I spent a few hours clearing the slope behind the propane tank and the equipment yard. That slope is a favorite target of mine – I have an irrational fear of a grass fire that sparks the gas tank and lines into the house, sending everything into kingdom come. Clearing the slope gives me peace of mind, and there is no greater joy than taking out thistle by the handful. Raking down the hillside ended with an overflowing wheel barrow carted off to be dumped in the center yard. Eventually, I will clamber up that slope with the Roundup sprayer.
Mike found the outflow for one of the downspouts for the gutters on the garage wall. The black plastic tube was run underground and emptied onto the slope at the near end. He never found the outflow for the second downspout at the other end of the wall. What to my wondering eyes should appear when I raked away the overgrown grass and thistle at that end but a black hole at the fence line. The end of the plastic tube could not be seen because it was not extended down the hillside, but it was there nonetheless.
The new grass on the bed beside the flagstones outside MJ’s bedroom seems to be impervious to Preen. Keeping the crape myrtle from disappearing into the grass will be an ongoing project this winter.
A Year at the Snake 