Today we bought dirt.

I heard the rumble of the diesel engine as it downshifted making its way down the bumpy and windy dirt road along the river valley.  As it drew ever closer, the rumble turned into a recognizable sound...we had a heavy load on its way up to our winding driveway - a dump truck full of dirt! Yeah! What an exciting day!  Now the raised garden beds that lay dormant for what always seemed to be the longest winter  season can be filled to the top with amended soil and sprinkled ever so carefully with seeds (which I am so ready to see sprout!)

We also have a couple of trees waiting to be planted; picked up a Celeste Fig,  a magnolia tree, and 2 hydrangeas.  And we still, need to plant the muscadines and blueberry bushes.  This new load of dirt will help get these new plants established well before the heat of summer arrives. 

Also planned for this load of dirt is an area of grass we hope to get established this Spring. It's a small area so it should be quite doable between the front of the house and the first slope that separates the house from the driveway.  Getting tired at looking at the black plastic we laid down over a year ago to kill the weeds and weed seeds.  So far the plan looks like it worked quite well.  There are a few grassy weeds trying to grow right along the edge of the plastic where just enough light and water got to their roots.  But the entire middle portion looks like rich dark soil.  I think this plan was a win.  But. I am tired of a black - actually kind of a shiny black front lawn. So grass...be it seed or sod...we're coming for you!

It also happens to be Spring Break around here, so we have some energetic grandkids coming to help dig in the dirt for a few days.  Have you met a little boy that doesn't love to get down and get dirty?  Yeah me either! Pretty sure some good ol' fashioned fun is coming soon to this new homestead...and I can hardly wait!