No More Mowing the Driveway

Anything to get out of weeding the vegetable garden. I thought it was time to fix up my eyesore of a driveway. Basically I've been parking my car on a ragged strip of my lawn for the last three years. So domestic beast that I am, I invested some time and labour into fixing it up a bit. maybe its all that Home and Garden TV I've been watching in my motel rooms...but I think I added some value to my property...not that I'm planning on selling, but the makeover guys would approve of this aftrernoon project. Simple, cheap, with highly visible results. Fortunately (for anyone who has any interest in my domestic projects, I remerbered to take a before picture for comparison. So there you have it... a driveway worthy of my fleet of beater cars...one day I might tackle the strip of weeds between my yard and my neighbours, but only if I can wrestle back control over it as it has been appropriated for a mountain bike launch ramp.
Other projects that I've been doing included renovating the upstairs bathroom. This project is now 95% completed, with only some trim and a fan vent left to build/install. I think it looks rather good, but alas, no before pictures, just an after.
Not a bad colour, and the flooring looks good too...some people advise against laminate in the bathroom, but its hard to find suitable lino in non-ugly patterns.
I also got some fish and plants for my pond (see previous posts). I've been having a few issues with pond maintenance, some due to algae, and some due to racoons. It is interesting to note that I did not have problems with racoons until I put the pond in...this is a common side effect of the tranquil water feature. There is nothing particularly tranquil about your dog barking its head off at four in the morning because racoons are splashing about in your pond. The algae was a bit problematic as well, because it was clogging my pump filter every other day. So I bought some pond weeds and some algae eating snails, and went away for a week, hoping for the best. I returned to a clogged pump, and it is my belief that the racoons ate my snails (I found only one broken shell). The pond expert at the local organic/hippy garden centre (just relocated a block and a half from my house) said that I needed fish to balance my ponds' plant/fish equilibrium, so I now have 31 little feeder goldfish (apparently one inch of fish per one gallon of water is optimal, but fish grow, so I settled on thirty plus a bonus fish), but I'm curious to see how they fair...how many will survive the racoons?? I feel like a pioneer, trying to eek out a living in the harsh prarie drought, over-comming the adversities of nature in suburbia.
I also found the most wonderful piece of furniture for my office, to replace the vanity, which finally got a home in my bedroom where it belongs. There's this place in Coombs that sells Chinese antiques, and it is marvelous. I highly recomend a visit, particularly if you have lots of extra money lying around. Actually, prices are not too bad, particularly for the large pieces. Unfortunately, I do not have a wall large enough to get the really impressive wardrobe type of cabinets, but this little gem works well in my house. I think I might be developing an asian furniture fetish.
These pieces are restored in China, so they are not 100% original, and therefore should not be brought to the Anituques Roadshow (unless you want to be mocked by snooty apraisers), but they have that authentic asethetic of turn of the century China. This piece is from Fujan Province, circa 1850-1900, and is constructed out of Chinese Fir (which is surprisingly light). It is a dowry piece, and is part of a larger set that came with a bride (not included with my purchase). It is painted red for good luck, and the faded characters on the front are for prosperity.

It has some useful shelves and little drawers inside, and smells of lacquer...a pleasing odor. Anyway, this store is worth visiting, for both the furniture and the really fantastic Chinese wisteria that grows on the house that houses the second bit of the shop. The main store is actually part of the Coombs garden centre. This place would be an ideal place to shop for wedding presents...if you knew anyone who was getting married, but you should probably avoid the overly ornate lacqured pices as some people find them a little on the gawdyside...hypothetically that is.

I close with some photos of my yard...the pretty plants that make me smile...when I actually get around to weeding my vegetable garden I will post some photos of that...or perhaps not.