Mulch, mulch, mulch

Wow, how a week flies! It's hard to believe that my last blog post was a whole week ago. Sadly, I don't have lots of knitting progress to show you either (although I won't end the post without at least one knitting related photo).

So what's a girl been up to? Well mostly work. We're in the process of interviewing both job candidates for two faculty positions and applicants for our doctoral program. For the last two weeks, we've had all day interviews monday, wednesday, and friday. That certainly uses up the week fast.

For this lovely 3 day weekend, you'd think that there was time for relaxing -- recup from work. Well only depending on how you define "relax."

Back in the beginning of November, S and I ordered some bare root fruit trees. Low and behold, months later our trees arrived this week. Saturday we popped these babies in the ground and this morning we finished up the bed with mulch and a stone edging.


Yes, we know they are tiny right now, but you can see the new-growth buds on them and we're very excited. We'll have 4 types of apples (dorsett, pink lady, gala, and fuji) and 4 types of peaches (I'd have to go read the tag to remember those varieties and quite honestly that seems like too far a walk right now).


A bonus, one of the peaches has already started to bloom. Pretty hmm?

Once we had mulch ordered (we had a truckload -- 4 cubic yards -- delivered this morning) we went ahead and worked on putting weed-prevention fabric and mulch into all the beds in the front yard. Even if you think this isn't impressive, trust me... we think it's phenomenal!! That represents hours on our hands and knees spreading mulch after wheeling it, barrow-full at a time, from the other side of the yard. I love that rich brown color. I love even more knowing it will be that much harder for the weeds to grow in those beds. (Weeds love to jump from that narrow green strip of the neighbor's yard into our bed to grow).

And at the end of the work day, this is what we have to show for it. Not impressed? Here's what the pile looked like before we started.

Yes, you do have to use your imagination a bit! [laugh]. We estimate that we used just over half the pile which should be about right. The beds in the back yard should use up what's left quite well. Of course, neither S or I are very excited about spending another day moving mulch next weekend, but good things come to those who labor right?!

So are you garden-bored yet? Well if you stuck around I will share what I have knitting related to show for the past week.

One side of the doctor's bag finished (the front let's call it --that's the roll on top) and the back cast on and two repeats in. I'm still very pleased with the herringbone pattern that shows in the fabric and am finding it easy to stay motivated with this project (in the little free time I have). I anticipate that this bag will be a good, large size when finished. Yeah for big bags!

Hopefully you'll hear from me again before too long, although we do have more interviews all day wedneday and friday again. I wonder if the candidates would find it odd if I knit through their interviews?