become *the* activity for the morning.

Well, we knew there was rain in the forecast, so we got right to it. I finished screwing the sides of the raised beds together while Honey started shoveling and hauling dirt to the garden. Four hours later, he had made a good dent, but we still had 2/3 of the pile left on the driveway.

The kids "planted" their own garden in one of the beds, using everything they could find. They are growing paintbrushes, boxes, and ADT sign, and garden tools.

Peanut had a grand time climbing the "mountain" while daddy shoveled, and Pumpkin loved using the socket wrench (and trying to say "ocket ench").

We went out to dinner, and when we arrived back home a kind neighbor had put a tarp over the pile for us so it wouldn't become a mud slide when the rain began. Have I mentioned that I really like my neighbors? it was early, and I had apple pie for dessert, so I went out there for another hour or so in the dark and hauled some dirt, again making some progress.

This morning, Honey was at it again - a few more hours of shoveling and another big dent in the pile.

Pumpkin watched from the window, saying "Dada work hard!". Yup, he sure is.

All of the garden beds are full, and the blocks to build the rest won't be here until Tuesday, so all this dirt is just getting piled up behind the garden now. I think we will have enough to fill all of the beds and start adding dirt around the fence line so we can plant all kinds of smelly herbs to help deter the deer.

There is still a big pile of dirt in the driveway - there's only enough room for one car right now. We had hoped to get it all in the backyard this weekend, but once it started raining in earnest, the pile had to be covered back up. This week we should see some sunshine and hopefully that pile will dry out a little so we can finish up this project and I can get to planting!