It started with the sequoia trees.
Jim was pretty sure the big sequoias in our yard haven't gotten measurably bigger since we moved in. We didn't measure the trees in 2009, but I did take pictures, and shared them on the blog HERE.
For convenience, I fished the photos back out of that post and then walked around taking pictures from (pretty much) the same angles today so we can compare them on this page.
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| January 2009 |
My camera was not optimal, even when it was new in 2009. I gimped the 2009 photo so you could actually see things.
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| Gimped photo, January 2009 |
Now compare with the picture I took a few minutes ago with a newer camera which still isn't optimal (the "today" photos are also gimped for light, because we're in the Big Dark still):
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| 2021: barn, fence, Dragon (and no sn*w) |
It started me thinking: what else has changed around here?
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| 2009: cedar tree, blueberry bushes, grapevines, and blackberry bushes |
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2021: cedar tree, blueberry bushes, grape vines, no blackberries!
(that support post is going to fall over any minute, though) |
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| 2009: storage shed |
The first two years we lived here, we used this building for hay storage. Now it shelters the riding lawnmower and the quad, plus a lot of tools.
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2021: the doors are firmly anchored. The extension cord
powers the timer/lights in the chicken house. |
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2009: greenhouse (built in the shade of the neighbor's fir tree), storing the previous owner's stuff
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2021: the neighbor's tree is bigger, and the greenhouse now shelters
some of Monica's stuff. All the junk around it, ugh.
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We built a trash can corral last summer after we painted the house, which helps
to corral some of the junk. |
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2009: The "decorative plantings" above the house, plus orchard trees.
The sn*w covers up the decorative ponds mosquito habitat that we ripped out immediately. |
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2021: we've added some bird habitat, and allowed the forsythia to get Really Big.
The orchard trees have grown too. This area is low priority on my maintenance list. |
We had marvelous plans for this place, back in 2009:
2009: we got rid of the dog run and three falling-down outbuildings promptly
We achieved a lot of really big changes including the pasture fence and the barn.
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2021: the barn aisle currently houses a lot of wet horse blankets!
But I also see the garlic in the galvanized tubs--sprouting and growing already. |
Those were huge projects. We've also added four gardens.
Of course, on a farm, there's always more that needs to be done--that's the nature of the place.
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2021 (the photo from Google Maps was probably taken mid-summer 2019)
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As for the sequoia trees that started the whole thing, well.
That's a topic for a future post!
Love the then/now photos!!!! I cannot help but be reminded of the first episode of The Orville (star trek spoof) where they used a giant sequoia to destroy an enemy ship. It was ridiculous but I love that show.
ReplyDeleteWe have so much mud this year I just caught Mag trying to navigate it, changing his mind, trying again, nearly giving up, then succeeding in making it back to the barn from 72. *sigh* Boot sucking mud, I've fallen down out there. I would say, due to the sheer amount of mud we have from putting horses here, we've done the opposite of improve this farm. If the previous owner were to stop by, we'd hang our heads in shame. However, nearly everything else is better, look dude, no ponds! Much less blackberries!
I'm chagrined that we have to hire another contractor for an earth-moving project now: ( Our drainage system is causing a wet basement and so one must be dug, and the basement walls made waterproof (if that's possible). Also, a huge rain cistern fell apart recently so we have what looks like a sink hole out there. I want to fill it with poop, of course, but the lower half of the cistern must be removed, it's still full of water. This is going to be another huge one, these projects, and if I had my way I'd say screw the basement and let me just fill that hole with poop.
Crap, I think it's snowing again.
I saw something yesterday that said "Most of home ownership is like, when you hear a weird noise you hope it's a ghost, because you can't afford to fix anything."
DeleteSo, yeah.