Long in the planning stages, the first phase of the front yard redo is coming along! Smitty, the mason, is doing a fine job, and is even going to redo some poor blockwork over the small window on the front so it looks right. With lots of reinforcing steel and expansion joints, these walls should hold up really well over time.
The upper wall is designed to provide a little privacy and noise reduction and focus visitors to the entry and view to the southwest. The lower wall creates a nice courtyard area off the master bedroom and will also provide a path from the carport to the main entry. Some metal work will resolve the transition from the upper wall to the lot line on the southern edge, with a variety of native grasses and shrubs to soften and screen that area further. Looks like a mess now, and will take a while to be 100% complete, but I think it will be a HUGE improvement over the sloping curved sidewalk I never wanted!
Next up, one more course of block on the upper wall, a few last pieces on the lower wall, then the cap goes on the top. Rogelio will return to do the metal work, hopefully next week. Then the initial plantings can happen while it's still cool and wet. Right now it feels like a lot of GREY BLOCK but with the plants, things will become much softer and hopefully, less fortress-like. Or I guess we could just build a moat next!
Dear friends and neighbors, your patience is appreciated!
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