Build the Wall

We are beginning new projects on the rental house. Last week we put in a retaining wall and steps up the slope to the odd little enclosure on the side of the house. Later we'll be ripping that fencing down and enclosing a larger area to make a courtyard, then fencing the back yard to keep out the ravenous, destructive deer mobs that hang out there, and doing a little more landscaping. We had planned to do interior remodeling but will hold off another year for that and work outside instead. It's our coronavirus plan.

We used railroad ties from the 40's, same age as the house, to make the wall and steps. When the new courtyard is finished we'll backfill  the wall with soil to plant shrubs deer don't like. This project took a good bit of digging gravelly dirt and moving heavy, splintery beams in record heat. Which was 73, I think. Hot for us. It's the humidity.

The back stairs, which get the most use, need to be painted and I have the idea (I shouldn't entertain ideas! It means a lot of work!) to tile the stair risers. Making the tiles myself. So I'm thinking of impressing leaves or other interesting natural objects in the clay. Not sure of any of this yet. All I've done so far is measure the risers and collect leaves to make test tiles.