I have a patch of sob's that are 20 feet wide and 50 feet long. The new bed area I have digging in this spring is about 8' wide by about 100' long, so you can understand the magnitude of my spring project just for that one new bed. The bad thing is that I already have more than enough plants and shrubs to fill it once it is completed. They are here and there right now, but mostly taking up space in the veggie garden in rows. When my house was built 18 years ago that spot in the yard needed to be filled in with some dirt so my contractor, who lives about a mile away, used a front end loader and brought several scoops of dirt for that spot. Same thing happened here. When the house was built 20 years ago, the builder ran into slate when he was digging the basement. Because of that the house was built sitting up higher above the ground than it normally would have been. He then got 65 dump truck loads of sob infested soil out of the adjoining field to fix the yard and slope away from the house just right. It all ended up good as I have good drainage and all, just have the resulting sob. We got rain yesterday so that will cause any bulbs I have missed to maybe sprout some green so I can better find them in the loose soils I have all dug up so far. I 'know' there will be some that will be missed, but will do light digs for them in the springs to come. Last spring I dug them out from in front of the front porch and a small triangle on one side. I never planted it though as I wanted to wait and check for more this spring. Yes, there were a few that had been missed but surprisingly there weren't many at all. I now feel pretty confident that those new areas are sob free, so later I can and will amend the soil and plant some things in those areas. For having lived here for 20 years, this place is sure a diamond in the rough. It has only been in the last 5 years or so though that I have been what you might say 'obsessed' with acquiring and growing so many things. Here is the proposed new bed I have been working on. There are some shrubs in it already and since there is sob in the root areas of them they will need lifted and reset. You can see the field at the left and where I have dumped all my buckets of sob infested soil. At least I don't have to go far to dispose of it. The field is green with the sob foliage each spring. Here are some bulbs that are exposed at the edge of an existing bed...that I would like to expand if time permits. This is an iris I planted last year in another sob area I am working on this spring. I planted the iris on top of the soil, knowing there was a good chance there was sob in the soil. Several irises will need lifted and reset as they look like this one, or worse....sigh...but I had to go somewhere with them. End of rant. It looks like it is going to be a perfect s.o.b. digging day today. 63 with just a light breeze and the soil is good and moist. Sue

Way to go Rachel! I don't always post but ALWAYS read & enjoy your posts. I haven't had any takers at my Oriole feeder but have seen both the Baltimore & Orchard this season. Yesterday I saw my FOS Indigo bunting-they are such beauties! Another first was the sighting of the Blue-grey gnatcatcher nest. I was so excited but when I returned the very next day to show someone I couldn't find it-the leaves had come out just enough & plus it was very high up. Very few warblers for me yet this season but I'm still hopeful. Keep up the lovely photos & stories. I look forward to each & every one. Susan

Awm, thank you for the tips and link! It was fun to see what your first impressions were. And no, no worries-- as I posted in my initial post, I was never planning on using them day after day. I had yoga and ballet scheduled in on alternate days. While I have never been good about working out, I understand the need for muscles to rest. :) I have put off buying a kettlebell, however. I am concerned about the whole lead thing . . .so many get bad reviews (leaving blisters), too. Seems like the only good ones are expensive (I am not sure about the lead in them) and I don't want to commit that much money to them w/o knowing if they are for me. Outside, wow! Three generations! That is fantastic. Should be fun just to be together! Patty, that is fantastic! Your bones must love you for putting the time into them! Beth, yay for Normal the trainer! I am so glad you clicked, and he sounds worth the investment. RE: losing an ounce, is it possible that, as your building more muscle mass, any weight you lose in fat won't show up on the scale because you are adding muscle? But, I think a visit to the doctor is a good idea . . .how do you feel? I'm sorry about your allergies! I bought ankle weight that are adjustable, but they are just too big for me. BUT, I tried them for one workout, and I see the benefit. I do the modified versions of some exercises due to my knees, but with the weights, then I am getting more out of the exercise. It's a good way for me to get a harder workout but safely. So, now I need to find some new ones. My yoga video is coming today . . .and I am going to get a few heavier weights, and maybe a video by the trainer Annie recommended. (She seems like fun!) Cheering everyone on who is doing this, including those of you reading without commenting! Some inspiration:

Well, the DIY seminar on waterfall building was mainly a dudd. But I did pick up a few ideas about the sound of the waterfall. Apparently, concave backdrops make the sound project (because it doesn't have anywhere else to go). Also, the sound of the waterfall is a deeper pitch when it falls into deeper water. OK, well the final drop into the pool is deep already, I'll just have to apply that to the intermediate drops as well. I'm working on a revised drawing of the waterfall (This waterfall going to be a project in itself! But it will be fun.) I'll post the design pic in a little while. I'm ordering the pool kit today. The clearers/diggers will be here in the next few days. I hope that I have this right!! -Renee