It may not be a perfect lawn yet.

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(in the beginning, when I moved in and for the first two years)

[these pictures are just examples, mind you]

My first two years, here, though, my lawn looked like a weed patch.  A dead weed patch by August.  Beside being a draw for wild critters and a fire threat, it was just plain ugly.  Now, I couldn't get on top of mowing.  Simply it was and remains too much work.  The heat stress of it was a bit much.  The neighbor had a son he thought might be up to the task.  I know it is hard on him, as well, but he likes the extra income.  Now I have taken over watering.  I might be able to pay him a bit more for mowing.  Look, it's got to be worth his time.  With me watering, that cuts into his time, if it does wonders for the lawn.  Green, mostly.  I hit areas that need it more, I move things around, and I water more frequently.  It is a fight but one I am waging as I can.  A year or two of this, more seeding this fall, and maybe I will have a real lawn in a year or two.  I best begin saving up for either a riding lawnmower or at least a powered push mower for when Jacky Paper grows up and doesn't want to work for beans... unless he is planning to go 'into the business' rather than getting some other more full time job.  Difficult to know.

(not this bad, but patches I have to keep up on)

The new plants are phasing in and out of health.  But they all did, when first planted.  I have extras even yet, for any that die.  Saturday is going to be busy, as beside taking my friend shopping I may be planting.  Though I could do that tomorrow instead.  I have the last of the peppers to put in.  I need to thin the turnips now.  They are truly ready, just not today as it is too late and watering takes priority in the shorter run.  So maybe some planting and thinning tomorrow.  If I don't finish it all, then more work on that Saturday.  As for arranging my sleep, that shouldn't be too difficult, as flexible as that has been lately, mostly, I think.

(goal, I'm 2/3rds the way there, maybe)

Small things, little things, nearly daily things, added to feeding the girls and making sure they have water.  Incrementally growing capacity through demand.  As things are looking, I am more seriously thinking about getting the chicken coop cleaned and ready for chickens next spring.  That will mean, however, work on a completely enclosed confinement.  I do believe I will just extend it from the coop then off to the side/back.  It will have to be fully enclosed as we have hawks big enough to take full grown chickens, and critters that can climb and jump.  The only reason cats make it around here is that they can climb, hiss, and if need be do some shredding themselves.  Not an easy, or even probably tasty, treat.  I would think small dogs would be easier to take?  And tastier!  Yum!

Bits and pieces, low and slow, but it is what I have.  Who knows, in three or four years I might actually get to goats.  Strange, silly to most modern sensibilities, but... proactive considering my condition and situation.  If it is all you can do, do it!  Later.

Trees sure can complicate watering a lawn.  A bit of a trick but nothing a bit of thinking and tinkering doesn't solve.  A half hour more, then I move the side sprinkler, and the main ones as well.  I over watered into the area I will be planting tomorrow.  Looks like I need to do more weeding while at it.  Every time I go out to look over the plants though, I do just a bit of hand weeding to top things off.  I still can't keep completely on top of it all, but...  Not too bad yet.  Just to keep on top of it to a degree, I hope.  Odd how gardens grow on you?  *smiles*  I am truly enjoying it, even if I don't end up with even a pepper or tomato or ear of corn.  Though I must say, I am beginning to suspect I will get a little something for my efforts.