Slogging Through

Slowly, the piles of boxes are receding. My kitchen is marginally functional. We can walk through the garage and carport.

However, despite the fact the my house is still in chaos, I am working on making my backyard the permaculture paradise I always dreamed it could be. I've planted many fruit trees -- orange, lime, lemon, mandarin orange, and avocado. I must prune the fig trees that have popped up all over the yard. I will keep a small patch of them. I planted an espalier apple tree, the first of many. I hope to add several other espalier fruit trees. I planted two kiwi vines, two raspberry plants, and two blueberry bushes.

The old wooden garden beds are rotten and must be removed. I ordered two U-shaped planting beds to begin to reconstruct my garden. We must first complete many other tasks before they can be set up. Leveling the ground, placing water pipe to help automate the watering of the vegetable beds, and digging out the old blackberries which sprout up everywhere.

Then there are the bees. One hive is dead. The other seems to be alive, but I have no idea what condition it is in. I will build a structure to hold the hives, protect them from the sun on the hottest days, and from pesticides that vector control drops to control mosquitoes.

I want everything to be finished. I want to begin to enjoy my reconstructed life. But there is just so much to do. I fear it may take years, decades to make my home a place that I can enjoy. Until then, I will slog through, knowing that it will be worthwhile.