It started in the Spring….

and there was nothing out there but weeds and crab grass roots. I really didn't think I'd get this far, but I have and next year I will be laying railroad track. I have just a little bit more dirt to haul for the raised bed, and I will be finished. What a relief!

Last dig

I planted my little oak tree at last, and I really hope it grows into a big oak tree. I love oak trees. Seems like they are really special.

This is just some of the rocks that came out of the ground while digging out the grass roots.

This was the last day I will have to dig crab grass roots. I am done, done, done. And it's a good thing because I really couldn't do much more.
  Now, I can think about the fun stuff like where the tracks will go and what I want the design to be like. Part of it is done, but I'm still not to sure about some sections.
  Of course I still have to haul dirt to fill in but, that won't be nearly as bad as what I have been doing.

  It has already been a long work out this year, and after thinking about it for awhile I realized I have been working on major projects outside for the past 6 or 7 years.
  Next month I will have my swimming pool in and that can't come any to soon. Wish it had been in while I was digging out the grass.
My back would have loved it. Heck, I would have loved it. lol.
  So, I hope there is at least a month left so I can clean out and do some more sorting in the sheds. {I guess I will always be doing that.}
  Next summer I want to sit and enjoy what I have created.

The Church

Today, I moved the church, dug up the ground cover and tree, and laid landscapers cloth. Then hauled dirt, replanted everything after setting the church back where it was, and leveled the bricks that the track will run on. Still have a couple of more pails of dirt to add, but the biggest part is done. It was just that little corner that I had not finished that I wanted to get done today.
  It gets really hot in the sun, so will go back to digging crab grass roots in the morning cool.
  I never thought I would get this far, let alone looking at finishing this section this summer. I will be glad to get done.

  

Another day's work

I am really getting close to finishing digging up crab grass roots. Of course then I will be hauling dirt to fill in the raised bed where the railroad will go, but at least the worse will be over.
  I can't wait to start designing the layout, beyond what I knew I already had. I cut back the Juniper bush today,because it was taking up way to much space for nothing. I needed that space for the train to run in.
  The old wooden ,alcove will have to come down and that means cutting back the two Virginia Creepers, that have been in the ground and growing for over 20years. So, here is todays work.

Saturday's digging...

Not a great deal done today but, every little bit gets me closer to getting things up and running.

Don't see much, but this is what it's all about.

crab grass roots. They live forever, so you have to dig them up and

get rid of them. I am covering the area with land scape cloth and then dirt or mulch. A lot less work in the end.
It's beginning to look  clean and neat.

Friday's bit of work

This is coming along, but it is still going to take a while to complete. Every bit I get done is a step toward finishing. The train will run along the top of the retaining wall bricks, and the other gray bricks. It will make it easier to keep "track" of where the train is and keep the track where it can be repaired and reached.
This is todays bit of work but you can begin to see how it will look now. Lots of dirt to haul, and more digging up of crab grass. But… it's coming along…..

A view from outside the garden looking toward the castle.

Circling the miniature honeysuckle tree and back toward the train depo.

Over the pond and around the castle base.

That's it for today. Until tomorrow and the next bit of work. See you can get things done, even if slowly.

Beginning to take shape!

I like to work as I go. Sometimes designing "on the fly", so to speak. I am finding with this railroad I can see it better if I create as I go. Somethings are just falling into place. Others, keep changing.
This is the latest progress on the railway.

The pond under the castle with it's own waterfall is done

Now to haul a lot of dirt and finish digging up the crab grass.
Many days, when I can only go at it for a couple of hours a day. But slowly, it is getting done.

Castle Rising

Today, I got a bit more done on the castle. 

It doesn't look like much from here… but

 When you get closer the base of the castle rises up from the ground. Below you can see where the train will run over and around

Im need some sunshiny days so I can work with cement and start building the walls. There will be two stories to this castle. Tall enough for a 16" doll to stand up inside. Now that most of the hauling of big rocks is done, I will begin using the flatter ones I saved just for this.
  This morning I also got the low side of the pond built up about 2" higher, so I could put more water in there. The fish love it now. It looks fantastic. Don't you think?

Castle Fondation

This is about all I'll get done today as I just got rained out. However, The foundation for the castle has been started, and another strip has been cleared of grass, and covered to prevent it coming back in here.

My Lilacs spread the wrong way, and I'll have to move that bush, but after it quits blooming. So here is todays pictures. I will have to get a small solar to keep the water moving in this pond, when I add some goldfish. First I need a clear day to begin the cementing rocks together for the castle walls. A little bit each day and it will get finished, and the train will run.