Taking summer down

Well, the old garage may be crumbling, but at least it's going out with a fresh coat of blue paint. Sort of like red lipstick on an old lady, but what the heck.

In Seattle this is called a "non-conforming structure."  As long as it stands, it can stay right against the alley where it was built over 80 years ago.  But if we ever tore it down to build a real garage (not likely) the new one would have to be the "code" distance from the street.  Whatever that is. Probably in the middle of our backyard. So hopefully the paint will help hold it up a few more years.

John painted yesterday afternoon on the underneath places I missed in July.  Our yard is private as a fort, but working out in the alley is a social activity and you're fair game for neighbors chatting and strangers walking by who comment on what you're doing.  When the weather finally comes down like a curtain, we won't see anyone until spring.  Meanwhile, I was in the yard putting summer things away and hacking at undergrowth, listening to snatches of conversation through the fence.

It seemed like a shame to cut back green plants when it still feels like summer, but pleasant work on yet another 70 degree day.  We've had a remarkable season for flowers and tomatoes and everything, really.  But I've tried to do a little fall transplanting and have never seen the ground so hard and dry.  The lawn (if you can even call it that) is packed like cement. It will take several long, soft rains for the moisture to soak in.

Some of us cannot resist a bargain, no matter what it is. On Sunday I went to Bartell's Drugstore and they were having a summer clearance, including a "compost bin in a box" marked down from $40 to $7. Well, I never make my own compost because it's a lot of trouble. Besides, we pay the city to take away massive amounts of garden clippings and then buy compost back later in small expensive bags.

Still, the price! When I got home I told John he had another small outdoor project. He pointed out as usual that the instructions were wrong.  I said I didn't think it was worth $40.  He said it wasn't worth $7. The conversation went on like that.

OK, it goes like this. 

And in about 20 minutes was done. We'll see how long it takes for the composting honeymoon to wear off.