Before and After

Because we're convincing ourselves that we are finishing up all the cutting down, cleaning up and replanting in the garden, I thought I'd go back once again and see the difference. We have certainly eliminated just about all the brown leaves, although we've eliminated practically everything else as well!

Dana and I tackled the last bottlebrush and cut off every single branch with brown leaves. There's a ton of new growth coming up at the bottom of what's left of the plant and a massive pile of cut branches behind it waiting to be hauled away by Pedro's crew who also weed whacked the impenetrable weeds and grass beneath the fence.The three fruit trees we planted, an apple, a pear and a persimmon can be seen below the deck on the right. They were just sticks when we planted them so they've come a long way.

We're hoping the burned branches in the background sprout some new leaves and wait to see what happens to a couple of trees that aren't showing very many signs of new life. The tree people said it could take a year.

According to my notes our fancy umbrella, which will provide shade for the dining table, and act as a replacement for the arbor, has all parts assembled and is ready to be shipped from Florida today. A metal bar cart on wheels is due around the 25th and two metal Fermob dining chairs which take forever to be shipped from France might get here before the summer is over.

I'm still entertaining a dream of eating outside which was temporarily interrupted when all the outdoor furniture (except for the table with a cement top) was damaged or destroyed in the fire. 

The people we bought this house from were apparently not very friendly and seemed a bit paranoid about anybody being able to see them. They had a wall of foliage on one side and an eight foot high solid wooden fence on the other. The fire took care of all of that, and we now have a much less claustrophobic, open view with nobody there to see us for now.