Industrious.

Look out!

Todd is getting things done. Last weekend, he ripped out the railroad ties separating our side yard from our backyard, and he rearranged them on the edge of our property where, even better, he had dug up five scraggly bushes the week before. All this so we can finally have a vegetable garden. And then, when he discovered an old stone wall underneath the ties, he built a new stone wall on the back side of the garage, which will be an accent to the stone patio he's planning on putting in later this summer. Pow!

Stone walls are like Todd's thing. I'm sure he dreams about them. Once, I accompanied him to some sort of lecture given by a stone wall expert. This is a good example of my love for Todd, by the way, because stone walls are not my thing. It was before we had children and therefore, free time to spend on whatever we wanted, like listening some guy talk about boulders and slates and moss and whatnot. I don't remember. Anyhow.

It is all about the outside this late spring and summer. Curb Appeal 2011. Two days ago, we had a new driveway paved, and while the workers tamped down the underlying layer of stone dust and gravel, I was shoveling through about three yards of loam to prep the vegetable garden. Sometimes, [ahem], I get it done, too.

Marley cheered on her parents with advice and encouragement, and even brought out her purple plastic shovel so that she could hurl a few clumps of dirt with me. She assisted with the stone wall construction, too. And I like to think that she'll be my assistant gardener later this weekend when we get, for starters, the tomatoes and the green beans and the carrots in. Just maybe, growing some of our own food will help Marley to expand her fruit and vegetable repertoire beyond peaches and cucumbers.